Second Opinion Reviews
120 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsSecond Opinion is a reviews show about anything and everything under the sun. If we can experience it, we can review it.
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Episodes
Second Opinion #118: Jamis Renegade Expat Review
August 28, 2021 13:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBIan and Brian talk about Brian's 2017 Jamis Renegade Expat Bike!
Second Opinion #117: Marin Four Corners Review
August 17, 2021 14:29 - 49.3 MBIan is a utilitarian cyclist to the core, and is there a more pure expression of that than traveling from one metro area to another by bike? The Marin Four Corners is designed to take you the distance, at an affordable price. Come find out if they hit the mark!
Second Opinion #116: Specialized Sirrus Review
July 31, 2021 15:00 - 30 minutes - 42.2 MBIan and Brandon have both ridden the Sirrus more than any other bike. And while neither of them currently ride it on a regular basis, they have a lot to say about how it fits into various types of lifestyles.
Second Opinion #115: Bike Toolkit Roundup
July 17, 2021 15:00 - 17 minutes - 401 MB VideoWith just a modest collection of tools, you can make most adjustments and fix most problems that commonly come up while riding a bike! In this episode, Ian shows what he has with him at all times on his bike, and discusses three ways of carrying those tools.
Second Opinion #114: Apidura Expedition Full Frame Pack Review
July 02, 2021 17:44 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBThat triangle in the middle of your bike frame isn't doing you any good sitting empty! A frame bag takes advantage of that space for cargo capacity. Listen in to find out how Ian likes Apidura's entry into this product category.
Second Opinion #113: Revelate Spinelock Review
June 10, 2021 15:45 - 32.7 MBRevelate has come up with a unique mounting solution for their Spinelock seat pack. They claim it's the best thing since sliced bread, how well does it live up in practice? Join Ian on this review to find out!
Second Opinion #112: Ortlieb Seat-Pack Review
May 24, 2021 21:32 - 20 minutes - 29.2 MBOrtlieb is well-regarded for their urban and touring panniers, but how about their bikepacking gear? They have one of the largest saddle packs in the business, let's find out how it holds up!
Second Opinion #111: Rokform Phone Mount System Review
May 10, 2021 18:08 - 14 minutes - 20.4 MBBike phone mounts are a very difficult product category to do well; they're usually either not durable, or too easy to steal, or too expensive. Rokform has focused on solving the first two problems, but the products are indeed expensive. Come listen to Ian give a verdict on whether they are worth the price!
Second Opinion #110: Wahoo Kickr SNAP & Wahoo Tickr Review
April 24, 2021 15:11 - 30 minutes - 41.7 MBBrian will be the first to admit, his new bike trainer setup was absolutely a pandemic purchase; but he's hoping that these will be items that he will use for many years to come!
Second Opinion #109: MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 Review
April 10, 2021 16:18 - 22 minutes - 13.3 MBRyan reviews the wonderful MacBook Pro with M1 chip! It's an incredible machine, but you might be satisfied with a MacBook Air - find out more!
Second Opinion #108: Samsung S21 Ultra Review
March 21, 2021 14:31 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBRyan reviews the S21 Ultra. It's way better than the S20 and laterally better than the Note 20 Ultra.
Second Opinion #107: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Review
March 03, 2021 01:42 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBRyan reviews what might be the last Samsung Note ever!
Second Opinion #106: Android 11 Review
February 13, 2021 16:38 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MBIan has been using Android 11 for five months now, so he is definitely ready to give you a thorough review of the latest version of Android! And not a moment too soon, since Android 12 developer previews are just over the horizon...
Second Opinion #105: The City We Became Review
October 21, 2020 20:52 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBIan is joined by Meghan Griffin to chat about The City We Became, a novel that uses a multidimensional sci-fi/fantasy story to shine a light on the social and political strife facing many of our cities today. It's a real good book.
Second Opinion #104: Gone Home Review
September 21, 2020 00:09 - 10 minutes - 10.2 MBIan digs deep into his well of feelings to talk about one of his favorite games of all time.
Second Opinion #103: Pixel 4a Review
September 06, 2020 04:25 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBRyan Rampersad reviews the Pixel 4a with Ian R Buck. The verdict: it's pretty good.
