Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tyre review

The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR is a tyre with pedigree – the previous generation was among the top-rated all-round performance tyres we’ve tested to date.

This latest version of the tyre launched in early spring 2023, with claims of reduced rolling resistance and improved puncture protection, while thinning the carcass for improved road feel.

In terms of rolling resistance, the new tyre topped our lab test versus its main competitors. On the road, it impressed with its fast-feeling, efficient experience, bags of grip and involving ride quality.

In short, there is very little to dislike about the P Zero Race TLR tyre – it has (re)cemented its place among the very best all-round performance road bike tyres available today.

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR details and specifications

With the latest-generation P Zero Race TLR tyre, Pirelli sought to improve the hidden recipe, rather than completely overhauling everything.

The brand has stuck with its motorsport-derived SmartEVO compound, while it has also left the low-profile tread pattern untouched – two key components that helped its predecessor earn a 4.5-star score.

Under the skin, though, the carcass saw an overhaul with the inclusion of aramid fibres, which the brand says are chemically bound with the rubber layer of the tyre. Pirelli calls this construction technology ‘Speedcore’.

Pirelli says this enabled it to make the P Zero Race TLR casing thinner and more flexible.

In turn, this is claimed to reduce rolling resistance by 24 per cent, and bring about improved suppleness.

In something amounting to a holy grail combination, the Speedcore construction is also claimed to improve puncture resistance compared to broadly seen nylon-only casings, or traditional cotton casings (as used in the Vittoria Corsa Pro).

The casing still has a nylon basis, though, woven into a 120 TPI (threads-per-inch) arrangement.

The tyre is available in an impressive range of sizes. There’s the common 700x26, 28, 30 and 32c options, plus more all-road ready 35 and 40c variants.

The colour options are varied too, with black and tan (‘classic’) sidewalls, plus colour print variants of some of the black-sidewalled tyres. These break down as:

• Black sidewall, silver print: 700x26, 28, 30, 32, 35, 40c
• Black sidewall, white print: 700x26, 28, 30c
• Black sidewall, yellow print: 700x26, 28, 30c
• Black sidewall, red print: 700x26, 28, 30c
• Classic sidewall, black print: 700x26, 28, 30c

Although you’re limited to the standard black/silver colour, should you prefer a 32c tyre or larger, this is the biggest spread available of any performance road tyre on the market today.

I tested a 28c model with the silver print, which weighed 310g on my trusty scales. That’s almost equal to the Goodyear Eagle F1 R tyre, but around 30g heavier than an equivalent-sized Continental GP5000 S TR, and 40-50g heavier than the Schwalbe Pro One TLE.

Interestingly, it’s 11g heavier than the previous Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tyre, despite claims of weight remaining unchanged.

The tyre is also on a par with many of its competitors regarding price. In the UK, prices get marginally higher the bigger the tyre (while in the US, EU and Australia the prices remain constant), but the 700x28c size costs £78.99/$99.90/€84.90/AU$139.90.

Notably, the Panaracer Agilest TLR offers a (slightly) left-field option at £60 per tyre, while the Goodyear Eagle F1 R stands out among the big brand names at £65/$80/€70.

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR installation and tubeless setup

The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tyre was installed in a Hunt 54 Aerodynamicist Carbon Disc wheelset for testing.

It was among the easiest fitting experiences I’ve had. Despite the construction being almost equal in weight to the Goodyear Eagle F1 R, I found it easier to manipulate it over the bead, just needing one lever to finish off the job.

The tyre shapes up round out of the box, which tends to make the job easier overall.

I only needed a track pump to seat the beads, the tyre creating a close-enough seal on the rim shoulder before popping into place under pressure.

The tyre inflated to a noteworthy 27.3mm at 80psi/5.5 BAR, one of the narrowest in this test despite the 20mm internal rim width. On paper, it should plump out to at least 28mm given the 28c nominal size, according to the ETRTO.

I also found its profile was slightly more rounded than the Michelin Power Cup TLR, Goodyear Eagle F1 or Continental GP5000 S TR.

