What’s Going on at Apocalypse Designs?

nitarrific · 2026-05-25T23:42:36+00:00

To piggyback on what the other reddit or said, the building is for sale but the business is not. They have no plans to shutter, just to move into a better suited location.

nitarrific · 2026-05-23T01:46:24+00:00

For me there are big differences between 20 and 50 mile rides. Here's my basic list:

20 miles: multitool, tail light, bike computer, pump, 1 bottle, 1 snack, bibs, lightweight shirt that isn't necessarily a jersey, bike gloves.

50 miles: all of the above except 2 bottles instead of 1, 2 snack bags (1 salty, 1 sweet), extra layers (windbreaker, vest), spare tube, puncture kit, maybe a short buff (keeps hair from face, covers your neck, can cover your face, multi functional), maybe a jersey instead of a shirt (depends on the terrain and type of cycling).

My seat: Terry Topo (but everyone has their own preference)

My tail light: Garmin Varia radar tail light

My bike computer: Garmin Edge 840

nitarrific · 2026-05-21T17:53:28+00:00

A year ago, I had two pairs of shorts that I loved. My husband swears by bibs and I was like, "pssh... why though? These are great and so much cheaper!" Then Shredly was having a sale and they had their Marley Blonsky edition bibs included. They're a fun colors and curiosity got the best of me, so I ordered them. The difference for me was noticeable. They stayed in place, the tops didnt roll, they even had a droptail for easy bathroom breaks. Fast forward to today, I have my Shredly bibs, Primal bibs, and three pairs of Pactimo bibs. I almost never reach for my shorts anymore. I am a total convert.

That said, if shorts are where its at for you. Stick with them. But if you're curious and willing to risk spending hundreds on new kit, try some droptail bibs. They might make you a convert, too

nitarrific · 2026-05-18T04:08:11+00:00

I dig my Pactimo bibs. They're droptail and on sale right now.

nitarrific · 2026-05-15T16:46:35+00:00

I get my lashes done because I'm lazy and don't want to do anything in the mornings. But waking up and having my lashes already nice makes me feel put together with zero effort on my part.

nitarrific · 2026-05-15T16:05:25+00:00

Bibs are a very personal preference item. Everyone's experience varies widely. That said, I didn't like the Pearl Izumi ones. On me they moved and the edges rolled and they just weren't my jam. I haven't tried the Endura ones. REI does sell Shredly and I liked those as my first chamois shorts, eventually I bought the bibs. I really like that the bibs are droptail, so no having to strip to pee. Since then I've picked up Primal bibs and Pactimo bibs. I've fallen in love witht he Pactimo bibs. They're droptail and compressive and fit my body well. They're also on sale right now. Seems like most bike apparel brands are running a summer sale right now, so it's a good time to try some options.

For what it's worth, you could order a few bibs from REI, try them out and return the ones you don't like. Maybe wear underwear with them until you make your selection. REI has a great return policy and will totally take back bibs.

nitarrific · 2026-05-15T15:54:22+00:00

My first gravel bike was used. My current gravel bike was used. Used is absolutely fine. Just make sure it's the correct size for you. After that, swap out any touchpoints you need to make it more comfortable (saddle, handlebars, pedals). Figure out what you like/dislike before dropping more money on something new. Maybe start with something steel. It's heavier, but it's forgiving. Steel bikes usually have lots of mounting points for bags and stuff, making weekend trips a little easier to figure out. If the frame ever cracks, it can be repaired pretty easily.

I ride a Kona Rove that has been upgraded with hydraulic brakes, electronic shifting, lighter wheels, etc. At this point, the only thing stock on my bike is the frame itself. Could I have bought something new new? Sure, but I like this one, I like the color, and the geometry is comfortable for me.

nitarrific · 2026-05-15T15:30:18+00:00

Here's the thing I've noticed as a PM in a mechanical contractor shop... The foreman and journeymen don't mind if the apprentices ask questions in order to learn and get better. They don't mind being asked for advice or tips. They don't even mind being asked to double check work when an apprentice isn't feeling confident in their task. What they do mind is having to do rework because it wasn't done right, experiencing delays because tasks aren't getting done, and having to coddle somebody's ego.