Second Opinion #102: Let Go Review
August 22, 2020 14:07 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBGrappling with what the world will be like as we approach post-scarcity is a daunting task; Let Go endeavors to do so in the form of a graphic novel. Ian R Buck is joined by Quentin Pongratz and Daniel J Pool to discuss it.
Second Opinion #101: Portland Design Works Ninja Pump Review
August 08, 2020 14:50 - 6 minutes - 6.28 MBSometimes you have to change a tire while you're out on the road, and you'll need a small, reliable pump to do that. The Ninja Pump brings a lot to the table!
Second Opinion #100: Abus Bordo 6000 Bike Lock Review
July 25, 2020 14:00 - 8 minutes - 7.63 MBA bike is a significant investment, one that you should protect with a proper lock. This is the smallest, lightest folding lock Ian has used, does it compromise on security to achieve that?
Second Opinion #99: Delta X-Mount Pro Phone Holster Review
July 19, 2020 00:49 - 7 minutes - 7.85 MBUnlike many other phone holsters in its price range, the X-Mount Pro attaches to your bike under the stem cap. Did they cut any corners to keep it so affordable? Find out in our review!
Second Opinion #99: Delta X-Mount Pro Phone Mount Review
July 19, 2020 00:49 - 7 minutes - 7.85 MBUnlike many other phone mounts in its price range, the X-Mount Pro attaches to your bike under the stem cap. Did they cut any corners to keep it so affordable? Find out in our review!
Second Opinion #98: Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Bikepacking Tent Review
July 12, 2020 21:05 - 11 minutes - 12 MBThe key to bike camping is having the right equipment. Big Agnes has designed the Fly Creek specifically for bikepacking, which is a promising sign! Let's find out how they did.
Second Opinion #97: 45NRTH Xerxes Review
July 04, 2020 21:16 - 6 minutes - 6.19 MBOnce you've fallen on your bike on the ice once, you'll only ride studded tires in the winter from then on. Ian has been using the 45NRTH Xerxes studded tires for the last few seasons, and he is ready to review them for you!
Second Opinion #96: BrightRoad Front and Back Light Set Review
June 27, 2020 23:51 - 9 minutes - 8.92 MBYou need a bike headlight and taillight, so why not buy them together? This is an extremely affordable set of lights, does the quality hold up?
Second Opinion #95: Light & Motion Vis 180 Micro Bike Taillight Post-Mortem
June 20, 2020 15:00 - 7 minutes - 6.89 MBThe Vis 180 Micro has been discontinued, but there are still useful lessons to be gleaned from it!
Second Opinion #94: Light & Motion Vya Bike Taillight Review
June 13, 2020 15:00 - 7 minutes - 6.92 MBBeing seen at night by road users behind you is essential on a bike. What kinds of innovations does the Vya bring to the table?
Second Opinion #93: Light & Motion Urban 500 Bike Headlight Review
June 07, 2020 15:21 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBBeing able to see and be seen when riding in the dark is critical. Does the Urban 500 have what it takes for daily ridership?
Second Opinion #92: Topeak Pocket Rocket Review
May 25, 2020 22:16 - 5 minutes - 5.52 MBBeing able to change an inner tube on the road won't help you if you can't pump up the new inner tube! A frame pump like the Pocket Rocket will help you get back on the road.
Second Opinion #91: Foldylock Classic Bike Lock Review
May 18, 2020 19:10 - 8 minutes - 8.04 MBA bike is a significant investment, one that you should protect with a proper lock. Folding locks are a recent innovation in the bike lock space; is the Foldylock a useful, durable lock, or just a gimmick with a cute name?
Second Opinion #91: Foldylock Classic Review
May 18, 2020 19:10 - 8 minutes - 8.04 MBA bike is a significant investment, one that you should protect with a proper lock. Folding locks are a recent innovation in the bike lock space; is the Foldylock a useful, durable lock, or just a gimmick with a cute name?
Second Opinion #90: Roam Co-Pilot Bike Phone Mount Review
May 09, 2020 20:21 - 9 minutes - 9.34 MBHaving access to navigation on one's phone while bike riding can be quite essential. Also essential: making sure that your phone won't fall off of your bike. Ian has been using the Roam Co-Pilot phone mount for several years, and he is here to review it for you!
