Pirelli Tyres

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bpsmith

Veteran
Has anyone tried any of the new Pirelli tyres that have just arrived in stores?

Intrigued to hear what they’re like.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Black, round, rubbery?
 

Andrew_P

In between here and there
I like them, I like trying new things, I am a marketing dept. dream consumer. Cannot really give anymore of report than that only 50 miles in.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Agreed, an excellent site but it’s only part of the story.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
"Pirelli believes that not enough attention is paid to the tread of a tyre, and, if a company gets it right it can be hugely influential in how a tyre rides.
"Positioning and shape are influential, and for this reason Pirelli has opted for a “functional groove design”, or Flash groove for short. Here, the shape is fundamental. "At the centre of the tyre, its longitudinal, whereas when leaning the tyre over it becomes radial.
"It’s also a shape that helps water drainage, increasing grip when the conditions are foul."
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/product-news/pirelli-pzero-velo-336087#C2jiW0GRkFFLzMEg.99
Schwalbe: What does the tire tread do?
"On a normal, smooth road, the tread has only limited influence on the riding
properties. The grip generated by the tire on the road is almost exclusively the
result of the rubber compound. Even in wet conditions, a slick tire actually provides
better grip than a tire with a tread, because the contact area is larger."
 
Tread pattern might have a role to play in marginal improvements, and it can make a difference for elite riders, those marginal improvements might mean the differnce between a 2 or 3 second lead or a photo finish... that said, it all depends on the road surface.

For everyone else, as Schwabe have cottoned on, a 1% improvement in rolling resistance doesn't justify the extra tens of thousands that need to be spent on R&D of tread patterns. Focus on getting the rubber compound right, and the tread pattern is almost irrelevant.

Improving tread pattern results in increasing the cost of the final product, because the manufacturer has to produce and test lots of prototypes, this cost has to be recouped by the company through the consumer at the till. Pirelli are hyping their tread for marketing purposes. They looks like a good tyre nonetheless.

As Ajax says though, the slick tyres actually offer better grip on smooth wet surfaces, but don't forget if the compounds differ, a tyre with a tread pattern but superior compound may still offer more grip than a cheapo slick tyre with inferior compound.
 
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If I had to decided on a tyre, I'd just pick a best value in class for the type of riding I do most often, and stick with it. Personally, I had one too many offs with a pair of slick 25mm tyres, so opted for the best grip tyres I could find for my budget.

Tyres are consumables, so if you make a bad decision, it's only a few thousand miles before you get to replace them anyway, most of us are not trying to win races, just don't sweat it and enjoy the ride with what you have, providing you are confident on they won't slip out from under you on a tight corner.
 
OP
OP
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bpsmith

Veteran
I like them, I like trying new things, I am a marketing dept. dream consumer. Cannot really give anymore of report than that only 50 miles in.
I am the same, but I do like to research said marketing a touch. Got Vittoria Corsa’s recently and they feel really nice.

My other bike is begging for similar, so interested in any updates you may have as you ride more.
 
OP
OP
B

bpsmith

Veteran
I look forward to trying a pair in 2023 when my current stock of half used tyres are sufficiently worn. Come back then for my verdict.
:okay:

This excellent site gets in to the nitty gritty...
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/pirelli-p-zero-velo-2017
Forgot to check back there, after looking back in July. Cheers for reminding me.

Tests look very similar to my old favourite the GP4000S. Not setting the world alight, in comparison, but they are very hard to beat. Real world reviews might shed further light then.
 
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