Tufo Elite Road

Price Paid:  $70.00 at Biketiresdirect.com

Favorite Ride:
Thursday nite world champs

Bike Setup:
2006 Specialized Tarmac S-Works; Dura Ace Cranks; SRAM Rival components; Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels; assorted odds and ends

Summary:
There are two different philosophies when it comes to creating low rolling resistance race tire: The first is to make the carcass supple and run them at moderate pressures. The second is to make a stiff, heavy duty carcass and instruct the user to inflate the bejeezus out of the tire. With this model, Tufo definitely goes for the latter option. Running those pressures reduces the contact patch, and that is a problem with these tires because the rubber is very hard and I did not find it to grip very well. The bottom line is that I wasn't confident railing into corners in crits on these, and went back to my Michelin Pro Race clinchers until I could replace the Tufos with new tubulars.

Strengths:
The casing was very straight, with no bumps or irregularities. There is also no protruding seam under the base tape that can interfere with gluing some other brands.

Weaknesses:
This tire feels more like a winter training tire than a race tire. Not a very useful characteristic for a tubular.

Similar Products Used:
Tubulars: Vittoria Corsa Evo CX
Clincher: Michelin Pro race, Michelin Carbon, Hutchinson Fusion, Continental 2000, Vittoria Rubino Pro Slick

Price Paid:  $60.00 at BikeTiresDirect.com

Favorite Ride:
East side descent of Tourmalet

Bike Setup:
Steel Hollands frame. Easton carbon fork and seatpost. Campy record carbon 10. FSA kwing bars and stem. Zipp 303 carbon wheels. Look keo carbon pedals. Polar 725 'puter.

Summary:
Was having very expensive problems with flats with lighter tires, and went with these for their added sidewall protection. Have not been dissapointed. About 3000 miles on these tires. Not as smooth as conti sprinters, but a good ride. These tires are definitely bullet proof. I got forced off the road and into a huge pothole by a truck. Impact destroyed both Zipp 303 rims, but the tires were remounted after Zipp replaced the rims and the tires are still going strong.

Strengths:
Bullet-proof. Decent ride. Price. Relatively easy to mount.

Weaknesses:
Not quite as perfectly round as conti sprinters, but not enough to notice while riding. Tape is straight though.

Similar Products Used:
Conti, Hutchinson, Vittoria.

Price Paid:  $65.00 at www.worldclasscycles

Favorite Ride:
In the Land of No Cars

Bike Setup:
Cannondale Caad 7, Dura Ace 9 speed, ksyrium tubulars, itm carbon bars

Summary:
This tire is okay for a big light tubular. I bought them because they are rated up to 220 psi! Plus they are 23mm which I like. My bike weighs under 17lbs and the place I hate most to save weight is in the tires. The listed weight for these is 260g which is good for durability. The tread is slick in the middle. The only time I have had my tires slip out from under me (in the past year) in a curve were with these, I had 140 psi in at the time. These tires are good but Tufo has better models that are smaller and grip better. I only use Tufo now because of their ease of repair. My favorite model is the Hi Compostite Carbon (not listed on this site) which is a 22mm 260g tire. It grips like a mother and barely shows any wear. I will keep buying these (Hi-C)for a long time. Another good Tufo is the Special S-33 which is a 21mm 260g tire that seems to wear faster than the carbon model, but comes in alot of colors. WWW.worldclasscycles.com sells all the Tufo tires for the lowest price, plus they throw in shipping and glue for free!


Tufo's are the easiest tubular to repair because all you need is the goo, it works as long as the hole isn't bigger than 5mm.

Strengths:
23mm, quality craftsmanship. Light.

Weaknesses:
Quick wear, racer tire. A 23mm tubular should be able to rail corners, they need to soften up the tread.

Similar Products Used:
Tufo (I prefer the heavier models), Conti sprinter, Vittoria Special Pave

Price Paid:  $65.00 at worldclasscycles.com

Favorite Ride:
any

Bike Setup:
Airborne Manhattan Project, Reflex tubular wheels, Chris King hubs, revolution spokes (1.4 kg wheels, nice)

Summary:
I have a couple rides and one race in on these tires. The race was Poolesville, which includes a 1.4 mile dirt section, for a total of about 6 dirt miles. There is a lot of gravel and more than a few rocks. These tires have extra sidewall protection and the highest TPI (thread per sq. inch) you can find, and I experienced no flat tires. Lots of people get flats in this race, it is notorious. So they are tough. They aren't ultra light but then that is the tradeoff, right? But at 240gms the tire is not heavy either, I'm just used to Tufo's 215 gm tires, which are notably less puncture resistant, but again, that is the tradeoff. And if you flat, you can always use the sealant to repair it, you don't have to throw it away like with other tubulars. They are lively the way you expect a tubular to be. They stick well and roll smooth. They are not perfectly round but you can't tell when you are riding the bike - it only shows on the truing stand. I'm real happy with the tires, and I am looking at getting the clincher/tubular version for training wheels.

Strengths:
durable, sturdy tire, light enough, and an excellent performer, a good value

Weaknesses:
not quite as well crafted as I thought, but I am nit picking here. It is straight with no tread kinks and that is what counts, your weight will keep you from noticing the slightly out of round tire

Similar Products Used:
Continental Sprinter 250 (this is clearly a superior tire), Vittoria evo CX (also nice, but I think this is a better value in a comparably priced tire).

Price Paid:  $85.00 at e-bay

Favorite Ride:
"lakes loop", Ashland, Oregon

Bike Setup:
Serotta Ottrott, Zipp 340, Ouzo Pro

Summary:
Have about a thousand miles on them. Put them on with Tufo tape, extreme version, very easy to use. Use Tufo sealant, about 20gm/tire. 700x23 size, run em at 100r/90f, most of the time, excellent ride. They will hold a lot more, but since I don't race, what is the point. They corner very well at the lower pressure too. Glue holds well, went over a good sized bump in a steep downhill 30+mph corner and had both wheels off the road while heeled over. Tires held well when I came back down-to the road and to the wheel. No noticable wear, and no flats, might be the sealant, I don't know. Mine are blue, matches the bike nicely. If they continue to wear well, then the value is definitely a 5.

Strengths:
Good grip, no flats, ride well at 90/100. These are definitely great tires.

Weaknesses:
None so far, expensive at retail, havn't compared to similarly expensive Velomax's, but they are better than the Continentals which cost as much or more

Similar Products Used:
Continental Competition/Sprinter-not as round but you can't tell when riding. Lots of clinchers, I think the tubies ride better, but could be the difference in the wheels too, I don't know.