Looks like PDXs will be the ticket for Sunday.....

Sunday sure looks like the first '17 real muddy race.

Yes, basically, Pirelli owns the brand Clement, a few years ago Donn Kellogg figured, correctly btw, he could license the name and help his cyclocross/gravel tire company.

Then around summer Pirelli announces they are getting back into cycling tires. Not sure how it all devolved, Kellogg has done a good job at not blaming anyone or burning bridges, but I am guessing there was a prevision in the license, and someone got burned -- because the timing could not be worst.

Suddenly, Donnelly appeared as a company. 

That photo is one of the few Donnelly branded tires in the world, almost all their sponsored riders are on blacked out Clements. 

The biggest loser of all this might be Caroline Mani, who suddenly was without support as the Raleigh/Clément CX team disappeared.

Brendan Rigby said:

edit: nice invisible spokes on that wheel Patrick. dedicated stretching apparatus?

Yup, I held on to an old tubular rim for the purpose of being able to stretch tires. It only spent 15 Minutes on the rim today as I picked up the tubular this morning and want this wheel to be ready for the weekend. I have found that waiting a day between layers of glue seems to decrease the chances of rolling a tubular dramatically. 

First muddy race on Sunday? O tubeless, praise ye!  I can use the same wheels both days and just change the tires overnight! No multi day tire torture stretch rituals needed

Now that I've made this snarky tubeless remark, surely epic tubeless fails await me this weekend, you've been warned. Stand by for sealant explosion and dnf

I love my multi day torture rituals. Didn’t I mention the chanting and ritual sacrifice?

But seriously, I have both tubeless and tubulars and still find tubulars (with all their difficulties) to be worth it. Being able to ride a tire with soft casing at low pressure for great grip and shock absorption for my old bones is awesome. The wheels tend to be lighter as well.

I will admit that my tubeless tires run real well, but given how hard it was to get them on the bike in the first place (I didn’t have a compressor) I can’t imagine swapping them out on race day. I assume they’ve stretched out a bit now and could be easier to swap out, but wouldn’t that make them susceptible to burping? Not to mention how much your wife must love the pools of sealant on the floor afterwards. 

The solution is to get a pro contract and have a mechanic prep the exact wheels you need for every event. Until then I am inhaling mastik. 

well Yacks has not flatted since installing these thorn resistant tractor tubes...thick?  If they had treads...I wouldn't need a tire.  They also have removable valve cores...so you could dump a bottle of Stan's in there if you wanted...not a lot of clearance Clarence...but they roll over anything

PatrickG said:

I will admit that my tubeless tires run real well, but given how hard it was to get them on the bike in the first place (I didn’t have a compressor) I can’t imagine swapping them out on race day. 

The solution is to get a pro contract and have a mechanic prep the exact wheels you need for every event. Until then I am inhaling mastik. 

Patrick et al,

Check out this small, lightweight tubeless tire starter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1611955820/milkit-tubeless-booster?ref=335212&token=516745c5

It's kind of like the two-liter bottle solution, but probably much safer.

I also think that, even though I'm not a fan of tubeless for road, mounting tubeless will eventually get easier, as manufacturers get better at beads.  Zipp did a demo with their tubeless wheel and tire, which is so easy to put on, you don't even need a tool.  

mugwump said:

PatrickG said:

I will admit that my tubeless tires run real well, but given how hard it was to get them on the bike in the first place (I didn’t have a compressor) I can’t imagine swapping them out on race day. 

The solution is to get a pro contract and have a mechanic prep the exact wheels you need for every event. Until then I am inhaling mastik. 

Patrick et al,

Check out this small, lightweight tubeless tire starter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1611955820/milkit-tubeless-booster?ref=335212&token=516745c5

It's kind of like the two-liter bottle solution, but probably much safer.

I also think that, even though I'm not a fan of tubeless for road, mounting tubeless will eventually get easier, as manufacturers get better at beads.  Zipp did a demo with their tubeless wheel and tire, which is so easy to put on, you don't even need a tool.  

Mavic also making tire and rim , same size , that's the key to easy mounting 

Yacks likey....
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-anyroad-advanced-2018

i confess i've never tried tubulars.  the idea of a tire being glued on terrifies me.  tubular + carbon rim brake = recipe for disaster.   then again i guess all that's holding any tire is 3mm of material so it's all scary

tubulars do save weight!  the rims are always lighter and i think less expensive because the shape is simpler...maybe i'll build a tubular wheelset.  i guess the added cost comes down the line in terms of putting the tire on.  i thought tubular tires were more expensive but now that i actually look, seems like they're about equal?

another thing coming down the pike is hookless rims, which offer some of the weight savings of tubular with added strength and eventually (i think?) lower manufacturing costs

if you used these rims you could build a hookless tubeless wheelset for < $1000 that weighed < 1200 grams: https://www.lightbicycle.com/bead-hook-less-rims-carbon-29er-light-bike-rim-tubeless-compatible.html

All of what you say is true, and major factors, however...

the most important factor for tubulars in cross is the way they ride. It's not just perception, the way a tubular deforms at the right pressure, specially in a corner, is unmatched by a hook based tire, I mean is not even remotely close.

