00:00There are multiple ways to inflate your road bike tires. Some of the most popular ways include the
00:05standard trusty butyl inner tube, TPU smart tubes, and of course, tubeless. But out of these three
00:12different ways, what actually is the fastest setup? Well, to find out, we've come here to the
00:18Silverstone Sports Engineering Testing Facility, where we're going to be using its rolling
00:23resistance rig. Then we can find out out of the three, which really is the fastest out on the
00:29road. Now, before we start any testing, we have to set some baseline parameters to ensure
00:40that all of the testing is fair. We'll be using the Pirelli P-Zero Race TLR tires with the new
00:47updated Speedcore casing for the tubeless test and the Pirelli P-Zero Race tires for both of
00:53the clincher setups, all of which will be in a 28c tire size. These tires sit at the top of Pirelli's
01:01road race offering and work as the perfect testbed for today. The tires are made in the brand's
01:07Italian factory over in Milan and make use of the most up-to-date technologies, meaning they're
01:13perfect for anyone who wants to go fast without compromise. In fact, the latest TLR version features
01:20Pirelli's new Speedcore casing and it's claimed that this new technology has resulted in a 24% reduction
01:27in rolling resistance, so we should be in for some fascinating results. And to keep everything as
01:34fair as possible, I'll also be using Pirelli's own inner tubes, smart tubes and sealant. The tires
01:41have been mounted to the same fast-forward front wheels, all of which have been pre-set up and have
01:46had over 48 hours sat in the testing facility to ensure that they are fully acclimatized to that
01:53environment. I'll be using this digital Topeak pressure gauge and Joe Blow floor pump to ensure that the
01:59pressures are all exactly the same, which for this test will be six bar. Then, when the tires are on the
02:07rig, each tire will be run on a 10-minute warm-up cycle. Then, we'll run them at two speeds, 25 kilometers per
02:14hour and 40 kilometers per hour, each three times, which will give us some very accurate numbers to
02:21work off. We'll be monitoring the sidewall temperature, the environment temperature and, of course,
02:26those all-important wattage numbers. So, without further ado, let's get going.
02:44So, with the testing concluded, we now have some pretty interesting numbers to have a look at. We'll
02:57first start with the standard Butyl inner tube. Of course, it still very much has its place in the market
03:03and poses a convenient and cost-effective way of setting up your road wheels. The scores on the doors
03:09are as follows. At 24 kilometers per hour, it created 12.8 watts of rolling resistance. However,
03:18at 40 kilometers per hour, it created 24 watts of resistance. So, now that we have the first set of
03:25numbers, let's move on to those Pirelli smart tubes. It created 11.38 watts of resistance at 24 kilometers
03:35per hour and 21.2 watts at 40 kilometers per hour. So, we have already seen a drop in resistance to the
03:44tune of nearly 3 watts. And that's just on one wheel. On to the tubular setup, which makes use of those
03:51P0 race TLR tires. And at 24 kilometers per hour, it created 11.2 watts of resistance. And at 40 kilometers
04:01per hour, it created 20.88 watts. So, compared to the standard inner tubes, the tubeless tires have saved
04:09well over 3 watts per wheel. And compared to the Pirelli smart tubes, it has saved a third of a watt
04:16at 40 kilometers per hour. I think these numbers paint quite an interesting picture. It shows that
04:22the standard inner tubes, although slower, still have a place in the market. But if you really do want to go
04:29fast, the P0 race TLR tires are the way to go. However, if you want to enjoy a clincher setup,
04:36then by using the Pirelli smart tubes, you can increase the performance of the Pirelli P0 race
04:41tire to almost match that of the tubeless version. It's not just rolling resistance that makes you
04:48fast, but instead what the tires feel like when you're out on the tarmac. Reducing feedback through
04:55the bike means that as a rider, you'll be less fatigued and be able to put out more power for
05:01longer. And in my experience, this is where tubeless makes a dramatic difference. The ability to run a
05:08lower pressure means you can achieve just that. Also, the measured widths of the tires actually varied
05:15quite a lot. Despite all the tires being 28C in size, the setups with the inner tubes and smart tubes
05:22measured at 27.7 millimeters across the wheel, while the tubeless setup came in at 28.4 millimeters.
05:29So for the least amount of rolling resistance, we were able to enjoy the largest contact patch with
05:35the road. A bigger contact patch results in more grip and comfort, and that is especially important
05:42when you want to increase your speed in the corners or just over some rough terrain.
05:47Another factor to consider is the weight. A standard butyl inner tube generally comes in at around 100
05:55grams. However, the Pirelli smart tubes, they come in at about 35 grams. And it's a similar story with
06:02the sealant too, because for the 40 milliliters that you get in one of those little bottles,
06:07that comes in at about 45 grams. By reducing the weight of the wheels, especially right at the rim,
06:15you'll be able to take advantage of a faster accelerating wheel, making it easier to attack
06:20on the climbs and just beat your mates in the sprints. But this leads me on to another consideration
06:26that you should be thinking about, and that's puncture protection. Happily, these P-Zero race tires
06:34are equipped with Pirelli's Speedcore technology, meaning that the tires aren't just fast rolling,
06:40but they also contain some puncture protection. However, by opting for the TLR tires, if you do
06:46get a puncture, then the sealant will be able to take care of it, meaning that you can keep on riding.
06:53Whereas on the tube setup, you may have to stop to make a repair.
06:57So what can we take away from all of this information? Well, smart tubes make a lot of
07:05sense for those wanting a lightweight setup and one which is almost as fast as a tubeless one.
07:12But if you're looking to go as fast as possible everywhere, from the results,
07:17the P-Zero race TLR tires certainly steal the crown. They're the fastest rolling, they have the
07:22biggest contact patch with the road, aiding in grip and comfort, and in the event that you do get a
07:28puncture, well, you should be able to keep on riding. They certainly represent themselves as a
07:34high-quality option. Quite frankly, if they are good enough for Trek-Segafrido's Mads Pedersen,
07:39then I've no doubt that they will perform for you too. Happily, these tires sit within Pirelli's wider
07:46range of road tires. So, if you're after other performance tires manufactured in Pirelli's
07:52purpose-built factory in Italy, where the highest standards of quality control and technical
07:57capability are harnessed, covering a multitude of different price points and offering different
08:03features for different conditions, then just head to the link below to discover what could be right
08:08for you. Let me know down below, given the results, which setup would you opt for? If you enjoyed the
08:15video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content and I will see you again very soon.
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