Tufo Elite Road

Price Paid:  $67.00 at direct from tufo

Favorite Ride:
anytime

Bike Setup:
Merlin Cyrene, RSYS wheels, Campy Chorus, Powertap sl.

Summary:
This is junk. Save your money. The tires were installed with the sealant which initially sealed a very small hole (less than 2mm) failed when tire inflated to 130psi. At Tufo's suggestion I purchased the "extreme" sealant. It too failed. Same thing happened on a second tire. I called Tufo in british columbia and he told me that they don't guarantee tires...he suggested that i use superglue.

Strengths:
it cost a lot

Weaknesses:
it doesn't work. save your money

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
SRAM Force and FSA equiped full carbon Fondriest with Topolino wheels.

Summary:
Probably the best "clincher" I've ever used, but I've got a relatively unused pair of these hanging in my garage because I just don't trust using them for training rides when they can't be fixed. I rode them for about 1,000 miles before I took them off and didn't have any problems but I never trusted them. They are a great race day tire though.

Strengths:
Excellent feel, fast, high pressure, tubular on a clincher wheel

Weaknesses:
They can't be repaired.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Open Corsa (what I keep going back to), Conti 3000, Conti 4000, Vredestein Tri Comps

Price Paid:  $65.00 at BikeTiresDirect.com

Favorite Ride:
Roasrito-Ensenada

Bike Setup:
Kestrel RT700, Ultegra SL, Mavic Ksyrium.

Summary:
Awesome tire. 290 TPI, easy mounting, great handling. Love these tires; except for the inability to repair them. I have ridden the C model for over 3 months now and have not had a flat or even close.

Strengths:
Handling, high-pressure, ease of mounting.

Weaknesses:
Cannot be repaired.

Price Paid:  $60.00 at online

Favorite Ride:
otay lakes

Bike Setup:
custom IF ti crownjewel, campy, 404's...

Summary:
I use these tires primarily for racing and track use - they ride like a tubular (they're tubular clinchers), yet fit on clincher rims. You can pump them to 220psi, and they corner better than any clincher, and roll better as well. Only problem is if you get a big cut or puncture the tufo sealant won't work and you're out of luck - no repairs on these expensive babies. But a perfect way to avoid glue and mess of regular tubulars. Not recommended for regular training, but perfect for racing and the track.

Strengths:
Very high tpi, corner better than clinchers, you can pump them very high for track or clydesdale use, roll very very fast, smooth, comfortable. Allows you to use clincher rims vs. tubulars (I use 404 clinchers and train on them as well. use the tufos for racing only). Easiest clincher to put on and take off your rim - no need whatsoever for tire irons.

Weaknesses:
other than using tufo sealant - you cannot repair them if you flat. Very expensive.

Similar Products Used:
michelin pro race 1/2, vredesteen tricomps, conti 3000s, specialized...

Price Paid:  $59.00 at ebay

Favorite Ride:
Around the lake in Canberra

Bike Setup:
Mongoose Pro with 105 Gruppo and Mavic Rims

Summary:
Puncture resistance is the selling point on these tires because they are not as fast as mid range race tires. Used them for 6 months without a puncture - pure bliss-no struggling with the rear wheel by the road side. Then a glass cut that the sealant wouldn't fix and despite a suggestion by Tufo to use Super Glue on the hole the tire was finished. A very expensive exercise so I will be going back to tubed tires until they find a way of fixing the tires.

Strengths:
Puncture resistance

Weaknesses:
Injecting the sealant is very messy. Tire is useless if the sealant won't fix it and expensive to keep on replacing defunct tires. Also not as fast as even cheap race tires.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Corsa
Michelin Pro Race
Hutchinson Fusion
Vtec Anguru