Speed Tires: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS 30c Review

Pirelli has long been one of the most admired names in tires. With all the lessons learned from Formula One and millions of miles on vehicles worldwide, their bicycle tires have a competitive advantage of being able to leverage all that knowledge into the construction of their road racing tires — not to mention the extensive feedback of their sponsored World Tour riders. I’ve had both the 28c and 30c tires for several months and they are definitely fast and grippy when pushed to the limit.

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS 30c Tires Features:

• Pirelli’s fastest-rolling race tire
• Uses new SmartEVO² Compound
• Aramid-infused SpeedCore tubeless construction
• Available in 26, 28, 30 and 32 sizes
• Weight: 305 grams (28c) and 315 grams (30c)
• Width on 25mm internal rims: 29mm (28c) and 33.2mm (30c)
• Made in Italy
• MSRP: $99.90

Racy-fast P Zero Race TLR RS tires

Depending on the tire and rim combination, both the installation and seating of tubeless tires can present their own unique challenges. Adding on top of that the nuances between hooked and hookless rims can have you scratching your head in a compatibility conundrum. My testing has been solely on hookless wheels (Zipp 303 S and Forge+Bond CR 45) and aboard both the Ari Veyo and Ari Suncrest bikes.

Installation was about on par with what I’ve come to expect from tubeless road tires. Popping those last few inches of the bead onto the rim can either require extensive hand strength or the use of a tire lever. I was able to do it completely by hand with the first one, but just went with the lever for the rest — because it’s just easier. But, before popping them in place, I poured 3 oz of WTB TCS Tubeless Tire Sealant inside the tires. That stuff is thick and can’t be injected through the valves. Unless you know that your sealant can be injected through the valves, it’s probably best to pour it into the tire.

Once the tire bead was popped onto the rim, I simply rotated it around one time, very slowly, then proceeded to inflate. Both tire sizes on both wheelsets inflated with little fuss. I used the Reserve Fillmore valves on one and standard tubeless valves on the other and both worked great.

Remember that with tubeless tires and wider rim beds, you can run lower pressures than you would with rubber or latex tubes. I typically use the SRAM Tire Pressure Guide and went with 54 psi in the front and 56 psi in the rear on the 30c size and 56/58 psi with the 28c size. I only rode about 50 miles on the 28c, but have ridden several hundred now on the 30c tires. Again, this is a guide and you’ll find what works best for your riding style, terrain and weather.

Since the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS tires are built for racing conditions, they are optimized for speed. The construction does drop about 15 grams from the fantastic P Zero Race TLR 30c tires I tested last year, while still maintaining excellent puncture resistance. Tops on the list of the new RS tires is their grippy SmartEVO² racing compound. In Pirelli’s testing, this compound offers the best grip and least rolling resistance of any tire they have made. While I don’t have the ability to quantify that, I’ll do my best to explain what I’ve felt after several months of testing.

If you do want to geek out on tire rolling resistance, head on over to BicycleRollingResistance.com to see these tires and others compared head-to-head against each other. The P Zero Race TLR RS doesn’t place at the top, but it’s close. And, it has far better puncture resistance than other tires with lower resistance — making for better real-world performance.

With a 120tpi casing, the P Zero Race TLR RS tires offer a supple ride. That’s one of the biggest benefits of the advancements in tire construction and a stark contrast to Pirelli’s initial tubeless tire offerings I’ve tested in the past 5 years. Of course, the lower pressures add to the comfortable ride, but the RS tires are exceptionally-smooth — even among other 30c tires. Speaking of tire size, 30c is my go-to with today’s wheelsets and bikes with adequate clearance. As mentioned above, the P Zero Race TLR RS fills out to over 33mm wide on a hookless, 25mm internal rim. That combo is blissful.

Isolating rolling resistance all by itself is a tricky metric outside of the lab. During my test period, I also rode the Continental GP 5000 S TR 30c tires and to be honest, both felt about the same as far as rolling speed and efficiency (that’s a good thing). On both an aero bike and a climbing bike, the Pirelli’s haven’t felt slow or “sticky” under any conditions.

Where the P Zero Race TLR RS tires shine is their extreme grip and handling. With 100% of my testing done on dry roads, I have been able to push these tires to the limits of my abilities and they always hold fast to the road surface. Descending on curvy mountain roads, these tires instill confidence with every turn and at any speed. I did venture onto some light gravel as well and they held their own with no issues.

I have not experienced any flats or punctures in my testing so far and they hold air pressure reasonably well between rides. When it comes time to replace the sealant or remove the tires for winter, I couldn’t reliably remove them from the rims without the help of a tire lever. Keep that in mind should a roadside repair ever become necessary, or before embarking on a century ride.

Setup: I’m 175 lbs and inflated the 30c tires to 54 psi front and 58 psi rear, most of the time.

Buy Now: Available from CompetitiveCyclist.com