Tires You Should Know About: Pirelli Cinturato H

The Pirelli Cinturato H Gravel tires in 700 X 45mm size.

 Pirelli Cinturato H Gravel Tires: Tough- 'Set It And Forget It' Gravel Tires:

Much as with last week's Hutchinson tires I wrote about, these Pirelli tires are another tire I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an easy tubeless experience, or as a first tubeless try. They hold air fantastically well and are not too hard to set up initially. In fact, I thought thet they were really easy to set up, but your mileage may vary there.

 These come in various sizes, but I got the 700 X 45's, (I paid for them myself, actually), and while rim width will influence tire size, I found that an inner rim width of 25mm made these tires go to 47mm in width, but they never stretched beyond that. So, keep that in mind if you are tight on clearances. Might want to opt for a narrower Cintuarato H. 

What I found out was that these tires are a bit heavy, but not terribly so, and actually are not all that bad when you consider that they are puncture protected with a nylon belt that covers the sidewalls and underneath the tread. You also will probably be wowed, as I was, by the ride quality, despite that belt. 

In fact, these ride even better than the Hutchinson Touaregs I mentioned last week, which are pretty nice riding tires. The Cinturato H also has a different profile which rolls over looser gravel better. So, for anyone that wants more stability in their ride, this tire is a good one to look at getting. (Just do not run it at a high pressure)

It is truly a 'set-it-and-forget-it' tire in that this tire just works, as long as things are not muddy. Then all bets are off. So, if you never see yourself riding in the mud, or wet, then this is a great tire. I think it would make a killer touring tire for gravel or dirt roads, actually. As long as things didn't get deep and loose, where flotation is king, I think the Cinturato H would shine in a touring role. 

Pirelli may not be a name that comes to the top of your mind for gravel tires, but this is a great tire and deserves to be known in a wider sense than it is. Check it out if you get the chance and it fits your expectations. 

Reviewed for Riding Gravel here and here. (Link above is to intro post too)