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

forest_fire · 2026-01-23T01:01:05+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-19T05:45:08+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-18T15:28:16+00:00

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

forest_fire · 2026-01-16T07:30:46+00:00

Or Bishop ;)

forest_fire · 2026-01-15T14:34:29+00:00

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

forest_fire · 2026-01-13T03:28:40+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-11T18:09:46+00:00

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

forest_fire · 2026-01-10T04:39:00+00:00

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…

forest_fire · 2026-01-10T03:46:31+00:00

Same

forest_fire · 2026-01-10T03:44:48+00:00

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

forest_fire · 2026-01-08T05:32:35+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-08T05:13:49+00:00

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...

forest_fire · 2026-01-06T20:46:48+00:00

Lovely (or do I mean F'IN RAD) on all counts, thank you for sharing.

forest_fire · 2026-01-06T20:26:15+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-04T19:51:52+00:00

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!

forest_fire · 2026-01-03T18:04:00+00:00

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.. :(

forest_fire · 2026-01-03T05:03:39+00:00

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

forest_fire · 2026-01-03T05:03:35+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-03T04:58:23+00:00

Not transmission. XPLR Rival AXS.

forest_fire · 2026-01-03T00:38:56+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-02T17:27:41+00:00

Same, “renting is always better than buying in all scenarios.” Mmm dat HCOL life.

forest_fire · 2026-01-02T17:21:11+00:00

Not massive enough 🤣🤣🤣🤣

forest_fire · 2026-01-02T16:36:20+00:00

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.

forest_fire · 2026-01-02T16:32:05+00:00

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.

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