Tubes and racing

[mikemets]

To make a long story short. I have a heavy tube in my rear tire, and was wondering if I should change it for my usual ultra light?

The bike is a c50, with full Chorus, Eurus wheels, and Vittoria Open Corsa CX clinchers.

Tomorrow morning, is a 20 mile road race, mostly rolling, with one, longish, steep hill in the middle. Other than an early season TT, its the only race I do all year.

Okay, why the heavy tube:
My club has a regular TH evening ride, that usually starts at 6, but with the dwindling daylight, now starts at 5:30. I stopped at home during lunch to pick up my bike, and sure enough the rear was flat. Well, I'm in a white shirt and tie, and don't have any extra time so the bike goes in the car with the flat. The ride starts at a local bike shop, not mine, but I figure I'd drop it off on my way back to work, and ask them to chg it so when I came back at 5:30 it would be ready to go.

I pull in at 5:28, pay the $12, and get ready to hop on. Yes, the idea of paying someone to chg the flat bothered me, but I had no choice. I hand the guy the old tube, hanging over the bar, and ask him to throw it out for me. He goes " oh, its an ultra light, I didn't chg yours with one since you didn't ask for one" Okay, technically I guess he's right, but sheesh, why not chg it with what was in there? And its a c50, with a carbon crank, ZG brakes, etc, you can't figure I'd want the "better" tube?

Anyway, I felt compelled to explain myself, and vent a little.

My question:
Should I bother to chg it out today before the race?

Thanks,
Mike

[wasfast]

Don't bother. The tube won't be the reason you do well or not well. It's the rider, not the bike.

[Grant McLean]

If you're still going to be thinking about that tube in there slowing you down
while actually racing.... save yourself the mental distraction and change it now.

g

[Serpico]

this thread is awesome...http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0051.gif
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[Bill Bove]

this thread is awesome...http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0051.gif
But it's not totally"tubular" dewd :D

[Fixed]

But it's not totally"tubular" dewd :D
use tubulars foe racing
you'll do find bro

[swoop]

don't bother. only change the tubes if they are old. how do you race 20 miles? that's so annoyingly short....
luck, have fun, let other people cover the breaks.. lord knows they will cover everything, just hop on thew 5th wheel to cover. make the selction, if you do laps make sure you have a read on the finish line (trust me that is huge. 2 years ago at valley of the sun .. in a rainstorm i sat up having won.. but it was the feed zone.. the line was another 70 meters up the road). oops. hello hero to 19th in 70 meters.

have fun... and you better be warmed up.. cuz that's so short a distance.

[Gothard]

It's a well kown fact that a heavy tube costs the exact time separating you from first place plus 1 second.

Don't you ever change that tube. Built in excuse. I would not change it. Ever.

[vaxn8r]

On the one hand, the heavier tube might withstand a puncture a bit better than an ultralight...maybe.

OTOH, if you think your bike is tuned to the max, you just might be a tic faster.


Hmmmm...Id change it, only so you never think about it again. Good luck.

[Sandy]

Don't change it. It will make less than no difference in the outcome.


Slow Serotta Sandy

[Hysbrian]

Yes change it. You will climb 100 times faster then you would with the heavy. one. You should also fill it with helium because that's lighter than air.

[mikemets]

Yes change it. You will climb 100 times faster then you would with the heavy. one. You should also fill it with helium because that's lighter than air.

Thanks for the thoughtful response, I'll go change it right now.

[stevep]

fahgettabout the tube.
ride the bike

[alancw3]

i have used maxxis ultralight tubes (seem to be good quality) and to be honest the rear one seems susceptible to pinch flats when i go over a bump or pothold. i now use a regular (performance brand) on the rear and contunue to use the ultralight on the front. actually cannot tell the difference with the heavier tube on the back. i think the increased durability of the regular tube far outweighs the increase in weight. of course i am 6'4" and go 215 lbs. also.

[manet]

ya' _ but whadda'bout the justin chamois sale thread?! this thread is awesome...http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0051.gif
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[mikemets]

Just back from the race, and had a great time. Actually forgot all about the tube until I came back on here and saw the thread. :D