The Michelin Pro 3 Race carries on the storied legacy of Michelin clincher road racing tires. It's the 3rd generation of the only clincher tire ever to be ridden to victory at Paris-Roubaix -- a race notoriously unforgiving to anything but fat tubulars. With the Pro 3 Race, Michelin specifically ups the ante when it comes to grippiness. According to Michelin tests, the Pro 3 gives you a 40% increase in cornering adhesion in comparison to the Pro 2 Race, along with a 20% improvement in straight-line grip. The benefits to this are pretty obvious: In a crit you can enter corners at greater speed with greater confidence. In a road race you can descend without hesitation.

Michelin emphasizes that the improved grip of the Pro 3 Race doesn't come at the expense of increased rolling resistance. Its Silica Energy rubber compound is made in a "dual co-extrusion", which along with its 127tpi casing makes the Pro 3 Race feel as fast as it really is. One added standout quality of the Pro 3 Race is its flat resistance -- again, think about Paris-Roubaix. On the one hand you get their newly-redesigned "High Density Puncture Protection" to resist glass, staples, and other road garbage. But you also get sidewalls that -- at least to us -- have a long, long track record of blowout-resistance. Boulder-Roubaix, Batenkill, Rouge-Roubaix, or any other gravel-happy ride: Michelin is always our first choice. Available in 700x23 only, in a wide variety of colors. FYI, if you're looking for full-on Black tires that "Grey/Black" is Michelin's name for their Black tire.