Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR Folding Tire

It has taken a century, but Pirelli’s reentry into the cycling market has been nothing but positive. The Pirelli P Zero Velo series of tires is among our favorite road bike tires out there, but we knew that there was a need for a tubeless-ready road tire. The Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR Folding Tire is just that, a road bike tire that blends durability, ride comfort, and exceptional grip into one package.

Like Pirelli’s other road bike tires, the Cinturato Velo TLR folding tire uses their SmartNet Silica compound. This proprietary compound features longitudinally-placed molecules rather than the typical round molecules that ensure low rolling resistance and greater grip when compared to other high-performance road bike tires. They then pair this to an Aramid fiber breaker, then a bead to bead nylon casing, which combines to make their Armour Tech system. The result, particularly when run tubeless, is a tire that is exceptionally grippy, durable, and puncture resistant while riding better than other puncture-resistant tires.

The Cinturato, which in Italian translates to “belted”, is designed to be run either tubeless or with a tube. Balancing performance between the two wasn’t easy, so Pirelli worked hard to ensure that the tire’s contact patch (aka how much the tire grips the road) was similar regardless of whether tubes are used or not. Called their equilibrium profile, the sidewall is designed to deform more on the top half of the tire regardless of whether or not there’s a tube. They also reinforced the rim’s bead hook to support this deformation. And while you aren’t able to use this on hookless rims, the tire promises strong performance regardless of your tube or tubeless preferences.

The Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR is differentiated by green logos, which delineate a rethink of the tire’s design toward all-road capability. It features a 66 TPI casing and is tubeless-ready with hooked rims. The Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR tire is available in five widths: 24c, 26c (290 g), 28c (320g), 32c (250g), and 35c (390g).