Panaracer Race A Evo 3 tyres review

Developed and engineered in Japan, Panaracer has over 50 years of experience making high performance tyres. The Panaracer Race A Evo 3 is a tyre intended for all-weather use, with a good degree of puncture protection while still offering good rolling resistance, good grip and a supple feel.

An update on the previous Evo 2 version, the Race A sits in between the Race D, which has increased sidewall puncture protection and is slightly heavier, and the Race L. Should you want a lighter faster, more performance-orientated tyre, the Race L Evo 3 model is Panaracer's suggestion and weighs just 180g. All three models retail at £39.99.

Dedicated winter tyres often have increased puncture protection at the expense of higher rolling resistance and a harder compound that diminishes ride feel and reduces grip, especially in the wet. By contrast the Panaracer Race A Evo 3 rolls well and has great grip and in this respect is a similar tyre to Continental GP Four Season, but with a retail price that is £15 lower.

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Also within the range is the Race A Evo 3 tubeless, which we recently tested to destruction after filling it with Orange Seal sealant. It is important to note that although the name is very similar, the Panaracer Race A Evo 3 we have here is not tubeless.

Video - Watch the Panaracer Race A Evo 3 Tubeless tested to destruction

I had no issue mounting these tyres on both Mavic and DT Swiss rims and when measured with calipers, the tyres came up at 25mm as advertised (at 90 psi).

I have been riding the Race A Evo 3 throughout February, covering roughly 1,000km, and have taken them through the clogged-up, filthy lanes of Cotswolds most weekends. At this time of year these lanes are a minefield of puncture hazards, yet the Panaracer Race A Evo 3 tyres have performed brilliantly and without sustaining flats or large cuts.

I have also ridden them in the Lake District in lanes littered with flints and potholes, yet suffered no punctures there either. Punctures can be a lottery and Sod's law dictates that if I sing the praises of a tyre then someone will buy it and have four punctures on their first ride. That said, these tyres offer greater protection than a dedicated summer tyre without doubt.

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When riding up steep gradients (as much as 25 per cent) I was really impressed with how well the tyres gripped. I encountered no rear wheel slip, even in the wet, and they also impressed me in the corners, especially on descents.