The best tubeless road bike performance tyres will not only elevate your performance but also increase your riding comfort and enjoyment
Everybody knows that better tyres are the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to improve the feel of your best road bike, but is there any real difference between the manufacturers when it comes to their race rubber?
The sister article to this, the Best tubeless road bike endurance tyres buying guide, looked at tyres that were skewed more towards longevity and puncture protection rather than speed and feel. In contrast, these tubeless performance tyres offer less rolling resistance and a more supple ride. However, these tyres still provide a degree of puncture resistance and should last a good few thousand kilometres, making them ideal for use on the best road bikes or for racing. Some brands do make faster tyres than these, but they lack the puncture protection that these have and are typically intended for time trial and/or professional use when the seconds really, really count.
Pirelli P Zero Race TLR and Vittoria Corsa Pro performance tyres
We chose to use 28mm tyres for comparison, as most frames available today have clearance for this size, whether disc or rim brake, but as you will see, there was a reasonable variation in terms of real width as opposed to claimed width.
As well as the tyre’s ride and feel, ease of setup and air retention are also important, as no one wants to constantly re-inflate their tyres. Again, there was a fair variance in the tyres’ performance in this department, as my triceps will attest to - my track pump and arms got a good workout.
For the test, each tyre was inflated using an Airshot at 130psi and then ridden at 60psi, which is my usual pressure for 28mm tyres. I used one of our favourite and best-performing sealants, Muc-off No Puncture Hassle, with around 30ml per tyre, and each tyre was mounted onto my hooked HED Jet Black wheels with an internal width of 21mm.
Best overall
Best overall
The evergreen P Zero Race TLR did everything well; it was easy to mount, held air well and felt both comfortable and quick on the road.
The latest iteration of Continental's performance tyre is another classic. Straightforward to mount and familiar-feeling on the road but this pair struggled with air retention.
The Corsa Pro is the benchmark for tyre suppleness and compliance, giving a superbly comfortable and quick ride. Its tubeless abilities weren't so impressive though, and air retention was an issue throughout the test.
Brilliant air retention and loads of width options make the Pro One TLE a reasonable option, but its ride quality falls slightly short of the best available on this test.
The impressive sounding SpeedCORE and SmartEVO technology take care of the tubeless setup and grip/rolling resistance. The SmartEVO rubber compound borrows motorsport technology in conjunction with Pirelli’s WorlTour riders. It promises durability and all-weather grip. Air retention comes courtesy of SpeedCORE, which uses a layer of airtight material within the tyre to help keep it inflated whilst still being flexible enough for a supple ride.
Three colours, six widths and even a choice of colours for the graphics.
The set-up
Very simple - nudge on with tyre levers, inflate, ride. This also matches my experience with other Pirelli TLR tyres, so I don’t think that this was just luck, Pirelli really seems to have nailed the tubeless thing. Both tyres stayed inflated from the start without any problems.
Pirelli P Zero Race TLR
The ride
There is a good reason that, along with the GP5000S TR, the P Zero Race TLR is so prevalent on the road - the ride is excellent. Vibrations and poor tarmac are muted more noticeably than with the other tyres tested (except the Corsa Pro), yet there is still an encouragingly lively feel to them so you don’t feel that your efforts are being wasted. Weight is a few grams over what is claimed, and at the higher end of the spectrum for these kinds of tyres, but that in no way manifested itself out on the road.
The successor to the low-key Fusion 5 Performance, the Blackbird moves the game on significantly for Hutchinson. The Mach 3 rubber and SwiftEasy casing combine to reduce rolling resistance by 10% Hutchinson claims, whilst there is polyamide reinforcement under the tread to prevent pesky punctures. The sidewalls benefit from 3 x 127 TPI with one of these layers replaced by the puncture protection under the tread.
Currently available in limited sizes, but with a choice of black or tan sidewalls.
The set-up
Definitely a game of three halves. Both tyres went onto the wheels without recourse to levers, but they then struggled to hold air for a number of days and I got rather frustrated at finding them flat every morning. However, unlike the Corsa Pros, once my daily pump-and-shake routine finally succeeded, they held air very well indeed. Initial bad luck or poor technique maybe, but with a promised lifespan of over 4,000km at least you won’t have to do it very often. Weight was a smidge under the claimed 290 grams for both tyres.
Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR
The ride
The Blackbird was a nice tyre to ride and instilled both a sense of confidence and an urgent feel to every outing. Whilst certainly not as supple as the Vittorias, they were similar to something like the GP5000S TR, which given the tyre’s supposed durability and reasonable price is quite remarkable. Although I tested them at 60psi for a fair comparison, they benefited from an even lower pressure, resulting in a little more compliance without affecting the speed.
