Tubulars + Sealant + Levi's GF?

[John H.]

Are you coming out to do a bunch of riding?

I would consider a more robust wheel and tire setup than Carbon tubulars.

Not that you won't handle it on tubulars, but the posibility of flats and hassles is higher on the back roads of Sonoma County.

[earlfoss]

John H, I have considered springing for a set of Shamal Mille wheels... For general riding they might top a carbon wheelset. They're alloy, appear relatively light, and there's the tubeless option too.

I have had excellent luck training on tubulars, but when riding in the LA area I am always on a set of clinchers due to the debris along the PCH.

[chiasticon]

I am in the camp of pre-treating road tubs. primarily because, while I think it's good to use sealant to try to fix tubular punctures, I don't want to carry sealant and a pre-glued spare. and if I should puncture and the sealant does its thing, it's one less thing to screw with on the side of the road, short of likely adding some pump strokes. I don't think there's much difference between having it in your tires and not. you'd probably have to be running some very plush tires at very low psi to notice a difference. and even then, having done just that with cyclocross tubs, I doubt it...

as far as sealant, I've been running caffelatex. for one, because I ended up with a giant bottle of it for free, so why not? but for two, I read it was the only sealant approved for use by Dugast, whose tires are basically of the same construction as the Veloflex I'm running. allegedly, Orange Seal and Stans, etc don't play nice with latex tubes (though maybe they're fine with butyl, I don't know).

[pdmtong]

Originally Posted by earlfoss

John H, I have considered springing for a set of Shamal Mille wheels... For general riding they might top a carbon wheelset. They're alloy, appear relatively light, and there's the tubeless option too.

I have had excellent luck training on tubulars, but when riding in the LA area I am always on a set of clinchers due to the debris along the PCH.

Very happy with my shamal mille. braking and aesthetics both great.

I see they abandoned the "no carbon wheels" rule. was going to mention that restriction, but its not a restriction any more.

plan on bringing knee warmers, arm warmers and a vest. then decide what to pa ck that morning based on forecast. one year it was mid-40s start and mid-80s coast. the other year was 50s start and fogged out at the coast.

there is a moment when you come off the last ridge before the dive bomb to the coast that you will see straight down the coast ... take a moment to soak that view in.

the ride is stunningly beautiful...and features all the great things about riding around here...solitude, elevation, redwoods, ocean.

[earlfoss]

I'm really excited to come out for this one. I've spent a little time in the LA area but have heard that the area Levi's is in is next level.

I'm a gear nut so I'm already getting my setup together in my head for the day. I don't like to take chances, and getting a flat would not be good at all which is why I started this thread. I and 2 teammates are going to try to set the best time for the day out there (my teammates set the second best time last year I think). I hear there's a giant jug of Patron as a prize... I can dig that! I've raced for less before!

In any case, I'm now starting to think that I could get a set of Shamals and run tubeless before the event to see if that's the way I want to go. At the worst, they'd make some really great training and alternate race day wheels to have around.

Sooooo if anyone has a set of Shamal Mille wheels for sale, get at me 'cause I'm in a buying mood heh heh heh