Does anyone (with experience) have any opinions on these guys? I have some clinchers wheels and am considering trying them.
Triathlon Forum
Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
Re: Tufo clincher/tubulars [davidd]
[ In reply to ]
We ordered some, put them on some of our bikes and also sold about a dozen to customers who wanted to try them. There was nothing wrong with them except perhaps initial difficulty mounting them- they were tight! However, I saw little or no benefit and a hassle changing a flat on the road. Also, if you hop on a ride with a few of your buddies and a couple people have flats it isn't as easy as swapping inner tubes. I thought the ride was a tad bit "dead". I tried 'em, took them off before they wore out when I got some new Michelins. TUFO's tubulars totally rule, but the "clincher/tubular" was a solution for a problem that didn't exist IMHO.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Re: Tufo clincher/tubulars [davidd]
[ In reply to ]
No expirience with them in a road situation however for cyclocross, they sure make sense. The range of tire pressure is impressive. Likewise, the fit is very tight the first time installing them is a bit frustrating.
Re: Tufo clincher/tubulars [jTenniswood]
[ In reply to ]
I concur. Cross riders seem to like them.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Re: Tufo clincher/tubulars [Tom Demerly]
[ In reply to ]
I was wondering about these, too. I was plagued by flats last year - a couple from pinches, twice from blown rim tape, and a few thorns (I am currently running vreidstein (sp?) Fortezza's). The Tufo tires seem to have an amazingly high thread count - something like 440 TPI on their elite series, 300+ on the special series. They also sell this goop that you can squirt in them to seal the tires in the event you get a small puncture. The guy at my LBS (Pegasus in Danville, CA) claims to ride with the Elites pre-loaded with goop and has never had a flat with them.
Since they are tubulars, it seems to me that you wouldn't have to worry about pinch flats anymore, and you wouldn't have to worry about blowing out your rim tape either. True?
My big concern would be rolling one in a turn - especially in a crit.
Since they are tubulars, it seems to me that you wouldn't have to worry about pinch flats anymore, and you wouldn't have to worry about blowing out your rim tape either. True?
My big concern would be rolling one in a turn - especially in a crit.
Re: Tufo clincher/tubulars [JohnA]
[ In reply to ]
first, full disclosure - I have been sponsored by Tufo in cyclocross for a couple of years.
As regards the tubular clincher tires, they can be difficult to get on the first time, but they loosen up the 2nd or 3rd time you put them on. There is also a trick to installing them; completely seat the bead on one side of the tire (starting at the valve stem) before doing the other side. Don't just put the bead in the rim well, seat it. Then seat the other side, making sure to start at the valve stem.
If I can't roll one of these in a cross race (at 28psi,) then you will not roll one in a crit.
I love the Tufo 'cross tires, and I like the road tires (although I am not using them right now,) particularly for their flat resistance. I find that the tubular clincher, combined with the sealant, rarely flats, and if it does, I can swap a spare tire on in about the same time it takes to replace a tube.
As an aside, I have heard of numerous roll-down tests that have shown significantly slower results for Tufo tires vs traditional tubies, with various theories given as to why. A top track rider I have done some work with provided direct feedback that would tend to support these tests, riding slightly faster times on heavier Dugast tubulars, and commenting on their remarkably better ride quality, particularly on wooden tracks. Please note that he started out expecting the Tufo's to be faster, and was, if anything, biased pro-Tufo from the outset...
Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
As regards the tubular clincher tires, they can be difficult to get on the first time, but they loosen up the 2nd or 3rd time you put them on. There is also a trick to installing them; completely seat the bead on one side of the tire (starting at the valve stem) before doing the other side. Don't just put the bead in the rim well, seat it. Then seat the other side, making sure to start at the valve stem.
If I can't roll one of these in a cross race (at 28psi,) then you will not roll one in a crit.
I love the Tufo 'cross tires, and I like the road tires (although I am not using them right now,) particularly for their flat resistance. I find that the tubular clincher, combined with the sealant, rarely flats, and if it does, I can swap a spare tire on in about the same time it takes to replace a tube.
As an aside, I have heard of numerous roll-down tests that have shown significantly slower results for Tufo tires vs traditional tubies, with various theories given as to why. A top track rider I have done some work with provided direct feedback that would tend to support these tests, riding slightly faster times on heavier Dugast tubulars, and commenting on their remarkably better ride quality, particularly on wooden tracks. Please note that he started out expecting the Tufo's to be faster, and was, if anything, biased pro-Tufo from the outset...
Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
>>They also sell this goop that you can squirt in them to seal the tires in the event you get a small puncture. The guy at my LBS (Pegasus in Danville, CA) claims to ride with the Elites pre-loaded with goop and has never had a flat with them. <<
I was plagued with flats as well and decided to try the tufo tubular clinchers and used the sealant they sell. Worked like a charm. Almost flatted once last season, but the sealant plugged the hole with little pressure change and got me home from about 30 miles out.
When I got home and looked at the tire a good size slash had been cut across the tread. I was amazed that it didn't flat. Had to trash the tire after that, which gets expensive, but that gash would have trashed any tire.
So from an anti flat perspective I love 'em.
I was plagued with flats as well and decided to try the tufo tubular clinchers and used the sealant they sell. Worked like a charm. Almost flatted once last season, but the sealant plugged the hole with little pressure change and got me home from about 30 miles out.
When I got home and looked at the tire a good size slash had been cut across the tread. I was amazed that it didn't flat. Had to trash the tire after that, which gets expensive, but that gash would have trashed any tire.
So from an anti flat perspective I love 'em.