CX/Gravel Tire Test: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore 40

Pirelli announced the 40 mm version of the P Zero Race TLR at the beginning of 2023, and we've waited a long time for this tire to become available. The 40 mm version was already one of our Pro Members voting winners back in 2023, and we checked the availability weekly for the next 6 months, but it never showed up in stock. We're pretty sure it was never available until September/October 2024, but today we can finally present our test/review of the 40 mm Pirelli P Zero Race TLR with SpeedCore casing.

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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 40 mm version attracting the interest of gravel bikers and touring bikers looking for a big slick that is as good as it gets.

We've already tested the 28 mm and 32 mm versions of the P Zero Race TLR Speedcore, so we already have a good idea of its overall performance. We find the test of the 40 mm version interesting as we've seen some cases where the bigger versions of the same road bike tire come with a thicker tread or extra layers of casing material. If you want to know precisely how your tires are going to perform, there's no other option than testing and measuring.

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 40 mm Pirelli P Zero Race TLR with SpeedCore construction. We will compare it against the 28 and 32-mm versions of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR, some other 35 - 40 mm slick tires, and a wide selection of 40-mm gravel bike tires.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Pirelli
Model	P Zero Race TLR SpeedCore
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	4155500
EAN	8019227415551
TPI	120
Compound	SmartEvo
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	455 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	73
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 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	455 grams
Measured Weight	456 grams
Measured Width Casing	37 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	35 mm
Measured Height	35 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.0 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	3.60 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	37 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 (54 psi / 3.7 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 (45 psi / 3.1 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 (36 psi / 2.6 bar)	17.0 Watts CRR: 0.00510
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 (27 psi / 1.9 bar)	20.4 Watts CRR: 0.00612
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	73 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	3.60 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	82 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 40 mm version of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR has grown not only in size but also in tread thickness and tread puncture resistance. We see the tread thickness go up to 3.6 mm from 3.0 mm for the 28 mm version and 3.2 mm for the 32 mm, and we see the result of this in the rolling resistance tests where the 40 mm is the slowest rolling P Zero Race TLR.

There is probably a structural reason for the increased thickness, but we're disappointed that the 40 mm version is becoming more of a fast touring bike tire than a big road bike tire. From a puncture resistance point of view, it should be the other way around with tubeless-ready tires as the bigger tires run at lower air pressures and will re-seal much easier in case of a puncture; we simply don't see why 73 points of tread puncture resistance are required for a tire like the P Zero Race TLR.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a slick tire with excellent puncture resistance and tread thickness that comes a bit closer to the touring bike category, the 40 mm P Zero Race TLR might be what you're looking for.

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RATING: 4.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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