Road Bike Tire Test: Specialized Turbo Cotton Hell of the North 28
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 10.6 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 40 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 64 Points
- Conclusion: 4.4 / 5 Highly Recommended
- Comments
- Specialized Turbo Cotton Hell of the North 28
(100% is best)
The Specialized Turbo Cotton Hell of the North is a special edition of the regular Turbo Cotton, specifically designed to cater for cobblestones and other harsh conditions that require a tire with more grip and protection than a standard road bike tire. The main difference between the Hell of the North edition and the regular 24 and 26 mm versions of the Turbo Cotton is the tread pattern, which is dimpled in the center and wider to protect the sidewalls against cuts and tears.
Back in 2016, we tested the 24 mm version of the Specialized Turbo Cotton (read our review) and found it to be one of the fastest tube-type (clincher) road bike tires of that time. The 28 mm Hell of the North edition is likely to perform similarly to the 24 mm version in our tests, as both use the same materials, such as the 320 TPI casing material, Blackbelt anti-puncture belt, and Specialized Gripton compound.
In this review, we'll compare the Hell of the North edition mainly to the 24 mm version of the Turbo Cotton. Unfortunately, we didn't have all the tests available in 2016, so some data is missing (tread cover, wet grip). We'll also compare it to other recent tires from Specialized and other tube-type tires from competing brands that we tested in the last five years that contain the full data set.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Specialized |
| Model | Turbo Cotton Hell of the North |
| Year | 2023 |
| Tire Type | Tubetype (clincher) |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | Very High |
| Buy At | |
| Manufacturer part number | 00018-1508 |
| TPI | 320 |
| Compound | Gripton |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 28-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 28 |
| Specified Weight | 260 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 95 |
| Made In | Members Only |
| Available Sizes | 28-622 (700x28c) |
Specialized Turbo Cotton Hell of the North 28 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 260 grams |
| Measured Weight | 253 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + inner tube (100 gr) |
353 grams |
| Measured Width | 28 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | 25 mm (un-round) |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 2.1 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Members Only |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 76 mm |
| Unmounted Tread Width | Members Only |
| Tread Cover (Tread / Casing Ratio) | Members Only |
| All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 100 psi / 6.9 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim. | |
Rolling Resistance Test Results
| Rolling Resistance Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Inner Tube | Conti Race28 Wide (125gr butyl) |
| Measured Width | 28 mm (un-round) |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 132 psi/9.1 bar 25-27 = 120 psi/8.3 bar 28-29 = 108 psi/7.4 barUltra High Air Pressure (108 psi / 7.4 bar) |
10.6 Watts CRR: 0.00318 |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 110 psi/7.6bar 25-27 = 100 psi/6.9 bar 28-29 = 90 psi/6.2 barExtra High Air Pressure (90 psi / 6.2 bar) |
11.6 Watts CRR: 0.00348 |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 88 psi/6.1 bar 25-27 = 80 psi/5.5 bar 28-29 = 72 psi/5.0 barHigh Air Pressure (72 psi /5.0 bar) |
Members Only |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 25-27 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 28-29 = 54 psi/3.7 barMedium Air Pressure (54 psi / 3.7 bar) |
Members Only |
| The Road Bike 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 | 40 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 | 2.1 mm |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Members Only |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Members Only |
| Sidewall Total Tire Thickness | Members Only |
Static Grip Test Results
| Static Grip Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Wet Grip Average | 64 Points |
| Wet Grip Center | Members Only |
| Wet Grip Edge | Members Only |
| Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 Road bike grip test rim width = 19.0 mm |
|
Conclusion
- Specialized Turbo Cotton Hell of the North 28
(100% is best)
After extensive testing, we found that the 28 mm Specialized Turbo Cotton Hell of the North edition performs similarly to the 24 mm Turbo Cotton version. The only notable difference is the wider tread pattern on the Hell of the North, which increases rolling resistance by 5%. If you require additional protection from the wider tread, then the 28 mm Hell of the North may be the better option over the 24 and 26 mm versions of the Turbo Cotton.
However, we were surprised to find that the Turbo Cotton Hell of the North doesn't perform as well as other recent tires in our wet grip tests. This may be a deal breaker if you are looking for a tire to tackle difficult weather conditions. Unfortunately, we don't have the wet grip data for the 24 mm version of the Turbo Cotton, but we expected more from the Gripton compound on a tire designed for harsh conditions.
RATING:
4.4
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Highly Recommended