I obviously travel a ton and ride with a lot of different people throughout the year. It continually amazes me how nice of equipment that people ride in other parts of the country. Not that in Kansas, the guys I ride with ride shit, but they aren’t training on carbon clinchers, etc.

I’ve been riding some Hutchinson Intense tubeless tires on Shimano clincher wheels and let me tell you, they aren’t up to what everyone raves about.

First of all, they are labeled as 25mm, but they don’t have the volume or height of a 25mm tire. They look and ride more like a 23.

2nd, they ride like solid rubber. Even at 80 psi, they are harsh. Descending the crummy roads off Mt. Soladad in La Jolla, they sent such a shock to my handlebars, it made controlling the bike very unpleasant.

The one advantage this new tubeless setup has going for it is that it does reduce having punctures. I’ll give them that. But the horrible ride quality offsets any advantage of less flats.

I have been riding with a bunch of people that are training on carbon clinchers. I don’t get it. They weigh just about the same as aluminum ones, but cost a ton more and you have the carbon braking issue. Plus, they have to wear out a ton quicker than scandium or aluminum rims.

So these guys are riding expensive carbon clincher wheels with expensive tubeless clinchers. It doesn’t make sense.

If you’re going to all this trouble and expense, I’d suggest you just ride carbon tubular wheels with Vittoria CX sewup tires. This is the best setup that you can have on a road bicycle at the present time. The lightest wheels with the best handling tires.

If you used just a small amount of sealant in the tires, I’d bet most people could get half a season out of a tire. You can buy the Vittoria at Wiggle.com for less than $50 with free shipping. That is a 1000 times better deal than an Hutchinson Intensive for $70.

Anyway, I’m considering going back to tubualar tires for training. Especially in the mountains. The clincher tires do not handle anywhere near as well as a tubular and they aremuch more dangerous, if you flat, when you’re descending fast or cornering.

The perfect setup, a Shimano C24 carbon tubular and Vittoria CX.

I haven’t used this, but I’ve heard great things about it. It doesn’t corrode a scandium rim like Stans does.

We’re driving up to Garland to do the Matrix Challenge this afternoon. I had a great time in Austin this past week and am glad I got to visit so long. Austin is sort of a ying yang thing for me. It has a lot of attraction, but there is the traffic. And it’s bad. Plus the heat that comes and stays pretty soon.

I don’t think I’ve raced in Garland since it really was a different town than Dallas, not just a suburb. I drove down to Garland for a Junior Olympic Developement race when I was 17. I got kicked out of the race, after I’d rode the whole day off the front by myself, for riding hard through a neutral zone of gravel. Of course, I was was already a minute ahead before Tom Boyden came up to the field and told them that the race was neutral. Hopefully this race will be better.

Trudi seems to be getting back on US time. She got up and did crossfit with Ann on Wednesday. 5:30 am exercise with kettle bells. She is past that and sleeping until 7 now. Bromont doesn’t even get out of bed when she gets up, which is very unlike him. She has another couple weeks to herself before she has to take off for the Tour of California.

I can’t believe that Joe Martin, Hillsboro Roubaix and the Iowa City Criterium are all next weekend. Man, is that a jacked schedule. I like all three races and can’t believe that someone wouldn’t take the time to look at the scheduling and figure that out. Seems like such a bad thing for the sport not being able to schedule these races on different weekends.

Just got a picture from the training ride yesterday back home. Looks like the burning is in full gear. Maybe this weekend will be perfect for it and they’ll get a lot of it done before I get back on Sunday night. I doubt it. They have extended the permits all the way into May as far as I can figure. Their thinking, just sort of horrible air for a longer period, not terrible air for a shorter period. Great.

Okay, we need to get moving, it’s 3 hours up to Garland.

Trudi didn’t have her shoes or bike with her, so she just used Ann’s dual suspension MTB bike for the past few days.

Trudi brought me back a Paris-Roubaix directional sign from the race, for the garage.

Bill and I rode a new bike path out by the Driveway race, but it just stopped a few miles north. It will be pretty great once it is finished.

We got these in Dripping Springs. Everything for $3.75. Quite a deal.

This is some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. I think it is seasonal.

Bromont is going to miss Ann and Lulu. (And I know Ann, not your best photo ever.)

This is a nightly deal with Bromont. He always hogs my side and then acts like he is asleep and won’t move when I want to go to bed.

What I have to look forward to when I get back to Topeka.