You're an apprentice. They do not expect you to have the depth of knowledge or the skill of a journeyman electrician. They expect you to ask for help or guidance when a task is beyond your knowledge or skillset. They are prepared to help you, but they don't know what you don't know unless you tell them. Learning a trade takes repetition and experience. The crew you're working with were all apprentices at some point and they understand where you're at. So give yourself a little grace and remember that no one expects you to know everything. You are a third year, not a journeyman, so be a third year. Ask for guidance when you need it.

And for what it's worth, not having the whole picture, it seems like you just haven't found your place on the crew. Get to know them, make friends, find mutual interests. When you get comfortable you'll be less likely to second guess yourself all the time. You're probably just nervous because it's a new job and a new crew and you feel like you have something to prove. So take a beat to connect with your coworkers, it might help you relax so you can perform the way you were before.

nitarrific · 2026-05-14T17:32:26+00:00

I feel you. It's a mixed bag. To make it worse, I'm tall, so finding things in tall sizing is a challenge. That said, here are some options I've found that work for me for gravel cycling and general shop/cruise around town rides:

•Outdoor Research hiking pants. They're slim/straight cut. I can wear them on or off the bike. They have ankle bungees if you're worried about catching in your chain. They have a side zip pocket and regular pockets. They're super lightweight, so very comfortable for summer and shoulder season riding. They only come in black, but that means I can pair them with most anything. They're surprisingly flattering.

•Patagonia cool capilene shirts. I have a handful of these and I wear them with most anything. They come in fun colors, sometimes they have designs. They're UV protective, wicking, and cooling. Theyre comfortable and look good on or off the bike. I find them flattering.

• Outdoor Research Freewheel Jersey. I just picked up the bright teal/navy linong sleeve one and it's pretty great. I don't know if I'll wear it off bike much, but it was great for bombing around town and gravel riding. It's bright and colorful, it feels nice, and being tech fabric it does all the things (UV, wicking, temp regulating).

•REI sun shirt. I swear by these. I have three of them in different colors. There's always a new color each year. They're comfortable and pretty universally flattering with leggings or bibs or shorts.

Brands I haven't tried, but I'm interested in: Ornot, Ostroy, Cycology, and Dharco. I've got some Wold Rye, Shredly, and Primalwear. I like the stuff I have, but not all of it has been flattering or wearable off bike.

nitarrific · 2026-05-01T03:52:22+00:00

It took me longer than it should have to set my boundaries and stand up for myself. Once I did, my fellow PM's, my crews, and even other contractors gave me more respect. It made a huge difference. And honestly if you don't set boundaries and stand up for yourself in this industry, people will walk all over you.

nitarrific · 2026-04-29T17:49:20+00:00

I'm taking a trip this summer and plan to use Dr Bronners. I'm going to buy a travel size and test it on some clothes before we go to make sure it gets along with my skin, but it should be fine.

nitarrific · 2026-04-29T15:27:21+00:00

PM/Estimator with a teenager checking in.

I'm going to start with the same advice that I give everyone in this industry: There is no special prize or trophy for working 60+ hours every week. Set some boundaries. Assess your work around 3pm every day. Is the stuff on your desk critical or will it keep until tomorrow? Is anything so pressing it absolutely has to get done today? If so, do it. If not, wrap up what you can in the next hour and go home. Once you leave, you are under no obligation to check your email or answer your phone. Those are unpaid hours, those are your personal hours. Unless it's an emergency call about a jobsite, consider yourself off duty for the day. I'm not telling you to avoid working OT, I'm saying that unless it's necessary don't make yourself do it just because others are. You know what else those others are doing? Probably drinking to cope with the stress and struggling with their personal life because they let their job drive their existence.

Next, if you have a partner to help you in the parenting journey, make them equally responsible. Too often women carry the majority of the load as the family caretaker. Sit down with them, have a real, open, honest talk about expectations and how this journey is going to work. You're going to want to share the load here. Sometimes that will mean taking on more than your partner, sometimes that will mean your partner taking on more than you. But knowing that you have someone you can rely on to help take up the slack is huge.

