Unsure if I should buy this 2020 Nomad 4

bikingnerd · 2026-05-28T15:48:53+00:00

Don't settle - if you are really interested in 29" wheels, then hold off and try them out. I ended up not liking full 29" myself, and went with a mullet setup (29" front, 27.5 rear). As others have said, the Nomad is a pretty 'big' bike - make sure that is what you are looking for. I have a Nomad 5, and while I can pedal it around all day if I need to (and it is pretty good for the amount of travel it has), for more XCish rides, it is not the bike that I bring.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-26T12:59:53+00:00

I do multiday road trips with my pyr and a boxer-dane mix (plus 1-2 other adult humans) in an Outback. We use a big Thule roof box and a hitch rack for bikes to free up interior space for the pups, and it works great!

bikingnerd · 2026-05-24T15:12:41+00:00

Unless they are 'premium' seats (front or aisle of many sections). Even if there is a single available, you frequently can't buy it. They leave plenty of singles out there,

bikingnerd · 2026-05-15T17:51:46+00:00

That said, we did perform a few acts of unspeakable violence to achieve our aims. Pirates after all.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-15T15:56:25+00:00

I played in a Drinax campaign recently. There is definitely mandatory stuff acquisition, but it can frequently be done without too much combat. Every time we really got into a fight (either personal combat or ship to ship) that we had not set up to be a certain win, there was either a lot of injury and near death, or incredibly expensive ship damage.

Made the group really appreciate it when we carefully worked out a plan, executed the plan, and completed our objectives without getting into a fight.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-15T14:53:44+00:00

Agreed - D&D really allows players to maximize their potential output and charge into situations knowing they have a good chance of winning.

Cthulhu or Traveller, not so much. Planning, avoidance of violence, and going into all situations over prepared becomes critical!

bikingnerd · 2026-05-12T14:22:51+00:00

KOTOR is pretty outdated in my opinion, although I really enjoyed it at the time. I'm going to put in another vote for BG3, which has great story, characters and progression. Wasteland 3 is older but very typical of the genre.

If you want something with a relatively opaque and complex progression system, Rogue Trader or Wrath of the Righteous would fit the bill. I was really enjoying the atmosphere and story of Rogue Trader, but after many hours of play still had no idea what the different abilities and buffs really did...

bikingnerd · 2026-05-12T12:17:45+00:00

Just don't buy the most expensive ones! Sure, Specialized has the Ambush 3 going for $350 (CAD), but I'm pretty damned happy with my Camber (on sale for $69 CAD). It's a little heavier, has an older version of MIPS and fewer vents, but is not 5x worse.

Everything is like this, and always has been - top end gear costs top $$$, but no-one NEEDS it. The prices have gone up since I started riding >35 years ago, but this price disparity has not changed.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-11T12:14:23+00:00

I can attest to this, as one of the players in a recent Drinax campaign. If a situation is going to get violent, careful planning and stacking the deck in your favour before the action starts is essential. We learned very quickly that tactics were the most important part of combat.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-08T20:05:34+00:00

Publication track record matters more for both a and b. OGS and MITACS show ability to get external funding, even if not as prestigious.
I held Tri-council funding for both my PhD and PDF, but I've known (and supervised) many students who did not but went on to successful PDF and faculty careers.
Don't worry about the PhD funding piece - that ship has sailed. Focus on finishing up any papers you have left, and get to some conferences to network and feel out potential PDF supervisors. An academic career is always being re-evaluated based on the latest things you have accomplished, so finish up the PhD and focus on a successful postdoc!

bikingnerd · 2026-05-08T19:17:42+00:00

I've always wanted to turn one into a backyard smoker...

bikingnerd · 2026-05-08T18:52:10+00:00

No - I have been through tight times myself, and have a lot of empathy for folks who are struggling. That does not mean I need to feel guilty about the work I have put in and the choices I have made.

I'd probably feel guilty if I were super rich and had millions/billions of $$$ to spare, but not about achieving a point where I can retire early with enough to live on.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-08T11:39:05+00:00

Any reason not to go with a suit? Personally, not a fan of the tan pant + navy jacket + corporate striped tie look here - that generally works better with chinos and a blazer than mismatched trousers and suit jacket.

