Modified at: Jul 7, 2023
Posted at: Oct 25, 2021
Panaracer's tires for road bikes are attractive for their reliable Japanese-made tires. We have compiled a list of the differences between these series, tires with good cost performance, and points to consider when choosing Panaracer tires.
Table of contents
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*Tire weights are listed for black tires. Colored tires may have different weights.
For more information on gravel tires, please see this article.
Panaracer's gravel tires series "GravelKing": types and how to choose
Panaracer's GravelKing gravel tires have been rapidly gaining popularity over the past few years, and we have compiled a list of the differences between the different models and how to choose one.
Newly launched in 2022 is the AGILEST series. The AGILEST series is the newest model, built on a new golden ratio of “light rolling and high puncture resistance”.
The AGILEST series is positioned as a renewal of the long-running Race series, and has been divided into three series, AGILEST, AGILEST DURO, and AGILEST LIGHT, instead of the conventional “A,” “C,” and “D” lineups with different characteristics. (clincher only).
In addition, the Race series was previously available in clincher and tubular versions, but AGILEST now also offers a tubeless lady model to keep up with the times.
In January 2023, a new size was added to the AGILEST series, and in June 2023, a tubeless lady model was added to DURO.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGILEST FAST | Clincher | - | - | 230g | 250g | - | - | |
| AGILEST | Clincher | - | 180g | 190g | 210g | 230g | - | |
| AGILEST DURO | Clincher | - | 210g | 220g | 250g | 280g | - | |
| AGILEST DURO TLR | Tubeless Ready | - | - | 240g | 270g | 290g | 330g | |
| AGILEST LIGHT | Clincher | - | 160g | 170g | 190g | - | - | |
| AGILEST TU | Tubular | - | - | 260g | - | - | - | |
| AGILEST TLR | Tubeless Ready | - | - | 220g | 250g | 270g | 310g |
Compared to the previous generation Race Evo4 series, the AGILEST TLR is approximately 10% lighter and is now available in the 30C size, which was not available in the Race series.
The AGILEST TLR is a very good balance of ease of selection, performance, and price, and is likely to become a standard road tire in the future.
The Race Evo4 series is the final version of the Evo series, which had been the symbol of the top grade for a long time until the AGILEST series was introduced.
The Race Evo4 series has three lineups: the all-round “A,” the “C” with improved control performance, and the “D” with improved puncture resistance.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race A Evo4 | Clincher | - | 200g | 230g | 240g | - | - | |
| Race A Evo4 | Tubular | - | - | 280g(25mm) | 290g(27mm) | - | - | |
| Race C Evo4 | Clincher | - | 200g | 220g(26C) | 230g | - | - | |
| Race D Evo4 | Clincher | - | 220g | 240g | 260g | - | - |
The Race A Evo4 is the best all-rounder, and if the Race A Evo4 is not grippy enough, you can switch to the Race C Evo4.
The Race D Evo4 is a racey tire, and if you plan to ride on a route with poor road conditions, you may want to choose the Race D Evo4 for its puncture resistance. However, Panaracer has the “Gravel King” series, which is extremely popular as a tire for rough road use.
The Gillar is Panaracer’s race-specific series of road bike tires, 20% lighter than the all-around Evo4 series, and perfect for riders who enjoy hill climbs as well as racing.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillar | Clincher | - | 160g | 170g | - | - | - |
At 170g for 25C, it is one of the lightest road bike tires available, even when compared to other manufacturers. Even if you replace the 25C tire with the Race A Evo4, which is normally considered a lightweight tire, you can reduce the weight by a combined 120g front and rear, making it the ideal tire for races where you want to be even 1g lighter and have an advantage over the other riders.
The Closer Plus is a tire for riders who do not need the same level of performance as the AGILEST series but want to upgrade their riding performance.
It is a racing and training tire developed based on the concept of “lightweight and easy to ride,” and costs about $20 less than the AGILEST series. It is also chosen as a dress-up tire for road bikes because of its large lineup of colored tires.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closer Plus | Clincher | 190g | 210g | 220g | 240g | - | - |
Although it is not possible to choose the model according to the application like the AGILEST series, the Closer Plus tire has a wide range of sizes from 20C to 28C and can be equipped at a price of about $60 per tire.
Among Panaracer’s road bike tires, the Elite Plus is a clincher training tire with a thick-walled tread that achieves a balance between performance and durability, making it a tire that will last for a long time while focusing on performance.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite Plus | Clincher | - | 260g | 300g | - | - | - |
Because of its thick tread, it weighs considerably more than the AGILEST and Closer Plus, which are designed for racing. However, the tire’s puncture resistance has been improved to that extent, and a certain amount of weight is probably unavoidable when considering that it is a “tire for heavy use.
In contrast to the clincher training tire, Elite Plus, the Practice series is a tubular training tire. Despite being tubular tires, they are extremely cost-effective, with prices starting at around $30.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Dual TG | Tubular | - | 300g(22.5mm) | - | - | - | - | |
| Practice Dual | Tubular | - | 270g(22.5mm) | - | - | - | - | |
| Practice | Tubular | 230g(21mm) | 270g(22.5mm) | 320g(25mm) | - | - | - |
Only the Practice Dual TG is slightly more expensive because of its higher puncture resistance. Basically, it does not matter which model you choose.
Category S2 is an entry-level tire for riders who want to have more fun on their road bikes rather than going racy, with an affordable price in the $20s and 10 color variations to dress up your road bike.
| Model | Type | Price | 20C | 23C | 25C | 28C | 30C | 32C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category S2 | Clincher | - | 240g | 260g(26C) | - | - | - |
Even though it is an entry-level tire, it is not a particularly heavy tire, and it is an excellent folding tire in this price range.
It is available in a wide range of colors, including black, white, blue, light blue, green, yellow, red, pink, coconut milk, and lime green, making it ideal for commuting and city riding road bikes.
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Panaracer’s tires for road bikes are quite affordable compared to other tire manufacturers. Therefore, for the price of a pair of top-grade tires from another manufacturer, you could probably buy both a top-grade pair of tires and a middle-grade pair of tires.
Considering this, your wallet can afford to use different tires for racing and practice, so it is possible to use different tires for different purposes and operate them with longer life performance of tires.
The AGILEST series, introduced in 2022, offers a good balance between performance and durability, making it the best choice for both racing and long rides.
The lineup includes mainly clinchers, but also tubulars and the trendy tubeless-ready tires, so there is a tire for everyone.
If you are looking for performance but cannot spend as much as the AGILEST series, the Race Evo4 series may be a good choice.
It is available at about half the price of other companies’ top-of-the-line tires, so even if you use it as a practice tire, it is not bad in terms of cost performance.
Because of their low price, it is also possible to have C and D series tires based on the A series, and change tires according to the road and weather conditions. It is no exaggeration to say that you can hardly find any disadvantages in terms of high cost performance and a wide range of protection.
However, it is a somewhat more subtle choice when one considers that for a little more money one can buy the AGILEST series.
Panaracer offers a wide variety of low-priced road bike tires, including the Elite Plus for training and the Category S2 for less than $30, but the Closer Plus offers the best balance.
Hobby riders can’t go wrong with the Closer Plus, as it offers a racy ride for less than $80 for a front and rear set, and can be dressed up with colored tires.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a tire for your training road bike or wheels, choose the Elite Plus/Practice for its low price and high durability.
The price is about the same as the Closer Plus, but the thicker tread makes it more resistant to wear and tear, so you can use it with confidence whether you ride several thousand kilometers a year for training or use it daily for commuting to work or school.
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