Road Bike Tire Test: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS SpeedCore 28
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 10.5 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 43 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 80 Points
- Conclusion: 5.0 / 5 Highly Recommended
- Comments
- Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS SpeedCore 28
(100% is best)
The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS is the latest addition to Pirelli's road bike tire lineup, and they claim it's their fastest and most grippy tire to date. The RS features the new SpeedCore casing, Pirelli's latest SmartEvo 2 compound, and it's made in their new factory in Italy. The RS replaces the old P Zero Race TLR SL (read review), which will not be available in the future.
The concept of the P Zero Race TLR RS is similar to the old SL (lighter and faster), but Pirelli probably felt it was time for a new name because the SL never really convinced. RS now stands for Racing Speed, which clearly indicates the purpose of this tire.
On paper, the P Zero Race TLR RS is only 5 grams lighter than the regular P Zero Race TLR (read review), but in practice, this difference will be slightly larger because the specified weight of the regular version is on the low side. When we compare our 28mm test samples of both tires, we see a difference of 20 grams.
The weight saving comes from a slightly lighter Speedcore construction and a thinner tread, which we expect from a tire like the RS. Although the weight saving is limited to only 3 to 7 percent, we see a greater benefit in our rolling resistance tests, where the RS is significantly faster than the regular P Zero Race TLR.
Pirelli has also updated their SmartEvo compound, and the RS now comes with the SmartEvo 2 compound, which is supposed to provide more grip and speed than the previous version we see on the regular Race TLR. We can already give a sneak peek of our test results: Pirelli's claims align with our tests because we see a faster tire that provides extreme wet grip. To give you an idea of the grip level: we have tested tires on our grip tester that offer less grip on a dry surface than this Pirelli tire on a wet surface.
We have tested the 28 mm version and, by now, have a good list of 28 mm road bike tire tests to compare with the Pirelli. In addition to the 28mm size, the P Zero Race TLR RS is also available in 26 mm, 30 mm, and 32 mm sizes.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Pirelli |
| Model | P Zero Race TLR RS SpeedCore |
| Year | 2024 |
| Tire Type | Tubeless |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | Very High |
| Buy At | |
| Manufacturer part number | 4197000 |
| EAN | 8019227419702 |
| TPI | 120 |
| Compound | SmartEvo 2 |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 28-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 28 |
| Specified Weight | 290 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 102 |
| Made In | Pro Data |
| Available Sizes |
26-622 (700x26c) 28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) 32-622 (700x32c) |
Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS SpeedCore 28 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 290 grams |
| Measured Weight | 294 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + valve + rim seal) |
314 grams |
| Measured Width | 28 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | 25 mm (un-round) |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 2.4 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 72 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) |
10.5 Watts CRR: 0.00315 |
| 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 | 43 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 | 2.4 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 |
|
Conclusion
- Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS SpeedCore 28
(100% is best)
The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS performs convincingly well in our tests. Our tests also make it clear where the RS is positioned: it's not among the extremely thin and fast TT (Time-Trial) tires but more towards the all-round tires like the Grand Prix 5000 S TR (read review), Schwalbe Pro One (read review), Vittoria Corsa Pro (read review), etc. With their current lineup of SpeedCore tires, Pirelli is clearly a step ahead in terms of puncture resistance (and higher weight) compared to the competition.
Overall, the RS is a very strong option, and it challenges the Grand Prix 5000 S TR as the best-performing all-round road bike tire. Depending on the air pressure, the rolling resistance compared to the GP5000 S TR is somewhere between 5 to 10 percent higher, but in return, you get 25% more puncture resistance and 15 to 20% more grip on wet roads.
In our opinion, the RS quickly makes us forget about the old SL, and we are pleased to see a more significant difference between the regular Race TLR and the RS. We are unsure if Pirelli will come up with a real super-thin and light TT tire in the future, but that would require an entirely new casing design, so it probably won't come soon.
Compare the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR and P Zero Race TLR RS on our comparison section.
RATING:
5.0
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Highly Recommended