Panaracer Race D Evo 3

Panaracer's Race D Evo 3 tyres feel confident in the turns and roll well enough, but don't appear to be wildly different to many other tyres with some kind of puncture resistance. Durability does seem very good, though.

The Evo 3s are an update to the Evo 2s tested on road.cc back in 2015 – the price is the same and the weight comparable too. The Evo 3 also gets the same 'hard in the middle, soft on the edge' tread compound which Panaracer is calling ZSG Dual Compound. The main difference with the Evo 3s is the way Panaracer is doing the puncture protection – something it calls 'Protite'. Rather than having a separate breaker strip layer in the tyre, the puncture protection is incorporated into the tread rubber. Panaracer claims this increases puncture protection by 25% and reduces weight. The claimed weight for a 25mm tyre is 260g whereas the Evo 2 came in at the same for a 26mm, so where that weight saving goes is not clear – perhaps on more rubber in the tread.

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When it came to fitting, they were mounted to Stans ZTR Alpha 400 wheels and went on OK with two thumbs and no tyre levers, despite not looking like they would. On the rim and inflated, the profile is slightly raised in the middle, giving it a slight V rather than completely round. This means that harder compound area is also that little bit deeper to give plenty of durability, which is what that 'D' label is all about.

Out on the roads I've ridden them a good few hundred miles on a variety of surfaces, from lovely smooth tarmac to off-road excursions including some naughty rocky sections. As far as durability goes, there were a fair few cuts to the softer sides of the tread but nothing going in the middle, not even any visible flattening of the centre of the tread.

I can't really back up the puncture resistance claims as enthusiastically, though, and have had penetrative punctures front and rear on two separate rides through the lanes after the hedges have been trimmed. These occurred off the main centre line of the tread, to the side of that thicker, harder centre tread. Puncture resistance is something that's very difficult to judge anecdotally over the course of one test, whether you have any incidents or not. All I can really say is that they don't appear to be wildly different to many other tyres with some kind of puncture resistance in this regard.

> How to avoid punctures

One thing I have found, though, is that tyres without a breaker layer stiffening the carcass seem to ride a lot better than those with, both in terms of comfort and performance. Panaracer doesn't say exactly how or where the puncture resistance is incorporated into the tread but if it is a property of the material compound itself then its effects are going to be eroded as the tyre tread wears. Indeed, puncture resistance degrading as the tyre wears can be experienced markedly with most tyres, and it's a sure sign the tyres are ready for replacing when the punctures start coming frequently.

The ride performance of the Race Ds makes them suitable for year-round training and distance riding. They feel confident in the turns and roll well enough; if they were going to be any faster and lighter then there would be a sacrifice in durability and toughness so, like their predecessors, they achieve a nice balance for general use.

Verdict

All-round all-weather tyres that ride very nicely and will last, but puncture resistance may not live up to the hype