Pirelli already has a great tire in the tubeless-ready P Zero Race TLR, but the latest update to the tire looks to reduce the rolling resistance by a claimed 24% compared to its predecessor.
Since Pirelli re-entered the cycling tire market back in 2017, the Italian brand has been building a solid product line of road, gravel, and mountain bike tires. Sticking with the P Zero branding for the road market from their performance automotive line, their tires can be found on pro teams like Trek-Segafredo, AG2R Citroën, and Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. Within the last few years, the TLR line was added to provide a tubeless-ready race tire option.
The biggest change over the previous P Zero Race TLR is the new SpeedCORE casing. Through using Aramid fibers in the casing, the thin, air-tight rubber layer on the inside of the tire, it improves rolling resistance while still offering better puncture protection than a traditional bead-to-bead fabric casing, without making it stiff. The aramid fibers bind themselves evenly and homogeneously in the structure of the casing rubber, creating a tire that is more flexible and thinner than a traditional butyl tire rubber layer. Developed in-house as part of their vast experience in racing compounds in some of the highest level of motorsport, like Formula 1, the new SpeedCORE casing works with a 120tpi nylon fabric and anti-puncture aramid breaker from the previous version of the tire. Pirelli tested the new SpeedCORE casing vs. the previous version of the P Zero Race TLR in a 28mm wide tire, a size that has become a new normal in the wider rim era. The result was a 24% improvement in rolling resistance on an already fast-rolling tire that excels in racing and fast-paced training, making it a solid choice for those looking for an all-around performance tire.
When combined with Pirelli’s SmartEVO tire compound, you have a tubeless-ready tire that continues to offer superior grip in dry and wet, low weight and rolling resistance, and great puncture protection. The new tire is manufactured in the modernized and innovative Pirelli plant in Milan-Bollate.
The new P Zero Race TLR will be available in 700×26, 28, and 30mm, along with a 32mm. The 26 and 28mm options are available with grey, red, yellow, and white options on a black sidewall. A Classic version with tan sidewalls is available also available up to the 30mm size. Sizes 28mm and above are approved for use with hookless rimsThe 32mm is offered in the standard grey graphics, and interestingly, 35 and 40mm options will be available later this year for riders looking to ride a high-volume race tire.
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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