While the difference is small, tyre shape can have an effect on the overall ride experience (more on this to come).

With 30ml of tubeless sealant in each tyre, the P Zero Race TLR tyre held onto its air well, rivalling the ENVE SES tyre, which is one of the least leaky performance road tyres I’ve tested to date.

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR rolling resistance

On the basis of our rolling resistance testing alone, it’s little wonder that Pirelli calls its updated casing construction ‘SpeedCore’.

The latest P Zero TLR topped our test at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub lab, producing just 11.86 watts of rolling resistance at 30kph.

This was only 0.22 watts less than the Schwalbe Pro One TLE, the second most efficient tyre on test, but still – a win’s a win.

More significantly, this was 4.82 watts less than the least efficient tyre on test, the Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR.

For a pair of tyres, you’re looking at a potential saving of 9.64 watts at 30kph by picking the Pirellis over the Vittorias.

To put that in perspective, that’s nearly the same performance difference as switching from a basic alloy wheelset to a set of deep-section carbon rims (which saved 10.17 watts at 35kph in our recent wind tunnel test).

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR ride impressions

On the road, I could find little to criticise if speed, ride feel and grip are top of the tyre performance wishlist.

The P Zero Race TLR clearly rolls efficiently, as demonstrated by our lab test, but it affirms this with a noticeable lack of tyre roar.

While it can’t be inferred that low roar necessarily equals less rolling resistance, the lack of noise certainly gives the impression of efficiency. It’s also a blessed relief on quiet back roads.

The tyre delivers excellent ride feel – on a par with the best all-round performance tyres I’ve ridden to date (albeit the Vittoria Corsa Pro impressed fellow tyre geek Simon von Bromley in this regard with its cotton casing).

The fact that the SmartEVO compound (or tread pattern) hasn’t changed means I wouldn’t encourage anyone running the previous-generation tyre to rush out and buy a new set. The grip levels remain the same, and that’s a good thing.

Like the Goodyear Eagle F1 R, the weight penalty compared to lighter tyres, on paper, is hardly noticeable in the vast majority of riding scenarios.

If I were turning up to a race a hill climb event tomorrow, or dedicating myself to an all-out time trial up a mountain such as Alpe d’Huez, I’d think twice about whether I’d want to run something lighter.

That said, if I were to fit specialist tyres for equally specialist cases, I’d more likely look towards a tyre such as the P Zero Race TLR SL or Continental GP5000 TT TR, than the closest competitor all-round performance tyres.

Notably, I was surprised that the P Zero Race TLR shaped up as narrow (27.3mm) and rounded as it did on the Hunt test wheels.

The relatively slim profile served to make the bike’s overall handling feel marginally less stable compared to the Michelin Power Cup TLR and Goodyear Eagle F1 R in testing (both of which plump out to a squarer profile and over 28mm wide).

Effectively, I felt as though I was ‘rolling’ over the more rounded profile more easily when tipping into a bend than I did with a broader tyre.

I suspect racers and similarly invested riders with a particular sensitivity to their bike’s handling might find this a bigger issue to navigate than most (in fairness, though, some might prefer the quickened steering sensation this brings).

Having said this, importantly, the measured width doesn’t unduly affect comfort when run at the same tyre pressure as competitors.

The construction does a good job of smoothing road buzz – if it isn’t quite as compliant as the Goodyear Eagle F1 or Continental GP5000 S TR overall, the difference is slight and arguably made up for by the stellar performance in our rolling resistance test, especially if that matters more to you.

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR bottom line

The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR is one of the best all-round performance tyres available today.

It offers a racy blend of low rolling resistance and ride quality, without sacrificing practical grip and puncture resistance.

The tyre sizes up relatively small compared to some rivals, which impacted comfort marginally and served to slightly sharpen my bike’s handling. These are traits that will bother some more than others.

While the Pirelli P Zero is therefore not a clear-cut victor in every department, for those seeking a fast, supple and grippy all-round performance tyre, it deserves a spot on the top shelf.