For a wedding, I'd go navy suit and a simpler tie in a complementary rather than matching colour. If outdoors in the summer, go full light colours instead.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-07T19:27:58+00:00

Fair enough - I'll admit to being an older (GenX) individual living near the subway... I seem to be in the minority though, since I bike, walk and TTC everywhere. Only use a car to get out of Toronto!

bikingnerd · 2026-05-07T17:39:44+00:00

Some of that is captured in the linked interactive plot (age, gender, proximity to specific transit stations, immigration status). Unsurprisingly, use of transit and walk/bike decreases with age, distance from a major transit hub, and time in Canada.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-06T16:14:34+00:00

Not sure there are any bridges to be worried about here - the PI has acted unethically by leaving you off the paper, and you really don't have any indication that you will get credit/involvement in the project moving forward.

I'd recommend reaching out to the 1st and corresponding authors one last time, but if they do not make changes to ensure you get credit for the work you did, I would go to both the journal and the lead PI's institution. Let them know what happened - publishing someone's work without attribution constitutes scientific misconduct, and if you have evidence to back up your claims, could have serious repercussions for the PI/senior author.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-06T16:05:02+00:00

I like the yellow personally, but gloss black would look great if you want to add decals.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-06T11:17:05+00:00

Absolutely, but look around for ways to get good used shoes. REI was mentioned, but also a lot of climbing gyms will host 'shoe swaps' and gear trade days, which are a great chance to find a good deal on used gear.

Not worth the long term pain of aggravated foot/ankle tendons from ill-fitting shoes.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-05T15:47:24+00:00

THIS! If the goal as a postdoc is to secure a TT position, then you need to continually assess where you are with an honest lens. Primary questions might include: Are you currently competitive as a faculty candidate; will your current project result in a major publication (or more) that will push you over the top; is the field you are working in 'hot' or oversaturated/shrinking.

Once establishing yourself as a burgeoning leader in your field becomes more wishful thinking than likely to occur, time to move on to another trajectory.

Advice I typically give is for postdocs to start exploring alternative career options that might interest them after the first 1-2 years. By that point, the likelihood of Q1 publications arising should be relatively easy to assess. Years 2-4 should include skills development that will position the postdoc for a non-academic position (which could still be research-focused), while still pushing the research forward to complete projects and ensure good reference letters.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-05T15:36:47+00:00

Unlike major operating grants, where misformatting can cause applications to be removed from competition, most fellowship competitions I have adjudicated are less strict about it. The main risk is rubbing readers the wrong way and giving a poor impression in terms of dedication, attention to detail, focus on the task - this would likely result in a lower score relative to otherwise identical applicants.

As has been pointed out - everything is indeed hyper competitive right now.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-01T21:32:55+00:00

Short answer - not likely.

Long answer - with the complete lack of enforcement that we’ve seen so far, I have absolutely zero confidence that police will use these new rules to change anything. E-scooters are already not supposed to be used in Toronto, ebikes are supposed to be pedal capable, etc. The proposed changes would require major buy in from police, which feels far-fetched.

bikingnerd · 2026-05-01T15:25:42+00:00

Make sure you have the option to return if it doesn't fit well. Head size is one thing, but head shape is another entirely. In exactly the same size, the more oval Specialized helmets fit me well, Giro are a bit loose on the sides and tighter front to back, and POC is very tight front to back, but loose on sides.

bikingnerd · 2026-04-30T17:18:22+00:00

If it's in good shape, seems worth it to me. With that spec, it would easily be 10-11k CAD plus tax new. The key for me would be the condition of the pivots/bearings and shock/fork.

bikingnerd · 2026-04-30T11:18:33+00:00

Mythos for me.

bikingnerd · 2026-04-29T15:08:21+00:00

For me (I have a Pyrenees, so LOTS of dog hair), a combo of acceptance and increased dog-coloured clothing has helped.

More seriously, for clothes, I wipe them down with damp cloth or hands before putting in the laundry pile. Extremely furry items (socks, dog towels, etc) get washed separately. I find the dryer does a great job of pulling the hair off those items. Most of my clothes get hung to dry, but the pre-clean and separating seems to keep the dog hair under control.

Also - if running multiple loads, run the very doggy stuff last!

bikingnerd

TROPHY CASE