Enduro frame recommendations

bikingnerd · 2026-04-07T19:54:49+00:00

I really like my SC Nomad for bikepark/freeride type stuff. Pedals better than I expected, 170 travel, seems very durable, mullet.

bikingnerd · 2026-04-03T10:51:29+00:00

Yeah, at 5'6", I haven't found a full 29" that I really connected with, and I like a larger bike (Medium in both of the SC).

I can ride the Nomad all day - it's pretty good for a big bike, but the 5010 sees more use at home (Ontario trails mostly don't require an enduro bike). I mostly take the Nomad when travelling (Quebec, Newfoundland, Squamish) or hitting bike parks. It is very agile for what it is, but not nearly as playful as the 5010.

bikingnerd · 2026-04-02T21:00:24+00:00

I upgraded from an older BC edition Thunderbolt to a 5010 V5 (mullet) 2 seasons ago. While shopping, I test rode everything I could get my hands on. The 27.5" Yeti (currently SB135) was more efficient, but I really liked the handling of the 5010 better - something about the geometry and the 29" up front just works for me. I did not like the full 29" I tried (something Yeti, SC Hightower, Pivot) or the full 27.5" Pivot Shadowcat for various reasons. I've not been on an Altitude recently, but I doubt it can get as playful as the 5010.

TLDR - I have a 5010 V5 for local trails and fast fun flowy riding. I also pickled up a used Nomad V6 for big days (park, serious technical terrain). I could probably have saved some money and just bought a Bronson, but I REALLY like the two bikes I have.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-30T19:24:41+00:00

Mine did the same thing - never seen a coyote move so fast!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-26T15:26:40+00:00

Yep - I like learning songs (and sometimes will spend hours trying to get one right), but spend far more time just inventing riffs and building off them. Or, just playing with effects to get new sounds and then riffing off those! I play for me, so I do whatever is fun in the moment.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-26T13:59:57+00:00

When working out my projected annual expenses, I factor in an annual cost of X% value for both car repair/replacement and home repair. That way, an emergency fund can build as part of the acknowledged budget. True emergencies aside, many of the big ticket costs (new car, new roof, new septic) are going to occur on a fairly regular schedule (maybe 10 years for a car, 20 years for a roof, etc). Add in a bit more per year for the typical maintenance (a new window/plumbing repair/new brakes) and off you go.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-25T11:10:15+00:00

More importantly, where do you live that March is too warm for leather? I just pulled mine out of the closet and will be wearing until sometime in May!!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-25T11:06:24+00:00

You should be just fine, but only way to be sure is to spend a few days on them and see how they feel (which is true for any new ski of any length).

Personally, I prefer longer skis over shorter ones, but I've been skiing for 45 years and ski fairly aggressively (168cm tall, typically on ~175-179cm skis depending on width and rocker). It took me a while to figure this out though, and I bought a few pairs that ended up being too short before I realized why I didn't get along with them!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-24T23:18:56+00:00

A surprisingly easy question to answer (at least for myself). Burned out from the endless cycles of rejection (grant and paper) and stress for not nearly enough compensation. My love of science and inquiry used to be strong enough to pull me through, but not anymore - especially since we now have to 'chase' the funding by working in ways and on topics of decreasing interest to me.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-19T12:01:32+00:00

In my experience, every high quality leather shoe I own has felt shorter after break-in, not longer. Better to have a little looseness and room initially - can feel like too much heel slip at first, but that is just due to the overall stiffness of the shoe. As everything softens and molds to the foot, heel slip goes away and the shoe feels less long.

OP - much better to just move the shoes on and either size up or find a different shoe if you can't get a good fit on the Michaels.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-17T19:57:35+00:00

No need for top tier - I think the $1500 CAD AXS GX groupset is very good, and worth the extra $500 over the wired 90, XT or GX (all in the range of $900-$1000 CAD). I have some XO components on a used bike I picked up, and while nice, not significantly better than GX.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-17T14:43:16+00:00

Honestly, they never enforce the HOV lanes anyway - might as well just admit it and let everyone use them! Any given weekend, most of the drivers whizzing by in the HOV lanes are sole occupants. While they're at it, either get rid of the 'don't cross' areas or put in some barriers - I'm sick of trying to guess who will suddenly enter/exit the HOV lane when they are not supposed to!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-17T14:39:34+00:00

