One of the most important parts of your bike since it makes contact with the ground solely through tires. The challenging aspect is that road bike tires can seem very identical; therefore, it's not always clear-cut how to distinguish the good from the mediocre ones.
Whether it's going wider, lowering rolling resistance, strengthening corner grip, or increasing puncture resistance, upgrading your stock tires to better ones will totally change your riding experience.
The best thing about it is getting premium road bike tires is not as expensive as other bike components.
Usually discounted, the tires on this list are priced at about £70 or less. Although it's not the cheapest update, given their major influence on your riding experience, it is most certainly one of the most reasonably priced ones you could do to your road bike.
Said another way, the sheer variety of road bike tire choices available on the market can be taxing. The secret is the details; hence we had our professional team test hundreds of kilometres on the road and spend plenty of time in the lab to identify the best road bike tires for you.
The best road bike tires of 2024 have been rated by professional testers
Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR
The Continental GP5000 S TR is an outstanding tubeless road tire. - Simon von Bromley
Price: £69.95 / $98.95 / €79.90 (tested) / ¥500 (price from Taobao, mostly 700x28c, for reference only, same below)
Type: Tubeless
Color Options: Black or "Transparent" Tan
Size and Width Options: 700x25c, 700x28c, 700x30c, and 700x32c
Tested Size: 700x28c
Weight: 280g
TPI: 220
Conclusion:
Designed for rapid road riding, the Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR replaces the preceding GP5000 TL for the German brand.
This tire is, all things considered, quick, grippy, and lightweight. It also supports hookless rims, first for Conti's road tubeless tires, and is strong enough to tackle demanding races like Paris-Roubaix. Actually, it was started following Sonny Colbrelli's triumph at the 2021 Paris-Roubaix.
To suit various riding conditions, it comes in 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, and 32mm.
Schwalbe Pro One TLE
This is a high-performance tire designed for racing and fast road riding. - David Caudery
Price: £69 / $79 / €78 / AU$117 (tested) / ¥370
Type: Tubeless (tested) or Clincher
Color Options: Black or "Transparent" Tan
Size and Width Options: 700x25c, 700x28c, 700x30c, and 700x32c
Tested Size: 700x28c
Weight: 267g
TPI: 127
Conclusion:
The Schwalbe Pro One offers fast rolling speed and easy tubeless installation. As one of the pioneers in road tubeless tire technology, Schwalbe excels in simple installation and compatibility with the latest hookless rims.
This tire performs smoothly and with excellent grip on both wet and dry corners, while still feeling fast thanks to its low rolling resistance. Schwalbe recommends not inflating it beyond 80psi, but it remains stable even at lower pressures—we tested it down to 55psi without any issues.
It features a 14mm puncture protection layer, though it didn’t prevent punctures when riding on dirty roads. We tested the TLE tubeless version, but Schwalbe also offers the Pro One Tube Type for those using inner tubes, giving you more options based on your needs.
WTB Exposure
We were impressed with WTB's Exposure tires. - Andy Lloyd
Price: £49.99 / $55 / €54 / AU$80 (tested) / ¥415
Type: Tubeless
Color Options: Black or Tan
Size and Width Options: 700x30c and 700x36c
Tested Size: 700x30c
Weight: 305g
TPI: 60
Conclusion:
Perfect for endurance road riding and light dirt, the WTB Exposure is a flexible tubeless tire. Although it might not be the fastest road tire, it shines on mild gravel rides, varied conditions, and all points in between.
WTB actually refers to it as an "adventure road" tire, which is a somewhat apt moniker.
With many modern road bikes, like the Specialised Tarmac SL 7 and Giant TCR, now having enough clearance to accommodate these tires, it has become one of our favourite plump road tires for endurance riding; it gives a better ride experience than the 60 TPI casing suggests.
Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR
At the core of the R3 is its directional 120 TPI casing, topped with TR-Speed rubber with a 62a hardness.
Price: £50 / $60 / €59 / AU$87 (tested) / ¥368
Type: Tubeless
Color Options: Black or Tan
Size and Width Options: 700x25c, 700x28c, 700x32c
Tested Size: 700x32c
Weight: 310g
TPI: 120
Conclusion:
This is a lightweight, flexible, and durable tire.
Bontrager put a lot of effort into optimizing width, tread design, rubber compounds, and puncture protection layers, and they’ve truly hit the mark.
