Michelin already have a good line of high performance tyres, but the new Pro2 Race Service Course is the first tyre they've launched that will be used by the pro teams, but also be made available to the public. They'll be in short supply though as Michelin are producing just 30,000 of them - this is a limited edition tyre - and the pro's get through a pair every couple of stages...
The main feature of this 23mm tyre is the reduced rolling resistance and increased grip. Now, normally it isn't possible to increase one without the other being reduced, but a new Silica compound Michelin have developed allows advances in both directions. Michelin claim 40% more grip, even in the wet, and an increased camber angle of 7 degrees, giving 5kph more speed in the bends.
This all sounds good so far. But also add into that mix the 205g weight, and it's starting to sound like a great tyre. This low weight is achieved thanks to the new Silica, enabling designers to reduce the tread thickness to just 1mm, a 30% reduction on their other tyres.
Michelin spend a great deal of time in the research and development process. They get top quality feedback from two pro teams they support, ag2r and Bouygues Telecom. Something important to a pro team, or any rider in fact, is high puncture protection. This new tyre features the snappily titled 'High Density Puncture Protector', or HDDP for short. This is essentially a layer of thin and highly resistant nylon plies placed underneath the casing to provide protection from road debris.
Watch out for more news soon. We're off to the Michelin test track tommorrow to take these new tyres for a spin. We'll let you know how we get on.
- Price: TBA
- Colour: Light blue
- Weight: 205g
- Sold in pairs
- 30,000 production run
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