Cadex Race 25 Tubeless £64.99

As the road market races to adopt tubeless technology, we’ve found that tyres can have a harsher feel as a stiffer casing is necessary to ensure a tight seal on the rim. Unfortunately for Cadex, this was the case with the Race 25 tyres. While the effect was noticeable, they’re no means the worst we’ve tried.

We were initially worried that this harshness would impair the tyre’s grip, but happily the RR-S Silica compound works well and the tyres have plenty of bite in corners. Once we were used to the slightly harsher feel of the rubber, we were contentedly leaning over in bends and attacking descents. They certainly offer the feeling of fast rolling that accompanies other top-end race tyres – a sort of subtleness that just makes riding easier.

The natural consequence to a quick rolling, grippy tyre is quite often a reduction in puncture protection. We did briefly run these as a clincher – as you might in an emergency ‘flat on the road’ situation, and we did hear the worrying hiss of a flat tyre on the very first outing when a sharp stone got the better of the system. Unfortunately, it was enough to take a chunk out of the tread which subsequently let air leak out once we set them up tubeless.

Thankfully, our second set lasted longer and after a few hundred kilometres of tubeless riding, they have resisted cuts and tears and have remained seated admirably.

At £64.99 per tyre, the Cadex Race 25s come in at the same price point as the Specialized S-works Turbo.

It’s not cheap, and you can find a good tyre for less – especially if you’re actually going to set your wheels up in clincher form. Options: 23, 25, 28mm cadex-cycling.com