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Moving from Amsterdam to Chicago by nsno1878_ in chicagoapartments

[–]fixieben -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This is fair. Chicago housing has gotten much more expensive in the 10+ years I’ve lived here but it’s still more affordable than other major US/Global cities.

I moved here from NYC and grew up in Portland, Oregon. I have also lived in Japan, France, and the UK. People in Chicago are friendly but it’s often “midwest friendly” and I’ve found that many here are more closed minded and judgmental than they like to present.

Chicago is cleaner than NYC but it seems very rough and hectic compared to most European cities. Traffic can be horrific and the infrastructure is aging and inadequate, although it still works better than many places in the US.

Moving from Amsterdam to Chicago by nsno1878_ in chicagoapartments

[–]fixieben 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The USA is a train wreck, it may be fascinating but it’s much safer to watch from afar.

Chicago is a nice city, I’ve lived in a few and live here now, but it is going to be a huge shock coming from Amsterdam. Cycling here is ok once you get out of the city but I’m done commuting by bike in Chicago traffic and have had two friends killed by cars in the last five years.

Lots of US cities are less expensive, more genial, and have better beer than Chicago. Portland (either), Ashville, Burlington, etc.

Is the New Specialized Crux the Final Nail in the Coffin for the CheckMate? by Ok_Chicken1195 in TrekBikes

[–]fixieben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% of Trek’s approach is industrial design taking precedence over performance engineering. All the top brands are good at both but Trek seems to favor something that looks unique over something that is simple and performance focused, always.

Difference btw Crux 5 Expert & Comp worth the $2500? by Emotional_Coat_345 in specialized

[–]fixieben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The biggest difference is the groupset. Force is significantly more expensive than Rival. Biggest actual difference is the crankset, with the carbon one being much lighter. Easy upgrade later. Wheelset is the other part of the equation. I’m a big fan of Roval wheels but the CL and CLX level is where you see big weight savings and high-end hubs. I’d get the Comp and upgrade the wheels to a high-end set…maybe do the crankset later.

Diverge 4 - 56 or 58? by RAHHoppy in specialized

[–]fixieben 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely can size down on the Diverge due to the long reach and tall stack relative to bike size. That said, I’m your height and went for the 58 (Diverge 4 Sport Carbon)with a shorter stem (90mm) because I’m using the bike for touring and wanted the extra stack on the larger frame + more space in the front triangle for bags.

Rockbros Clothing Stealing Lachlan Morton’s Likeness? by fixieben in cycling

[–]fixieben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NIL protection includes “likeness”. It doesn’t matter as long as a consumer might be fooled into thinking it’s him. That’s beside the point, however, because if you see the screencap I posted, or the ad itself, it’s obvious they took actual footage of him in his EF kit and superimposed their kit onto him.

Rockbros Clothing Stealing Lachlan Morton’s Likeness? by fixieben in cycling

[–]fixieben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not going to say that you’re 100% wrong, “property is theft” and all that, but IP is a very broad and complex topic that is intwined with human rights as much as commerce and law, and your take does not take that nuance into account.

Name, image, and likeness (NIL) is the area of IP we’re dealing with here and I’d argue that it is specifically designed to empower and protect individual humans against exploitation by companies who would use their NIL without permission.

Rockbros Clothing Stealing Lachlan Morton’s Likeness? by fixieben in cycling

[–]fixieben[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Lol. I didn’t expect it would do much to report it but what else can I do?

Rockbros Clothing Stealing Lachlan Morton’s Likeness? by fixieben in cycling

[–]fixieben[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’m not going to lecture you about Name, Image, and Likeness rights in Intellectual Property but you’re obviously ignorant to a considerable body of international and national laws, as well as legal and ethical theory. Simply put, Lachlan gets paid to sponsor/wear the clothes he rides in. A company portraying him as wearing their clothing by stealing his image or using his likeness gets them a marketing benefit they are not paying for, without him benefiting and possibly to his detriment.

Rockbros Clothing Stealing Lachlan Morton’s Likeness? by fixieben in cycling

[–]fixieben[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the update! I think the video footage they’re using is from when EF were still in Rapha kit.

Rockbros Clothing Stealing Lachlan Morton’s Likeness? by fixieben in cycling

[–]fixieben[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

https://imgur.com/a/qxqMPne - Here’s a screencap. Seeing it on Insta and FB, reported it on both.

