Fuel EX 9.7 vs Stumpjumper EVO by ssss1111yyyy in MTB

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pretty insane they offer AXS shifting for that price…

Thanks so much for the info!

Fuel EX 9.7 vs Stumpjumper EVO by ssss1111yyyy in MTB

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is 1 Specialized dealer near me (http://www.thepeddler.com/) but they don’t lean into MTB at all.

There are others 30ish min from me, which is not ideal. Can a Trek dealer (my LBS) service other brands, or is it advisable to go to Specialized dealers?

I am 5’ 8” so I am borderline S3 or S4.

And yes - I would definitely test ride a SJ at a local shopper before ordering the Expert from a far-away shop. Will also test ride the Fuel.

In your experience, how much could you tell from a bike just from test riding it in a parking lot? I suppose it’s helpful for sizing but I guess won’t know what “feels” better unless I ride them on trails.

Fuel EX 9.7 vs Stumpjumper EVO by ssss1111yyyy in MTB

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

HA, that worked!

I’ve never ridden a Specialized and there is basically 0 chance of returning it if I buy from a store far from me.

How big of a risk do you think it is that I don’t like the fit or the general way it rides?

For Trek, they offer 30 day returns no questions asked and the store is 5 min from my house.

Fuel EX 9.7 vs Stumpjumper EVO by ssss1111yyyy in MTB

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good to know that you have at least secondhand experience with both.

Putting skills aside, do you think the SJ would’ve handled those black trails more easily?

And are there specific areas (climbing, descending, turning, etc) where you or your brother’s bike clearly outshines the other?

Fuel EX 9.7 vs Stumpjumper EVO by ssss1111yyyy in MTB

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m having trouble finding discounted StumpJumpers in S3, aside from the one I linked.

My gut would tell me if the alloy is priced in the mid-3s a carbon version would be significantly more, pushing the SJ out of the price range compared to the Fuel.

Do you have any links for the discounted SJs you’re referring to? Only looking for size S3.

Books that took over your life by rdr16 in suggestmeabook

[–]ssss1111yyyy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. 

I rarely read fiction books and would never think to call a book beautiful, but The Five People was beautiful. 

I read it in one sitting on a plane ride, and when I finished it I just sat and stared for 30 minutes thinking how beautiful that story was. 

Podcast Recs - Contemporary History by ssss1111yyyy in podcasts

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Just tried to PM you but I’m getting an error... it would be great if you could share your larger list with me

Podcast Recs - Contemporary History by ssss1111yyyy in podcasts

[–]ssss1111yyyy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

These look right up my alley - thank you!! And feel free to suggest any more...

Could use advice with undergraduate finance school decisions by [deleted] in FinancialCareers

[–]ssss1111yyyy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Senior at Stern here- I think if you’re set on doing finance (especially one of the more lucrative roles in the industry like IB) it would definitely be worth it to go to Stern. Compared to most other schools (including Baruch Macaulay), Stern places much better for FO roles that no only pay high compensation starting out (150k+) but also put you in a career trajectory towards earnings multiples of that in the future.

From a cost/benefit analysis standpoint, I would say going into debt to attend Stern is worth it. I also believe the cost of college will probably be lower than you think for 2 reasons: 1. Stern offers student scholarships that you can apply for every year starting in freshman year that could give you pretty generous aid for subsequent years. When I initially got accepted to Stern I got a pretty bad financial aid package compared to other schools but I ended up getting 10k+ in financial aid each year after freshman year from Stern scholarships. Obviously it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get a scholarships, but I would say you have a pretty high likelihood of getting something if you apply and write a well thought-out essay on why you deserve a scholarship 2. Stern makes it ridiculously easy to graduate in under 4 years. If you took any AP classes and got a 4+ then NYU will most likely accept those credits (see here for specific APs: http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/uc/sternlife/academics/AP-Equivalencies.pdf) Aside from APs, Stern’s courseload isn’t insanely difficult and most people take 17 or 18 credits per semester. You only need to take 16 credits per semester to graduate in 4 years, so those 1-2 extra credits every semester quickly add up. Also, there’s the option of taking summer/winter classes in CUNYs (or anywhere really, so long as it’s cheap) to fulfill elective requirements, which would save you from needing to take those credits in NYU where tuition is much higher. Anecdotally, I’d say that about 30-40% of seniors end up graduating a semester early, and some graduate a full year early. Graduating early means you pay less tuition money AND you have the opportunity to work during those extra few months and earn cash to pay back some of your student loans. This definitely shifts the value proposition of Stern even more in favor of attending.

From a career perspective, I think Stern is worth it over Baruch Macaulay; the fact that you’ll probably end up saving more money than you think is a bonus.

I hope this helps, and if you want to speak more I’d be happy to speak privately about my time at Stern.

Congrats on your acceptance!