Thanks for your response, Deezil. Your 2 cents DOES COUNT!!!
This subject has come up before on other forums. As with us, there are always varying opinions. We all have our own opinions and experiences and I'm sure that this debate will continue (I hope it does, the input is great).
You said you weren't sold. The good news is that I am not trying to sell you on anything. These are my own personal experiences, but understand that others may not agree at all. I stand by what I said... that is for now, as I am a work in progress.
Just think of what I wrote as something to consider and not an absolute "how it should be".
Others before you and me have experienced this problem and have suggested removing the air lock after several months of bulk aging. Just don't put to much hope in your bung being that well sealed. Air can always find a way. This of course would apply to both solid bungs and air locked bungs.
I don't know how much actual controlled research has been done on the subject. It would be interesting if someone had actually done some true comparison testing on side by side carboys, some with air locks and some without.
One has to consider that in large, successful wineries, reserve wines in the barrels sometimes for 4 to 5 years have bungs (solid bungs). Such barrels are opened regularly to be topped off. So, it's not just the bung that is a problem.
As I mentioned before, I never bottle anything (other than simple summer wines) before a year or more of bulk aging. However, all the subtle changes and evolution, which take place in the carboy, will also take place in the bottle, just on a much smaller scale. This is a case where size doesn't matter, although there may be some exceptions to that, but I don't know of any off hand. But just like you, I really like the flexibility of still being able to adjust my wine long after fermentation.
Besides, I hate to bottle!!! As a result, it is not likely I'll ever bottle anything but the summer wines before a year or more of bulk aging. If I run out of carboys, I'll just go by some more. (Now isn't that pathetic...)
Again, thanks for your input.