AustinBike

Can't remember, it was 20+ years ago, before I was really documenting everything. It was 90% double track, nothing of note, very forgettable, it was part of a side trip on a planned vacation

If you want something send me a PM so that I can track requests (first come, first served), don't reply to the message. I will leave stuff on my porch in central Austin: D-Link DIR-859 WiFi router 802.11AC https://www.amazon.com/D-Link-AC1750-Gigabit-Wi-Fi-Router/dp/B00PVCZI40/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1542296066&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=dir-859&psc=1 D-Link DGS-2205 desktop gigabit network switch - 5 ports https://www.amazon.com/D-Link-DGS-2205-5-Port-Desktop-Switch/dp/B000FIVDIA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542296025&sr=8-3&keywords=Dgs-2205&dpID=41ldqkaHQtL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch D-Link DGS-2208 desktop gigabit network switch - 8 ports https://www.amazon.com/D-Link-DGS-2208-8-Port-Desktop-Switch/dp/B000FITKK8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542296042&sr=8-2&keywords=Dgs-2208&dpID=31hjB0%2BRNNL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch TP-Link AV500 Powerline adapter kit (like this https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-TL-WPA4220-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B0141JH8P0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1542295901&sr=8-5&keywords=tp+link+av500&dpID=31roC5KC2fL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch ) Penpower WorldCard business card scanner (like this: https://www.amazon.com/Penpower-WorldCardColor-Color-Business-Scanner/dp/B0001R05T8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1542295859&sr=8-5&keywords=penpower+worldcard+pro+business+card+scanner&dpID=41c-sbNSHsL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch ) Amazon Echo Dot wall mount (mounts your Dot right to an outlet, off the counter) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0756GYPNS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Speaker switch box (allows 4 pair of speakers off a single pair of stereo outputs https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9995 ) Also have a round patio table (48") with a glass top. That is on the curb waiting for me now.

Who you calling' old? Oh, yeah, me. And being 9 hours away instead of 12-15 hours is a solid benefit.

No shit. Great people, great food, great trails, massive fun. Shitty beer. Prior to Bentonville this was my favorite biking destination. Maybe another trip to Surisan with fried octopus and soju after the ride and I'd reconsider and put that at the top again.

So far I have ridden in: US - About 7 different states International: South Korea (multiple trails), Germany (multiple trails) England (multiple trails), Singapore, Jamaica. So I can say that I have ridden around the world. I did not say that these were the best trails, bar none, for everyone, but they are the best that I have ridden. Your mileage may vary.

We recently did a trip to Bentonville and let me just say that if you have not been there or considered it, you need to put it in your plans NOW. You know how when you go to a ski town and every business caters to skiers, talks about skiing, and seems to be designed around the sport of skiing? Well Bentonville is like that - but for mountain biking. Best trails I have ridden anywhere in the world. For your cold weather entertainment, here is some info: Back 40: http://www.austinbike.com/index.php/united-states/333-back40 Coler: http://www.austinbike.com/index.php/united-states/335-coler Slaughter Pen: http://www.austinbike.com/index.php/united-states/334-slaughterpens Blowing Springs: http://www.austinbike.com/index.php/united-states/332-blowingsprings Hobbs State Park: http://www.austinbike.com/index.php/united-states/336-hobbs Yeah, we'll be going back.

Yes. Over and over again. There is no pure capitalism, there is no pure socialism. These two concepts are on a continuum and every country fits somewhere along that line. You would not want to live in a country of pure capitalism because capitalists are for shit when it comes to doing things for the public good. Roads. Yeah, everything is a toll road. Hope you paid your police monthly service fee because if you are robbed they won't answer your call. And for all that is holy, do...not...get...sick. Now, on the other end of things you would not want to live in a pure socialism environment. Yeah, everything is provided by the government, but you'd never be able to get what you need. Don't crap a lot, toilet paper might have been mis forecasted. Don't bother trying to go out to dinner, you won't find good restaurants. Every country is somewhere on the continuum. And there is no "free market". That thing that people love so much does not exist as long as businesses can lobby the government to write laws that favor their business and hurt their competitors.

