First upgrade on all of my bikes is to put on kevlar base tires. On the Lotus the tires cost more than the bike. Too much broken glass around here. Nothing worse then getting a couple of flats on an outing. The Hardcase is new for me. I have been riding the Specialized version with great success. 2200+ miles. Knock on wood. Not sure what the question is regarding the tubing. I pinched 2 while installing the front tire.