MTB Tire Test: Vittoria Barzo XC Race 29x2.4

Vittoria released a large number of new tires lately, but their Barzo, which we have known for a long time, remains one of the core tires in their lineup. If someone were to ask us which mountain bike tire they should get without providing us with more information about their requirements, our answer could very well be the Barzo. This tire will generally provide sufficient performance in most cases, and you can keep it on year-round.

The Barzo we will be looking at today falls into Vittoria's "XC Race" series, which is currently their fastest mountain bike tire series. We have previously tested the Mezcal XC Race (read our review) and the Peyote XC Race (read our review), so we can immediately make a good comparison of Vittoria's most popular cross-country mountain bike tires. Vittoria also has the "XC Trail" series, which is slightly heavier and offers more protection.

The Barzo XC Race features a 60 TPI tubeless-ready casing and Vittoria's Graphene + Silica compound. This construction is the same as that of the Mezcal XC Race and Peyote XC Race that we tested earlier, and we expect the Barzo's performance to be in line with these tires, with the obvious differences stemming from their different tread patterns.

Like all the tires in Vittoria's XC Race series, the Barzo XC Race is available with both black and brown sidewalls. We tested the completely black version and will compare it to the Mezcal and Peyote, as well as to a few competitor tires with similar specifications.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Vittoria
Model	Barzo XC Race
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	11A00733
EAN	8022530035859
TPI	60
Compound	Graphene +Silica
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	60-622
Size Inch	29"
Width Inch	2.40
Specified Weight	740 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	40
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	29x2.25 29x2.40

Vittoria Barzo XC Race Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	740 grams
Measured Weight	747 grams
Measured Width Carcass	57 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	59 mm
Measured Height	56 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	3.1 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	4.0 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.2 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 35 psi / 2.4 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (40 ml sealant)
Measured Width	57 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 51-55 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 56-60 = 34 psi/2.3 barHigh Air Pressure (34 psi / 2.3 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 bar 51-55 = 32 psi/2.2 bar 56-60 = 29 psi/2.0 barMedium Air Pressure (29 psi / 2.0 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 bar 51-55 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 56-60 = 23 psi/1.6 barLow Air Pressure (23 psi / 1.6 bar)	24.7 Watts CRR: 0.00740
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 bar 51-55 = 19 psi/1.3 bar 56-60 = 17 psi/1.2 barExtra Low Air Pressure (17 psi / 1.2 bar)	Pro Data
The MTB 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	34 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.2 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	67 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	3.1 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	4.0 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 MTB grip test rim width = 30.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The Vittoria Barzo XC Race performs as expected in our tests, and we see clear differences between Vittoria's Peyote (read our review), Mezcal (read our review), and Barzo, which makes the choice between these tires a bit simpler. As we mentioned earlier, we see the Barzo XC Race primarily as a tire where you really can't go wrong if you're looking for a "one size fits all" tire that provides decent performance in almost all conditions.

However, if you want to dive deeper into your tire's performance, there is always more to be found. For some, a Barzo as a front tire and a Peyote or Mezcal as a rear tire could offer even better performance.

We rate the Barzo slightly lower than the Mezcal and Peyote, but that's mainly because the competition has improved overall performance. In the last couple of months, we've seen tires with better performance in many cases (such as the Continental Dubnital read our review and Trinotal read our review), which has shifted our expectations somewhat.

Compare the Vittoria Barzo XC Race and Mezcal XC Race on our comparison section.

RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

Comments