CX/Gravel Tire Test: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 35

The P Zero Race TLR, with Pirelli's latest SpeedCore casing and compound, produced in Pirelli's new factory in Italy, is one of the best-performing road bike tires at the moment. Unique to the P Zero Race TLR is that it is available in a wide selection of sizes, ranging from 26 mm up to 40 mm, with the 35 and 40 mm versions attracting the interest of gravel bikers and touring bikers looking for a big slick that is as good as it gets.

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We've already tested the 28 mm, 32 mm, and 40 mm versions of the P Zero Race TLR Speedcore, so we already have a good idea of its overall performance.

If you want to know more about the P Zero Race TLR with SpeedCore construction, we recommend reading our review of the 28 mm version, where we delve deeper into the details.

This is our test of the 35 mm Pirelli P Zero Race TLR with SpeedCore construction. We will compare it against the 32 and 40-mm versions of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR, some other 35 - 40 mm slick tires, and some fast 35-mm gravel bike tires.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Pirelli
Model	P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	4155400
EAN	8019227415544
TPI	120
Compound	SmartEvo
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	35-622
Specified Weight	400 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	80
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	26-622 (700x26c) 28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) 32-622 (700x32c) 35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c)

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 35 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	400 grams
Measured Weight	395 grams
Measured Width Casing	33 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	30 mm
Measured Height	30 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.0 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	3.40 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	33 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (60 psi / 4.1 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (50 psi / 3.4 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (40 psi / 2.8 bar)	16.3 Watts CRR: 0.00489
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (30 psi / 2.1 bar)	19.9 Watts CRR: 0.00597
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	66 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	3.40 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	83 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.0 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The 35 mm version of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR offers more performance than the 40 mm version we recently tested. The 35 mm version is more similar to the 32 mm version when we look at rolling resistance; it comes very close to the 32 mm version at higher air pressures, and only at the lowest air pressures does the rolling resistance of the 35 start to rise more quickly.

We also see that the thickness of the tire has increased again when compared to the 28 mm and 32 mm versions. It is slightly thinner than the 40 mm version, but when comparing all P Zero Race TLR sizes with Pro View, we observe a clear trend where the P Zero Race TLR thickness increases by about 0.2 mm per size.

Regarding sizing, the 35 is closer to the 32 than the 40. We believe that Pirelli has already considered that the 35 will be used on wider rims, which somewhat affects the volume when comparing the tires on the same rim. Nevertheless, from a performance perspective, the 35 mm version is a nice addition if you want more volume than the 32.

Compare the 32, 35, and 40 mm versions of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR on our comparison section.

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RATING: 5.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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