Presuming you’ve been listening to the world of biking tech this 12 months, you’ll have certainly seen the prototype Pirelli tyres in use by Lidl-Trek from the very begin of the Classics season. Today, Pirelli has lastly launched the tyres to customers, and the Lidl-Trek crew will not be on prototype variations, however fully-fledged consumer-spec P Zero Race TLR RS tyres.
They are the most recent top-end street tyre from Pirelli, they usually take purpose squarely at one of the best street bike tyres available on the market, with marked enhancements in rolling resistance over the model’s present top-end tyre, the P Zero Race TLR.
The new tyre makes use of the identical tread sample as the present P Zero Race TLR (Image credit score: Zac Williams)
Same tread, with an improved rubber compound
Pirelli tyres, on the prime finish of the street line at the very least, share a roughly uniform sample of sipes (the grooves that enable the rubber to maneuver, warmth up, and add grip). The new P Zero Race TLR RS isn’t any totally different on this regard, sharing the identical tread because the P Zero Race TLR, however Pirelli says that it has used a brand new, improved model of its SmartEVO2 compound, which provides enhancements in straight-line pace and grip within the corners.
Under the upgraded rubber tread lies a lightened model of Pirelli’s SpeedCore casing. The mixture of the brand new rubber and lighter casing has resulted in an 8% drop in complete weight over the P Zero Race TLR, and a hefty 16% enchancment in rolling resistance, in response to the model. A back-of-the-envelope calculation primarily based on knowledge from Bicycle Rolling Resistance places it a few watt slower than the Continental GP5000 S TR, however precise checks are but to be carried out.
In much less performance-oriented updates, the tyre bead has been overhauled too, with a brand new bead form and a brand new association of Kevlar fibres in a bid to maximise compatibility with each hooked and hookless rim methods.
An improved rubber compound is complemented by a lighter casing, leading to an 8% weight discount and a 16% decrease rolling resistance. (Image credit score: Zac Williams)
Pricing, sizes, and availability
The new P Zero Race TLR RS can be accessible in 700x26c, 28c, 30c, and 32c sizes. All sizes are tubeless-ready, however the 26c measurement just isn’t hookless suitable. A 28c tyre weighs in at 290g.
They can be priced suitably in keeping with the competitors at £84.99 / $99.90 / €89.90 / AU$144.90.
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