For lazy people by lazy people- how to model pipes! Sci-fi pipes, or just regular pipes.
Get the (free!) UV Squares addon here:
https://github.com/p2or/UvSquares/tree/blender-28
For UV unwrapping, it's invaluable. Radivarig is a saint.

OH OH ALSO WOW- after you turn up the bevel depth in the curve panel, hit "ALT+C, convert to mesh". Then you can select the edge loop. Wow. That'll teach me to make these things at 4am.