MTB Tire Test: Tufo XC11 TR (new 2024)

This is a retest of the Tufo XC11 TR which we already tested 6 weeks ago. It turns out the first sample we bought was from a very old batch manufactured in 2018. Tufo changed the design of the XC11 TR somewhere around 2022, and the new version has a similar construction as their gravel tires that perform very strongly in our tests.

Tufo should have simply given their updated tire a new name and informed that the tire had changed, which would have prevented a lot of confusion. Unfortunately, they didn't do that, but you can recognize the new version easily by the brown color on the inside (just like their gravel bike tires), while the old version is black on the inside. The specified weight is also lower: 650 grams for the new version and 700 grams for the old version.

We've bought a new sample and retested the XC11 TR, which should be the tire you get when you order today. We've found a considerable difference between the old and new versions: the new version is much more performant than the old one, but puncture resistance has decreased quite a bit. You can still find the old version of the XC11 TR (read our review) on our website to compare them easily.

The new version of the Tufo XC11 TR also comes much closer to how we expected it to perform based on the performance of their gravel bike tires. The new XC11 TR now comes very close to the Tufo Gravel range, but our test results indicate some differences remain.

We hope to test some more Tufo MTB tires in the future, as that should paint a better picture of their performance and how they differ from their gravel bike tires.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Tufo
Model	XC11 TR (new 2024)
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	101232511026
EAN	8592723045625
TPI	210/375
Compound	Oil Silica
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	57-622
Size Inch	28"
Width Inch	2.25
Specified Weight	650 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	50
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	29x2.25

Tufo XC11 TR (new 2024) Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	650 grams
Measured Weight	673 grams
Measured Width Carcass	58 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	57 mm
Measured Height	55 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	2.4 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	3.5 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.1 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 35 psi / 2.4 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (40 ml sealant)
Rolling Resistance 55 PSI / 3.8 Bar	Members Only
Rolling Resistance 45 PSI / 3.1 Bar	Members Only
Rolling Resistance 35 PSI / 2.4 Bar	21.2 Watts CRR: 0.00635
Rolling Resistance 25 PSI / 1.7 Bar	23.4 Watts CRR: 0.00701
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	40 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	2.1 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	65 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	2.4 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	3.5 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 MTB grip test rim width = 30.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The new version of the Tufo XC11 TR comes very close to the performance we expected based on the performance of their gravel bike tires. We do see some differences, but the XC11 TR looks like a good allround MTB tire that isn't the fastest but offers good puncture resistance of the tread and very strong sidewalls.

Overall, we find the new version of the XC11 TR to be a much better tire than the old version we accidentally tested. Be sure you get the latest version of any of Tufo's MTB tires when you value performance. We're pretty sure those can be recognized by the brown color on the inside of the tire.

Compare the old and new Tufo XC11 TR on our comparison section.

RATING: 4.4 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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