First, lets discuss a clincher tire and tubular tire. Tubular tires are generally accepted as being faster than beaded clincher tires. There are several reasons for this. Friction with the inner tube on the inside of the tire and weight are a couple of them. Cycling technical gurus can explain any number of phenomena at work but I got it all figured out for you. Yes it is this simple:

If you have been using clincher tires, then I guarantee you that going to a set of Tufo tubular clinchers will result in you going faster !!!!

Going to another set of tires can result in highly quantifiable gains in performance.

WHY?

Higher Pressure - 140 psi and more

Throw rolling resistance out the window, get rid of aerodynamics, forget the weight of the bike, when you distill down to the very essence what will make a real difference in performance is simple; higher air pressure! Yes, higher air pressure

Very simply put, the higher the air pressure the more quickly the tire will pop back into shape saving the rider untold amounts of energy. If you don't believe me, then let most of the air out of your tires and tell me after riding around the block with under inflated tires that a couple of pounds of extra weight on your bike would some how be worse.

If you are with me so far then here is how it works;

Tufo makes high quality racing tubular tires for a living. Tufos tires are made to some of the highest standards there are (read the portal page). Tufo has made a racing tubular tire that will fit a standard clincher rim. Normally, racing tubular tires need glue to stay on the rim but Tufo merged a racing tubular tire casing with a strip of tough flexible dashboard like material that you install on your clincher rims. The rims need to be between 14 and 17mm wide for the strip to fit but if you have a rim like that (and most rims for road bikes are) then you can experience what it is like to use a tubular tire with out having to get tubular rims.

The tubular clincher tire has grooves in it where it is supposed to "pop" into the rim. Like gluing a tire, there is a technique. The tubular clincher is stretched around the rim and then it is manipulated into the rim and finally inflated. Once properly installed, it looks just like a regular racing tire. In practical terms, a clincher tire usually cannot be inflated over 120 - 140 psi but the Tufo Tubular Clinchers can be inflated up to 200psi. Also, clincher tires tend to have depressed thread counts but the tubular clincher tires have thread counts of over 300 threads per inch. This is what sledge hammer is to fly swatter. You will fly down the street much faster now just by going to another set of tires.

So you know, tubular clinchers take a little work to get on and they are thin tubular tires with scant flat protection, but the tires do not come off the rim unless you remove them. Tufo has been doing this for years. When we found out about the concept, we couldn't believe that the concept isn't more widespread than it is. There is no other way with out going to a new set of wheels that someone can do something that would result in such a quantifiable gain so easily. Just change the tires on your existing clincher rims.

When you order, you get fresh Tufo tires in a very nicely packaged box. Tufo is one of the classiest outfits we deal with. Instructions come with the tire. You will be amazed at how well built the tires are even if you get the least expensive ones. During our photo shoots we come into contact with many of the tires we sell. Maybe you noticed we only sell really good tires but these Tufo tires distinct themselves with the workmanship. As someone who handles tires on a regular basis, I have to say, I'm impressed and that's why I wrote this article.

Read about the various lines of Tufo on the portal page or check out the explanations at www.tufonorthamerica.com


Road racers the world over use tubular tires to go faster. Before you invest in any bicycle weight reduction strategy or before you spend money on addressing your frontal area, take a good hard look at just going to a higher a psi / thread count tire like a Tufo tubular clincher and see if that won't save you tons of bucks in the long run. If the tires don't work for you, we will take them back.


Thank you,  Andy