CX/Gravel Tire Test: Tufo Gravel Thundero (beige sidewalls) 48

We have tested the Tufo Thundero in almost all versions (40 mm, 44 mm, 48 mm, 40 mm HD), but we have never tested a Tufo gravel bike tire with beige sidewalls. Today, that changes as we tested the 48 mm version of the Tufo Thundero with beige sidewalls and can compare it 1:1 to the 48 mm version with black sidewalls we tested last year.

This test is interesting because almost all Tufo gravel tires are available with both black and beige sidewalls. If you care about performance, the color of the sidewalls can be decisive. We have already tested several other bike tires with both black and classic/tan/cream/beige sidewalls, and the performance difference seems to vary by brand and type of tire, depending on the construction and materials used.

Thanks to their strong performance in our tests, the Tufo Thundero gravel bike tires have become one of the best choices on our website. However, let's move on to the test results, as we think most of you already know enough about the Tufo Thundero. If you are curious about more information, we would be happy to refer you to our test of the 40 mm Thundero or the 40 mm Thundero HD.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Tufo
Model	Gravel Thundero (beige sidewalls)
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	101243421040
EAN	8592723057352
TPI	210/375
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	48-622
Specified Weight	470 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	45
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	36-622 (700x36c) 40-622 (700x40c) 44-622 (700x44c) 48-622 (700x48c)

Tufo Gravel Thundero (beige sidewalls) 48 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	470 grams
Measured Weight	504 grams
Measured Width Casing	46 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	47 mm
Measured Height	43 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.3 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.3 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.20 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	46 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)	20.0 Watts CRR: 0.00600
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)	22.7 Watts CRR: 0.00680
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	37 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	2.20 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	1.3 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.3 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 performance of the Tufo Thundero with beige sidewalls comes very close to that of the version with black sidewalls. However, the version with beige sidewalls rolls just slightly slower, and the sidewalls appear slightly less strong.

If you don't care about looks, it is clear that you should go for the black sidewalls with the Tufo gravel bike tires. If you want colored sidewalls and don't mind a bit less performance, the difference between both versions is small enough to choose the beige sidewalls comfortably.

Compare the Tufo Thundero with beige and black sidewalls side by side

RATING: 4.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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