I agree with Charles on this. I've yet to ride a "hi-tech" clincher that delivers the feel/performance of my well-aged Continental Sprinter sew-ups.
FYI - I've found that sufficient beer makes the gluing process enjoyable.
As for saddles - back when I was younger I could tolerate a leather-over-foam-over-plastic saddle. Now I'm 54 and I find myself really missing my old Raleigh Pro's anatomically correct Brooks Pro saddle. So what if my Ciocc is Italian - how much am I going to ride her if my male parts suffer due to "fashion"?
Steve Whitting
Prairieville, Louisiana USA
http://ciocc-cat.angelfire.com/
From: Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [CR] tubular tires and leather saddles To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Friday, May 29, 2009, 10:25 AM
quoth Jerry Moos, in part:
"If we are honest, I think we must admit that part of the continued niche interest in leather saddles and tubular tires is exactly their inconvenience, or to put it more kindly, the ritual connected with them."
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Uh. If I am honest I don't admit any such thing. Tubular tires STILL ride better, and make for lighter wheels, than any current clinchers. Period. And a Brooks B-17 is more comfortable than any modern saddle I've tried. And the titanium version is lighter than most saddles. If I could have a Titanium B-17 on every bike I own, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Jerry, we still ride sew-ups because they're BETTER. Not because of the inconvenience. You can't possible be serious when you suggest that any of us enjoy gluing up tubulars. You can't.
Charles Andrews Los Angeles
"everyone has elites; the important thing is to change them from time to time."
--Joseph Schumpeter, via Simon Johnson