Grasschopper

Ok so the PSU spring semester is over and on Friday and Sat the students were fleeing like mad...well they also throw the biggest pourch/outdoor parties this time of year as well as the weather is nice...and hell they are done. So I am riding and headed to my LBS and coming down the street that the LBS is on I come upon a terrible site there must have been more than 20 beer bottles smashed all over the road...from curb to curb and on the sidewalks. In other words I was going to have to ride through it to get to my LBS. Well I picked the cleanest line possible but I was still riding over shards of glass. For those that don't know I have recently given up the clincher and made the commitment to tubular tires...this of course was the moment of truth. Well I made it...no flat...or the Tufo sealant patched it. So then I leave the LBS and head out to find the Specialized rep (still having issues with the Pave SL post) who was at a local demo day. So I head out on the same road but in the opposite direction from the glass...or so I thought...on the same street for the next 2 blocks there were more broken bottles, mirrors, and windows...seriously never seen this much broken glass on a street...maybe it was vandals. But still no flat.

Later on at home I was cleaning up my ride and I inspected the tires. Clearly there were slices in the tread but also clearly they weren't into what is a VERY deep tread layer. I am now pretty confident that if I can avoid glass fields in the future I shouldn't be getting flats until the tires are worn out.

MMM Tubulars. Oh and to keep with tradition here is the bike in it's new shoes...and some other new tidbits.

Serpico

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Grasschopper

Oh and a funny story from the demo day. So I get to the event which was put on at the local ski bump, hosted by our LBS and featuring Giant, Specialized, and Cannondale and I see the GM of the LBS who is a friend of mine. I ride over and say hi and tell him that Jerry (another friend and sales guy at same LBS) told me I could find the Specialized rep to beat him with my Pave SL which STILL wont stay up. So we talk to Earl and he says to order ANOTHER (this will be the 3rd) post and Specialized will cover it...give that a try...he assured us they (Specialzed) would make it right and said that he has seen 3-4 posts with the same issue. Also said there is a new product to put on carbon to carbon interfaces to avoid slipage...LBS is going to get some of that as well.

So anyway after I am done the C'Dale rep comes over and starts pitching the Synapse to me...I am just sitting there thinking "dude do you not see the new 06 Roubaix decked out in Record I am holding?" So he is going DEEP into the sales pitch all about the frame and the design, and the target market...I go on thinking "dude you realize I am holding a compeating bike right? I know what your bike is all about." but he drones on like a telemarketer and then offers me a test ride...I pass. So when he finishes his speil (sp) the Specialzed rep who is right there puting up his display asks him if he is going to ask me out on a date. LOL Too damn funny...then he says but your going to have to tell him your favorite color. I was torn up on the indise but didn't want to laugh right in the guys face.

He (C'Dale rep) did confirm for me that there will be a new CF bike in the racing lineup for 07 and the it IS being produced in Bedford...more bikes made in the US is a great thing IMO.

56/12 and 22/28

Beer bottles got pwn3d by tubies.

Good show!

Serpico

I saw pics posted somewhere, massively huge headtube (1 1/8 ????) and "Made in USA" decals

I'm definitely interested

I've never ridden a carbon bike, my last bike was steel and current bike is Ti

I can't wait to see this frame

DRLski

lol, good to hear your tubies made it in one piece. I ended up getting stuck on a little over 2 miles of hard packed dirt road the other day with lots of small rocks on it and I must say that my tubular-clinchers held up pretty damn well too.

Thomill

I, too, would love to make the move over to Tufo's, at least the tubular-clincher type, I mean. That is, if I could ever get the !@#$%! things on my wheels! I knew they would be tough to fit, or so I had heard, but man oh man they are a pain. I am leaving them inflated for a few days before I try again.... plus it should give the cuts on my hands some time to heal.

T

DRLski

Thomill, I had the same problem as yourself, I believe it was Grasschopper who recommeded it to me when trying to install mine, put a foot down on the tube, stretch like hell, and then keep turning it and stretching it and you should have no problem getting it on, seems barbaric but it works

reneuend

Sounds like the Rep was either new at it, bored, or no one was looking at his merchandise!

Thanks for sharing the story. My tires would have never made it. I would have had to turn around or walk my bike past it.

Grasschopper

Yea I probably should have walked it....but I am a sucker for punishment and it was only a block to the LBS.

The Rep has been a rep for years and the demo day hadn't started yet so I guess he wasn't overly busy...I think he is just a chatty cathy.

Thomill

Sounds good, plus it will help with the frustration . I actually was going to pick up one of those monster ParkTool tire tools (https://parktool.com/products/detail....&item=TL%2D10), but I am not sure it would be of much help.

Take care,
T

DRLski

You don't need it, once you get them properly stretched out you don't need any tools. Ignore what Tufo's website says, stretch the crap outta them

lotek 

+1 on the stretching.

I have a pair of Tufo Elite roads, the damned things will NEVER wear out
seriously bulletproof tire.

deerfeedrb

Oh how I miss Penn State!

cydewaze

FLIPPP ETTTT!!!! @#$#%$