I just did my first race on the Tufo Flexus tires and I was very happy with the performance. I ran 35lbs in the back and a little less in the front. The course(Alpenrose in Portland) was dry, very bumpy and had some loose gravel and deep dusty corners. I felt like I had really good traction on the climbs, I could even ride up what was a run up for most.

So, anyone else on the flexus? I'd like to hear how they handle in the mud. Also if anyone has done a few races, how is the tread holding up?

I liked them at Alpenrose as well, I ran them at 45lbs each for me. I raced my 2nd race on a Mich Mud and was wishing for my flexus back on as I kept sliding out in the loose stuff and dry grass, I had never noticed that before and I'm not sure if that was a tubie vs tube or tread vs tread deal.

I did run them on mtb ride the 2 weeks prior in some mud and liked them (the Flexus that is). good traction for climbing and cornering, even braking was good with them.

Tread so far for me is holding up, but I only have 1 mtb ride, 3 cx races, & a 20 mile pavement commute on them.

I can't comment on durability as I've only raced them twice and ride clinchers for everything else.
What I can say is they seem to clear mud pretty well and traction in soft sticky conditions was very good. I ran them the first race at around 38 psi and lowered that by a couple to 35-36 psi and really like the way they handle. Confidence inspiring when things get sketchy and way better than the tubular clinchers I rode last year. They also seem to roll really well on the fast sections even with the lower psi.

I've got three double weekends coming up this month and hope I feel the same way three weeks from now after getting some serious time on them. So far I like!

It's time for me to get new tires. I've been running Tufo Elites and Prestiges, but flatted at Alpenrose and need to replace a tire or two. Are the Flexus worth the extra money? Or are they not much different than the Elites?

BTW - I was washing the rear wheel out a bit in the grass, but I figured that may have been due to the tire going soft. A good thing that I noticed was how easy it was to pull the washout back in by applying a bit of power.

just wondering if you guys mind posting your weights along with the pressures you run.

I just glued up my first pair of tubie Prestiges. Can't wait for my thumb blisters to heal so I can race!

I'm running @150lbs. Once it get's muddy I will try lowering the pressure to 32lbs but for right now it's 35-40lbs.

The only Elites I've used are tubular clinchers before these so I can't really say how they compare. They do appear to have a little more volume than the 32 Elites a teammate rides but it may just be the casing color that makes it look bigger.

I personally wouldn't have paid full pop for them but I wouldn't pay retail for any tire so that doesn't mean much. If I wouldn't have gotten them cheap I would have probably went with Grifos.

As for the weight question - I'm 75 kg now and run them at 35-36 psi without an issue. I could probably go softer but I really like the way they feel now.

I'm in Colorado so my terrain might be different since our courses are really dry, dusty and loose, but I ran the Flexus this weekend for the first time after 2 races on Michelin Mud and here's what I thought:
- Flexus roll and accelerate a lot faster
- I'm 140lbs and I ran 32lbs pressure and it was way too much. I think they'd have been much better at around 26-28lbs. I'd run the Michelins at 28lbs the past two races and they railed in the corners.

I'll update more in a few weeks after [hopefully] racing on some grass and probably snow.

It's time for me to get new tires. I've been running Tufo Elites and Prestiges, but flatted at Alpenrose and need to replace a tire or two. Are the Flexus worth the extra money? Or are they not much different than the Elites?

Wondered what happened to you ... You were hanging in the chase for a while then you disappeared. I ran Flexus' as well (kajukembo did too). I liked them a lot but since it's been two years since I raced the Elites in the dry, I can't recall how the performance differs. I certainly hope that they work better in the mud.

If you buy in bulk, you can get them for about $70 per tire. Kajukembo put together an order before the season and I snagged two of them. I think you have to buy 10 -- but it would be easy to sell off the excess at $70 each ...

Wondered what happened to you ... You were hanging in the chase for a while then you disappeared. I ran Flexus' as well (kajukembo did too). I liked them a lot but since it's been two years since I raced the Elites in the dry, I can't recall how the performance differs. I certainly hope that they work better in the mud.

If you buy in bulk, you can get them for about $70 per tire. Kajukembo put together an order before the season and I snagged two of them. I think you have to buy 10 -- but it would be easy to sell off the excess at $70 each ...

I can't comment on them as I run Elites but I see a lot of guys up here in Seattle on Flexus' and I hear great things about them. I like my elites and I'm running them because I got a stupid price on them at the swap meet.

