Pirelli P Zero Race TLR

The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tyre is a bit more of an all-rounder than the SL version, with increased puncture protection, but retains the same levels of excellent grip and rolling resistance. It's a race tyre for those who don't race, if you like.

Jamie tested the SL version of this tyre recently and was, overall, pretty impressed. I'd say these standard Race models are a better buy, though, if you don't mind carrying a few extra grams – and anyway, that added weight comes with the benefits of better puncture protection.

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The SLs weighed 236g on the road.cc Scales of Truth whereas these are 273g, so 74g extra for a pair – not exactly the kind of difference that you are going to notice. The majority of that extra weight comes down to the fact that these Race TLRs have a puncture breaker belt that sits beneath the rubber. If you look at the cross-section images on Pirelli's website, you'll see that the SL does away with this.

They share the same compound and carcass construction, so the ride quality isn't impacted much.

The SmartEVO compound isn't as soft and tacky as some but it does offer very good grip levels. I've ridden them a few hundred miles on a mixture of wet and dry roads and found them to give plenty of confidence when banking the bike over at speed.

Durability is good too. They barely look as though they've been used, to be honest, and have kept their rounded profile, so no signs of wear yet.

The TechWALL 120TPI (threads per inch) carcass is supple for a tubeless tyre, and having them pumped up to my preferred high pressures still gave a forgiving ride in relation to some other tubeless tyres I've ridden, such as the Ere Research Genus.

The give in the carcass also allows for plenty of feedback to come up through from the road, so you know what is going on beneath you.

Rolling resistance feels low as well. They feel fast as they fly along the tarmac and you can carry that speed into the bends because of the grip levels, which makes for plenty of efficiency.

The TLR part of the name tells you that these Pirellis are tubeless-ready, and fitting them to a range of wheel widths saw no real issues. A blast from the pump's storage tank saw the beads pop snugly against the wheel rim, and they took a minimal amount of sealant to plug any gaps.

The sidewalls don't seem to be porous at all, as there was no sealant leaking through after installation, and I haven't had to top the pressures up much either.

The Pirellis come in four different sizes – 24mm, 26mm, 28mm and 30mm, with the upper three all being compatible with the latest hookless rims. It's worth noting that the 24mm isn't, though.

Priced at £59.99, these are up there with many of the top-end tubeless tyres. That's the same price as the excellent Michelin Power Road Tubeless, which has a very grippy compound and low levels of rolling resistance.

Another high-quality contender at this price point is the Maxxis High Road Tubeless. That one sticks in my mind because of how supple the 170TPI casing felt.

One of my favourite tubeless tyres of the moment, though, is the Hutchinson Fusion 5 Galactik which costs just £44.95. You are limited to a 25mm width only, though.

> Buyer’s Guide: 16 of the best wet-weather & winter tubeless tyres

Overall, the P Zeros are up there in terms of performance with a lot of the top-end tyres. Yes, they are at the upper end of the price scale but they are a good investment if you want to ride fast without sacrificing durability.

Verdict

Pricier than some but you do get a fast, grippy and durable tubeless road tyre for your money