limelight79

Ever hear the expression, "Hitler made the trains run on time“?

Thing is, he didn't. But everyone was afraid to report that they weren't running on time, so officially they always met their schedules.

That's where this is heading.

Don't forget that you're also getting better at cycling. So there would be improvement over time even if you hadn't changed to tpu tubes.

Unfortunately my knowledge of running an anonymous website is very limited.

I would like someone to create a website where we can list the enablers. All of them. Make a list. Start with Trump. Add everyone in his cabinet. Add all of his enablers, down to the people that voted for him.

We're fucked. It's all over but the fighting.

Until a few months ago, I was a statistician for the US government. 25 years. I'm so fucking glad I'm out, though I'm making far less than I used to, honestly not enough yet. But I'm glad I'm not under his thumb.

I put TPU tubes in my road bikes a while back, and I've tried a few different brands: Spingo, RideNow, and Wheelo, all from Amazon. I think I've had 16 or 20 total. My thoughts:

1. I notice it most when I'm turning the handlebars at speed - there's less rotating mass, so it turns more easily.
2. I don't notice much difference in regular riding, maybe a little faster acceleration and easier climbing. Note they might require a bit more energy to keep them rolling at "cruising speed" because there's less inertia. (I do not have a power meter to check this kind of thing.)
3. I've had mixed success with them:

• I've broken valves on a few of them, mostly Spingo brand. The valve stems are plastic. For the most part, I think I was pushing too hard on them because of a pump valve that was going bad and leaking, but I had one fail from another brand, even when I was being very careful and the pump valve was replaced.
• I've had no luck with patches lasting, even the ones some brands include. Probably okay to get you home, but apparently not much more than that. I've only tried one or two though.
• I love the small size in my saddle bag.
• They do seem to let CO2 out more quickly than butyl tubes. Keep that in mind if you use CO2 to inflate them in an emergency.
• I've heard rumors that some of the plastic valves don't like the cold CO2 inflation - maybe that contributed to my broken valves. I couldn't find anything definitive in the documentation for the brands, though.

Overall I do like them, and I keep buying them, but it's not a clear-cut win, in my experience.

My newest bike (which I bought used) came with an SMP Dynamic saddle. I ended up swapping it with the saddle on my previous bike for fit reasons, but when I do use it, I find it's pretty comfortable.

Not for long!

(Too soon?)

Are you talking about the portable ones for inflating tires away from home after a flat?

I've used one, I had a flat and was reaching for my co2 cartridge when someone handed over their pump instead. It seemed to work fine, and I liked that they could set the target pressure. I would use a floor pump or air compressor at home, though.

Do a flip!

Let's not forget this gem.

I turned it into a job!

I recently retired from my real career, and now I work in a bike shop a couple days each week repairing bicycles.

I already knew quite a bit, having built my gravel bike from the frame up, and from doing maintenance on my own bikes, but there were things I had no experience with that I'm now learning. And I'm slowly getting better at handlebar tape jobs.

Do we have a "just riding along" community? I already have two pictures of crazy failures I've seen.