As part of Goodyear’s ‘Ultra High Performance’ range, the Eagle F1 R gets their premium Dynamic: UHP rubber, with the tyre apparently reducing rolling resistance by 13% compared to the previous Eagle F1. There is a Shield R puncture protection strip under the centre of the tread. The carcass only has a single layer of 120tpi casing underneath the tread to aid suppleness with a double layer around the sides. There is also an additional airtight layer to help with tubeless setup that earns the Eagle F1 R the Tubeless Complete moniker.
Five widths and two colour options cover most bases.
The set-up
The Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Tubeless Complete endurance tyre that I tested recently was a little disappointing on the air retention front, but the Eagle F1 R was pretty impressive. They were a snug fit on the rims, with tyre levers definitely required, but once in place, they held air very well indeed. They only needed topping up every week or so, much like many tube-type tyres and I would have no qualms taking them on a multi-day trip.
Goodyear Eagle F1 R Tubeless Complete
The ride
On the road, they felt broadly like the Blackbird and the GP5000S TR. The tyres did a very reasonable job of damping down vibrations and taking the edge off deeper holes in the tarmac, albeit not quite as well as the P Zero Race or the Corsa Pros. At the same time, I liked their rewarding ride and racy feel - they felt right at home on my summer bike whether out on the Sunday club run or exploring some of the smaller Peak District roads on my own.
Continental GP5000S TR
Our expert review:
The tech
Continental offer up a bunch of catchy-sounding names for the tech used in the GP5000S TR. BlackChili compound rubber with nanotechnology reduces rolling resistance and increases durability whilst Lazer Grip helps you go around corners quicker. The Vectran Breaker under the tread prevents punctures, and Continental claims that its liquid-crystalline polymer construction is lighter, more flexible and more effective than the usual nylon layer used, and who doesn’t love a bit of liquid-crystalline polymer (whatever that is...)?
All the popular widths are available in either black or tan.
The set-up
This pair of test tyres went onto the rims OK - I needed tyre levers but it wasn’t too much of a fight, and they kind of held air straight away. I say ‘kind of’ because although they popped nicely onto the rim initially, both tyres needed reinflation every day all the way through the test period of over 750km, which was very frustrating. To be fair, I have run a number of pairs of GP5000S TRs and none have been quite as difficult as these, but none have been perfect either. Another tyre to come in under its billed weight.
Continental GP5000S TR
The ride
On my rims, these measured over 29mm wide, which gave noticeably more volume than most of these tyres. The ride feel is a familiar one with plenty of zip and encouragement to press a bit harder on the pedals and no sense of turgidness, as you’d hope for from one of the most popular performance tyres available. Decent compliance too, although not up to the magic carpet ride of the Corsa Pros - very similar to the Blackbird and Eagle F1 R.
The Vittoria Corsa Pros use a very high 320tpi cotton casing that is seamlessly connected to the Graphene + Silca 2C tread compound. This eliminates a previous issue that some riders had where the rubber separated from the cotton casing. The tread uses different compounds on the centre and the shoulders to minimise rolling resistance whilst still retaining decent durability. There is an anti-puncture strip beneath the centre of the tread.
Good selection of width choices, but only available with Vittoria’s iconic pale sidewalls.
The set-up
Fresh out of the recyclable box, the Corsa Pros felt supple, almost flimsy in the hand and both went onto the rims very easily and popped onto the rim quickly. Unfortunately, it took rather longer to get them to hold air reliably. Even when they held air after a few days of reinflations, they still needed topping up before each ride, ie. every day. Refreshingly, both tyres were lighter than Vittoria claimed.
The ride
Sublime. There is a clear reason why these tyres are popular despite a few drawbacks. The suppleness and feel of them made them a joy to ride that soon pushed tubeless faff to the back of the mind. Anyone who is sceptical about how much a tyre can really improve the feel of a road bike should have a ride of these. The new construction has hopefully banished delamination issues, so longevity should be less of a concern, but they are still an expensive, high-performance and slightly temperamental tyre so perhaps best left to the sunniest days and most important races.
Addix Race is Schwalbe’s performance rubber compound, which is used in various guises across its range of road and off-road tyres. On the Pro One TLE, there is a 14mm wide V-Guard puncture protection strip that sits beneath the tread, covering the area most likely to be in contact with the road. The tyre’s construction comes under their Souplesse Carcus Construction moniker, which essentially says that it provides a supple ride. There are 3 layers within the sidewall, but only 2 under the tread, much like the Blackbird.
Two colour choices and widths between 25mm and 38mm should cater for every rider.