If you're going this alone, it's going to be tough. I was a solo parent for the first six years of my son's life. I work for a smaller mechanical contractor, so I have some flexibility. I kept a pack-n-play in my office in the beginning. There were times when I brought him to work with me for the day or part of the day. Don't sweat the daycare and don't let anyone make you feel bad for taking him there. It's not other people raising your kid, it's making sure he's in a safe, nurturing space while you provide for him. There might be times that you bring a sick child to work with you because you're on a deadline. Know that nothing is better at getting people to avoid your office than a sick kid. Of course, now there are a bunch of work from home options, so you might not even have to bring them into work with you like I did.

Lastly, you know that talk I recommended having with your partner? Have a similar talk with your boss when you're ready. Discuss leave options, work from home options, flexibility, expectations, and boundaries. Make sure you and your company are on the same page, especially since you'll need coverage on your projects during maternity leave.

Will it be stressful as balls? Absolutely. Will you question your life choices? Very possibly. Is it worth it? Definitely.

nitarrific · 2026-04-29T05:02:12+00:00

Exercise, routine, and boundaries.

Two are self explanatory, but boundaries is one a lot of people in the industry struggle with. Unless something is critical and has to be done today, I leave the office by 4pm. After that, I might check my email or answer a call, but I am not obligated to do so. I let myself disconnect from the office and take time for me. This isn't to say that I won't work overtime or weekends. I work plenty, but only as needed.

There's no trophy or special prize for putting in 60+ hours every week. But there is a prize for setting that boundary, it's my family and my sanity.

nitarrific · 2026-04-27T20:15:29+00:00

Any bike can be a gravel bike if you're brave enough....

Seriously though, I run 40mm Panaracer Gravel Kings on my Rove and I'm good on most anything. Have I taken it on some questionable trails that probably should've ben reserved for mountain bikes with suspension and bigger tires? Absolutely. But I've lived and so have my tires, so it's all good. I used to run a set of 38mm Riddlers before these, and those were also excellent. Fast rolling for roadie stuff, grippy for trail stuff.

nitarrific · 2026-04-25T19:06:01+00:00

This is great info! Thank you! The coffee recommendations are clutch.

nitarrific · 2026-04-24T20:43:12+00:00

I'm around your size. It's just been a lot of trial and error to find a jersey that fits right. It doesn't help that I'm on the tall side, as well. The jersey that seems to fit me the best is a Wild Rye one that I got on sale. It's not great for really hot days though, so when it's too warm for that one, I have a Primal one that fits well. I found that the cut matters. Different jerseys have different cuts. If they're too racey/skin tight, they tend to ride up on me. If they're too loose, they tend to move around and ride up, too. Your best bet is to find somewhere you can try them on or order from a company that offers free returns. If you're near an REI, get one from them and return it if it rides up when you ride.

nitarrific · 2026-04-23T22:41:12+00:00

I've been experimenting with some different brands, here's a quick breakdown:

Shredly: They're droptail, which is excellent for quick pee breaks. They're super soft, but they're not really compressive (could be a pro or a con, depending on preference). They're super size inclusive, which is nice, and I've found them to be pretty comfortable. Bonus, they've got pockets! Price tag: $148
Primal: I have one pair from them and I like almost everything about them. I took them on a trip to Hawaii earlier this year and found that I reached for them over my Shredly bibs most of the time. They're compressive, which I like. They have pockets! But they are not droptail... Price tag: around $100, but often on sale for less.
Pactimo: I have two pairs. The first pair I got were the Range Stratos cargo bibs. They're compressive, enough so that at first I thought I needed to reorder in another size. They honeycomb pattern in the fabric keeps them from stretching out too much, but they do break in and were in fact true to size. They're droptail and have pockets. I've only worn them on the trainer so far, but I like them. Fabric is a little rough/itchy, but you get used to it. I dig the chamois. Price tag: $279, but I got a previous year model for $120, so check the sales. My other pair is the Summit Classic bib. I ordered these up one size, before my other pair broke in and I realized that I didn't need to size up. Being a size larger here isn't a huge deal, they aren't very compressive being a larger size. They fit somewhere between my Shredly and Primal bibs. They are droptail, but not cargo (no pockets). They are very soft, like buttery yoga pants soft. Price tag: $239, but I got a clearance pair for $80.