Second Opinion #89: Specialized Pizza Rack Review
May 03, 2020 14:00 - 12 minutes - 12.2 MBThe Pizza Rack is easily the most unique aspect of Ian's bike build. It provides not only railings for panniers to attach to, but also a generous platform to place objects on top. Come find out how well Ian likes it!
Second Opinion #88: Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Pannier Review
April 27, 2020 21:30 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBThe Ortlieb Back Roller Classics come with a serious pricetag, do they have serious performance to match?
Second Opinion #87: Roswheel 3 in 1 Bike Pannier Review
April 22, 2020 00:48 - 13 minutes - 12.9 MBIan used this pannier set for his daily commute for a couple of years. How well has it stood up, how easy is it to use? Find out in today's review!
Second Opinion #86: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review
April 06, 2020 01:31 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBRyan reviews the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra: the most expensive mainline phone ever from Samsung and a merely OK camera -- why not!
Second Opinion #85: Smith Knowledge OTG Ski Goggles Review
March 22, 2020 23:05 - 7 minutes - 7.65 MBIan's sunglasses fog up when riding his bike during the winter. Will these over-the-glasses ski goggles solve his problem?
Second Opinion #84: Tifosi Slip Post-Mortem
March 09, 2020 01:50 - 13 minutes - 13 MBIan has been wearing a pair of Tifosi Slips for cycling and as general-purpose sunglasses for over seven years. They aren't sold anymore, but they hold a lot of lessons for what to look for when buying a pair of sunglasses.
Second Opinion #83: HyperDot Review
February 24, 2020 02:14 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBHyperDot is a new "dodge everything" arcade game from Twin Cities developer Charles McGregor. Ian really enjoys these kinds of games, let's find out how HyperDot stacks up!
Second Opinion #82: Nvidia SHIELD TV 2019 Review
February 09, 2020 00:18 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBRyan reviews the standard Nvidia SHIELD TV 2019. The verdict: the remote is kind of confusing, but at least it's a good remote.
Second Opinion #81: Google Nest Mini Review
January 27, 2020 00:44 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBThe Google Nest Mini (the second generation of the Google Home Mini) is the new entry-level Google Assistant device. Join Ian to find out what changes and improvements have been made in this new iteration!
Second Opinion #80: iPhone 11 Pro Review
January 13, 2020 22:40 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBApple has brought the "Pro" moniker to the iPhone line! Join Brandon Johnson as he explores what makes this not just a new flagship phone, but a Pro phone.
Second Opinion #79: Podcast Players Roundup
December 31, 2019 23:21 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBYou love listening to podcasts, so you deserve to be using the best podcast player to consume them! In this roundup, Ian R Buck exhaustively reviews over 20 different podcast players to help you find the one that is best for you!
Second Opinion #78: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 1 Review
December 01, 2019 00:39 - 21 minutes - 20.2 MBRyan reviews the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 1, and the verdict is there are not enough apps for this to even be a smart watch.
Second Opinion #77: AirPods Pro Review
November 18, 2019 06:41 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MBBrian overviews the AirPods Pro!
Second Opinion #76: Anker Soundcore Motion+ Review
November 04, 2019 05:03 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBRyan reviews the Anker Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth Speaker, and describes his criteria for using and purchasing a modern speaker against the alternatives.
Second Opinion #75: Apple Watch Series 5 Review
October 14, 2019 06:42 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBBrian Mitchell gives a quick 12 minute review of the new Apple Watch Series 5.
Second Opinion #74: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ Review
September 28, 2019 20:41 - 57 minutes - 29.4 MBRyan reviews the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ review: it's a great big phone, it looks better than any previous model, the headphone jack does not matter and so much more!
Second Opinion #73: Android 10 Review
September 17, 2019 20:24 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBAndroid 10 is here, and brings with it dark mode, gesture navigation, and tweaks to many many things! Ian has been using it for a little over a week, and he's ready to tell you all about the changes.
Second Opinion #72: Sony MDR-v6 Post-Mortem
August 31, 2019 14:41 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBRyan reviews the Sony MDR-v6 headphones, lasting in some form or another since 1985, a studio classic - find out Ryan's recommendations with these Sony headphones for studio use!
Second Opinion #71: ATH-M50x Review
August 18, 2019 16:14 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBIan and Ryan have both been using the same studio headphones for monitoring and editing, and they are ready to tell you all about them!