I used the Flexus for the first time ever at Alpenrose. I had only tested them out slowly for about 15 minutes prior to using them in a race. Maybe not the best idea but oh well.

I was riding well in the A's and took the holeshot and was off the front w/ Skerritt for the first lap. I actually crashed twice shortly after from corner washouts, mainly because I was riding the way I ordinarily would be able to w/ Michelin Muds. Because my bars got tweaked 90 degrees after the first crash, my restraightening wasn't good, and a second washout, I decided to swap bikes to my Mud clinchers. It was a bit choppier for sure on the rough bumps, but they cornered faster. Eventually, I was feeling like I was getting beat up and figured it was a tradeoff. I decided to swap back to my first bike w/ the Flexus (stem had been fixed in the pit) and continued racing. After the two crashes and bike changes, I had dropped back to around 15-18th place. I toned it back a tad on the corners and kept it hot on the power bumps. I ended up moving back up well and ended up 7th place in the Elite race.

I like the tires a lot. I hope they hold up. I was running probably 40 in back and a few less in front. I weigh 168. I had 48 psi in my michelins. I really noticed the light weight of my new wheels and tires. I am surprised that people ride Grifos considering that two of them are heavier than three Flexus! Of course, maybe someone knows a good reason. Durability? I'm a tubular newbie.

CDB - I take it that you got your glueing fiasco all sorted out?
I just popped my glueing cherry last night with my Elites!

CDB - I take it that you got your glueing fiasco all sorted out?
I just popped my glueing cherry last night with my Elites!

As far as I could tell, I got the glue job right. They stayed on during some high speed off camber crashes, some hard 90 turns, and pavement. I was anal w/ the glue, so hopefully that will pay off. I don't want to say it's totally good though as I haven't actually inspected them post race. Plus, I don't want to jinx myself. I will simply say that I like them so far.

I feel much better about it than the Stan's experiment I had tried. For sure.

AI don't want to say it's totally good though as I haven't actually inspected them post race. Plus, I don't want to jinx myself. I will simply say that I like them so far.

Last race I did last year was the one down in Salem. There was lots of standing water. I hadn't touched the wheels since the race until I pulled the tires off a week or so ago. Water/mud had attacked via the valve hole and there was a four inch section of tire that wasn't attached to the rim. I think what happened is that all of my adding and subtracting air to get the perfect pressure weakened the bond at the valve and allowed water to get in. I don't know how many races that had been going on for.

This year I scrounged up some presta valve keeper nuts and screwed them on tight so that I can frig with the air pressure to my heart's content and not loosen the bond.

I've noticed in general you use a lot more psi than others your weight. I weigh about 164 and run the flexus at about 30 lbs and Michelin muds at 40 lbs. I tested the Flexus at 35 lbs and couldn't hold a line through a loose corner. 30 lbs seems about right for me. At Alpenrose, I ran the Flexus at 28 lbs, which was probably too low considering they felt a bit squirly on the pavement. I've never fatted a clincher (I rarely use them), but have flatted a couple of Tufos. My front Flexus went flat by the time I got the bike to the car after my race, but it sealed up right away after filling it with 3/4ths of a scoop of Stan's.


I used the Flexus for the first time ever at Alpenrose. I had only tested them out slowly for about 15 minutes prior to using them in a race. Maybe not the best idea but oh well.

I was riding well in the A's and took the holeshot and was off the front w/ Skerritt for the first lap. I actually crashed twice shortly after from corner washouts, mainly because I was riding the way I ordinarily would be able to w/ Michelin Muds. Because my bars got tweaked 90 degrees after the first crash, my restraightening wasn't good, and a second washout, I decided to swap bikes to my Mud clinchers. It was a bit choppier for sure on the rough bumps, but they cornered faster. Eventually, I was feeling like I was getting beat up and figured it was a tradeoff. I decided to swap back to my first bike w/ the Flexus (stem had been fixed in the pit) and continued racing. After the two crashes and bike changes, I had dropped back to around 15-18th place. I toned it back a tad on the corners and kept it hot on the power bumps. I ended up moving back up well and ended up 7th place in the Elite race.

I like the tires a lot. I hope they hold up. I was running probably 40 in back and a few less in front. I weigh 168. I had 48 psi in my michelins. I really noticed the light weight of my new wheels and tires. I am surprised that people ride Grifos considering that two of them are heavier than three Flexus! Of course, maybe someone knows a good reason. Durability? I'm a tubular newbie.