The set-up
These were a little tough to get onto the rims, but I didn’t need to resort to my tyre pliers, and the trade-off was near-perfect air retention right from the off. They held air reliably even without sealant and have continued to do so over the course of hundreds of kilometres.
Schwalbe Pro One TLE
The ride
It feels like the Pro One TLE has been around for quite a while, and whilst Schwalbe seems to have the tubeless thing nailed, I think that the ride perhaps exposed the tyre’s age. The Pro One TLE didn’t offer quite the same level of vibration muting that the best of the test tyres did. It was not bad by any means, but pock-marked tarmac and rough roads could be felt more than with the P Zero Race for instance. With a measured width of 29mm, I was hoping for a little more suppleness, although they did improve with the pressure dropped down to 50psi. On the other hand, there was no lack of speed available, and for shorter rides, I enjoyed their friskiness.
Whereas the endurance tyres that I tested had a fairly broad range of qualities, with some concentrating on speed and others on durability, these performance tyres were much closer together in terms of their focus.
They all aim to provide a balance between grip, rolling resistance, longevity, puncture proofing and comfort, and by and large, they all succeed. However, there are some clear differences between them both in terms of ride quality and ease of tubeless setup.
I didn’t experience any punctures (that I am aware of) with any of these tyres, and nor did I feel that I was worried about grip levels in either the wet or the dry.
I’d happily ride the Schwalbe Pro One TLE, but I think that in this company it loses out a little in terms of ride feel, although its air retention was impressive and trouble-free. It is also one of the more expensive models at RRP. Next up, the GP5000 S TR and the Corsa Pro - both are lovely tyres to ride and both are justifiably popular choices. However, this is a tubeless performance tyre test and these two tyres gave the most problems in tubeless terms; simply put I wouldn’t have wanted to venture too far away from a pump when riding either of these tyres. Of course, your experience may differ and neither would be a bad choice at all, but perhaps be prepared to put some effort into getting the airtight seal sorted. Again, bear in mind that the RRPs of these tyres are right at the top end.
Riders enjoying performance tyres and sunny weather
I think that both the Hutchinson Blackbird and Goodyear Eagle F1 R deserve to do very well. Not only do they ride nicely, but they are relatively good value; you could buy three Blackbirds for the price of two Corsa Pros. Furthermore, the Blackbird promises excellent longevity and the Eagle F1 R performed extremely well in terms of tubeless setup.
Which just leaves the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR to take the top spot. Not only is it fast and enjoyable to ride, but it holds air very well, is easy to mount and is mid-pack in terms of price. Its only real downside is that it is a few tens of grams heavier than some of the other choices, but this is a price that I’d happily pay for its all-round performance.
It is worth bearing in mind that tyres are often available at reduced prices, so it is well worth looking out for bargains on any of these tyres, as all are worthy of consideration.
Assuming that you are not competing at the pointy end of races, then the answer is a fence-sitting ‘it depends’. As I discovered in the Endurance Tubeless Tyre Buying Guide, modern endurance tyres offer a huge amount of performance coupled with greater longevity and impressive puncture resistance, so if you mainly ride alone, commute or enjoy long audaxes then their benefits will outride their small disadvantages. However, if you are competitive with your club mates, enjoy seeking PRs or want to climb the Strava leaderboard then performance tyres are well worth considering.There is another, less tangible benefit to performance tyres though; they are simply nicer to ride than endurance tyres as they are more supple and offer greater speed for less effort. And if you enjoy riding more then you are more like to get out on your bike, which can't be a bad thing!
As with all tyres (and most cycling equipment), the key is to consider your personal circumstances and use case. There is not much point in buying a super light TT tyre if you are about to enter the 4,000km Transcontinental Race as you will need new tyres before you leave first country. Equally, the best 32mm tyre isn’t going to be much use if your bike only has clearance for 25mm tyres.
So assuming you’ve narrowed it down to a performance tyre in a particular width, you should look at the stated tpi (threads per inch), with a higher number indicating more threads which usually translates to a more compliant ride. Some form of puncture protection is desirable - there is no use in saving a couple of watts if the tyre loses all its air at the first sign of a sharp object.
The element that no stats can give you is how easy the tyres are to set up tubeless. There is no doubt that tubeless tyres are much easier to mount and seal now than they were originally, but they aren’t all straightforward to set up. Hopefully, reviews like this and the experiences of friends can help in this area.
This test was pretty long and involved, with six different sets of tyres mounted, and inflated, and more than 4,000km ridden. Whilst elements like ride feel and 'speed' are subjective, the tyres were all ridden on similar roads at the same pressure to get a reasonable comparison. Ease of tubeless set up of these particular tyres is a little more objective, and it was interesting that broadly each pair of tyres performed very similarly in this respect, albeit still with only a sample size of two.
