u/dbzbudokai77

I purchased the Hopper M20 backpack cooler about a year ago, and 1 year in I have been more frustrated it with anything. I'll admit it looks very cool for a soft cooler, which was one of the primary things that drove me to it initially. However, after about 20+ uses later, my primary gripes have been:

• The opening and shape of the M20 make for a relatively hard time packing, as compared to the rest of the Hopper line (as well as the prior Backflip model).
• The buckles make it feel secure, but are a pain in the butt to undo and redo each time you are wanting a drink.
• It's surprisingly heavy when filled. Even with its padded back, I don't think it's something I'd ever take on a hike or even a trip with a long walk.
• Storage is minimal, with not even a side pocket for drinks. I get you can attach a sidekick to it, but I want a relatively minimal cooler design.
• Lastly, the insulation is not as impressive as I would have hoped. When pre-cooling with ice packs and stuffing it to the top, ice starts melting after 1 day. Similar prep process for my Roadie 24 maintains ice for twice as long

Overall, I plan to sell my cooler for a hopper or a used backflip. I get the gripes with the zipper, but I'll take that any-day over the buckles + quirky opening design.

Please let me know if anyone has had a difference experience with this cooler, or if maybe I'm using it for the wrong purpose. Definitely understand many on here have loved this cooler, which is the reason for my post.

Following the Giannis trade, everything still points to Jaylen Brown being traded to a new team this offseason. Obviously, Boston will do what it can to best position itself from a perspective of cap space/roster/future with the move, especially with JB expected to receive $183M over the next 3 years.

However, one could also assume that JB is doing what he can to leverage a trade to a team where he will be the 1A option, unlike his time in Boston. This past season he showed that he can perform at an all-nba level as the top guy, while also contributing to team success.

So my question is this - for those in the sub, who would want/accept JB as the franchise player for their team moving forward? This includes considerations for teams with recent draft picks who could be franchise cornerstones (i.e. Utah, Memphis, Chicago).

For some background, TCU/Baylor formally announced its annual rivalry game to be known as the "Bluebonnet Battle" back in 2023. This was met with overwhelming negative reception, as fans from both schools had been referring to the game as the "Revivalry" up through that point, even though it was not an official name.

Earlier today, the Baylor Athletics X account posted a message referring to the game as the "Revivalry". It could be an accident, or a quiet backtrack to appease the fanbases of both schools.

Thoughts on this decision?

Looking to make my first big bike purchase ever. I spend ~90% of my ride time on dedicated bike pavement/trails around the city. While I occasionally might go off-road, its rare enough to where I didn't want that to influence my decision.

I had my sights set on a Trek Domane AL5, but at my local shop they also had a discounted Cervelo Aspero GRX 820 that was amazing to ride. I'd say I really enjoyed riding the Domane as well, so am I crazy if I decide on the Aspero? This is a new process for me, so am hoping some members on this sub can help me out before I make a poor $3K decision!

A few considerations:

• I have no intention to race with my bike, it's solely a stress-relief activity for me in the evenings and on weekend.
• My rides usually span 10-30 miles, depending on the day.
• As noted above, my preference is to stick to road trails. However, I do love the potential ability to have a do-it-all bike in the case friends want to take bikes off road.
• General comfort is also something I value
• The Aspero is $700 more expensive; carbon frame

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hi All. I tried looking through older posts on this and other subs to address my question, but didn't have too much luck for my specific situation.

I have been steadily increasing my riding the last 7 years, and have been using an old Trek FX1. As my riding has increased (~100 miles/week), I'm finally looking to dig into my saving to invest in a bike that I can move to.

I live in Colorado, where 90% of my rides are on pavement/roads/dedicated bike trails. 10% of the rides will be exclusively gravel/dirt.

I have spent the last week trying out a few bikes with the help of local shop salespeople, and my top 3 have been the following:

• Cervelo Aspero GRX RX820 (found a sale on this one for ~$3K)
• Trek Domane AL 5 (~$2K)
• Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 (~$2K)

My biggest priorities are comfort and endurance. While a quicker bike is a plus, I ultimately just want something that could keep up with friends on our rides. I primarily ride for mental relaxation and self-reflection. I am not sure if I should consider the gravel bikes, however, if I'm only riding off road 10% of the time.

Any longer-term experience with these or similar bikes would be helpful - thank you in advance!