Panaracer Agilest Light

The Panaracer Agilest Light tyre is a tubed version of the Agilest TLR that Steve reviewed at the start of last year, but it's 64g lighter on our scales, and made for a superlight hill climb/race setup. It provides good grip in all conditions and seems to be fairly puncture resistant too.

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The Agilest Light is very similar to the tubed Agilest Folding tyre that Steve also reviewed, but Panaracer has trimmed 27g from it, and labelled it as an all-out race tyre or ideal for hill climbs.

I couldn't really feel the weight, or lack of, when I was testing the tyres – but I certainly noticed their speed. They felt a lot quicker than my usual training tyres, if perhaps not as fast rolling as my Continental GP5000 S TRs (which Jamie tested in 2021).

First off, let's talk about the grip these tyres offer. They don't look like they'll be overly grippy, but as I rode them down some wet, slippery South Wales lanes, I never once felt the tyres sliding from underneath me. The Agilest Light has the same ZSG Agile Compound outer casing as both the folding version and TLR, which Steve also found grippy enough.

I was expecting some punctures using these on my training rides, given that they're aimed at racing and hill climbs, but I'm still yet to suffer one (though I've almost certainly tempted fate by saying that now). A few cuts have recently started to appear on the tread, but that's it.

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The main difference between the Agilest Light and the Agilest TLR, besides the weight, is that you can run the TLRs at a lower pressure as they're tubeless, which should make them more comfortable and compliant.

I didn't find the Agilest Light that harsh, and any extra harshness could be a result of the TF – or 'Tough & Flex Super Belt' – that is the innermost of the three layers making up the carcass. This is meant to aid resistance to punctures but does seem to have toughened up the ride too.

I did find the tyres a bit of an effort to fit the first time – though this isn't unusual for a folding tyre. I needed two tyre levers to help me finish getting both tyres on the rim, but this sort of effort shouldn't be required on subsequent occasions.

Value

The £49.99 price isn't that high for a tyre these days, though for that sort of money you're usually getting a tubeless tyre. But given their low weight and their racing and hill climb ambitions I'd say the price is reasonable. That said, if you're pairing them with a similarly light latex or TPU inner tube, that will push the overall cost up.

The Panaracer Agilest Folding Tyre is a fiver cheaper at £44.99, but although Steve found them grippy and light, I think the lower weight of the Agilest Lights makes them worth the extra.

You can get cheaper tubed tyres than the Agilest Light, such as the Hutchinson Challenger that comes in at just £29.95 per tyre. They are a considerable 120g per tyre heavier, but Stu appreciated their supple feel and good grip.

The Agilest TLRs are a tenner more than the Agilest Lights, but they are tubeless ready. Steve rated them very highly indeed, praising them for their grip and ease of fitting, among other things.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an out-and-out race tyre or you have an ultra-light hill climb machine, the Agilest Light is a really good contender. It would be nice if you could run them tubeless – but then you have the Agilest TLR, albeit with a weight penalty. And though they don't have the most compliant ride, they've still yet to puncture even with all the debris on the road.

Verdict

Superlight tyre ideal for a hill climb bike or racing in all conditions – though not the softest ride