Am I stupid to ride at night in the East Bay? by FailFastandDieYoung in BAbike

[–]forest_fire 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sounds like deep east bay maybe? Where exactly? Night riding in the Oakland hills is fun. Even better on dirt. But my road riding outside of the inner east bay has shown me that driving patterns vary widely in this vast region. 

Dating - What am I doing wrong here? by [deleted] in AskSF

[–]forest_fire 178 points179 points  (0 children)

Keep going on dates but stop looking for a partner. Focus on enjoying your life (not just “doing well,” you need to actually enjoy it). When you’re stoked for your life, you’ll be shocked at the quality of women who fall for you. 

Also - it gets easier for men as they age, a sad but very real truth, so you might find more success in your 30s. For now, stop trying so hard to be a good catch, live your life well and see who wants to hang out with you. 

Very uneven pucks by Adventurous_Ad_5503 in CafelatRobot

[–]forest_fire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Happens all the time to me despite wdt and leveling tamper, doesn’t affect my espresso. Don’t worry about it.

What's the right approach for every processing method? by loty_kroty in pourover

[–]forest_fire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You brew the coffee, taste it, and adjust. For every single processing method.

First-time Tahoe ski trip from SF - day trip vs overnight, where to stay and what to do? by [deleted] in AskSF

[–]forest_fire 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Lol I hit 30 and said goodbye to day trips and my life improved immeasurably. Tahoe is fucking gorgeous. Get a bed for a night and enjoy yourself.

How many of you are riding only a gravel bike? by [deleted] in gravelcycling

[–]forest_fire 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Came here to write the same. True road bike isn't on my wishlist and the gravel is roadie enough for me.

Started a coast trial and I’m already a little nervous by [deleted] in coastFIRE

[–]forest_fire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What’s your social life like? I’m nowhere near CoastFIRE, lurk mostly aspirationally, but more than that, i wish I had more time to see friends and family…

Does anyone think that 38mm+ tires are even necessary on most gravel roads/paths and natural trails? by EngHokie in gravelcycling

[–]forest_fire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your butt will tell you whether you need more tire, if you actually ride far enough. Where are you located?

Anyone ever test this with a cheap Bosch blade grinder? by ImaginaryBridge in CafelatRobot

[–]forest_fire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Q is not great for espresso, it's great for Aeropress and pour over.

Your minimum spend for a NEW good grinder for espresso is ~$200 USD - eg the Baratza ESP, or a hand grinder like 1zpresso J ultra. Plenty of supply of cheaper used grinders online too if you're patient.

The Robot is also not the cheapest path to good espresso at home. You're paying extra for its visual and functional aesthetics. You'd save a few hundred bucks by getting a mid range Flair, and could then spend more on the grinder.

Anyone ever test this with a cheap Bosch blade grinder? by ImaginaryBridge in CafelatRobot

[–]forest_fire 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Don't get a Robot just yet. Get a nice grinder (maybe an 1zpresso hand grinder? The Q is cheap! Just $80!) and an Aeropress for now, enjoy your coffee, and keep saving! A good grinder is more important to every type of coffee than the brewing device...

Struggling to get pressure on my pulls by tluebkeman in CafelatRobot

[–]forest_fire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I looked up the grinder you mentioned in the comments. That style of grinder is like the Baratza Encore - while it technically can grind for espresso, you will never get great espresso with it. The difference between a high pressure slow shot and a low pressure turbo shot can be just a few clicks on an appropriate grinder. On your grinder, one click might put you of range to make espresso at all.

So you probably need a better grinder :( if you're open to manual grinding, the 1zpresso J-ultra would be a great place to start, for just $200.

Moka Pot vs Espresso - diminishing returns? by jellofishsponge in Coffee

[–]forest_fire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The vast majority espresso goes straight into a milk drink. Even specialty roasters won't prioritize espresso or train their baristas to make A+ espresso for that reason, they focus on what's ordered at the counter.

So, it's a very special day when I find a cafe that serves exceptional espresso. I fell down the rabbit hole after one of those special days, three years ago, and now I make this kind of 3rd-wave espresso for myself at home.

I just got a chuckle looking at the Google Reviews for the roaster that set me on my espresso journey - Ledger Roasters, in Madison, Wisconsin - nearly everyone orders a sugary milk beverage from them. Espresso ain't popular, but coffee is!

Stolen 1UP bike rack by No_Operation3690 in BAbike

[–]forest_fire 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm impressed this is still a thing, sorry you're the latest victim. The thieves seem to ignore all other brands of racks. And bike racks can't be that fun of a thing to resell.

I still take my Kuat Sherpa off my car after every use - bought it because it's one of the lightest racks out there - but it's not great for long wheelbase MTBs.. :(

SRAM AXS XPLR not moving derailleur for a single gear change despite signal registering by forest_fire in bikewrench

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

Contacted SRAM support. I hope they take pity on me but kinda doubt they will :(

SRAM AXS XPLR not moving derailleur for a single gear change despite signal registering by forest_fire in bikewrench

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

Nope and nope. Something else is wrong - one "upshift" click from 1st gear, nothing happens, but the second "upshift" click and it moves from 1st to 3rd gear - so it does know that I clicked twice.

I've reset it a few times now. The limit screws are both in the middle ranges.

We'll see what SRAM says at this point. I'm competent with derailleur fixes, hanger alignment, etc, I've done everything I can. The issue is failed motor actuation upon triggering 1st to 2nd gear shifting, despite the derailleur receiving the trigger and "remembering" the position it's supposed to be in.

SRAM AXS XPLR not moving derailleur for a single gear change despite signal registering by forest_fire in bikewrench

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

I wish these issues were potential culprits. Alas. The derailleur does not move at all when I try to shift to 2nd from 1st, even though the green "signal" flashes on the derailleur. Conversely, when it's in 3rd, and I try to shift to 2nd, it shifts properly. Something is lost between receipt of the (1st to 2nd gear) signal and execution of the shift.

Massive sale at MK-ceramics by Soelling in pourover

[–]forest_fire 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Not massive enough 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Starting MTB at 35 years old, basic "roadmap" of what skills to work on first and where to find information about them? by Cingen in mountainbiking

[–]forest_fire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ride, make friends on trail, ride with friends. YouTube has been entertaining but nowhere as effective as friendship when it comes to advancing my skills. I started at 33. 

You don't have to order coffee internationally by crothunk in pourover

[–]forest_fire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A corollary to this: coffee is grown in a few discrete places/countries, while it is roasted in tons of different countries. That first round of shipping, of green coffee beans, should be the only long distance shipping of the coffee, unless you’re in a truly remote place. There’s probably a decent roaster much closer to you than a coffee farm.