Put some new tires, tubes and rim tape on the QBF last night, and it was about time. Tires and tubes were old, crusty, and generally worn out. Rim tape was, well, electrical tape on the rear and recycled inner tube in the front. I'm surprised I got by this far with no flats at all.
As I was ordering the tires (Panaracer Pasela TourGuard 700x32), I found some QBike 'thorn resistant' tubes. According to the description, the tubes were slightly thicker in the tread area for enhanced puncture resistance.
When I first saw the boxes the tubes were packaged in, I thought there were two tubes in the box...this box was long and at least twice as large as I would normally expect. Maybe they sent me two extra tubes, a bonus!
Come to find out, there was actually only one tube in the box...a fat, thick one. The tube was so thick you couldn't roll it up, it had to be folded over and stuffed in. I picked up a tube and a tire and I'm almost certain the tube weighs more! I think I could actually inflate the tube, glue it to the rim (like a tubular tire), and ride on it.
Since I haven't yet ridden on them, I'm wondering how these stiff, thick tubes will affect the ride. Coupled with the hard, vintage, non-ergonomic Bontrager seat makes me think numbnuts!
-Dwight
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