The selection of new tyres for your racing bike is something you want to think carefully about. However, compared to replacing a group-set or a component, fitting new tyres is a relatively affordable upgrade, which can provide a lot of satisfaction… Reduced rolling resistance, better grip on any surface, enhanced riding comfort: these are some of the aspects that you will appreciate right away when you fit your new tyres.
Selecting the right tyre
The ideal tyre should weigh next to nothing, ensure zero punctures, last for ever, make us fly on any type of terrain and, needless to say, ensure outstanding grip in any situation. Well: that tyre does not exist. The good news is, however, that nowadays bike tyre technology has achieved incredibly high standards. Learn more about technology applied to P Zero Velo tyres.
At Pirelli, relying on 110 years of top level racing expertise and quality tyre manufacture for the most prestigious two- and four-wheel vehicles, we have worked on the concept of a “Perfect Balance”. In other words, developing bike tyres with optimal and well-balanced performance features, in terms of rolling resistance and grip on wet and dry surfaces alike, ease of handling, puncture resistance, durability.
Sliver, red or blue label?
The e-commerce section of website velo.pirelli.com provides detailed guidance on the choice of your ideal tyre. For instance, you will find an overview of the P Zero Velo range, which lets you compare the characteristics and gain a better understanding of what you are after in a new tyre. An analysis of your riding habits and what performance aspects are most important to you will help you select the most appropriate model. You should consider a multiplicity of factors: how much you use the bike, type of terrain you ride on most often, whether for training or racing, and seasonality is also taken into account. Changing atmospheric conditions, in fact, lead expert cyclists to choose fast and slick tyres for the warm seasons, such as P Zero TT (red label), or the versatile P Zero (silver label), and mount different tyres for the cold seasons, so as to profit from the outstanding puncture protection and grip offered by P Zero 4S tyres (blue label).
The importance of size
To change a tyre, or buy a new one, it is essential to understand what you are currently mounting. The size of P Zero Velo tyres is expressed according to the ETRTO code (e.g., 25-622) and the so-called “French code” (e.g., 700x25c). The two-digit number indicates the width (in mm) of the tyre when mounted and inflated properly; the three-digit number stands for the diameter (in mm) of the rim. These values are also indicated on the sidewalls of P Zero Velo tyres, together with direction of rotation and the inflation pressure required (in Bar and PSI).
Nowadays, many cycling enthusiasts choose wider tyres, 25 mm or even 28 mm wide, believing they are more comfortable and faster than traditional sizes. P Zero Velo and P Zero Velo 4S are available in 700x23, 25 and 28c versions, while P Zero Velo TT tyres come in a 700x23 c version.
Clincher tyres: the most dependable, most durable choice
At present, the entire P Zero Velo line-up is made of clinchers. Clinchers are the most popular choice and nowadays they compare very favourably with tubs. Clinchers are preferred by most cycling fans in that they offer versatility, easy mounting, ease of use, comfort. It takes a few seconds to change them (think of a puncture in winter on a country road!) and they do not warp at high temperatures. Moreover, they last longer: if the carcass and the tread are ok, all you have to do is replace the inner tube and your bike will be good for many more miles.
Now you have all the elements to pick your P Zero Velo. Once you have bought the tyres, make sure to mount them in the proper manner. Contact your bicycle mechanic and, for more detailed maintenance instructions, you can download the P Zero Velo use and maintenance manual.
At present, the e-commerce section of website velo.pirelli.com is available for deliveries to Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Benelux and the UK. In all the other countries P Zero Velo tyres can be bought from traditional sales channels. Here you will find further information on online purchasing info and contacts.
Over a century of know-how in the racing world is finally available to those who ride to race themselves.
With P Zero™ Velo, cycling performance now meets the reliability, the road handling and the grip of Pirelli.
Because the performance of a tyre is also yours.
