Tufo Alternatives

[Argos]

Ok TUFO Haters :D

Seriously, we've beaten the Tubular v. Clincher thing to death, but have not talked alot about the different Tubulars. My stockpile is starting to get low, as today I mounted a pair of Freshies onto my new Chorus-hub, Mavic Classics Pro Tubular Rims.

Currently, and for the last 4 years, I've ridden S-3 Lite 215's or 195's accordingly.

I'd love to hear about other options. What you guys prefer and what you find between the different types of tubulars.

We are NOT discussing glue v. tape, and we are not getting mean to Tufo. Just a nice discussion.

[LegendRider]

I've had good luck with the Elite Road. In fact, I've NEVER flatted one - just worn them out. They're not quite as supple as some tires, but they're bomb-proof and they corner well (very sticky). I like them.

[Too Tall]

True what Legendrdier said about the Elite roads. Considering you have been riding very light tubies I think you'll find the Elite roads clumsy. I use them for commuting, tough as nails.

For fast training wheels and some racing I use Conti sprinters and will upgrade this winter to conti competitions. For my race only wheels I use Veloflex crits. which are the cats a$$.

[Dekonick]

Perhaps a stupid question...

How long does it take to change a flat on a tubular v.s. a clincher?

[11.4]

The S-3 Lite's really stand out from the rest of Tufo's lineup for excellent handling and adhesion. The Elite Road tubulars, while bulletproof, haven't given me a particularly great ride or wet weather adhesion. If you've had good success avoiding punctures with them, then I'd stick with the S-3 Lite's -- they're hard to beat. Buy them in reasonable quantity to get a good discount price (Tufos, like cockroaches, will outlast the last nuclear war). If you tend to get punctures, the sealant doesn't work for many people to permit 100-110+ psi pressures except for what's needed to get home from a puncture. And of course it doesn't work on larger cuts or sidewall damage. But their sidewalls are strong and put up with a lot of wet weather, road grunge, and the like. Your experience will determine whether they are a good choice to continue with.

If it's between the S-3 Lite's and Conti Sprinters, it's a toss-up. The Conti's tend to be inconsistent in quality (the newer black-sidewall ones are better, but still not great). I personally find I can ride them until the casing is coming through the tread, but your experience may differ. They stick pretty well in the rain and at $33-35 per tire it doesn't hurt too much to flat them. And they are actually repairable (in contrast to Tufos), if you're inclined to pull out your tubular repair kit when you flat a relatively new tire. If I find a consistent batch, I love them, but that means inflating each tire on a wheel with a clean rim and checking the tire for roundness (the most common problem). Sprinters do suffer the two Conti problems that, at least for me, are chronic -- base tapes come loose after a while and if you have them over a year or so, the tread starts to crack near the sidewalls.

If Tufo S-3 Lites are costing you much over $50/tire, you really should consider investing in a few Veloflexes. For winter the Roubaix's have a slightly larger diameter with better adhesion and greater comfort. For any time in the year, I'd get the Criterium or the black-walled version, the Carbon. The Criterium has natural sidewalls which permanently look dirty after the first ride on wet roads, but I do think it has a slightly more supple ride than the black-coated Carbon's. Plus, the Criterium, is a tiny bit cheaper. I rode Veloflexes Carbons last winter and loved them simply for training -- they didn't even get tread cuts like almost all other tires, and they certainly gave the best ride and best adhesion.

You might also consider two other tires -- the Vittoria Evo CX and the Vittoria Evo CG Pave. The CX is not quite as nice as the Veloflex but nicer than the other tires mentioned here. While the old CX tended to cut and puncture quite a lot for too many riders, the new Evo CX seems much better without compromising ride quality. They also have a fairly heavily coated sidewall that stands you in good stead during winter riding. The Evo Pave is the newest incarnation of the classic cobbles tire -- a tad heavier and a bit big, but bulletproof and they keep a straight line even on diesel-slicked zebra stripes on big city streets. You can get high mileage out of a pair (I got almost three thousand miles last winter from the rear before I finally pulled it off, pretty much a record for a tubular on my bike). I haven't found a source for Evo Pave's at a good price, but you can get new Evo CX's for $49/tire on eBay. Personally I'd take the Evo CX's over the S-3 Lite's. but your own experience needs to dictate what you use.

That last comment, alas, is always the rub. As with saddles, bars, rims, etc., you may not do well with what someone else does. A rider I often train with rode the same tires I did in training this year, but probably had half a dozen flats in the year plus a couple catastrophic sidewall cuts; meanwhile, I rode tires until I peeled them off without a puncture. Knocking hard on wood, we were on the same routes at the same time with the same tires -- so what caused the difference?

[ergott]

I would like to add the newer Zipp tires. They are made in the same factory as Vittoria now. I had one set and liked them. They are in the middle of the quality tubular price range.

I also like the Veloflex. They have real supple sidewalls (crits). I think they make any wheelset better. They are a little pricey but worth it.

[Zard]

I did the Tufo thing. Yes, durable, etc. but nothing in ride quality like Veloflex. I have five solid months of riding a pair of Veloflex Carbons. I have logged a ton of miles getting ready for an Ironman over all sorts of road surfaces. No flats to date. No nicks, cuts or anything. The tires themselves exhibit little wear. I am very pleased.

Unfortunately, the Veloflex Carbon is almost impossible to purchase right now. Apparently a lot of the european teams were buying them up this summer.

[MartyE]

I've been riding the Tufo Elites for a while now, as mentioned a bullet
proof tire, but not the ride that I expect from Tubulars. A good clincher
has about the same ride quality.
I have Conti Sprinters on another bike, and except for a slow leak in
one of them they have been really nice performers for me. No problem with
quality on either of them.

I am probably going to try the Deda Tre tubulars next. I traded some correspondence
with Business cycles and they figure the Deda is an excellent
training tire, goes on straight, not lumpy or bumpy and has nice
supple gumwalls.

Marty