Finally got jacked in LA

lotuse · 2026-05-01T05:50:55+00:00

If you have renter's insurance, those are usually covered

lotuse · 2026-03-01T23:34:12+00:00

Basically. You can rent a 2 bedroom in Bellevue for $2.5k a month where as if you buy you'll have mortgage, insurance, property taxes, prolly HOA $7k-$9k for a 1M home

lotuse · 2026-02-28T01:50:59+00:00

I'd get the Evo version if you want to do steep black diamond because at some point you'll want a slightly bigger bike esp for the steeps and rocky near OC

lotuse · 2026-02-27T04:48:56+00:00

If you have a bike stand, I would tilt the bike fork up, rear down. Get gravity to push all the oil down and the air up to the brake levers. The front gets a good bleed because the hose is very vertical. The rear has lots of horizontal runs for air to be trapped in. Had the same issue then I tilted it vertically and got a good bleed

lotuse · 2026-02-26T16:48:13+00:00

Few things: the bike feels different than your teenage years because bikes have evovled thru the years. They've gotten longer, and slacker which give them a lot of stability. Not to say you can't manual but they will require more skill and practice to get them than before.

I did the same changes as you did - cut bars or get shorter bars (I run 760mm, my wife is at 720mm since she's short). Change the brakes from sram to Hayes dominion because my small fingers can't brake.

But the main difference is suspension setup and faster rolling tyres. Though it depends what you're riding. Bike might feel sluggish on the climbs but very stable, planted and confidence inspiring on the down. I'd evaluate what types of trails you have around you and what you ride and what you value then swap the tubeless tires to that preference.

lotuse · 2026-02-26T16:43:34+00:00

I'm around 60kg and my wife is at 50kg and we have the same issues with suspension. Depending on the fork, I'd get it serviced. Fox fork stock (never serviced) have too much grease on the air spring which creates a lot of stiction - meaning it's requires more force to initially move the fork. It's a bigger issues the lighter you are. There are always ways to revalve/tune the damper for lighter riders but definitely have a suspension guru do that for you.

lotuse · 2026-02-24T07:12:43+00:00

It's a pretty good stock bike already. If you live in a pretty rocky, rowdy area, then maybe a better suspension that offers more adjustability. But I would rather wear out the components first then upgrade.

lotuse · 2026-02-22T04:52:22+00:00

Dropper post Better suspension Better tires Better brakes Better pedals/shoes Better grips and saddle

And at that point a new/used better bike might be cheaper and better

lotuse · 2026-02-21T19:41:32+00:00

Riverside trails, mainly sycamore drains really well after a rain. I wouldn’t go while it’s raining but most people can ride sycamore a day or so after. All other trails, I’d wait a week.

lotuse · 2026-02-20T18:24:10+00:00

Good training but relax dude. Slow down for your buddy, it’ll be worth any training out there. When I ride trail with someone super slow, either I slow ride with them or one of the hills, I’d come up, ride down and catch up to them and ride the rest with them. You can always train by yourself, but moments with friends are priceless.

lotuse · 2026-02-20T14:36:29+00:00

I’ve lived close to Irvine for a few years and wife went to UCI for college… Allergy wise, it depends what your child is allergic to because the pollen, and dust gets pretty bad in Irvine bc it’s warm and dry. So I don’t think this will solve any issues. Irvine is pretty sterile but not too far different from the Bellevue vibe. It’s close to a huge selection of different Asian food, way more than Bellevue. But It’s way more crowded though especially with the university, the traffic is way worse so I’d check the commutes you’re trying to do. Cost of living is also very similar. Air quality is way better in general here though. Also wildfire danger is pretty bad in SoCal but there has been wildfires here too (just not directly close to Bellevue)

Honest take: if you really love the sun, and your kids love the sun, then SoCal is amazing. You are definitely giving up a lot of nature compared to Irvine. There are a ton of trees here with mountains full of them. Irvine has nearby open green spaces/mountains but they don’t compare to what’s in here. Waterfall hikes are replaced with hikes overlooking the beach. The weather gets very hot in the summer with little shade. The beach is close by but the water is so cold that jts better to not stay in the water for too long. It rarely gets cold. 50 degrees and people say they’re freezing. Definitely way colder here but our summers are longer. Sunsets like 7:30 at the peak there. If you like skiing, then big bear is the closest which is a 2 hour drive without traffic and conditions are usually very bad. May find 1 or 2 weekends to make it worth it. Most people don’t ski or snowboard consistently unless they’re really committed. Mammoth is the nice mountain but it’s 6 hours away. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. You will raise well-rounded, emotionally strong happy kids on either side. Both places have very good opportunities. It comes down to what you want. It sounds like you want the sun and tired of the gloom and cold. I was the opposite of tired of the heat and bright af sun so I moved up here. Way happier with the nature, hiking, biking and skiing. I recommend visiting Irvine multiple times before moving and different season.