Once you get a feel for this and how that little bit every corner accumulates over a race, it is possible, but very hard to go back to anything else. Albeit just slightly so, simply, for cross, tubulars are faster.

Brendan Rigby said:

i confess i've never tried tubulars.  the idea of a tire being glued on terrifies me.  tubular + carbon rim brake = recipe for disaster.   then again i guess all that's holding any tire is 3mm of material so it's all scary

tubulars do save weight!  the rims are always lighter and i think less expensive because the shape is simpler...maybe i'll build a tubular wheelset.  i guess the added cost comes down the line in terms of putting the tire on.  i thought tubular tires were more expensive but now that i actually look, seems like they're about equal?

another thing coming down the pike is hookless rims, which offer some of the weight savings of tubular with added strength and eventually (i think?) lower manufacturing costs

if you used these rims you could build a hookless tubeless wheelset for < $1000 that weighed < 1200 grams: https://www.lightbicycle.com/bead-hook-less-rims-carbon-29er-light-bike-rim-tubeless-compatible.html

You really need to ride tubulars in a CX race to understand the difference. It's massive. It is - with no exaggeration. Also I think your aversion to something being "glued" is a bit odd. Your carbon frame is glued together! The treads on your running shoes are glued on!

Here is one thing you can do to help your "fear of glue" - find someone who is going to change their tires this year and try and pull one off...

at hippo cx on saturday as my bike collided repeatedly with the ground i was thankful my shifters were properly tightened.  remember to tighten them onto the handlebar to the manufacturers specifications, which is looser than you probably would do.  this way when you crash your shifters just get turned inward/outward rather than smashed into bits!

Brendan Rigby said:

at hippo cx on saturday as my bike collided repeatedly with the ground i was thankful my shifters were properly tightened.  remember to tighten them onto the handlebar to the manufacturers specifications, which is looser than you probably would do.  this way when you crash your shifters just get turned inward/outward rather than smashed into bits!

Maybe you should try.... GLUING them.

cool machines! https://www.hollandmechanics.com/

Brendan Rigby said:

cool machines! https://www.hollandmechanics.com/

You would probably have to get rid of the couch but I say go for it!

does anyone have a NYC to DC strava bike route?

Mentioned yesterday at the ride. "Spray Bike" makes rattle cans that will work and stick, without removing the old paint.

Awesome for those of us with old frames. 

https://us.spray.bike/

Their instagram has plenty of awesome examples:

eloy said:

Mentioned yesterday at the ride. "Spray Bike" makes rattle cans that will work and stick, without removing the old paint.

Awesome for those of us with old frames. 

https://us.spray.bike/

Their instagram has plenty of awesome examples:

https://instagram.com/p/Ba88SP4FgAq/embed/

One problem.

Their Reds are pretty limited.

does anyone know of a bikeshop that has mtb bikes to demo?

McKay Duncan said:

does anyone know of a bikeshop that has mtb bikes to demo?

Talk to redbeard.

Last night i installed my first set of tubeless tires,Using a regular pump and a spray bottle of washing up liquid , i was so shocked on how simple it was ,

Mark Taylor said:

Last night i installed my first set of tubeless tires,Using a regular pump and a spray bottle of washing up liquid , i was so shocked on how simple it was ,

are you just trolling us?  did yacks put you up to this?

Wilson will be building me some tubeless wheels after the last cross race on the 30th...sorry Rig's, I'll let you defend me in court...but your NOT building my wheels

Spooky be rolling on 28's next year...

^ain't gonna be a spooky after that. You're gonna have to call it a
 (puts on sunglasses)

Gonna be 9 degree real feel Saturday for the cross race...

Oh shit...the wheel gods can kiss my patoot!!!

^looks like those gods were about to make you kiss you own patoot....
kind of like I did today when my front wheel slipped off the wooden bridge and I did the flying-squirrel-pancake...

1. What rim/wheel is that?

2. Nevermind, it doesn't matter because you destroy everything.

edit: You cracked a rim on 28 tubs???  There should be a "Can Yacks Break It?" youtube channel.  Bontrager or Specialized or whoever should lease your talents to develop their cobbles/spring classics gear.