In this article I’m going to give you my list for the lowest rolling resistance road bike tires.
Every road cyclist worth his or her salt is looking for speed. And probably the single most important aspect when it comes to speed associated with tires is called rolling resistance. Rolling resistance is the amount of energy output absorbed between the tire and the road it’s connected with.
It’s not as simple as having paperthin slick tires inflated to the point of bursting, but this article is not about going into detail about the complexities of rubber compounds and the effects on rolling resistance. I’ll leave that up to the tire manufacturers to figure out. I’m only interested in the end result, not how that was achieved.
For normal road use I would advise a tire with a width of 25 mm, so for one exception that’s the measurement that’s been used to compare the tires. Since I don’t have a device to measure rolling resistance I’ve simply looked at the results as shown on the site bicyclerollingresistance.com. So they should take credit where credit is due.
And now, without further ado, here’s the ist of the lowest rolling resistance road bike tires.
Continental Grand Prix 5000
The Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a clincher tire and dubbed as the best allrounder in the field.
And on paper at least the numbers are very impressive. A 330 TPI tire (very supple) at a claimed weight of 200 grams for a 23 mm width version. It has the exact same Vectran breaker as the other ones on this list, so as far as puncture protection is concerned, this tire performs equally impressively.
And this tire comes in a tan wall version or transparent as Continental calls it. But if you want the lightest version of this tire, you’ll have to stick to black.
- Best all-round road bike tire on the market, supple, light, good puncture protection, tan wall option available
- None
Michelin Power Time Trial
The Michelin Power Time Trial is, as the name suggests, another time trial entry to this list. It sacrifices durability and puncture resistance for pure speed.
The two sizes of 23 and 25 mm tip the scales at 180 and 190 grams respectively, so considering their widths, this is truly one of the lightest tires on the planet.
You’d expect from a time trial tire that it performs well in the rolling resistance department, and the Michelin Power Time Trial does indeed. Together with the Continental Grand Prix 5000, the tire has one of the lowest ones.
- Blisteringly fast-rolling tire
- Meant for race day
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type
The Schwalbe Pro One is a top-tier tire from the German brand, which can also be used for time trials.
It’s very light and has one of the best low rolling-resistance numbers. Like many super-fast tires it’s still a clincher tire.
The 23 mm version weighs 215 grams and the 25 mm version 235 grams. The 25 mm version also comes as a tan wall.
- Super fast, lightweight, tan wall option available, one of the very best race tires on the market
- None
Veloflex Record
The Veloflex Record is a tire from a small Italian Manufacturer. Made by hand, this tire is only meant for time trials and track racing.
Its 350 TPI casing weighing in at an astounding 135 grams doesn’t have any protection to speak of. That means that if you venture out on anything else but the smoothest of tarmac you’re bound to run a flat sooner or later.
Sadly enough they only offer a 23 mm version. But the tire is fast as lightning indeed.
- As light and fast as they come
- Meant for race day only
Vittoria Corsa Speed
The Vittoria Corsa Speed is basically Vittoria’s time trial version of its regular Corsa. A tubular tire where a considerable amount of rubber has been shaved off to create a 23 mm width 200 gram tire in either black or tan.
All that reduction in weight does of course come with a penalty, so this tire is best reserved when you really want to go really fast. Or else the 140 dollar price tag for a tire that isn’t all that durable might not be the best option for the average rider.
But if you do decide to go for this tire, just to experience what it feels like, you can rest assured that the 320 TPI count will provide both a very smooth and very fast ride, which will hopefully make you forget how much money you spent for that ride.
- Very fast, lots of grip
- Meant for race day, very pricey
Road Bike Tires Weight Rating
I’ve always been fascinated by bicycle tires, and road bike tires offer some of the most premium pieces of rubber you can put on your rims. It’s a good place to save quite a bit of weight without paying a really large amount of money. It’s not like there are titanium or carbon tires, which are traditionally materials to make bicycle products lighter that are very expensive.
The lightest 700C tire I’ve looked at is the Veloflex Record, which is a track tire sitting at 135 grams for a 23 mm version. The heaviest tire I’ve taken into account is the Schwalbe Lugano II Endurance weighing 490 grams for the same 25 mm tire width.
In the following graph you can find the weight ratings for each tire. The weight ratings represent a relative percentage irrespective of tire width and only looking at 700C versions of the respective tire. The numbers are compared against each other resulting in a percentage of 0 for the relative heaviest tire and 100 for the relative lightest tire.
Road Bike Tires Puncture Protection Rating
Nobody likes a flat tire. It’s one of the most jarring things to break the flow of a ride. That’s why puncture protection is an important factor when considering a certain bicycle tire.
Puncture protection sits at the other end of the tire weight, suppleness and possibly grip. The more rubber you add to a tire, and the more layers of protection sit underneath it, the more weight you add, and the stiffer your tire gets. That’s why racing tires have the most minimal protection, and touring or 4-season tires the most.
The puncture protection ratings you see here are a function of TPI, in combination with tire weight, and puncture protection technology added to the tire. From sidewall protection, multiple breakers and tire belts.
Specifications lowest rolling resistance road bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 230 | Black | Transparent | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 255 | Black | Cream | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 225 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 200 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | |
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 215 | Black | Black | ADDIX Race | V-Guard | foldable | |
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 235 | Black | Black | ADDIX Race | V-Guard | foldable | |
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 235 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Race | V-Guard | foldable | |
Michelin Power Time Trial | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 180 | Black | Black | Gum-X | foldable | ||
Michelin Power Time Trial | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 190 | Black | Black | Gum-X | foldable | ||
Vittoria Corsa Speed | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 200 | Black | Tan | Corespun T | Protection Belt | tubular | |
Vittoria Corsa Speed | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 205 | Black | Black | Corespun T | Protection Belt | tubular | |
Vittoria Corsa Speed | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 205 | Black | Tan | Corespun T | Protection Belt | tubular |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.
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