Tufo Tubular

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by mindeman87
Per the MANY recommendations in this forum regarding tufo tubular tires, I have bought the Elite Road for my race tires. The tire recommended inflation is 115-220psi. I normal pump my clinchers to 120 (max psi), what is the rule for pumping up tubulars? My floor pump only goes to 160psi! Any tips for putting them on with the tape would be appreciated. I weigh 180 if that dictates anything regarding inflation pressure.

The Elite road is a very good tire. I normally run my Tufos in the 160-180 range. I use an SKS floor pump that can do up to 240psi, so having an adequate pump is a necessity.

Pressures can vary depending on your purpose. For a softer ride for recreation, then 130 to 140 might feel good. For Crit racing with bumpy corners, 150-160 keeps the back tire from chattering too much. For TT's on smooth roads, you'll probably want as high a pressure as doesn't rattle your teeth out. Of course, the above will vary depending on your frame stiffness, wheel stiffness, riding style, and your weight.

Tape: Make sure you've inflated the tire on the bare rim previously so that it's stretched (Tufos are tight). If your rims are narrower than the tape, make sure you roll up the thin edges of the tape so that all the tape stays within the contact area of the tire; otherwise it will just collect dirt and look like a mess. And put some water on the tape just before applying the tire to help center it up while under enough pressure to round out the tire; when it looks good, then pump it up to activate the full tape adhesion.