increase/decrease detail of mesh

Hello all! I am hoping someone might have an idea on how to fix this issue: I am going to be creating a model that I need multiple levels of detail for and it will have a bit of pipework involved; what I am hoping to figure out is an easy way to increase/decrease the number of divisions along the outer shell of the cylinder whilst also improving the overall arc of the cylinders body. I know I can use subdivide to increase the number of divisions but it just cuts the faces in two, it doesn’t add any detail to the body; I have also tried the subdivision surface and decimate modifiers and found that these also are not useful for this issue as they effect the ends of the cylinders in awkward ways. I have the feeling this is not possible but thought someone here might be able to prove me wrong; thanks for your suggestions!

I think I might have answered my own question here, using the smooth vertex command (ctrl+v), although this still someone messes up the ends but in a more manageable fashion. If anyone else has a better method I’m all for hearing about it!