All Tufo Clincher, Tubular owners:
Once you get the hang of installing these tires, how quick can you change them if one goes flat during a race? Can you change them as fast as a regular tubular?
Thanks,
Dave from VA
With practice and a prestretched tire faster.
If I am using a well stretched spare, I can remove the old one and install the spare in maybe 45 seconds. Might be faster. This is on Ksyrium rims with the C S33 tires. I never have had to change one on the road, only in the garage.
Wow, that makes Tufo tires very attractive then. How long does it take to “stretch” them?
Dave from VA
“How long does it take to “stretch” them?”
Well, I just use old tires, so I gues a few thousand miles, a few months on the wheels.
Once they are stretched, removing them is easy as hell. Pop the bead out with your thumbs on one side and then just pull the tire off. As for install, I can usually get the bead on one side hooked in when I put the tire on the rim, then I just run my thumbs along the other side, pushing every inch or so to hook that bead. Inflate with a compressor or CO2, you don’t have to worry about a tube being twisted, blowing the tire off the rim, or anything like that. Very fast.
I concur with JohnA…mount new tire(s) and RIDE IT for a bit, then keep 2 as pre-stretched spares. It is very easy to mount quickly when pre-stretched, and very durable. Luckily, I have never had to replace during a race, but the replacement times mentioned seem reasonable to me.
*Don’t delude yourself into thinking you can stretch a new tire ‘by hand’ for a few minutes, and then think you will be able to mount it during a race without having ridden it before…cause it’s not gonna happen!!!
OK, so I need to buy at least 3 tufo tires…this is going to be expensive.
Dave from VA
Well, you really don’t ‘need’ 2 spares, but you need at least one to carry for longer races. You don’t need to carry one for training rides, since you can ride them flat (at geatly reduced speed, of course), or you can use the sealant. I gave up on tubes years ago, and ride these to train and race, and without an unexpected/stupidity flat, they last me a good part of the season.
Just stretch them on the spot, I step on the inside of the tire with my feet and pull on the opposite side with my hands, I keep doing this for a couple of minutes while rotating the tire and pulling at different spots and then mount it on the rim, goes on very easily with 2 fingers, works for me
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biketiresdirect.com, glorycycles.com, there is one other that is often good. If I can remember, I’ll post.
Consider using the Tufo Tire Goop. It works great and eliminates the need for carrying a bulky spare.
By the best tire you can afford.more money = better tire. I use s33 specials regular tubbies for training every day. I get very good mileage with the s33 specials. I have 22s but don’t like them. They arn’t as round at the presta valve (lumpy). So they tufo s22 ride porly.
Dirt
I really like the Elite Road tires. They are 23mm, but are actually wider than my 23mm conti clinchers. They are very, very comfortable.
I am moving to tubular race wheels this year, not sure which ones I will go with yet, probably the S33’s - I don’t want to go too narrow - Wildflower roads are crap.
just got two from Glory Cycles on Ebay for 60 + shipping.
In a race situation where you have to mount the tire in a hurry, be sure to take a few extra moments to spin the tire to make sure you have mounted it evenly…so you don’t have to do it all over again. Tubulars have to be mounted perfectly…it’s very easy to mount them unevenly and you’ll feel it if they’re ‘out of round’.