I just ordered a new set of tubular race wheels. I’m new to tubulars, so I have no idea which tires to get.
I like the idea of using the Tufo sealant. Does that mean I need to get Tufos?
No you dont have to use Tufo tires with the Tufo sealant…but why do you want to add weight to your race wheels? Also, that sealant will NOT work if you have light racing tires with hi pressure and latex tubes in them.
I like Vittoria Open Corsa CX…but I have not ridden any other tires…they have worked quite well for me and that is what I have stuck with.
I figured a flat would slow me down a lot more then a couple of extra grams in my tires.
Thanks, I’ll check out the CXs.
Depends on the course. VeloFlex are made in the old factory which made the Clement CX/CG famous. They provide a sweet ride. Conti GPs and Sprinters are great tires. And the Tufo Elites are also quite nice. Buy good tires. Don’t waste your money on lesser/heavier options. Tufo sealant is great for running low pressure cyclocross tires (and Tufo makes some of the best!) or mtb tubes, but not ideal for high pressure road tires.
Whatever you do, don’t get caught up in the more pressure is better mode. 120lbs max. Enjoy!
Vredestein Forteza Pros are my favorite. The only catch is the latex tubes which require inflation before every ride.
I’ve had decent luck with Tufos and higher end Continentals (Sprinters, etc.), but they don’t ride as well or have the same puncture resistance as the Fortezzas.
tufo’s are easy to come by on ebay and even with a half a tube of sealant weigh much less than any other tubulars for less the money. For 80 bucks you can get a very nice and lightweight (210g) tubular made by Gommitalia (sold at www.assosusa.com ). For bullet proof tubes that hold air, Continental Sprinters are a great choice. I think you get the biggest bang for the buck from Tufo, anyway you do it, Tubulars are light and rarely flat.
Actually… a few years ago Vittoria closed their Italian factory and moved production to Thailand, laying off a good number of Italians in the process. A group of ex Vittoria workers purchased the factory and are now producing (according to them) “the finest hand-made tire available” under the Veloflex name.
Regarding Clement… it seems a Dutch investor has come in and partnered with Mr. Clement and production is up again. I can’t find the website, but it was pretty interesting.
Zipp is making a new tubular, using the tread molds from “a famous European tire builder”, and apparently is a pretty nice tire.
Tufo’s are good and durable tires… pretty much can’t go wrong with them, although John Cobb doesn’t like the tread/casing juncture which isn’t smooth and screws up the aerodynamics according to him.