Originally Posted by
KerryIrons
Do what you like, but it is far more cost efficient to ride the heck out of this bike and save your money. If things do wear out before you are ready to purchase the next bike, then upgrade the worn out component as appropriate (the next level up or maybe two levels up). Otherwise you end up with a box of lower grade components that are still perfectly useful, small increments in performance, and the risk that you are putting titanium lug nuts on a Yugo.
this seems to be the most level headed category of responses here. I’m on a budget anyways so I’ll definitely wait and save up for the inevitable next bike purchase. I don’t know my preferences as far as geometry and fit so hopefully over the next couple of years I can figure that out and find a better spec’d and more fitting bike. This one will do just fine for the time being.
Originally Posted by
79pmooney
I'm spending the big bucks (well sorta) to downgrade from non-tubeless to totally tubular. (Well, the city bikes will stay tubed with Paselas for the time being,) The rest are starting the transition back to the sewups I rode exclusively for 15 years and 25 years total.
Several reasons. I've had a flatted clincher roll off the rim and jam in the seatstays. Ugly. painful crash. I can no longer enjoy downhills (Portland and Oregon have some great ones) going twice the speed I crashed at. Can't block the "what if"s. Also love how much abuse a tubular wheel can take (hitting a bottomless pothole for example) and roll along just fine like nothing happened, even with deep dents in the rim. Rare pinch flats. Tire stays on even with 1" or deeper rim damage. Wheel bumps home just fine. (Little rough on the brakes. Oh well.) Confidence inspiring.
The ride! All that air between the road and the rim. None of it hiding in some valley doing nothing. Secure cornering. Everything else being equal, tubulars get better grip. (Learned that the hard way when when I transitioned to clinchers in the '80s and tried to take a downhill wet corner I'd done dozens of times on tubulars.)
Fewer flats than clinchers. I don't know why. But it seems to be. Just hoping that luck resumes. And when it happens. so much easier to deal with! Rip the old tire off. Stick on a new one. Ride. Whatever caused that flat is between the road you are now leaving and the flatted tire under your seat. It cannot cause the next flat. 5 minute tire changes - on good days, on bad days, in the snow, inebriated, in the dark. Very little you can do wrong. (But just roll easy the next few miles, 'till you get home if you use a hard glue.)
I like the sound of this. I’m all about convenience so you make some very convincing points. I have noticed that that with some quality wheels, my tubes hold up to pretty much everything I put them through.
I like the idea of tubeless and the weight savings, but you’ve given me a new appreciation for my tubes!