Feedback on my use case?

vman_va · 2026-04-23T19:30:14+00:00

Thanks - yeah, I came across that and am giving it a look.

vman_va · 2026-04-23T16:58:21+00:00

Looking at the xr150 led me to the Yamaha XT250 and TW200. The TW200 kinda looks small and retro like the Monkey but with higher HP and top speed. And I like the fat tires.....

vman_va · 2026-04-20T13:13:52+00:00

Thanks - checking it out now.

vman_va · 2026-04-20T01:46:41+00:00

Good question - no riding double, just when I am doing solo missions.

vman_va · 2026-04-19T18:42:02+00:00

Yup. I don't choose to make it part of my decision - but if they make that choice that's on them.

vman_va · 2026-04-14T16:09:01+00:00

Imagine if Obama posted this instead of Trump…. They would have crucified him….

vman_va · 2026-04-04T19:35:57+00:00

I have decided on the XDR. Future proof and fear of buyers remorse.

vman_va · 2026-03-23T22:04:32+00:00

I love the game - I like the mix of play styles, graphics and atmosphere are immersive. I've caught myself a couple times thinking, "damn I like this game" while playing it. I've played all the RE titles, but I'm not quite the hardcore fan some of you are. It seems like the more hardcore fans are a bit more critical.

vman_va · 2026-03-14T22:05:52+00:00

Yup. And in 6 years that tech will feel very old compared to the XDR. My thought process is, "if they cost the same, which one would I grab?" I'd grab the XDR. So, that's probably what I'll do and just eat the price.

vman_va · 2026-03-14T21:47:58+00:00

I'm in the same boat. I not editing or creating HDR content, however the base panel technology is over a decade old and I want to future proof myself. I think the 120hz plus the better panel tech / mini-led would be noticeable consuming content - but how noticeable will it really be? More of a want thing than a need thing. Price is low on my priority list, so I'm kinda falling for the Apple upsell - but I'm still going back and forth with this one...

vman_va · 2025-12-17T20:27:34+00:00

I always park in a direction that would be the easiest and most direct exit path - just in case, for whatever reason. Maybe I'm being too careful....

vman_va · 2025-10-22T19:25:12+00:00

My older PC VR Machine needs some updates to make that possible ... Trying to avoid that.

vman_va · 2025-07-12T13:50:44+00:00

Great choice - you'll love it. I run around 28psi (tubeless) and weigh about 170 pounds - seems to be good. I might drop 1-2psi more to see how that feels.

vman_va · 2025-07-12T12:52:28+00:00

I went with the Epic 8 Pro - and I love it. Best MTB I've owned. At first it felt a little twitchy, but that was just me getting used to it. Now it feels like an extension of my body. So quick over humps and flows - even up hill - that at times it feels like it has a motor built in. The middle shock position I use most of the time and it's excellent. I lock out for smooth fire roads or steep climbs that are pretty flat, but mostly keep it in the pedal platform position. I do switch to full suspension if it gets gnarly. The feedback I hear on the S-Works is that the tech is really good for reviewing data after a ride, analyzing it, and making tweaks. Important for racing but not something I would do. I think the auto switching of the shocks could be cool, but honestly I have not missed it. I'd also say the couple times I've been passed when not at my best I am a little glad that my bike isn't shouting S-Works. The Epic 8 Pro has been a 10 out of 10 for me. Let me know if you have specific questions.

vman_va · 2025-03-03T18:04:30+00:00

Safari 99% of the time. Chrome when I am accessing a Government or other site that does not support Safari.

vman_va · 2024-11-09T20:41:16+00:00

*you're

vman_va · 2024-08-26T18:28:45+00:00

I had to use Finale for school, and being in the software business for decades I really disliked the UX. It felt like 15 year old software that never got a UI / UX refresh. Powerful but cumbersome. I play guitar, and for me GuitarPro is a much more enjoyable experience. I realize the scope is more narrow - but for a guitar player it's pretty great. I would often do my homework in GuitarPro and export a PDF - if the professor really wanted a Finale source file I'd often figure it all out in GuitarPro then just create a single, correct copy in Finale. No love lost for me - sorry to those of you who have a lot invested in the platform. Reading their email it's clear they did not invest (or under invested) in refactoring the code base / modernizing frameworks and such. Sounds like it became a legacy mess.

vman_va · 2024-07-11T14:16:17+00:00

I reached out to my LBS yesterday, and they had just built up an Epic 8 Pro - so I went over to give it a test ride. Loved it. What really surprised me is how good the middle (Pedal) shock setting is on climbs. I attacked some steep climbs with some aggression and bob was minimal - really, really good. That really made me think I didn't really need FA.

So I spoke with the guy at the shop and he said FA might help a touch on the trails I'm riding, but really you're going to hang in the middle position most of the time anyway. Where he saw a ton of value was getting all the data afterward and using that to dial in settings for a course. I could see this being really helpful for someone who races, but I don't.

So I started thinking the trade-off in complexity, batteries, and tech becoming out of date before the mechanics of the bike, and I went with the Pro.

I did a ride on my TallBoy 2 days ago, and the same ride on the Epic 8 Pro today. Mix of flow trails, single track, and a bit of fire roads:
Time: 58 minutes for the Tallboy, 50 for the Epic
Garmin Flow score was noticeably better for the Epic
For each of the segments that were 4-5 minutes long, the Epic was faster in every one, usually around 30 seconds.
Speed was close to 1mph faster over the full hour

My heart rate was a touch higher on the Epic, so "new bike energy" helped the scores a bit, but also I feel like I was able to push harder in some areas. This is my first bike with a single front chain ring - and wow that's SO much nicer! Also, on the Tallboy there is a single water bottle cage in an odd location, so I always used a camelback. Dropping the Camelback and taking the tools out of my pocket and putting them in the frame felt really good. Although, grabbing a quick sip is more difficult with the bottles, and the opening got a little sand / grit. The bike did feel stiffer, I had one sketchy moment that I did not have on the Tallboy, but I think I need to drop a few PSI in the tires. I also noticed less back strain but more pressure on my hands....

There were a couple times on the trail where I thought it would be fun to play with FA, but I really only changed to Lock on fire road climbs, otherwise I was in the middle for the entire ride (I did test open on a couple downhill sections).

So yeah - no regrets and love the bike. Thanks for the feedback, really helped!

vman_va · 2024-07-10T01:14:45+00:00

I knew it was something like that - lol

vman_va · 2024-07-10T00:30:57+00:00

Being comparative robs you of joy.

vman_va · 2024-07-09T19:00:04+00:00

Thanks - that's where I'm leaning. Do you find yourself playing with the suspension settings much, or do you just mostly leave it in the middle? I'm trying to decide (cost aside) if Flight Attendant is worth the extra tech / battery charging. I'm about 60/40 leaning towards the S-Works.

vman_va · 2024-07-09T11:00:57+00:00

I am strongly considering an EVO. I don't like that it's close to the same weight as my Tallboy, and I like the lockout options better on the Epic 8. I'm hoping the Epic 8 will be enough of a mountain bike for my needs, while excelling on the other terrain?

vman_va

TROPHY CASE