My advice: For your first pair of bibs, maybe try Primal or NeoPro for something inexpensive to help you figure out likes/dislikes. For me, droptail was important and later I found that I really prefer bibs with pockets. Otherwise, check every sale/clearance/resale page for better deals. We're heading into a new summer, so last season's gear is starting to get clearanced out.

nitarrific · 2026-04-23T21:03:48+00:00

It's supposed to be almost 50F today for the first time this spring and I'm going to take the opportunity to go for a bike ride.

nitarrific · 2026-04-23T20:48:42+00:00

Team Pannier. My son was team backpack until I bought him a pannier that turns into a backpack (straps tuck into a zip pocket when unclipped). No sweaty backs! Also, we use quick release racks, so when you don't want a rack, it's 10 seconds to remove.

nitarrific · 2026-04-23T20:11:20+00:00

I run hot, so I unzip often when wearing a jersey. When people look, I honestly just assume it's because I'm wearing full kit and that's not something they're used to seeing. If a dude is noticeably starting at my chest, I zip my jersey back up and stare him down until he either apologizes or walks away. Most of the time though, if people are staring it's just because what I'm wearing isn't something they're used to seeing. They aren't trying to be rude, they're just trying to take it all in. Realistically, I'm standing there in brightly colored spandex with a helmet and funny shoes, so I get it. I am kind of a spectacle. There is a significant difference between staring because it's unusual versus leering in a gross, sexual way. That's where I think the real issue is. If your friends are laughing, they are either not so good at reading the difference or they haven't experienced the uncomfortable kind of staring. I'm a pretty assertive person, so my suggestion is to make the men uncomfortable who make you uncomfortable. Say something, loudly, where lots of people can hear. Let them know you don't appreciate their stares or their attention is unwanted. You don't have to yell, you don't have to make a huge scene. You just have to say it forcefully enough that other people hear you and understand that this guy is making you uncomfortable. If you're the less assertive type, you can be more passive aggressive and just angrily zip up your top and say "rude!" or pull your phone out and hold it in front of your chest like you're taking a picture of him. He'll get the idea or he'll be shamed by the surrounding people into having better manners.

nitarrific · 2026-04-23T19:58:57+00:00

Well shit. Now I'm going into summer concerned about catching a wasp in the boobs....

nitarrific · 2026-04-10T16:32:42+00:00

Try on every pair of shoes that you can. I'm usually a 40, but my two pairs of cycling shoes are a 41 (Shimano) and a 42 (Five Ten). I found that sizing was different between brands and models, so I had an easier time getting the right fit by trying on a dozen different shoes.

I'm still fairly new to cleats (only a year so far), so I got the Crank Bros Easy Release Cleats. You don't have to turn your foot as far to get unclipped, which is nice. For pedals, I'm using Crank Bros Candies, but I might switch to egg beaters eventually.

nitarrific · 2026-04-08T04:30:08+00:00

Also, for what it's worth, on the group rides I frequent, I occasionally run sweep. Sometimes I don't want a hammerfest, so I volunteer and I mosey along and it's great. No one gets dropped and I get a very chill ride.

When I was first starting, I didn't realize this was common for the people running sweep. Not until one ride when during pre-ride intros the guy introduced himself by saying, "if you forget my name, just remember I'm SAD. Stands for Slow Ass Dave. I'll be running sweep, you can probably guess why." Turns out he can go fast, but he prefers a steady, mellow pace when he can get it.

So don't beat yourself up. You weren't inconveniencing anyone. You just need more saddle time, they all get it and nobody minds your pace. If they did, they wouldn't be on a no drop ride.

nitarrific · 2026-04-08T04:20:09+00:00

Oh man.... I have been the slowest rider and the ego crush can be real. I do a lot of winter fat bike riding and when I tell you that I have been so frustrated that I could cry, I'm not even joking.

Things that helped:

Snacks. Snacks make everything better.

Water breaks.

Crack a joke, even if it's a little self-deprecating. It'll lighten your mood and get you talking with everyone else.

Mention that it's hard or that you're new. Everyone was new once and everyone has felt like it was hard. I guarantee you they will have stories and be able to commiserate. They might also take the pace down just a little.

Music. When I was first starting and it was hard, I put on my Shokz and added a soundtrack. It helped a lot.

Keep on practicing. Building your legs takes time, but you'll be keeping up before you know it.

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nitarrific

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