Every Tufo tubular tire or tubular clincher tire starts off as a 3-D drawing. In the 3-D realm, materials are applied to the object like the casing or adhesives. These materials have known values because each material in the 3-D realm have ASTM (American Society of Testing materials) values or European equivalents. Simple finite element analysis done on the 3-D object determine what will work and what won't. Tufo has the best modeling of all the tubular tire manufacturers (who produce mostly tubular tires).

For companies who produce tubular tires using the old fashioned methods, finding out the differences between tires takes years but with computer modeling, it takes days if not hours. What this means to us and the cycling public, is that the tubular tire will keep getting better and will not be some lost art passed on by a handful of craftsmen.

We like companies with robust lines of development and Tufo has them all. Every facet of the business has class. From the catalog to the superior CAD drawings, Tufo does set themselves apart from the other tubular tire companies. If you have never tried Tufo before, then you may owe it to yourself to try a pair and if you already use Tufo, then you know already the quality of the tire.

Here we list the differences between the lines of tires from their basic model to the most expensive and highest performing.


The Lite Line
Tires in this line are made to the highest standards Tufo has. The tires are as light as they can be. The materials selected for use reflects in the retail price. Things like the glue or stitching material or the very thin strips of rubber used all come from manufacturers that have progressive, quality control oriented methods of production. Sort of like a pedigree, you know what you are getting. This is why Tufo tires aren't as inexpensive as some other brands.

The Lite Line uses silica in the rubber which is proven to reduce rolling resistance  and improve traction wet or dry. These tires also have the highest inflation ratings. In short, except for Tufo racing tires, these are the best there is.

 

The Elite Line
This is the racing line of tires. High thread counts make cotton sheets very soft and supple and high thread counts make tubular tires very soft and supple too. With over 400 TPI. the Elite line has the highest thread count ever. Tires that are more supple will have better performance. This is it. The cats' meow of racing.
 

The Special Line
Tires in this line are between the entry and pro level models. The differences between this line and the others is that these tires have more flat protection built in. The more flat protection there is means a slight loss of performance. In practical terms this could be around one or two minutes every 25 miles. While training with racing tires might be good for our business, we recommend tires in this line for those pounding out the miles because of the blend of performance and flat protection.

The Pro Line
Like all manufacturers, there is a basic line of tires. The Pro Line is the entry level or economical way to enjoy Tufo quality. Since all the tires are made in the same place using the same people and equipment, tires in this line are going to be of higher quality than comparable tires from other manufacturers. Our philosophy always was and always will be: High Quality manufacturers produce better inexpensive product than low quality manufacturers produce expensive items. These are Volvo tires for Buick prices!

If you are looking to try a pair of Tufo tires, give a pair from this line a try. Just going to another tire can make a difference for a lot people. Here is where you can find some value.


The MTB Line
This is a new line for Tufo and we love it. Why? Because they have a 26 x 1.95 tubular clincher. Now more people than ever can find out what people who use tubulars have known, is that they perform better. No more pinch flats and you can even ride these tires when they are flat. Lower pressure like the tubeless tires means better traction and with Tufo quality, you are always in the hunt for the medal. Give Tufo tires a try.