Never appreciated the subtle manufacturing quality of the Wellgo MG-1 (Taiwan-made) was until I saw those Chinese rip-offs.
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I pulled off my worn-out Assegai DH off the rear and decided to see how Tannis Armour + standard butyl tube + old tire from my stack (Mountain King Protection 2.4) would work as an alternative over an Eddy Current Front 2.4 (which I'd mount on the rear).
Lesson for the future: I could maybe try rehydrating the sealant, by adding water every so often rather than just straight sealant (Muc-Off No Hassle sealant, about 4x 200mL injections over a year without cleaning out).
Yea, I still run i21 rims. If it still works, why change? It's an amusing exercise to get tires on, since I need to forcibly push the bead into the center drop channel if the other side is occupying it, all while keeping tension on the tire to prevent it from coming undone.
The idea is that the tube is protected from pointy stuff by virtue of thick material.
My shameful hoard of shitty fast-rolling tires that I wasted money on due to my self-conscious lack of pedaling capability... shameful because there are about 5 layers of these. $2000+ spent/rotting in this box.
Oh, and I got some discobrake pads, 4 pairs of semi-metallic. Going through brake pads surprisingly quick. Usually can go up to 1 year for the rear and 2x that for the front, but I guess I've been preferring terrain that challenges my ability and courage lately. 3 Shimano G01S brake pad sets since I put on that Assegai DH, which I figure is 2x faster wear than usual. Guess that I'm reminded that my brake pads last longer when I'm more familiar with my routes; when I'm adventuring/exploring, I'm a bit more cautious.
I consider brake pads a performance item that's worth spending money on, but Shimano pads are $16. Not adventurous enough to spend $3 on no-name eBay ones that I suspect might lose brake power under certain circumstances, but I remembered discobrake being a reputable brand and watched SickBiker's review.