In simple terms: In EVERYONE'S backyard or NOBODY'S backyard. Every morning (including the weekend) I hear the construction start at the Grove at 7am. It is in my backyard. Adler, the developer, and his cohorts all said density was great and that we needed to do this "for the good of Austin." I would be fine with that position if all of Austin was pushing density, but density conveniently skips many neighborhoods. It literally is about wealth and political clout. Either we're all in it together or we're not. When we start targeting certain areas and bypassing others, it all falls apart.

Disclaimer: I was in the tech business for ~30 years before retiring. There are a couple things wrong with what the Bay Area is doing: 1. Taxing people will not solve homelessness 2. The tech industry did not cause homelessness Homelessness comes from a variety of places, but it is primarily tied to drug/alcohol use or mental issues. The number of people who are homeless and could be helped by affordable housing is really, really small (from the reading that I have done.) Taxes and money help alleviate SOME of the problems for SOME of the people, but by and far, that is just money wasted because they are not helping to fix the underlying problems. Tech is responsible for the fact that an 800sqft shack in San Francisco is $2M, but here's a tip: if you cannot afford to live there, you are free to live somewhere else. If you were able to bring the price of that shack down by 50%, would a $1M house now be "affordable"? If we believe in the idea that markets can adjust for these things then we should just leave it alone. Eventually those that cannot afford to live there will leave and housing pressure will relax. I just don't see how taxing tech companies helps. That is just a "feel good, stick it to the man" action that is disconnected from reality. Also, I would love to have one of those houses on lake Austin, one of the really cool expensive ones. But I cannot afford it. What is the city doing to help me? Where are they drawing the line on "affordable" housing? Why is that line arbitrary. When people say density drives affordability, then you have to do that EVERYWHERE. Don't f--- with my neighborhood to make it more dense because it is "good for the city" and then exempt Tarrytown, Pemberton Heights and all of the other wealthy neighborhoods. If you are going to screw my neighborhood then screw all of them equally, don't pick and choose.

While I agree that more than teachers and firefighters need a break, why do I have to foot the bill for that? We need public servants (teachers, firefighters, police, etc.) But waiters, retail people, the guy at the Jiffy Lube, why do I need to fund that? The affordability for those people is the responsibility of the business. Basically "affordable housing" is another way for businesses to not pay people enough money. No need to give them a raise if I am footing the bill for part of their house. I am an economist by trade. All of these offsets only create more problems for us. The concept of affordable housing is just a subsidy by the taxpayers that allows others to shirk their responsibility. I'd rather give a fireman a $10,000 raise then come up with a convoluted housing strategy.

Also, "affordable housing" is not affordable housing. It is lower priced housing closer in. If you want affordable housing, Buda, Kyle and Manor are pretty affordable. But they are not close to downtown. You are not providing "affordable housing" you are subsidizing a shorter commute. When I lived in Chicago I used to drive an hour + to get from my house to my job. If we are concerned that police, firefighters and teachers can't afford to live in Austin I get that. Waive their property taxes. That is a better solution than the convoluted "affordable housing" scam that the city is working on.

sadly, not yet - but there is still a chance

I don't have any kids. But I pay for education because I don't want stupid people in this world. It is a tall order here, but education is important and worth funding. It ultimately protects my investments.

The chronicle did the math on them. Basically amounted to ~$5 per home per initiative. Based on the fact that my property taxes get jacked by $800-1000 per year, even if all of the initiatives passed it would be a drop in the bucket. If we don't invest in infrastructure we'll be...um...well..exactly where we are now. I don't have an issue with this, I had an issue with prop J getting defeated. Combine Adler with no prop J and you can be assured that there will be another CodeNext and we'll all be screwed. After the last debacle I'm surprised that everyone gave the city freedom to try it again. Oh well, when it happens I don't want to hear people bitch about getting bit by the snake they nursed back to health.

Sent you a PM. If you want to borrow them let me know.

