PIRELLI P ZERO RACE TLR 28MM

£59.99 Adopting WAM and RAM standards equals a great ride

WEIGHT 299g per tyre

Pirelli’s brand-new P Zero Race TLR is designed around the latest tubeless standards to ensure easier fitting and compatibility. Available in four widths from 24mm to 30mm, this is an all-round tyre that features plenty of new technology in the pursuit of top-level performance. An all-new 120 TPI Tech WALL+ casing has been developed to boost puncture resistance and durability, while the SmartEVO rubber compound is said to offer big traction and rolling resistance benefits over Pirelli’s previous tyres. The tyres are manufactured to the latest ETRTO tyre standards and are safe to use with hookless rims at pressures up to 73psi.

Fitting the tyres to various wheels with both hooked and hookless rims was easy; in most cases, a regular track pump was sufficient to inflate the tyres at the first time of asking. With sealant added, air retention was remarkably good and akin to an inner tube setup. On the road, the tyres continue to impress. They feel noticeably faster than Pirelli’s previous Cinturato tyres and are easily on a par with the best tyres in the rolling-resistance stakes. The new rubber compound delivers reassuring grip when pushing the tyres hard into the corners, and puncture resistance is good.

Pirelli has adopted the WAM (width as measured) and RAM (radius as measured) standard introduced by 3T’s Head of Design Gerard Vroomen. A list of actual tyre dimensions when fitted to different inner width rims gives a realworld width of the tyre. Pirelli also offers recommended pressures.

With sealant added, air retention was good and akin to that of an inner tube setup

Race Shield puncture protection wards off flats without compromising feel

WEIGHT 331g per tyre

Cadex is the in-house name for Giant’s top-tier component brand. The Cadex Race has been several years in development and is a tubeless-only tyre designed, Cadex claims, for pure racing performance with uncompromised speed.

This tyre boasts a single-layer SRC 170 TPI casing that is claimed to provide superior rolling speed and the allimportant supple ride quality. An RR-S rubber compound, Cadex says, offers a blend of speed and grip, while Race Shield puncture protection wards off flats without compromising ride feel. A lot to live up to then, but the ride impressions are extremely positive with a lovely feeling of free speed on the majority of road surfaces. Onto rough roads and the suppleness of the casing becomes apparent as, even at higher pressures, the tyres feel delightfully smooth, imbuing fine comfort and road feel while squeezing as much speed through a corner as possible.

Tubeless installation proved faultless, with one tyre lever and a regular floor pump adequate for popping the beads into place, with minimal air loss over the course of a week. The tyres offer good support at low pressures, and through corners they provide predictable handling, meeting our expectations for a race tyre that’s going to be ridden hard in all situations. At more relaxed speeds, the tyre rolls quickly and offers reassuring grip, with a shallow herringbone pattern that’s reminiscent of the old Vittoria Open Pave tyre, seemingly boosting grip on gritty roads.