00:00There are multiple ways to inflate your road bike tyres.
00:03Some of the most popular ways include the standard trusty butyl inner tube,
00:07TPU smart tubes, and of course, tubeless.
00:11But out of these three different ways, what actually is the fastest setup?
00:16Well, to find out, we've come here to the Silverstone Sports Engineering Testing Facility,
00:21where we're going to be using its rolling resistance rig.
00:24Then we can find out out of the three, which really is the fastest out on the road.
00:34Now, before we start any testing, we have to set some baseline parameters
00:39to ensure that all of the testing is fair.
00:43We'll be using the Pirelli P0 Race TLR tyres with the new updated Speedcore casing for the tubeless test
00:50and the Pirelli P0 Race tyres for both of the clincher setups,
00:55all of which will be in a 28c tyre size.
00:58These tyres sit at the top of Pirelli's road race offering and work as the perfect testbed for today.
01:06The tyres are made in the brand's Italian factory over in Milan and make use of the most up-to
01:11-date technologies,
01:12meaning they're perfect for anyone who wants to go fast without compromise.
01:17In fact, the latest TLR version features Pirelli's new Speedcore casing and it's claimed that this new technology has resulted
01:25in a 24% reduction in rolling resistance.
01:29So, we should be in for some fascinating results.
01:32And, to keep everything as fair as possible, I'll also be using Pirelli's own inner tubes, smart tubes and sealant.
01:40The tyres have been mounted to the same fast-forward front wheels, all of which have been pre-set up
01:45and have had over 48 hours sat in the testing facility
01:49to ensure that they are fully acclimatised to that environment.
01:54I'll be using this digital Top Peak pressure gauge and Joe Blow floor pump to ensure that the pressures are
02:00all exactly the same,
02:01which, for this test, will be 6 bar.
02:05Then, when the tyres are on the rig, each tyre will be run on a 10-minute warm-up cycle.
02:11Then, we'll run them at two speeds, 25kmh and 40kmh, each three times, which will give us some very accurate
02:21numbers to work off.
02:22We'll be monitoring the sidewall temperature, the environment temperature and, of course, those all-important wattage numbers.
02:29So, without further ado, let's get going.
02:50So, with the testing concluded, we now have some pretty interesting numbers to have a look at.
02:57We'll first start with the standard Butyl inner tube.
03:00Of course, it still very much has its place in the market and poses a convenient and cost-effective way
03:06of setting up your road wheels.
03:08The scores on the doors are as follows.
03:11At 24kmh, it created 12.8 watts of rolling resistance.
03:17However, at 40kmh, it created 24 watts of resistance.
03:23So, now that we have the first set of numbers, let's move on to those Pirelli smart tubes.
03:29It created 11.38 watts of resistance at 24kmh and 21.2 watts at 40kmh.
03:40So, we have already seen a drop in resistance to the tune of nearly 3 watts.
03:46And that's just on one wheel.
03:48On to the tubeless setup, which makes use of those P0 race TLR tires.
03:53And at 24kmh, it created 11.2 watts of resistance.
03:59And at 40kmh, it created 20.88 watts.
04:05So, compared to the standard inner tubes, the tubeless tires have saved well over 3 watts per wheel.
04:12And compared to the Pirelli smart tubes, it has saved a third of a watt at 40kmh.
04:18I think these numbers paint quite an interesting picture.
04:21It shows that the standard inner tubes, although slower, still have a place in the market.
04:27But if you really do want to go fast, the P0 race TLR tires are the way to go.
04:33However, if you want to enjoy a clincher setup, then by using the Pirelli smart tubes,
04:38you can increase the performance of the Pirelli P0 race tire to almost match that of the tubeless version.
04:45It's not just rolling resistance that makes you fast, but instead what the tires feel like when you're out on
04:52the tarmac.
04:53Reducing feedback through the bike means that as a rider, you'll be less fatigued and be able to put out
04:59more power for longer.
05:01And in my experience, this is where tubeless makes a dramatic difference.
05:07The ability to run a lower pressure means you can achieve just that.
05:11Also, the measured widths of the tires actually varied quite a lot.
05:16Despite all the tires being 28C in size, the setups with the inner tubes and smart tubes measured at 27
05:23.7mm across the wheel,
05:25while the tubeless setup came in at 28.4mm.
05:29So, for the least amount of rolling resistance, we were able to enjoy the largest contact patch with the road.
05:36A bigger contact patch results in more grip and comfort,
05:40and that is especially important when you want to increase your speed in the corners or just over some rough
05:46terrain.
05:48Another factor to consider is the weight.
05:51A standard butyl inner tube generally comes in at around 100 grams.
05:56However, the Pirelli smart tubes, they come in at about 35 grams.
06:01And it's a similar story with the sealant too,
06:03because for the 40 milliliters that you get in one of those little bottles,
06:07that comes in at about 45 grams.
06:10By reducing the weight of the wheels, especially right at the rim,
06:15you'll be able to take advantage of a faster accelerating wheel,
06:19making it easier to attack on the climbs and just beat your mates in the sprints.
06:23But this leads me on to another consideration that you should be thinking about,
06:28and that's puncture protection.
06:31Happily, these PZero race tires are equipped with Pirelli's Speedcore technology,
06:36meaning that the tyres aren't just fast rolling,
06:40but they also contain some puncture protection.
06:43However, by opting for the TLR tyres,
06:46if you do get a puncture, then the sealant will be able to take care of it,
06:50meaning that you can keep on riding.
06:53Whereas on the tube setup, you may have to stop to make a repair.
06:59So, what can we take away from all of this information?
07:02Well, smart tubes make a lot of sense for those wanting a lightweight setup
07:07and one which is almost as fast as a tubeless one.
07:12But if you're looking to go as fast as possible everywhere,
07:16from the results, the PZero race TLR tyres certainly steal the crown.
07:20They're the fastest rolling,
07:22they have the biggest contact patch with the road,
07:24aiding in grip and comfort,
07:26and in the event that you do get a puncture,
07:29well, you should be able to keep on riding.
07:31They certainly represent themselves as a high-quality option.
07:36Quite frankly, if they are good enough for Trek Segafrido's Mads Pedersen,
07:40then I've no doubt that they will perform for you too.
07:43Happily, these tyres sit within Pirelli's wider range of road tyres.
07:48So, if you're after other performance tyres
07:50manufactured in Pirelli's purpose-built factory in Italy,
07:54where the highest standards of quality control
07:56and technical capability are harnessed,
07:59covering a multitude of different price points
08:01and offering different features for different conditions,
08:04then just head to the link below
08:07to discover what could be right for you.
08:09Let me know down below,
08:11given the results,
08:12which setup would you opt for?
08:14If you enjoyed the video,
08:16then please do drop it a like,
08:17subscribe to the channel for more content,
08:19and I will see you again very soon.
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