I actually like the look of those gray lever mounts. Our tandem's Mafac levers don't have hoods and I've never been bothered by the feel. But the real answer is that I didn't have any when I rigged everything up. (And I was in a hurry to do so!)

Truth is, I've never ridden on high-end tires. I had several recommendations for these, at least three people encouraging me to try them. So I figured this was the ideal opportunity to expand my experiences, learn a little bit, go faster...

That's a thought. I don't feel inadequate when riding a bike like this, except when I come to a significant hill. Then I feel inadequate no matter what bike I'm on.