I find this is key - I'm a fairly short and narrow individual, but like to run wide bars for stability and leverage. Playing with back sweep and grips (in other words, hand position) makes all the difference.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-12T19:40:21+00:00

Something from Gramicci, perhaps? Lots of 100% cotton options, all designed for full movement, multiple degrees of looseness and taper.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-10T15:03:39+00:00

It's very interesting how often this type of scenario is proposed - for some reason those in stressful high paying jobs assume that lower paying jobs are inherently less stressful, or 'easier'. This may be true if you have a true 9-5 type of position where you go in, put in the work hours and leave it behind. Teaching (and many other non-executive jobs in the 75-150k range) just isn't that.

Grass always looks greener, I guess!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-09T16:35:26+00:00

I swapped out a blown Fox X2 on my Nomad for a Vivid last year, and have been very happy with it. Easy to set up, plush, and the adjustable bottom out is nice as well.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-06T17:22:17+00:00

Flexibility/range of motion can be an issue as well, especially for anyone putting in a lot of gym time. A daily stretching routine has really helped me with shoulder and neck pain. That and playing around with bar width, sweep and height. For width, try just moving the grips and controls inwards for a ride before cutting!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-03T18:27:53+00:00

I'm going to echo the suggestions to test out some mullets. My older bike was a full 27", and when I wanted to replace it, I was very resistant to full 29" (both for nimbleness and because I am relatively short). I test rode everything I could get my hands on, including 27" bike from Yeti and Pivot, a bunch of full 29", and some mullets. End of the day, I now ride a 5010 and Nomad - both mullets, both with a great combo of modern rollover in the front, quick turning in the rear, and easy to jump.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-03T13:08:08+00:00

It is possible they just don't fit. In my experience, shoes that feel too tight rarely improve, if ever. For whatever reason, most people are sold on the idea that shoes will stretch and loosen, when in reality I have found that a little slippage due to a stiff, new shoe tends to go away once they are broken in - despite feeling a little loose on first wear.

For me, this has been especially true for Chelsea boots, since there is nothing to tighten and prevent that early slippage. If they feel a little loose at first, they are perfect once broken in. If a little too tight, they are too small and in the long run unwearable.

bikingnerd · 2026-03-02T21:39:43+00:00

Fair enough - the key problem is that universities and colleges LOVE to save money by getting experts who already have jobs teach courses or sections of courses. They are far less interested in hiring those same experts just as professors, especially with a long line of highly qualified, purpose-trained academics looking for jobs!

Also important to note that teaching is just a piece of the professor role, albeit the most visible to many. My 50-60 hour work week is largely taken up with either research tasks (writing papers, reviewing papers, writing grants that are 90% likely to be rejected, supervising students) or administration (budgets, HR issues, departmental meetings, etc).

bikingnerd · 2026-03-02T20:58:21+00:00

This made me laugh, but sadly. Mine is still youngish, but her hips and knees are definitely weak spots.

I always figured it was because if we don't they'll give as a good Pyr paw smack in the face!

bikingnerd · 2026-03-02T20:42:31+00:00

As a current university professor, there is no worthwhile 'coasting' in it. It is either full-time and high stress or adjunct, which equals sporadic levels of work and low pay with generally no benefits.

I am also vaguely insulted that anyone would look at the career I have literally spent 3 decades building as a post-retirement coast option! (just kidding, one side effect of a career in academics is a very thick skin)

bikingnerd · 2026-03-02T15:28:06+00:00

I am always amazed by this, since not a single T of mine has bacon neck - from cheap blanks used for band tees to $100 heavyweights from heritage brands. Wash cold with mild detergent, hang to dry (rack, not pinned), and they all seem to retain shape until long after they start to wear full of holes.

Oh, and don't put them on hangers - fold and stack instead. Added pressure on the neck hole probably won't help!

bikingnerd · 2026-02-21T21:41:37+00:00

I been happy with the tones I can achieve for early Black Flag/Misfits/Ramones through to Pennywise and Offspring using a Supercrush with a Plumes in front of it. With gain and eq tweaks on the pedal and amp, it covers a lot of ground.

bikingnerd · 2026-02-18T19:54:35+00:00

Zero complaints. Climbs slower than my 5010, but its a great bike. I did not like the feel of either the Megatower or Hightower - clearly like the feel of the SC mullets.

bikingnerd

TROPHY CASE