SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING

This works to the same, capillary action, pushing out glass, tacks, thorns and similar invaders before they cause flats. Beneath this, an aramid belt provides a further defence and runs bead to bead. To date and 500 miles in, its proven completely dependable.

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Operating pressures also bode well for the slippery season and are a fair bit lower - 35 to 65psi, rather than 45-80psi. In theory at least, this buys tuneable bite, when things turn icy but spiked tyres are OTT.  Talking of which, the shoulders seem more aggressive than their predecessor. Otherwise, these share the same water channelling chevrons and low-profile centre-strip.

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Mounting

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The portly wire beads mounted effortlessly to standard and deep section rims, such as these Halo without reaching for tyre levers. That said. I needed one to prize and scoop them away. However, this was an exercise in curiosity, rather than necessity - I had a bargain basement butyl tube fail at the seam, during the test period but those can strike, regardless of tyre choice.

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Rolling Resistance

 

I was coming straight from the Soma Shikoro , which are a markedly lighter, more responsive tyre. However, while the Zilent’s increased heft, was immediately apparent, their rolling resistance was reassuringly low. Coaxing my fixed gear winter trainer up to 18mph, even in congested, stop-go traffic was noticeably easier than 35mm Schwalbe Marathon, Vee Tire Co City Cruz and wasn’t far behind the 35mm Schwalbe Marathon GT  . Maintaining this pace was no hardship either, although more concerted effort was necessary to maintain 21, or 22mph along the open roads, especially with sustained climbs.

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Handling/Comfort

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Run between 60 and 65psi, they’ve felt extremely sure footed. Tarmac can turn bandit, as spent diesel/oils get flushed from the gutter, with the first rains, following a sustained hot, dry spell. Aside from the usual cautions - raised manhole covers, storm drains; railway crossings and impacted, mulchy leaves etc - they’ve never missed a beat. 

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Traction and moreover, feedback across lose surfaces, including loose stones and dry sand, was also better than I’d expected. On film on our Facebook page .

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Even pushed to 35mph along my favourite 1in7 and carving into the bends, I couldn’t persuade them to misbehave. In common with their contemporaries, their off-road capabilities are limited to dry forest trails/towpath. 

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Dropping the pressure to around 55psi struck the best balance of speed, compliance and comfort, in these contexts. These, and less travelled backroads have seen the treads impacted with dung and mulch, turning them slick. 

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Nonetheless, they’ve still tracked dependably, and water channelling technology does its thing, competently, although not obviously superior to their peers, using water to flush muck and grit away. 

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Hustling through the concrete jungle, I wouldn’t go so far as to describe the ride as magic carpet like. However, those portly profiles take the sting from washboard tarmac and those nasty little holes. The ones we inevitably catch, whether we’re negotiating a tricky turn, avoiding more serious obstacles or when concentration’s fading at the end of a day’s riding.

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Puncture Resistance

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Despite reasonable efforts - taking the direct route through shards of broken glass, flints and the odd thorn, I’ve failed to secure a flat during this test and 500 miles. Reassuring, yes, unexpected no. In my experience, this genre of rubber tends only to succumb when they’ve racked up miles and those casings are starting to wear thin.  Cuts and similar superficial damage were also moot points.