Road Bike Tire Test: Panaracer Race D Evo 3 25

The Panaracer Race D (Durable) Evo 3 is the most durable version of Panaracer's top of the line Race lineup. When looking at the specifications and test results of the Race D Evo 3, the construction of the Race D is very similar to the Race A. Both tires use the same casing material with an anti-puncture belt that runs from bead to bead and the same ZSG (Zero Slip Grip) compound. The only difference seems to be a 15% to 20% thicker tread on the Race D which means it should last a bit longer.

With this review of the Race D Evo 3, the Panaracer Race Evo 3 tests have now been completed. You can compare the Race A (read review), Race D, and Race L (read review) side by side on the comparison section our website here: Race A Evo 3 Vs Race D Evo 3 Vs Race L Evo 3

Weight. Specified weight of the 25-622 Race D is 250 grams, my sample comes in very close to the specified weight at 249 grams. My sample of the Race A came in at a measured weight of 247 grams which is only slightly less than the more durable Race D.

Size. Just like the Race A and Race L, the Race D measures 27 mm wide and has a height of 24 mm on a 17C rim at an air pressure of 100 psi / 6.9 bars.

Tire Thickness. Like I've mentioned before, total tire thickness at the center of the tread is 3.1 mm which is 0.4 mm more than the Race A. The sidewalls have a thickness of 0.80 mm which is the same as the Race A.

In the rolling resistance tests, the Race D is a bit slower than the Race A (read review) which seems to be exactly in line with its thicker tread. At an air pressure of 120 psi / 8.3 bars, the 0.4 mm thicker tread boosts rolling resistance of the Race D to 17.4 Watts as opposed to 16.4 watts for the Race A. At the more comfortable air pressure of 80 psi / 5.5 bars, rolling resistance comes in at 20.7 watts as opposed to 19.0 watts for the Race A.

After testing the Race A, L, and D we can conclude that the Panaracer tires do ok in the rolling resistance tests but can't compete with the top performing tires that use lower rolling resistance compounds.

In the tread puncture resistance test, the Race D shines with a score of 16 points which is a good bit better than most other (all-round) road bike tires that come in somewhere in the 11 to 14 points range.

The Race D comes with an anti-puncture belt that runs from bead to bead which clearly can be seen from the sidewall puncture resistance tests. With a sidewall puncture resistance score of 8 points, it scores much better than the 4 to 5 points most other road bike tires achieve in this test. You should be able to wear the tread of these tires down without wearing out the sidewalls.

When taking all specifications and test results of the Panaracer Race D Evo 3 into consideration, I feel the Race D doesn't differentiate enough from the Race A to justify its existence. When mounting these tires to your bike, it will be hard to notice a difference until near the end of their life when the Race D should last a bit longer. I'm pretty sure most people that visit this site and who are generally looking for high-performance tires do not really care about the slightly longer life of the Race D.

Just stick to the Panaracer Race A or Race L if you're a fan of Panaracer tires and like how they behave on the road. My opinion is that Panaracer would have been better off adding a Race G (Grip) or Race S (Speed) instead of the Race D to their high-performance lineup.