Pirelli’s P Zero reduces rolling resistance

Milan, Italy – Pirelli is launching its new P ZERO Race TLR, the tubeless version of its clincher tire for road bikes. This product has been redesigned with new technologies and is manufactured in the modernized and innovative Pirelli plant in Milan-Bollate.

The new tubeless ready tire by Pirelli is the fastest of the entire road bike range: this feature is sought not only by amateurs but also by the World Tour teams with which Pirelli collaborates: Trek-Segafredo and AG2R Citroën; more recently also the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.

The P ZERO Race TLR is the result of a complex project that involved many departments of Pirelli’s R&D, as well as the teams that tested it on the ground: it features an innovative technology called SPEEDCORE.

The structure of the P ZERO Race TLR features a tire tread made with the SmartEVO formulation, a cutting-edge compound of polymers created to offer an excellent grip and low rolling resistance. The tire is different in the inside compared to its predecessor: here the use of the new SPEEDCORE technology offers low rolling resistance and great protection from punctures, thus reinforcing the casing – without making it stiff – through the use of aramid fibers. Aramid in fact has chemical-physical features that allow for high resistance to traction, cuts and heat, thus favoring the mechanical properties of the tire itself.

This new technology has been developed thanks to Pirelli’s experience in the field of compounds for racing tires and has allowed for the reduction of rolling resistance, thus improving the smoothness of this tire by 24% compared to the P ZERO Race TLR’s predecessor (Pirelli in-house testing carried out with tires in the size 28-622). The aramid fibers bind evenly with the other chemical elements in the rubber, arranging themselves homogeneously in the structure, thus favoring the high mechanical properties required of low rolling resistance, high puncture resistance and low rigidity. So thanks to SPEEDCORE the structure of the new P ZERO Race TLR is much more flexible and thinner than a traditional butyl rubber layer, with improved mechanical resistance characteristics compared to the previous version of the product and able to offer a better level of puncture protection than a classic bead-to-bead fabric casing.

Compared to the previous version on the market, the weight and excellent grip and reliability characteristics in dry and wet conditions remain unchanged, confirming the product as a reliable and high-performance all-rounder, a benchmark in its category.

P ZERO Race TLR is already available in sizes 26-622, 28-622, 30-622 (all also in the ‘Classic’ version) as well as size 32-622 with black sidewalls. The sizes 35-622 and 40-622 will enter the market later this year.