It seems everyone is starting to focus more on the racing side of gravel, and Pirelli is no exception. The brand already has a range of tires for hard, moderate, and soft conditions, but has also recently added its RC race tire. Now, when things get a bit more technical, the Italian brand has the Cinturato Gravel RC X.
The Cinturato Gravel RC family is based on the Scorpion XC RC, Pirelli’s popular cross-country and marathon model that has been raced at many rounds of the MTB World Cup. The central tread with low, dense knobs, offers low rolling resistance on smooth, hard surfaces. The side knobs are a bit taller to provide traction and cornering grip in looser, or chunkier gravel which is typical at many of the North American gravel events.
The difference with the RC X is the new TechWALL X sidewall. The reinforced sidewall uses a 60 TPI nylon casing with more overlap on the sidewall for additional support and cut resistance. Like all of Pirelli’s gravel line, there is an additional layer of high-density fabric adding bead-to-bead protection. The RC X is also tubeless-ready (TLR). All of this, along with extra rubber in key areas, makes for a supple ride that is stable in curves and has plenty of protection.
For the tread, Pirelli uses its proprietary SpeedGRIP compound. This compound was developed by the brand to offer grip, durability, and reduced rolling resistance that is on par with typical road tires.
The Cinturato Gravel RC X is available now in 700×35 and 700×40 with a classic tan sidewall, or 700×40 with a black sidewall. Pricing is set at $89.90 a tire. You can pick up the Cinturato Gravel RC X now at your local Pirelli dealer.
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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