Pirelli says it has clocked over 100,000km in real world testing on its PZero Velo rangeOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
The PZero Velo 4S promises predictable grip whatever the weatherOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Who needs rain when you’ve got sprinklers?Oliver Woodman / Immediate Media
The tread pattern of the PZero Velo tyre mimics that of the company’s Diablo Supercorsa motorcycle tyreOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Pirelli has outsourced production of these tyres to a large French manufacturer, though it wouldn’t confirm which oneOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Blue colour coding at the sidewall indicates this is the 4S modelOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
It’s been many, many years since Pirelli last put its name to bicycle tyresOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Pirelli says it has clocked over 100,000km in real world testing on its PZero Velo rangeOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
The demo fleet was full of zero compromise superbikesOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
A closer look at the tread pattern on the Pirelli PZero Velo 4S clincher tyreOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
A closer look at the tread pattern on the Pirelli PZero Velo 4S clincher tyreOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
We were slightly disappointed to not see the traditional yellow and red logo make its way onto the sidewall of any of the PZero tyresOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Red labelling means this is the PZero Velo TT, Pirelli’s fastest, 23mm-only slick tyreOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
From high-end OE partnerships through to WorldTour sponsorship, we are expecting big things from PirelliOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
It was only last month that performance tyre specialist Pirelli announced its return to the world of bicycle tyres. Then, three new clincher tyres were promised in a range that shared its name with that of the company’s Formula One tyres.
Advertisement
Hot off the back from a trip to the company’s development and testing facilities in Milan, Italy, we are now ready to give you the lowdown on the range plus initial impressions of those highly anticipated black circles.
A lot of us won’t remember the first time that Pirelli was involved with cycling, but the company’s importance should not be underestimated. Take the first ever Giro D’Italia in 1909, for example, which saw a majority of competitors on Pirelli rubber.
It’s been many, many years since Pirelli last put its name to bicycle tyresOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Pirelli simply doesn’t produce entry-level tyres, and its dominant presence in nearly all forms of motorsport means our expectations were high.
Pirelli PZero Velo range overview
Pirelli says it has clocked over 100,000km in real world testing on its PZero Velo rangeOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Pirelli will offer three PZero tyres. All are clinchers and will retail close to the €43 mark (final pricing remains TBC). Each of the models inherits Pirelli’s colour coded philosophy, using colours at the sidewall to distinguish between tyres for different conditions. The first stock is expected to land with distributors in August.
Pirelli PZero Velo
Pirelli says it has clocked over 100,000km in real world testing on its PZero Velo rangeOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
Indicated by its silver logo, the PZero Velo is the tyre that perhaps most will be interested in. Designed to work well across a wide range of weather conditions, the PZero Velo uses the same 127tpi casing as the other tyres but features an intermediate tread design that itself has migrated from Pirelli’s motorcycle division, namely in the firm’s Diablo Supercorsa tyre.
The tread pattern of the PZero Velo tyre mimics that of the company’s Diablo Supercorsa motorcycle tyreOliver Woodman / Immediate Media
The tyre is sold in three sizes: 23mm, 25mm and 28mm. In its lightest form the PZero Velo comes in at 195g, while the 25mm version adds another 15g, its widest 28mm option totals a claimed 230g.