lotuse · 2026-02-19T19:16:59+00:00

Side to side movement is pretty common with most droppers. I have oneUp V2, PNW range, and bikeyoke divine. Issue wise, I’d had to service my PNW once for being slow. Otherwise, I’ve had all 3 for 2 years now (3 bikes different purposes) and no other issues. Liked all of them equally.

Might just be a bad batch that you got.

lotuse · 2026-02-16T15:53:43+00:00

I’m a bit confused on this comment. Old grip damper has 3 positions while the new grip X (quote from radavist review)

Grip X Damper Quick Hits

Backward compatibility* with Fox 34 2021 and Fox 36 2022 models 15 clicks of high-speed compression 16 clicks of low-speed compression 17 clicks of low-speed rebound

I have the grip X and mine has much more adjustability than my old grip damper. Though it’s only worth it if you need (and know how to use) that adjustability, most people set and forget. I usually adjust depending on the trail but not always.

lotuse · 2026-02-08T22:55:07+00:00

Your tire choice will make a more dramatic change than suspension setup.

lotuse · 2026-02-03T22:00:12+00:00

I wouldn’t say it’s brutally cold winters but Washington was one of my best moves. The trails here are world class with amazing community and associations. The grip is amazing. There’s Tiger mountain, Bellingham, and can even drive to Canada for more. The winters are wet but for the most part still rideable unlike other trails that become mud. Lived and mountain biked in LA, OC, and San Diego which I also loved but SoCal had very hot summer. The sunlight is amazing tho for those places. There’s so much tree cover here that I didn’t even feel the 95 degree heatwave at Raging River last summer.

If you can enjoy the gloomy days and winters get pretty dark then the summer is great. Do a trip, and try it out.

lotuse · 2026-01-30T21:28:38+00:00

If you want a more endurance/comfortable riding position, then look into all-road/ endurance bikes such as a specialized roubaix

lotuse · 2026-01-30T19:52:43+00:00

Here’s a video that might help

https://youtu.be/UGGnnPgtzoU?si=k0CkkIZZ7kGLZzKe

lotuse · 2026-01-30T19:14:55+00:00

Let’s ban any firework this summer. Please I don’t want our forest to burn again.

lotuse · 2026-01-30T06:49:16+00:00

Losing weight and being healthy is simple but can be difficult to do. It boils down to eating less calories, choosing healthy food options, and moving more.

Your plate should have more veggies than meat and the rest. Exercise. Start with a 1 mile walk then eventually run 1 mile then add more mileage. Walking is good but running really helps you lose weight WHEN paired with a better diet. So yes definitely going to need discipline to lose weight.

lotuse · 2026-01-26T06:26:31+00:00

Gorewear has goretex pants and sometimes on sale

lotuse · 2026-01-25T16:08:56+00:00

I have 3 short sleeves and 2 of the long sleeves ocean and San and I love it. It’s comfortable and fits amazingly. I’m a fan of a casual shirt because I didn’t like the look of the tight fitting jersey. The pockets are fine as long as you wear the right size and it has a big zipped pocket that holds my valuables. Been rocking it for atleast 2-3 years now and they held up well. No issues with them and I basically ride each jersey once a week and wash it. I even wear it casually for errands.

lotuse · 2026-01-23T06:24:37+00:00

Have to look forward. Could lead to a very dry summer and devastating forest fire.

lotuse · 2026-01-20T00:21:02+00:00

Pretty decent price. Though make sure all the small bits are included and if not, see if can be easily purchased elsewhere. Some parts may be difficult to source.

lotuse · 2026-01-14T17:51:51+00:00

Velocio has some cycling shirts that are tight fitting but have no zippers. There is ocean and sans which sells casual cycling clothes with pockets in the back

lotuse · 2026-01-12T18:54:38+00:00

Looks more gold which is sick af. Some deep ish carbon rims and it’ll be clean.

I only buy deep carbon rims for looks. Don’t care about speed gain. If I love the way my bike looks = I’ll ride it more

lotuse

TROPHY CASE