Review: Road.cc - Michelin Power Cup Tyre - 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Road.cc has reviewed the Michelin Power Cup Tyre. Here is what they had to say: 

The Michelin Power Cup Tubeless Ready Tyre is as impressively fast rolling and grippy as the clincher version Steve tested last year, but with the added bonus that it can be run tubeless – and it's easy to set up, too – though there is a not insignificant increase in price to go along with that.

Steve reckoned the clincher versions of these tyres were impressively grippy and speedy when he tested them in June 2022. Not to give away any spoilers, but with the same compounds, these are just as good. The only real difference between the two versions is that these can be set up as tubeless.

It's worth noting that ease of fitting can be subjective, with rims suiting some tyres better than others for a number of reasons such as basic profiles, rim hook shapes, and width – even the type of sealant can impact how well they seat.

I ran these tubeless on a set of Hunt Aerodynamist wheels with 20mm internal widths and setting them up was simple. They seated easily, with the front going on without even needing a blast from a pressurised tank, and the rear needing just one blast.

There was some initial deflation in the first couple of days, as is standard, but after a couple of spins up and down the road they held air well.

Steve ran the clincher versions at 80psi and found the tyres comfortable and fast, and when I ran the tubeless version at 60 I found exactly the same thing. I used these on some of the roughest roads around me and they provided a good amount of compliance while still allowing for enough feedback that I felt confident about knowing what was going on under me. It is a good combination.

I didn't notice any punctures or see any sealant blobs throughout the review period, which suggests the impressive robustness of the clincher versions is replicated in the tubeless option.

I used these in a few rougher conditions, too, after heavy rainfall when you might reasonably expect the kind of puncture-causing rubbish to be washed into the road, and didn't have any issues.

What's interesting here is that the clincher versions have an additional Aramid Shield layer for puncture protection, which is ditched on the tubeless version, but it doesn't appear to have made much difference in terms of puncture protection.

In terms of grip they are excellent. They gave me the confidence to take corners fast, being reassuringly grippy even in wet conditions. This comes from Michelin's Gum-X compound which was originally developed for its Moto-GP tyres.

When these were originally launched, Michelin claimed they were the fastest ever road tyres. I'm not in a position to confirm or deny that, but there is no doubt they are very fast tyres that spin up quickly. Initially I thought I just had a few 'good leg days' in a row, but turns out it was the tyres. (Bicycle Rolling Resistance (link is external) has the 25s on a par with Continental's Grand Prix 5000 S TR in its rolling resistance tests.)

These tubeless-ready versions have a slight weight penalty against the clinchers, hitting the scales at 269g vs 232g (both 28s). However, this is significantly lighter than other tubeless ready tyres we've reviewed recently at similar and higher price points.

Talking of which... with an rrp of £69.99, they're £17 more than the clincher versions. They do compare fairly well to other tubeless-ready tyres, though. For instance, the Pirelli P Zero Race TLRs (link is external) that Stu reviewed recently hit the scales at 305g and cost £78.99.

Specialized's S-Works Turbo 2BR 2Bliss Ready T2/T5s (link is external), which I tested at the end of last year, are slightly heavier at 295g, but £15 less.

The Michelins come in two colours, either solid black or tan wall. In black they come in three sizes, 25, 28 (as tested) and 30mm, and in tan wall either 25 or 28mm.

Overall I was very impressed with these tyres. They are fast, grippy, and appear to be impressively puncture resistant too. They certainly aren't the cheapest tyres you can find, but nor are they mind-blowingly expensive compared with some. I'd say the price is about right for the quality they offer.

Verdict

Fast, grippy, and easy to set up tubeless

Read the full article here

4.5 out of 5 Stars