Transition makes great bikes. A friend of mine has 2 of them and I have been impressed with them. Can't talk you out of it. My only warning on smaller boutique brands vs. the big national brands (i.e. Trek, Specialized, Santa Cruz) is that if you run into warranty replacement issues, you'll be waiting longer for replacement. But that is probably a once in the bike's life issue. So If everything feels right with that bike, go for it knowing that somewhere down the line, if you need warranty work, it might take a little longer. But I would not let that possibility steer me away from the bike that is right for me.

The 6-pack also applies to the shop. Always reward good work. Thank god there is a liquor store next to BSS Guadalupe. They have really helped me out in a pinch more than once. When they say "just hang on, we can get this in a second" that is just enough time to run and get a sixer to leave in return for their work.

I support local shops for service (which is where they make a lot of their money). For buying commodity products like Stans, Chain lube and generic parts I prefer online because Amazon will have it at my house in 2 days for no charge. The number of times I've called around on a Tuesday afternoon and found the simple part I needed not on the shelves has convinced me that retailers stocking parts is a sucker's bet. Yeah, I've bought brake rotors locally at a 50% premium and was totally OK with it because I needed the part now and they had it on the shelf. But when you tell me you can get the part in 1 or 2 days we're done talking. I can get it cheaper online, delivered to my house. My last full bike build was bought local (with varying degrees of success.) The dynamics of retail in general have changed and most bike shops grapple with how this is impacting their business. Unfortunately most have not done an adequate job of catering to the "knowledgeable" class. They do great with newbies that need a lot of hand holding, but for those of us that know exactly what we are looking for, they fall short. Bought a SC Blur frame from your shop a few years ago when Clint was in service. I had come in for some simple part, got talking about the constant frame cracks on my bike and pretty soon he had me sold on a Blur frame. Dropped off the Knolly when the Blur showed up and he moved 95% of the parts over and I had an awesome bike, tuned perfectly and ready to go. When my Niner gives up the ghost I'd consider doing that again with another SC frame. But that is not a done deal as there are plenty of places to be competitive on the frame front. And I need to know and trust your techs. Jacob on Guadalupe is awesome, I'd work with him in a heartbeat (and I forget the other tech at that location, possibly Laura, who is also top notch but haven't seen her in a while). But there is another guy with your company that if I knew he worked on my bike I'd demand that the bike be repaired again before I even leave the shop. What makes shops great is not their retail selection, it is the techs in the back. Some shops have good ones, some shops have bad ones. I will buy based on the best deal unless time is an element. I am happy to pay a "convenience tax" or a "knowledge tax" with my purchases, but if I know as much (or more) than the person selling me that product, I am not going to pay the premium.

Generally you can do ~90% of the work yourself if you have average skills. That last 10% is something that can be handled by a shop. I bought a frame from someone once, built it completely up to the point where it was 98% done but I had a few nagging issues. Took it to BSS and for ~$50 the tuned it all up and made sure it was perfect. Money well spent. I am always a big fan of having an expert overlook my work in the areas where I am not as proficient - mostly in shock tuning and hydraulics.

I am in C Chicago right now but will be back on Tuesday morning, I can check then.

I have that same problem. Except my garage has a regular workbench (awesome sturdy one from when I moved in) and a smaller bike workbench. I end up with piles on both and once a month end up cleaning both off. That lasts about a day. More importantly I find that I now have multiple sets of tools, on each workbench.

What size do you need? I have an old Fox DHX 5.0 Air shock. Too big for my bike, the Float in the pic is there for reference, it is a 7.875" with a 2" stroke (I believe) and the DHX is a bit larger, maybe 1/4" or so. You're welcome to borrow it to play around with it if you'd like.

That looks like the cheap fan that I have now (floor standing). I could just find a cheap wall mount and try that before going down the path of a new fan. I have some options now.

That looks like a good solid product. This oscillating version is ~$220, but it is metal so I think it is a better investment than the cheaper plastic ones.

I took one of my Asia conference calls from the ride once. That is what mute is for 😉 did I’d have to stop and unmute once to answer a question but I still made the ride.