Technical analysis and 1,000 km of tests for these tires designed for time trial races. The adoption of the classic tread pattern of the P Zero family adds further cornering grip to a clincher that has always been considered very fast. An interesting choice also for amateurs looking for top performances.
The transfer of production Pirelli in Italy it has undoubtedly improved the research, development and overall quality of tires. In the Bollate (MI) plant, the Milanese company’s technicians follow each stage of the roofing construction and seasoning process with a beneficial effect on the final performance.
The new P Zero Race TT they are the maximum expression of Pirelli’s racing soul. The acronym “TT” (Time Trial, time trial) clearly indicates speed trials and the fight against time, the bright red color is the same as the tires used in Formula 1.
They were created to meet the needs of professionals who require extreme smoothness on the straights but also a good grip on the shoulder of the tire to tackle curves and roundabouts safely and without slowing down too much.
In fact, the P Zero Race TTs adopt the same tread compound as the P Zero family, here logically lightened with a LITE version casing, therefore without puncture protection.
This feature combined with the featherweight makes them usable by professionals even in some classics and stages of the grand tours, based on the roughness of the asphalt. Due to the same characteristics, the new P Zero Race TTs also become attractive to amateurs who are looking for every little advantage to express themselves to the max, or just to have fun beating friends and personal Koms.
For our test we chose the smallest size currently available in the Pirelli catalog, 26mm. It’s a size that satisfies the needs of the majority of amateurs, both those who have narrow rims (17mm or so) and those who have wider rims which in themselves improve aerodynamic “drag”. In this sense, choosing a wider 28mm clincher would also increase comfort.
Features and Assembly
The carcass is in 120 TPI Nylon in the LITE version, i.e. lightened and without the anti-puncture band under the tread. The compound is the SmartEVO, characteristic of the P Zero family. This special compound comes from the collaboration with the Pirelli-shod World Tour teams. The Milanese manufacturer’s enormous experience in motor racing has made it possible to create a ternary blend of polymers with “intelligent” behavior, ie capable of improving grip on dry and wet surfaces, while also reducing rolling resistance. In practice SmartEVO is a blend of 3 different polymers with opposite characteristics that work together in perfect balance providing grip and smoothness.
The first thing you notice when you take the P Zero Race TT bikes in your hands is their ridiculous weight. They are very light, built with the care and precision reserved for racing products. The carcass is very flexible and the compound appears soft and adherent to the touch. On the sides of the tread there are the classic Pirelli grooves designed to warm up the compound when cornering, increasing grip when cornering.
Assembly is done with bare hands, effortlessly. The optimal inflation pressure, based on the cyclist’s weight, is indicated by a table inside the package. We found ourselves better with the higher values, dedicated to more aggressive driving.
The P Zero Race TTs are only available in the inner tube version with a single colour, black sides with the Pirelli logo in red, a choice of colors that underlines the racing nature of the TTs and brings back the charm of the “soft” tires used in Formula 1.
There are two sizes in the catalogue: 26mm with a declared weight of 200 grams (but on the Pirelli website they declare 170) and 28mm with a weight of 215 grams (195 on the Pirelli website). On the editorial team’s scales, the 26mm P Zero Race TTs of our test scored one weight of 199 grams. Perfectly within machining tolerances (+/-10%). The prezzo list price is 69.90 euros.
Data sheet
• Measured weight: 199 grams (declared 200 grams)
• Measured width: 26.9 mm (mounting on rim with 19mm internal channel, without vertical load, pressure 7 bar)
• Casing: LITE 120 TPI nylon, without puncture protection
• Compound: SmartEVO
• Headband: collapsible kevlar
• Tubeless: no (use with inner tube)
• Direction of rotation: directional, indicated by an arrow
• Recommended pressure: 6.0 to 8.0 bar (87-115 psi)
• Available sizes: 700x26c, 700x28c
• List price: 69.90 euro
Ranking
Each product submitted to our test receives a judgment on the various objectively determinable functional aspects. Aesthetics and price are not considered, as they are considered parameters resulting from strictly subjective evaluations.
This is our scale of values.
