Michelin Power Road Tyre 2020

The Power Road is a new top-end race performance tyre from Michelin, available in tubeless and tubed versions. I've been testing the tubed type in 28mm width and it's fast-rolling and lightweight with good durability. It's everything you want in a race tyre.

I've always rated Michelin tyres among the best, as far back as the old Pro tyres and more recently with the Power line. The Power Endurance and Power Competition tyres impressed when we tested them a few years ago, although Simon reckoned there are faster all-rounders than the new Power All Season.

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The brand new Power Road is designed to be a very good all-round tyre, described by Michelin as ideal for 80 per cent of typical riding conditions, for training rides to a road race. That sounds like a fit-and-forget tyre for many people, and with 23, 25 and 28mm widths available, there's going to be one suitable for most riders and race bikes.

According to Michelin, developing the new tyre was the work of surveying more than 1,000 consumers and working closely with the Cofidis professional cycling team, ensuring the new tyre delivered on its aims of being durable, efficient and safe.

Key to the new tyre is the X-Race Compound. It's a silica-based material with more rubber on the top of the tyre, with grip levels steered by feedback from the Cofidis team to ensure it works well in the dry and wet. Michelin decided on a level of grip to suit the demands of the pros, and transferred this to the Power Road.

Underneath the tread is a 3x120 TPI construction, with a new Aramid bead and puncture protection from a high-density cross-laid material the company dubs Aramid Protek+. It has been widened across the top of the tyre, compared with the Power Competition introduced last year, to reduce the risk of a puncture. This adds a little weight but should be a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Michelin has also improved the robustness of the tyre sidewall over the Power Competition, after its survey found that while that tyre was acceptable, riders wanted more sidewall durability.

There is a tubeless version of this tyre – it's in the post – but for the past few weeks I've been riding this clincher tube type, fitted to my go-to Cannondale Synapse. Testing conditions have varied from dry to wet with a good side-order of mucky roads, the ideal extreme scenario for assessing a new tyre's vital factors like grip and durability.

I was impressed with my first ride on the new tyres at the worldwide launch, where I got to ride them on Mont Ventoux, but a more serious assessment has taken place on my local roads. I have to say I'm just as impressed after several hundred miles of riding.

First, the tyres feel as fast as the many other good top-end race tyres on the market right now, with a rolling resistance good enough to match a Vittoria Corsa Speed or Continental GP5000. Modern top-end tyres are getting to such a high standard that splitting the differences in the real world is incredibly tricky, but it does mean the chance of buying a duff tyre is massively reduced.

They don't feel sluggish at all, nor do they feel too firm or wooden, as inferior tyres can tend to. With the 28mm width and low pressures, the ride quality on my poorly surfaced local roads is very good. Supple is a word bike journos like to pepper a tyre review with, and these new Michelin tyres certainly have that desired compliant quality that ensures they feel silky smooth.

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I've managed to avoid punctures (but now I've typed that I'll inevitably get one!). I'll put that down to either good fortune or the Aramid Protek+ doing its job, and that's despite following a few hedge-trimmers along narrow country lanes recently, and one foray onto a gravel track when my planned route went awry.

Grippy and durable

Grip from the new rubber compound is reassuring on wet roads and when descending through fast corners. I came down one big descent the other day with a few lovely switchbacks, the surface was damp with a few streams trickling across near the apex, and the telltale signs of dropped oil in various places. With the new tyres, I was able to confidently pick a clean line through the bends without having to scrub off too much speed, lean the tyre over and feel it grip as I passed through the most dangerous bit.

I've ridden several hundred miles so far, so you could call this more of a first ride review than an in-depth one, but so far durability is commendable – I'll continue to ride and monitor the tyres and will update if anything changes. There are no visible signs of damage to the tyre, either in the sidewall or across the top of the tyre. That's a good thing given that Michelin intends these tyres to be good for all-round use as well as suitable for racing.

In a world where so much choice can lead to confusion, it's nice to have a fit-and-forget tyre that is just going to plain work for you in every situation, from racing to training, without giving cause for concern. For more durability-minded cyclists Michelin's tougher Power Endurance might still be a better choice, but for ride quality and performance as well, these might be just the ones.

As I've said, this has been a test of the 28mm tubed clinchers; there's a pair of 28mm tubeless tyres arriving soon, so I'll be able to see how they compare.

Value

Costing £42.99, these are competitively priced against other top-end performance tyres. At RRP, a Continental GP5000 (£59.95), Vittoria Corsa Speed (£54.99), Specialized Turbo Cotton (£61) and Schwalbe One (£52.99) all cost £10-£20 more, so it's clear Michelin has been aggressive in its pricing strategy.

Bring in the inevitable discounting and these look a stellar choice if you're in the market for a top tyre this season.

Verdict

Fast, compliant, lightweight, grippy and durable fit-and-forget tyre for racing and performance-minded cyclists