Our tested 32mm sample weighed only 310g, significantly lighter than the claimed 340g and even lighter than some 28mm tires. It’s said to have 7% lower rolling resistance compared to its previous version, and we don’t doubt it because its performance on the road is excellent.
Tubeless installation was also smooth. While Bontrager initially offered the tubeless tire in only a 32mm size during testing, 25mm and 28mm options are now available, covering nearly everyone’s needs.
Continental Grand Prix 5000 Clincher Tire
The all-new Grand Prix 5000 is worth the wait. - David Caudery
Price: £60 / $78 / €72 / AU$108 (tested) / ¥368
Type: Clincher
Color Options: Black or "Transparent" Tan
Size and Width Options: 700x23c, 700x25c, 700x28c, and 700x32c
Tested Size: 700x28c
Weight: 241g
TPI: 330
Conclusion:
The Grand Prix (GP) 5000 is one of the best all-round clincher tires for road bikes, launched as an upgrade to Continental's popular GP 4000.
While the flagship of the series is now the Grand Prix 5000 S TR tubeless tire, the GP 5000 Clincher remains one of the top choices for those who prefer using inner tubes.
Compared to its predecessor, it boasts a 12% reduction in rolling resistance without compromising the low wear rate of the GP 4000.
The new tread pattern on the sides enhances cornering speed and confidence. With a thinner casing, it handles rougher roads well, providing a smooth ride, and is equipped with a Vectran puncture protection layer for excellent durability.
Pirelli P Zero Race TLR
Pirelli's new "Speedcore" P Zero Race TLR rivals the best tires. - Ashley Quinlan
Price: £78.99 / $99.90 / €84.90 / AU$139.90 (tested) / ¥685
Type: Tubeless (tested) or Clincher
Color Options: Black (with gray, white, yellow, or red logos) or Classic Tan
Size and Width Options: 700x26c, 700x28c, 700x30c, 700x32c, 700x35c, and 700x40c
Tested Size: 700x28c
Weight: 310g
TPI: 120
Conclusion:
The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR is an impressive combination of speed and ride quality.
Already one of our favorites, the Speedcore update (released in spring 2023) takes its performance to the next level.
In our recent rolling resistance lab tests, the P Zero Race TLR performed the best, and its speed is supported by excellent real-world performance, a great ride feel, and easy tubeless installation.
While the size is slightly smaller than expected on our test rim, and it isn’t the lightest tire in its class, it impresses in many other areas.
Goodyear Eagle F1 R Tubeless tire
Goodyear's Eagle F1 R tire impresses with its outstanding performance and affordable price. - Ashley Quinlan
Price: £65 / $80 / €70 (Tested) / ¥348
Type: Tubeless tire (Tested) or Clincher
Color Options: Black or Brown
Size and Width Options: 700x25c, 700x28c, 700x30c, 700x32c, and 700x34c
Tested Size: 700x28c
Weight: 313g
TPI: 120
Conclusion:
The recently updated Eagle F1 R is Goodyear’s all-round road racing tire, offering a great balance between speed, durability, and puncture resistance. Compared to the highly praised previous model, the Eagle F1 R features an updated casing and rubber compound, and it certainly lives up to expectations.
While it may not top the charts in any one category, it performs impressively well across all key areas. The tire is fast, easy to install, and delivers an excellent ride feel with great grip in real-world conditions.
Its relatively heavier weight might deter some riders, but its competitive price makes it a strong contender in its class.
Cadex Race
Tubeless installation is very easy; all you need is a tire lever and a standard pump to seat the bead into place.
Price: £65 / $100 / €80 / AU$125 (test version) / ¥487
Type: Tubeless tire
Color options: Black
Size and width options: 700x25c and 700x28c
Tested size: 700x28c
Weight: 331g
TPI: 170
Conclusion:
The Cadex Race tire from Giant's high-performance components brand is designed for fast rolling and all-around performance, exclusively for tubeless use.
It features a single-ply 170 TPI casing to improve rolling speed and flexibility, along with proprietary puncture protection and rubber compounds. However, it is slightly heavier compared to other options.
Installing the tubeless tire is very simple; with just a regular pump and tire lever, you can easily fit the tire bead onto the rim. The seal is excellent, with minimal air loss over a week.
The Cadex Race tire performs well on rougher road surfaces, providing a smooth and fast ride. Even at lower pressures, it offers solid support and predictable handling.
Michelin Power Cup TLR