The marshmallow man (the beloved french character, not the techno dj) is back with the latest of installment of the Pro Race series we *ALL* know and love. Fast as a monegasque card dealer, grippy like a classic Cotes du Rhone, buttery smooth like baby's first beurre blanc. Ca va bien mes amis....Ca va tres bien!
Really good tire from Michelin, rolls fast and feels lighter than the scale would suggest. I bought them in 30mm and weighed them at 330 and 335 grams so not that heavy and not that light either but they react to bad roads like a lighter tire. I don't do that much climbing so I might have noticed the weight more if I did. I have them mounted on Reserve 42/49 wheels and they are about 34mm with a really good, round profile. I swear they look like they were designed specifically for these wheels. Obviously there is a huge air volume so they are extremely comfortable but give enough feedback so you still feel connected to the road, only the best tubeless tires have this tendency in my experience. Not that this affects performance but they seem to stay cleaner than most tires, even after riding through dust they seem to just shake it off. They've been durable so far, some tread cuts on the rear but no punctures. The 35mm version tested well on BRR as a gravel tire, hopefully the 28mm version will eventually be tested for road pressures.
I've used a lot of tires in my day and can never quite find the Goldilocks tire. If they're fast and grippy, like a conti gp5k, they're not durable. If they're durable, they're heavy and ride like a wooden wagons wheel. These Michelin jawns are the best tires I've ridden in years. They're light, grippy, and durable. Plus, if you get them on sale, they don't break the bank like the contis will.
Installation was easy and tubeless setup was straightforward. They seem to be true to size but I have not actually measured them.
On race day, I'll use a different tire. But for training, fondos, and group rides, these are perfect. I've got around 500 miles on them so far and they still look new. I hope they last, because otherwise I will look like a fool.
Bought this tire on a whim having never run Michelin. I love pirellis and usually run the Pzero Race. My use case was fast training rides, in the city and burbs, and i went with 32c for comfort.
Long story short, these are some of the best and easiest tires to use. They went on easy, almost too loose on my zipp hookless wheels. Then with a normal track pump, seated after 5 pumps and fully set at 40 psi. IDK how Michelin nailed the sizing and construction, but all tires should be like this. After adding sealent, I only lost 2 psi the first night which is crazy good.
Then onto the feel, they are great. Supple, grippy, and predictable. There is a weird white powder on the center of the tire, as this tire has multiple compounds, which comes off after only a few short minutes of riding. But after the first 100 miles, they have zero wear or cuts. These are NOT the fastest tires(my guess is 13.5 watts for BRR tests coming), but they are pretty close to race day tires and i think the durability and wet grip will be amazing long term. I will def buy these again. The only thing I don't like is the logo as it was printed a little crooked, but that's a TINY niggle. I got these during the memorial day sale for 55 which is an insanely good deal.
