CX/Gravel Tire Test: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40

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  • Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40
Performance compared to all other CX/Gravel tires
(100% is best)
Pro Members get 11-point radar charts



Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40 road bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine

The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H (Hard Terrain) is a gravel bike tire with very low and closely spaced center knobs and slightly bigger knobs along the edge of the tire. The Gravel H is optimized to provide good handling characteristics in both wet and dry conditions on terrain that doesn't deform much (asphalt, hardpack, hard gravel roads).


Ad Buy Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H at Amazon.com


We already tested the Pirelli Cinturato Cross H (read our review) a while back and while the Gravel H is very closely related to the Cross H, they are very different tires. The Cross H has much bigger center knobs and is more of an off-road tire than the Gravel H. Another big difference is the size of these tires as the Cross H is only available in the small 33-622 size. The Gravel H does that differently and is available in a good range of sizes starting at 35-622 and up to the huge 50-584 size.


From a construction standpoint, both the Gravel H and Cross H are very similar which is promising as the Cross H did quite well in our tests. The base is a 127 TPI tubeless-ready casing with an extra layer of woven fabric that runs from bead to bead to offer better protection and sealing capabilities. The compound is Pirelli's SpeedGRIP compound that is made for both wet and dry conditions yet still offers a low rolling resistance.


This is a test of the 40-622 version that we expect to be the most popular size for gravel bikes.


Manufacturer Specifications


Manufacturer Specs
Brand Pirelli
Model Cinturato Gravel H
Year 2021
Supplied By Bought in store
New or Used New
Mileage 0 km
Price Range High
Buy At Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number 3771100
EAN8019227377118
TPI 127
Compound SpeedGRIP
Bead Folding
ETRTO 40-622
Specified Weight 480 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi) 58
Made In Members Only
Available Sizes 35-622 (700x35c)
40-622 (700x40c)
45-622 (700x45c)
45-584 (45x650b)
50-584 (50x650b)

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40 Test Results

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40  mountain bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements


Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight 480 grams
Measured Weight 509 grams
Measured Width Casing 38 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread 40 mm
Measured Height 36 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center 0.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge 1.8 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs) 2.40 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results


Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube None (30 ml sealant)

(current protocol)
Conti Cross28 (160 gr)

(test protocol)
Measured Width 38 mm 38 mm
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar
33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar
36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar
39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar
43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar
47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 bar
High Air Pressure

(54 psi / 3.7 bar)
Members OnlyMembers Only
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar
33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar
36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar
39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar
43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar
47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 bar
Medium Air Pressure

(45 psi / 3.1 bar)
Members OnlyMembers Only
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar
33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar
36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar
39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar
43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar
47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 bar
Low Air Pressure

(36 psi / 2.6 bar)
19.5 Watts
CRR: 0.00585
23.3 Watts
CRR: 0.00698
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar
33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar
36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar
39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar
43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar
47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 bar
Extra Low Air Pressure

(27 psi / 1.9 bar)
23.2 Watts
CRR: 0.00695
28.2 Watts
CRR: 0.00845
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width.

All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs.

Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40  mountain bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine
Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread 39 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness 2.40 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results


Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average 75 Points
Wet Grip Center Members Only
Wet Grip Edge Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center 0.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge 1.8 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100
CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion


  • Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40
Performance compared to all other CX/Gravel tires
(100% is fastest - lightest - highest - strongest)

Pro Members get 11-point radar charts

The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H is an excellent choice if you're looking for a gravel bike tire that performs well on hard terrain. Rolling resistance comes close to the fastest gravel bike tires at the highest air pressures although it drops off a bit faster at lower air pressures. Protection is better than most other gravel bike tires but this does come at the cost of quite a high weight.


We rate the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 4.0 out of 5 mainly because some tires offer better performance in our tests. Although Pirelli returned to the bicycle tire market only recently, we definitely feel they are worth a try as all their tires are solid performers in our tests.


Ad Buy Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H at Amazon.com


RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT:
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