Road Bike Tire Test: Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR 28
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 22.4 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 95 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 75 Points
- Conclusion: 4.0 / 5 Recommended
- Comments
- Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR 28
(100% is best)
The Cinturato Evo is a new tire from Pirelli that replaces the popular Cinturato Velo as their most puncture-resistant and durable road bike tire. That means the Cinturato Evo has big shoes to fill, as the Cinturato Velo wasn't just Pirelli's most puncture-resistant road bike tire; it's been the most puncture-resistant tubeless road bike tire on the market that offers touring bike puncture resistance in a road bike performance package.
The Cinturato Evo is a complete redesign over the outgoing Cinturato Velo (read our review), and it now comes from Pirelli's new factory in Italy. At the heart of the tire, we find Pirelli's 60 TPI TechWALL+ casing, which features a 3-layer design under the tread area and a 2-layer design on the sidewalls. Additionally, we see an extra layer of protection that runs from bead to bead. On top of that, we find another anti-puncture layer under the center of the tread, which makes for a total of five layers under the tread and three layers in the sidewalls.
The compound is the new SmartEVO AS compound (not sure if that stands for All-Season), and Pirelli indicates it's an innovative rubber formulation that blends performance with bio-based and recycled materials. They claim this compound is their finest in terms of grip, comfort, and endurance in all seasons and weather conditions.
Pirelli has been a real pioneer when it comes to making their road bike tires available in larger sizes than the standard 25-32 mm road bike sizes. The Cinturato EVO is no different, and it's available in sizes ranging from 28 to 40 mm, making it a good option for road bikes, gravel bikes, and even touring bikes. Additionally, the 28, 30, and 32 mm sizes are available in black, classic, or retro sidewall colors. The 35 and 40 mm sizes only come with black sidewalls.
We've tested the Cinturato EVO TLR in the 28 mm size with black sidewalls, and we'll compare it to the Cinturato Velo 28, Pirelli's Race TLR (read our review), Race TLR RS (read our review), and Race TLR 4S (read our review), as well as a selection of tires from other manufacturers.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Pirelli |
| Model | Cinturato EVO TLR |
| Year | 2025 |
| Tire Type | Tubeless |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | High |
| Buy At | |
| Manufacturer part number | 4142700 |
| EAN | 8019227414271 |
| TPI | 60 |
| Compound | SmartEVO AS |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 28-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 28 |
| Specified Weight | 350 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 94 |
| Made In | Pro Data |
| Available Sizes |
28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) 32-622 (700x32c) 35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c) |
Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR 28 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 350 grams |
| Measured Weight | 362 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + valve + rim seal) |
382 grams |
| Measured Width | 28 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | 25 mm (un-round) |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 4.3 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 69 mm |
| Unmounted Tread Width | Pro Data |
| Tread Cover (Tread / Casing Ratio) | Pro Data |
| All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 100 psi / 6.9 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim. | |
Rolling Resistance Test Results
| Rolling Resistance Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Inner Tube | None (20 ml sealant) |
| Measured Width | 28 mm (un-round) |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 132 psi/9.1 bar 25-27 = 120 psi/8.3 bar 28-29 = 108 psi/7.4 barUltra High Air Pressure (108 psi / 7.4 bar) |
Pro Data |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 110 psi/7.6bar 25-27 = 100 psi/6.9 bar 28-29 = 90 psi/6.2 barExtra High Air Pressure (90 psi / 6.2 bar) |
Pro Data |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 88 psi/6.1 bar 25-27 = 80 psi/5.5 bar 28-29 = 72 psi/5.0 barHigh Air Pressure (72 psi /5.0 bar) |
22.4 Watts CRR: 0.00671 |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 25-27 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 28-29 = 54 psi/3.7 barMedium Air Pressure (54 psi / 3.7 bar) |
Pro Data |
| The Road Bike 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 | 95 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 | 4.3 mm |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Pro Data |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Pro Data |
| Sidewall Total Tire Thickness | Pro Data |
Static Grip Test Results
| Static Grip Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Wet Grip Average | 75 Points |
| Wet Grip Center | Pro Data |
| Wet Grip Edge | Pro Data |
| Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 Road bike grip test rim width = 19.0 mm |
|
Conclusion
- Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR 28
(100% is best)
The new Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR is not superior in every aspect to the outgoing Cinturato Velo (read our review), but it does retain the same unique properties. We see a decline in both the puncture resistance of the tread and a slightly higher rolling resistance. The improvements can be found in the sidewalls, which are thicker and stronger, as well as in the enhanced wet grip.
The thicker sidewalls do result in a higher weight, and the increase in weight is even greater when we consider the size of the tire; the 28 mm Cinturato EVO TLR has shrunk significantly compared to the 28 mm Cinturato Velo. This is something we have seen more often lately as manufacturers adjust their tires to fit the wider rims that are commonly used today.
A positive aspect of optimizing for wider rims is that the tread width has also increased, making the Cinturato EVO TLR a tire suitable for a wider selection of rim sizes. The old Cinturato Velo had a shortcoming in this area, as its tread was on the narrow side.
The Cinturato EVO TLR does not fully convince us as it's not an improvement in all areas. However, if you are looking for a tubeless-ready tire with the highest puncture resistance, you cannot overlook the Cinturato EVO TLR. We also find the availability of the 35 mm and 40 mm sizes to be a clear advantage, and we expect this tire to be a success once again.
Compare the Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR and Cinturato Velo TLR on our comparison section.
RATING:
4.0
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Recommended