CX/Gravel Tire Test: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC-X 40

The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC-X is the latest addition to Pirelli's gravel bike tire lineup. Pirelli already launched the regular Gravel RC (read our review) back in 2022 and you might be wondering what the extra X adds to this tire. The answer is quite simple as it's the Techwall X Gravel casing that adds an extra layer of material to the sidewalls that increases puncture protection and helps to provide an even better air seal.

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The Cinturato Gravel RC has a tread pattern inspired by Pirelli's Scorpion XC RC mountain bike tire, and we can see it working well on gravel bikes as well. The RC-X comes with the exact same tread pattern and it's impossible to distinguish from these tire except for the extra X that's added to the tire markings.

There really are no other changes other than the Techwall X Gravel casing that's stronger in the sidewalls. The casing is still rated as 60 TPI and the compound is the exact same SpeedGrip compound that we're quite familiar with by now as it's the compound Pirelli used on all of their gravel bike tires.

We've tested the 40-622 with black sidewalls version of the Gravel RC-X and we're going to compare it to the Gravel RC, and a selection of similar gravel bike tires from other brands. The Gravel RC-X with black sidewalls is only available in the 40-622 sizes while the version with classic sidewalls is available in both the 35-622 and 40-622 sizes.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Pirelli
Model	Cinturato Gravel RC-X
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	4309300
EAN	8019227430936
TPI	60
Compound	SpeedGRIP
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	560 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	65
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c)

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC-X 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	560 grams
Measured Weight	548 grams
Measured Width Casing	39 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	40 mm
Measured Height	35 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.9 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.30 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)
Measured Width	39 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 barHigh Air Pressure (50 psi / 3.4 bar)	Members 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 barMedium Air Pressure (42 psi / 2.9 bar)	Members 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 barLow Air Pressure (33 psi / 2.3 bar)	24.7 Watts CRR: 0.00740
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 barExtra Low Air Pressure (25 psi / 1.7 bar)	29.1 Watts CRR: 0.00872
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

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	33 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	2.30 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	70 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.9 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

Our tests confirm the increased sidewall protection as the only thing that's changed on the Gravel RC-X when compared to the Gravel RC (read our review). The sidewalls are roughly 40% stronger and this comes at a cost of 7% more rolling resistance and a 10 to 20 grams weight increase. All of the other measurements, puncture resistance of the tread, and wet grip all come in exactly the same for both tires.

The RC-X is much less of a racing tire than the regular RC but we can see it working well if you just don't want to be troubled by any sidewall cuts or air loss when using these in a tubeless set up. The sidewalls of the regular Gravel RC show an average strenght in our tests when compared to competing tires, but the RC-X definitely adds something on top.

Neither the Gravel RC of RC-X are exceptionally strong performers in our tests but we can see them working well if they fit your exact requirements.

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RATING: 3.8 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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