Road Bike Tire Test: Pirelli P Zero Race RS 28
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 11.7 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 53 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 80 Points
- Conclusion: 5.0 / 5 Highly Recommended
- Comments
- Pirelli P Zero Race RS 28
(100% is best)
The P Zero Race RS is Pirelli's newest tube-type road bike tire, and many cyclists still using inner tubes have high expectations for this tire. Its "big" brother—the TLR SpeedCore version of the RS—consistently ranks as one of the best tires in our tests, so we understand the expectations.
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Pirelli launched "SpeedCore" versions of their tubeless-ready tires last year, and paired with their new compounds, this is a powerful combination. The tube-type version of the P Zero Race RS still features a traditional casing but incorporates Pirelli's latest compound.
We see that the compound is Pirelli's SmartEvo 2, which combines excellent performance and grip. The casing is 120 TPI, and there's a nylon anti-puncture strip under the tread. The casing essentially represents the tube-type recipe for an all-round road bike tire from the past 10-20 years, leaving little room for improvement.
The tube-type version is, of course, significantly lighter than the TLR version because the sidewalls and beads can be made much thinner in tube-type tires. In the 28-622 size, this results in a 60-gram advantage based on the specified weights.
Let's see what Pirelli's latest tube-type tire can achieve in our tests and how it compares to the TLR version and a selection of competing tube-type tires.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Pirelli |
| Model | P Zero Race RS |
| Year | 2025 |
| Tire Type | Tubetype (clincher) |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | High |
| Buy At | Ad Amazon.com |
| Manufacturer part number | 4675600 |
| EAN | 8019227467567 |
| TPI | 120 |
| Compound | SmartEvo2 |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 28-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 28 |
| Specified Weight | 230 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 109 |
| Made In | Members Only |
| Available Sizes |
26-622 (700x26c) 28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) |
Pirelli P Zero Race RS 28 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 230 grams |
| Measured Weight | 228 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + inner tube (100 gr) |
328 grams |
| Measured Width | 28 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | 25 mm (un-round) |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 2.6 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Members Only |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 68 mm |
| Unmounted Tread Width | Members Only |
| Tread Cover (Tread / Casing Ratio) | Members Only |
| 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 | Conti Race28 Wide (125 gr butyl) |
| 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) |
11.7 Watts CRR: 0.00351 |
| 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) |
13.0 Watts CRR: 0.00390 |
| 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) |
Members Only |
| 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) |
Members Only |
| 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 | 53 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 | 2.6 mm |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Members Only |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Members Only |
| Sidewall Total Tire Thickness | Members Only |
Static Grip Test Results
| Static Grip Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Wet Grip Average | 80 Points |
| Wet Grip Center | Members Only |
| Wet Grip Edge | Members Only |
| Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 Road bike grip test rim width = 19.0 mm |
|
Conclusion
- Pirelli P Zero Race RS 28
(100% is best)
This conclusion is challenging, and we need to examine the results more closely to make an accurate comparison.
When we compare the tube-type version of the P Zero Race RS with other tube-type tires, we see a very strong-performing tire. The Pirelli does not have the absolute lowest rolling resistance, and especially at lower pressures, rolling resistance rises quickly.
However, we find that the P Zero Race RS scores very high in the wet grip tests, and the tread's puncture resistance is also good. We are seeing more tires lately scoring over 80 points in the grip test, and it's more than welcome we now see tube-type tires with increased grip as well.
The Pirelli Zero Race RS is the best choice if you're looking for an all-round tube-type road bike tire and want maximum wet grip at the expense of a slightly higher rolling resistance.
When we compare the tube-type version of the RS with the TLR version (read our review), we see some interesting things. Historically, we use a butyl inner tube for our tube-type tests, and it is known that the rolling resistance of this type of inner tube is higher than that of latex inner tubes or the latest TPU inner tubes.
However, when we make corrections based on the type of inner tube, using data we have collected over the past decade, we find something interesting. The 60-gram heavier TLR version of the P Zero Race TLR, with the same type of inner tube, has a lower rolling resistance than the lighter tube-type version, which is something most people wouldn't expect.
We refer our Pro Members to Pro View, where you can customize the inner tubes for tube-type and tubeless-ready tires through the Pro View Settings with our historical inner tube test data.
Whether you, as an inner tube user, are better off with the tube-type or tubeless-ready version will depend on how much value you place on the lower weight of the tube-type version. One thing we know for sure is that the tubeless-ready "SpeedCore" casing is superior to the tube-type casing.
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RATING:
5.0
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Highly Recommended