With racing starting back up in Europe and teams preparing for the rescheduled Grand Tours, Pirelli announces their latest innovation, the TLR and TLR SL Tubeless Ready Tires. Working with men and women’s teams at the highest level of the sport, Pirelli says the new rubber is ready to race at any level.
Pirelli rejoined cycling back in 2017, and has since worked to create a broad range of products for road, gravel, mountain, and urban riding. The P Zero line first brought the Italian brand back to racing in clincher and tubular form. They expanded to other areas, including the Cinturato TLR as their first tubeless road tire, but it is not until the new P Zero Race TLR and TLR SL that they have a race level offering in tubeless form.
Tubeless for the road continues to build in popularity, but the pros are often slower to embrace these types of changes. The format has begun to make inroads in time trials and other races, but tubular tires are still the preferred tire of the peloton. Tubeless has proven to have some of the lowest rolling resistance numbers and you have the added protection of not having a tube for pinch flats and sealant for punctures, but it is still considered to be a new and emerging technology for the road. As more tire and wheel brands release their top-level models in tubeless form, we could start to see the shift begin to happen.
In an evolution of the original SmartNET rubber, the TLR and TLR SL use a new SmartEVO compound. Pulling from Pirelli’s 110 years of experience in performance tires, they use three polymers to find an optimum balance of grip, rolling resistance, and comfort. The difference between the two tires comes in the form of tread and the TechWall liners. The TLR has the same lightning bolt tread pattern that you see on the original P Zero line, and similar to some other brands on the market. This provides a little extra grip in the corners and rougher surfaces, with some sipping in the wet. The TLR SL has two simple grooves down the center, focusing more on speed and weight.
Inside, both tires use the same multi-layer 120tpi casing with a bead to bead TechWall puncture protection, providing a supple platform for the tire with some protection. The TLR adds an additional breaker down the center for additional protection. The additional protection makes the TLR your choice for a high-performance trainer or your all-around race tire. The TLR SL would be better suited for time trials or races on smooth roads. World champions Annemiek van Vleuten and Mads Pedersen, along with other riders like Vincenzo Nibali, have been testing the TLR to build confidence in the new product as racing resumes.
In a smart move with more riders moving to tubeless setups, Pirelli added a tire pressure chart to their packaging, which includes rider weights and rim interior widths. Whether you are riding tubed, tubular, or tubeless, tire pressure is important to get the most out of your ride. Most riders probably tend to ride at a higher pressure than needed, especially as they move to wider tires, so the chart will be a great resource. The charts are based on a 19mm internal width (except the 24mm tire being based on 17mm), although there is a note at the bottom about how to adjust for wider tires. Pirelli has some additional recommendations based on comfort (reduce the front by 5psi), performance (same pressure front and back), or cold temps (reduce both by 5psi).
The TLR is available in 24, 26, 28, and 30mm wide options ranging from 245 to 320g. The TLR SL comes in 24, 26, and 28mm, and weight 15-25g less depending on the size. Pricing is dependant on model, not size. The TLR retails for $79.90, with the TLR SL at $84.90. Both models are available now, and expect to see them in action with the men and women of the Trek-Segafretto and Mitchelton-Scott pro teams in both tubeless and tubular setups as racing starts back up around the world.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
Favorite Rides – Quiet country roads of Amish Country, some of the best roads around.
Food of Choice – Sweet potato roll
Beer of Choice – Unibroue Grand Reserve 17, aged four years
Bourbon of Choice – Widow Jane 10 Year