Specialized has grown into a big player in the tyre market. The S-Works Turbo is a high-performance offering that provides very good road handling and speed – a good choice even if your frame doesn’t say Specialized on the down tube.
It’s a keenly priced tyre available in three widths – 24mm, 26mm and 28mm – and it also comes in a tubeless version.
The company’s own Gripton tread pattern is shared across its entire tyre range and delivers a nice blend of fast-rolling speed, reliable grip and durability.
The wear rate is a little on the high side compared to some other tyres in this category but that’s partly offset by the relatively inexpensive price, which is half that of some tyres.
A BlackBelt layer inside the 120 TPI (threads per inch) casing helps to prevent punctures, and while the tread does cut a little easier than some of the tyres I had on test, penetration to the inner tube never occurred during a long testing period. It was one of the lightest weight tyres on test, though.
The 28mm tyre measured wider than expected on a 19mm internal rim width, ballooning to almost 30mm, so that’s something to be aware of if tyre clearance is limited on your frame.
That extra volume results in the S-Works Turbo delivering good levels of comfort when the road surface is poorly maintained, though, and at lower pressures the ride quality is generally very plush. However, they’re not quite as supple-feeling as some.
How we tested
We put 12 tubed and tubeless clincher 28mm road tyres head-to-head to see which you should spend your money on.
28mm is considered the sweet-spot width for rolling speed, comfort and weight, with wider tyres offering lower rolling resistance and more traction. Even though they’re heavier and less aero than 23mm tyres, for example, the positives can outweigh the negatives, especially over long-distance cyclists.
Tyres are an easy upgrade, too, and add more comfort to your ride with a greater volume of air between you and rough roads.
- Bontrager R3 Hard Case Lite TLR 28mm
- Cadex Race
- Challenge Paris-Roubaix TLR Vulcanized 27mm
- Continental Grand Prix 5000 clincher
- Continental Grand Prix 5000 TL 28mm
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Tubeless
- Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance 11Storm
- Michelin Power Road Clincher
- Pirelli P Zero Race TLR 28mm
- Schwalbe Pro One TLE
- Vittoria Corsa TLR G2.0
Product
| Brand | specialized |
| Price | 85.00 AUD,40.00 EUR,38.00 GBP,55.00 USD |
| Weight | 240.0000, GRAM (700 x 28mm) - |
Features
| br_TPI | 120 |
| br_bead | Folding |
| br_punctureProtection | BlackBelt |
| br_tyreSizes | 24, 26, 28mm |
