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Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tyre review

Mud on the trails, giant puddles everywhere... Winter is coming and so the season of bike upgrades begins. Having had quite a few punctures recently, I thought it's about time to swap my old Goodyears with something which will provide more traction, puncture protection, and speed.

As usual, I've spent long hours doing my research to find the perfect tire for my gravel bike. A gazillion of searches and reviews led me to select the winner: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M. An all-round gravel tire, loved by many... Here's my quick review after just a few weeks using the 700x40, tanned Cinturato Gravel M on my bike.

1. Installation

Tubeless tires can be troublesome, but not with Cinturatos. I managed to fit them all in about 1.5 hours, and I've only fitted 3 tubeless tires myself before – not a bad result, I'd say! Fitting them on the rim was super easy – didn't even need soapy water, just a little push with levers did the job. Pumping it was easy too. I don't own a track pump (which apparently helps a lot), but a quick series of strokes with a floor pump did the trick. I'll give 5/5 for ease of installation.

2. Off-road performance

Compared to previously owned WTB Riddler, Raddlers, and Goodyear Connector Ultimate, I place Cinturato like two levels above them. They are simply awesome. I rode them on the sand, slippery mud, grassy-boggy trails, and gravel, and they performed better than anything I had on my wheels before. They bring confidence in maneuvering technical trails and provide a lot of grip so climbing steep technical sections is an absolute pleasure. 5/5 for off-road performance.

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3. On-road performance

I thought the knobby thread would make them slow on tarmac... I was wrong. The centre line is packed well enough to provide a smooth fast rolling experience. Again, compared to previously used tires, Cinturato Gravel M is a winner. One thing I've noticed though is a bit of a weird feeling when cornering at speed... probably just me not getting used to it, but it feels like the traction changes rapidly when leaning aside. It's hard to describe, but I think it's just something I need to get used to and find the limits of the tire. 4.5/5 for on-road performance.

4. Puncture resistance

I can't really judge this after just a few rides, but I'll be back with updates in a few months!

Update (7 months after installation):
- nothing to complain about yet! 🥳

5. Summary

If you're looking to upgrade your gravel bike this winter to be able to ride in British winter conditions – don't think twice. It's definitely one of the best tires on the market. Fabulous performance, great look, and quite a few size/design options to choose from.

6. Where to buy Cinturato Gravel M

You can find a wide range of Cinturatos on Tweeks Cycles