CX/Gravel Tire Test: Tufo Gravel Thundero 44

The Tufo Gravel Thundero is Tufo's allround gravel bike tire, and we already know it is a strong performer in our tests as we tested the 40 mm version back in 2022. The 40 mm Gravel Thundero was the first tire from Tufo that we tested, and we noticed a lot of interest in Tufo's entire lineup of gravel bike tires after publishing our positive test results.

Quickly after the 40 mm Gravel Thundero test (read our review), we also tested the 40 mm versions of the Gravel Speedero (read our review) and Gravel Swampero (read our review), which also showed strong performance in our tests. This time we will look at the slightly bigger 44-622 version of the Gravel Thundero and find out how it differs from the 40-622 version.

Technically, there doesn't appear to be a difference between the different sizes of the Tufo gravel bike tires except for the obvious size differences. This is a test of the 44-622 version of the Gravel Thundero with black sidewalls, but just like the 36 and 40 mm sizes, it's also available with the classic brown sidewalls.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Tufo
Model	Gravel Thundero
Year	2023
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	-
EAN	8592723056249
TPI	210/375
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	44-622
Specified Weight	450 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	60
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	36-622 (700x36c) 40-622 (700x40c) 44-622 (700x44c)

Tufo Gravel Thundero 44 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	450 grams
Measured Weight	476 grams
Measured Width Casing	43 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	45 mm
Measured Height	40 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.1 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	1.60 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	43 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (46 psi / 3.2 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (38 psi / 2.6 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (31 psi / 2.1 bar)	18.1 Watts CRR: 0.00543
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (23 psi / 1.6 bar)	21.2 Watts CRR: 0.00635
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	32 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	1.60 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	76 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.1 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The 44 mm Tufo Gravel Thundero version performs just as strongly as the 40 mm version we tested in 2022. We do see some slight differences, but we attribute them to the margin of error of the tests, manufacturing tolerances, and our change of the inner tube protocol on January 1st, 2023.

Compared to tires from competing brands, the Tufo Gravel Thundero is still one of the best overall performers. It has a decent knob height, rolls fast, grips well, and has incredibly strong sidewalls. The main weakness is a somewhat low puncture resistance of the center of the tread, which we also saw confirmed by some commenters on the original 40 mm Thundero review.

Coincidentally, Tufo recently released "HD" versions of the Gravel Thundero, Speedero, and Swampero. The "HD" versions come with an additional layer of puncture-resistant material under the tread that should boost puncture resistance significantly. We expect to test the HD version sometime in the next few months to get you exact figures of how much of a difference this makes and at what cost.

RATING: 5.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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