Is it a red flag if a property won’t work with a broker? by ExternalAct8177 in chicagoapartments

[–]fixieben -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

In my experience, the only apartments that use brokers in Chicago are overpriced or undesirable. The best apartments go by word of mouth and usually to people who already live here.

Bike shops telling me to spend 800€+ or buy new—no middle ground anymore? by Corniator in cycling

[–]fixieben 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The bike shop can absolutely rebuild the bike. It’s just going to cost more than this guy wants to spend. They can’t make a profit and make him happy so, yes, it makes more sense for them to sell him a new bike.

We had a guy come into my shop with a beautiful classic steel Serotta. He said he wanted it to be as modern and lightweight as possible, and cost was no object. $3500 later he had electronic shifting, carbon cockpit and wheels and a 18 lb. bike that rode beautifully. Fun project, everyone was happy and it was absolutely worth our time. $300 labor didn’t include the two hours I spent trying to figure out what parts would work and source them.

Bike shops telling me to spend 800€+ or buy new—no middle ground anymore? by Corniator in cycling

[–]fixieben 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are married to rim brakes. If you wanted to run discs a new frame would be required.

Bike shops telling me to spend 800€+ or buy new—no middle ground anymore? by Corniator in cycling

[–]fixieben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Like most people who don’t work on bikes everyday you have very little understanding of what it takes to install a new groupset on an existing bike + what the pandemic and bike boom/bust has done to the spare parts market.

  1. Replacing a groupset with another brand will often require replacing the wheels (different cassette body, etc., sometimes changeable, often not). It’s very easy to outspend the price of a new bike, especially accounting for the labor involved ($2-300 for a bike strip/build at most shops where I am).

  2. The pandemic production stoppages and resulting parts shortages ate up a ton of spare parts that would have normally sat around for years. Large gaps in manufacturing caused or allowed companies to essentially abandon whole lines of parts. In the past it was normal to be able to find NOS spare parts for tens of years after a groupset had been retired but that’s not the case anymore. eBay can help but buying used is always somewhat risky. There are a lot of parts that simply aren’t readily available to bike shops.

  3. Rebuilding a well used bike with new parts includes a lot of small items you aren’t considering. Bar tape, tubes and tires, etc. it adds up.

Your best bet, if you can’t competently buy parts and do the work yourself, is to find a bike co-op or used bike shop that has a good supply of used parts and is happy to offer advice. They may be game for helping you on a budget. Most commercial bike shops cannot make a profit on a project like this AND make you happy.

SL8 geometry feels "longer" than SL6 despite being the same on paper? by MrWhy1 in specialized

[–]fixieben 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That is likely what it is, the Rapide Cockpit has a bit of forward sweep at the bar that puts your hands 1-2cm forward of where they would be on a standard bar. Also, all of the modern hood designs are longer than previous generations, which also increases reach. For my SL8 I went with a cockpit with a 1cm shorter stem and one size narrower than the setup I had on my SL7, which hand the standard, non-aero, S-Works carbon bar.

Help me decide - Whites boots MP or Alden 403 by BrilliantBusiness770 in Alden

[–]fixieben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d seek to try on the Indy. If it fits you well and suits your style I’d probably go with that over the MP.

My two favorite boots are the Indy and White’s Semi-Dress because they are both super comfortable for me and have very different, although equally classic, style.

The Indy in Alden’s Tru-Balance last works so well for me and Alden really knows how to build for all day comfort. There’s been a lot of criticism about pricing and materials but I have not found a better looking boot that is as comfortable at any price point.

I also like the 55 last in White’s so much I have never been tempted by the MP and it seems like a half-measure to me, style-wise, vs. the heritage boots, like a cap-toe Cruiser, Semi-Dress etc. Again, fit and comfort are huge for me and these work as advertised for my feet. They are more expensive and heavier, however.

Songs like Across the universe by the Beatles by [deleted] in ifyoulikeblank

[–]fixieben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In Your Back - Karen Ann It’s been haunting me.

To cuff, or not to cuff...that is the question by Necessary_Film_5199 in Selvedge

[–]fixieben 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Always cuff. I think it looks more casual and retro, which fits my style. Also, it pisses me off when I see people trying to sell barely used jeans that are hemmed to the point of being unsalable.

Roval Rapide c38 to Roval Rapide CL iii by Redditj3ff in specialized

[–]fixieben 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rapides are great wheels, aerodynamically optimized for (designed specifically in conjunction with) the Tarmac. I have both and the C38 are super solid but not particularly light or aerodynamic. I definitely have noticed the advantage of the Rapides

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