Road Bike Tire Test: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 30
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 12.5 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 66 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 80 Points
- Conclusion: 5.0 / 5 Highly Recommended
- Comments
- Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 30
(100% is best)
The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR with SpeedCore casing is one of those tires that draws a lot of attention, and many riders value its well-rounded performance with excellent wet grip and puncture resistance. Even after Pirelli released the RS version of the Race TLR, which sacrificed some puncture resistance in return for a lower weight and less rolling resistance, the Race TLR is still one of the best choices when you need more puncture resistance than nearly any other high-performance road bike tire.
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We already tested the 28, 32, 35, and 40 mm sizes of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR, and with the 30 mm size becoming the most popular road bike tire size, adding it to the database ensures there are no surprises. If you're having trouble comparing all those sizes, you can use Pro View to compare the 28, 30, 32, 35, and 40 mm sizes of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR in the same overview.
Just like those other sizes, we've tested the full black version of the P Zero Race TLR, and we've compared it to the 28 mm Race TLR, the 28 mm Race TLR RS, and the most popular road bike tires from competing manufacturers.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Pirelli |
| Model | P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore |
| Year | 2026 |
| Tire Type | Tubeless |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | Very High |
| Buy At | Ad Amazon.com |
| Manufacturer part number | 3983700 |
| EAN | 8019227398373 |
| TPI | 120 |
| Compound | SmartEvo |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 30-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 30 |
| Specified Weight | 335 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 94 |
| Made In | Pro Data |
| Available Sizes |
26-622 (700x26c) 28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) 32-622 (700x32c) 35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c) |
Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 30 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 335 grams |
| Measured Weight | 344 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + valve + rim seal) |
364 grams |
| Measured Width | 30 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | Pro Data |
| Tire Circumference | Pro Data |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 3.2 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 78 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 18 mm inner width (unless otherwise stated) rim. | |
Rolling Resistance Test Results
| Rolling Resistance Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Inner Tube | None (20 ml sealant) |
| Measured Width | 30 mm (un-round) |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 132 psi/9.1 bar 25-27 = 120 psi/8.3 bar 28-30 = 108 psi/7.4 bar 31-32 = 100 psi/6.9 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 28-30 = 90 psi/6.2 bar 31-32 = 83 psi/5.7 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 28-30 = 72 psi/5.0 bar 31-32 = 67 psi/4.6 barHigh Air Pressure (72 psi /5.0 bar) |
12.5 Watts CRR: 0.00375 |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 25-27 = 54 psi/4.1 bar 28-30 = 60 psi/3.7 bar 31-32 = 50 psi/3.4 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 | 66 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 | 3.2 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 | 80 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 (unless otherwise stated) |
|
Conclusion
- Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 30
(100% is best)
The 30 mm Pirelli P Zero Race TLR is now the fastest size we've tested. Pirelli made some tweaks to the compound compared to our original review of the 28 mm size back in 2023, as the 30 mm size outperforms that tire in all our tests. Wet grip is now much closer to the RS version Pirelli released in 2024, which featured an updated SmartEvo compound, and we wouldn't be surprised if tires manufactured after a certain date all use the same updated compound.
Something strange, and our only complaint, is that the 30 mm size doesn't have a wider tread than the 28 mm size, as both sizes come with a 30 mm wide tread. All other sizes we tested generally had a tread width 1 to 2 mm wider than the rated size. We expect a small portion (a couple of tenths) of the lower rolling resistance of the 30 mm size to come from this relatively small tread.
The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR is a tire you can recommend to anyone, as it's a solid tubeless-ready tire that's hard to beat in overall performance. If you need more performance, the RS version of the Race TLR will be the faster tire, but it will come with a significant penalty in puncture resistance and tread thickness.
Compare the 28 and 30 mm Pirelli P Zero Race TLR on our comparison section.
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RATING:
5.0
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Highly Recommended