Panaracer Race L Evo 3 folding tyre

We've got the 'L' Race Evo 3 tyres here, the 'L' standing for Light, which Panaracer says is a race day version ideal for time trials and hill climbs. They're certainly fast rolling, but with decent puncture protection as well they don't feel as if they need to be reserved for those special events or dry days only. They're good value too.

• Pros: Impressive cornering grip, fast rolling
• Cons: No tubeless option

Panaracer makes three versions of the Evo 3: the 'D' (Duro), the 'A' (All Round), and this Light model, with the main difference coming down to the amount of puncture protection they offer.

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Unlike the D and A models which get bead to bead protection, the L has just a central strip of Panaracer's Protite under the main tread, like that found on most tyres of this type.

It seems to work pretty well as I haven't picked up any full punctures over the test period, just a few nicks here and there. Considering how wet and gritty the roads have been, I'd say that's quite impressive.

Just running my fingers over the Evo 3s in the box gave me a good inkling of how these tyres were going to perform in the bends and I wasn't disappointed. Panaracer doesn't go into the full details behind its ZSG (Zero Slip Grip) compound but it feels really tacky on the shoulders for ultimate grip, and slightly harder on the central strip for durability when you're heading straight.

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Panaracer goes for a slightly different profile to the tyre than most; it's more peaked at the centre rather than the usual rounded shape found on many others. It calls it All Contact, and once your weight is added to the bike it flattens out to give you a decent strip of rubber on the road. When cornering, the theory is that you have more tyre in contact with the road. Whether it makes a massive difference is difficult to quantify, especially without using another tyre with the same compound but different shape.

Really pushing hard into the bends finds the Evo 3s just gripping and gripping without slippage at all, even when the road surface changes or you have to tweak your line. In the dry they are confidence-inspiring and well up there with something like Continental's GP 4000 S II, tyres I'm a big fan of.

Wet weather grip is pretty good too. They'll eventually break away, but you can feel that point coming as they slowly start to lose traction rather than an all-to-nothing.

A soft compound benefits grip but the downside is that it increases wear, because the rubber is quite soft. I've done a few hundred miles on these so far and they are still looking good, with no signs of wear at all. I wouldn't expect massive mileage from them like more of a general training tyre, but I normally get a good 1,500 to 2,000 miles from a rear tyre of this type. If I get anything different over the coming months I'll come back and update the review.

Fitting/sizing/pricing

When it comes to fitting, things are easy enough. They don't have the most supple of sidewalls so you need a bit of thumb power to get the final bit in place.

They are available in 23mm, 25mm and 28mm options, but if you want to go tubeless – which many racers do – then you'll be left wanting I'm afraid. Only the 'A' models come in tubeless.

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When it comes to value these have an rrp of £39.99, which is the same as the recently tested Pirelli P Zero Velos and they differ in weight by only a matter of grams. Those Continentals I mentioned above, the GP4000 S IIs, come in at £49.95 and are a touch heavier. They are probably a bit more of an all-round tyre than the Panaracers, as I have happily ridden them right through the winter without puncture or durability issues. Obviously these prices are all RRPs, so it's worth a shop around.

Overall, the Race Evo 3s are a great set of tyres. They'll definitely be moved across to the best bike for the summer season and I'll be content knowing that I won't have to worry too much about changes in weather conditions.

Verdict

Great performance tyre with grip by the bucket loads in the wet and dry