Pirelli

I had high hopes for this product. Bought a set of these for my TT bike as they tested fastest by BicycleRollingResistence.com. However, upon the very first use, while my bike was sitting in the stand pre-race, the rear tube simply popped! Thankfully I still had time to swap it out and make my start. Because my confidence was now shaken I also swapped out my front wheel for my backup as I didn't trust the tube. It was an extremely warm day, but I even consulted Pirelli about whether I should compensate tire pressure due to the heat. They suggested a couple of psi lower, which I did. Later upon examination, I discovered that the rear tube failed right near the valve at the edge of the reinforced circular section. Don't know if this was a freak one-off or an inherent weakness, but it is hard to recommend the product after this experience. The good news is that BTD gave me an immediate refund after I notified them of the failure. The tube I had in the front I now keep as a spare for now.

These tires are worth every penny. Rode a 500 mile course, some gravel, mostly paved on a titanium bike. Best ride I've ever had. Went through rainy days, gravel roads and really hot days/pavement. They handled well in all circumstances.

This is one of several sets of Pirelli higher-end performance tires that I've purchased from BTD. Very happy with all of them: decent ride quality, excellent handling (although I don't ride in the wet, only if caught-out in a surprise shower, so can't speak to handling in the wet), and have not had a puncture with ANY of the Pirelli's that I've had. I've ridden several sets of Conti GP5K ST-Rs, and can say that these Pirellis are quite comparable in all respects to the Contis - both are high-quality tires. All of these have been used with tubes, either butyl or TPU, no tubeless here. I will say that the Pirellis are somewhat easier to mount than Contis in my experience. Tread service life seems OK, usually ~ 3K miles for both Conti and Pirelli. Subjective, of course, but ride quality / comfort seems a tad better with the Pirellis - last several sets have been 28/30 on my 2023 Canyon Aeroad CF SLX8.

I caught a nail... well that happens but with less than a week to go to Roth, Germany for the Challenge Roth I was convinced that an expensive store would be the only option to get the tire in time. Called Biketiresdirect... it was more wishful thinking than anything else. I told him what I need, he confirmed that it was the proper tire, that it was in stock and he could send it out right away so I should have it with time to install it. The price was about 30 bucks less than anywhere else I looked, so I ordered a pair, saved 60 bucks which is a nice dinner in Europe even by today's exchange rate. Oh, and I finished Roth, no punctures...