Identikit
In alphabetical order the main features, with our assessment resulting from the test.
• Absorption of bumps
• Tread life
• Ease of assembly/disassembly
• Overall dry performance
• Overall wet performance
• Overall performance on slimy
• Smoothness
Summary of Tests
• Total distance travelled: 1,000 km
• Period of use: from 20 March 2022 to 12 May 2023
• Operating temperatures: from 0°C to +25°C
• Routes covered: mixed, valleys, mountains
• Surface conditions: road surface in variable conditions, from smooth to very damaged, mainly dry asphalt but occasionally slippery, cold and wet.
• Tester data: weight 70.5 kg (without clothing), bicycle weight 8.8 kg (pedals included), clincher operating pressure 7 bar
On the road
The tests took place in spring, in the hilly Brianza area where the conditions of the asphalt, notoriously full of patches, put these tires to the severe test. The drought and high temperatures in April (up to +28°C) replicated the summer weather on abrasive asphalt while the perturbations of the first weeks of May provided the most slippery conditions for asphalt made slimy by oil and petrol residues by the porosity of the road surface.
During our tests we combined both latex and TPU inner tubes with the P Zero Race TT. The former weighed 60 grams and the latter 30 grams. The perceived smoothness is similar, but the lightness of the TPU chambers increases the responsiveness of the wheel. Using butyl inner tubes (100-120 grams) on tires of this level is not recommended as it brings no benefits, except for a modest saving on the cost of purchasing them.
The P Zero Race TTs, thanks to the lightened carcass and tread slightly reduced in thickness compared to the standard, give a feeling of greater connection with the road and a sharper and more precise reading of the asphalt.
Before expressing their full potential, the P Zero Race TTs need to clean the tread of the residues of the lubricants used in production. Take a few tens of kilometers for the central band and a lot of curves for the sidewalls of the tyres. Let’s take the example of the Pro Tour team mechanics who fit new tires from the start knowing that the tread will be perfectly clean when you enter the hot stages of the race.
On the plain
They are very fast, snappy and reactive, born to go fast and on flat straight stretches they do their job perfectly. The P Zero Race TTs seem to have a greater ability to conform to the roughness of the asphalt when passing over it, producing minimal resistance to progress. Considering the reduced thickness of the tread, the bump absorption is more than good.
In words
The very minimal weight of these tires makes the bike reactive, snappy and ready for sudden changes of pace. Their smoothness qualities allow you to maintain a higher pace than usual. On wet asphalt, pushing out of the saddle, the compound offers the right grip to increase speed. In these extreme conditions we have never recorded any loss of grip.
Downhill
Downhill, the P Zero Race TTs guarantee very accurate perception of the road surface. The carcass feels softer and more in tune with the tread than the other tires in the P Zero family. Under braking they are stable and offer good control both on the front wheel, for directionality, and on the rear, to avoid locking.
The great grip guarantees safety and control when entering turns, the start of lean is very homogeneous with good grip. When cornering they are stable and follow the set trajectory well, always remaining smooth and fast.
In wide-ranging curves, the excellent mix of grip and smoothness allows you to hold high speeds with good control of the bike. The limit and loss of adherence are easily predictable.
In the wet you can count on the traditional grip of the Pirelli tires but these P Zero Race TTs are extremely more precise and must be ridden carefully. Before going all out in the rain, it’s best to take a few bends at moderate speed to understand the limit.
Puncture resistance
With this type of tire which is very light and does not have any anti-puncture shield it is advisable to pay close attention to the choice of trajectories and try, as far as possible, to avoid gravel and sharp residues. During our tests we never had a puncture, but a lot also depends on luck. In any case, the tread has not reported the classic cuts due to the passage on the debris usually present on the roadside.
Wear resistance
Time trial tires are not made to last thousands of kilometres, but the new P Zero Race TT tires show limited wear and minimal tread wear after 1,000 km. The rear clincher still retained its spherical shape. Given the reduced thickness of the tread, we expect to reach 2,000 km with the rear clincher without loss of performance, while with the front we expect to reach at least double the distance.
– Website Pirelli Veloworld
Article and photos by Sergio Doria