Is it possible to develop flexible tires with maximum utilization of the contact area that offer even more grip, safety and comfort?
Yes, it is!
RADIAL REVOLUTION: REDEFINING MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES
The latest development from the Schwalbe LAB: With the innovative radial tire technology two new MTB tires are coming onto the market. The basis for this new technology is the completely rethought carcass construction.
More grip
for even more safety
More comfort
thanks to more cushioning
Larger contact surface
on the ground
Radial tires from Pinkbike awarded
Great honor for our new MTB tires with radial carcass: Pinkbike is so enthusiastic about the innovative Schwalbe technology that they have awarded them the coveted “Product of the year” 2024 award.
It says: “they [Schwalbe] didn’t just think outside the box, they reshaped it.” And with great effect, because the Pinkbike team is very enthusiastic after several practical tests and writes: “This new type of construction used on their Trail Pro and Gravity Pro tires improves performance in several ways.” The enormous additional grip and the smooth ride feel are particularly emphasized in Pinkbike’s write-up. Schwalbe's new Albert model thus ensures safety and confidence on any terrain.
Weitere Auszeichnungen für Schwalbe Radialreifen
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THE ADVANTAGES OF RADIAL
Carcass threads at a more obtuse angle than other tires
30% more contact area with the same air pressure
More grip, more damping, more safety
WHAT DOES RADIAL MEAN?
The basis for this is the completely rethought construction of the carcass. The carcass threads, which run diagonally across the tire at a 45° angle in conventional bicycle tires, are arranged at a much more obtuse angle in our radial tires. This technology opens up a completely new dimension in the function of bicycle tires.
APEX
Protection for even greater puncture resistance in Schwalbe tires
HOW RADIAL TIRES WORK
THE NEW PRODUCTS
The new radial tires come in three new profiles: Albert, Shredda (Front / Rear) and Magic Mary Radial.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RADIAL TIRES
In a cross-ply tire, the carcass cords run at a 45° angle to the direction of travel. This is the standard construction method for bicycle tires. In radial tires, on the other hand, as used in cars, for example, the carcass cords run at a 90° angle to the direction of travel and parallel to the wheel axle. To stabilize the tire tread, steel cord belt layers are installed under the tread, which are necessary due to the high speeds. However, for bicycle tires, an arrangement of the carcass threads at a 90° angle and additional reinforcement makes no sense because the speeds reached are significantly lower than for cars and, in addition, the use of additional material would mean more weight. That is why the carcass threads in our radial tires are as blunt as possible and much closer to a 90° angle than to a 45° angle.
Due to the blunter angle of the carcass threads, the tire can deform more selectively. As a result, it follows bumps many times better than a bias-ply tire and always maintains contact with the ground. The result: more grip, more comfort and more safety off-road. In addition, the contact area increases by approx. 30% with the same air pressure.
Due to the larger contact area with the ground, Schwalbe radial tires always have more rubber in contact with the ground. As a result, rolling resistance increases slightly. However, this can be almost compensated for by clever tread designs, as already demonstrated on the ALBERT, for example.
This is intentional and is due to the higher number of weft threads in the carcass as a result of the blunter carcass angle. Weft threads are necessary in the production of tire carcasses to facilitate processing in production through to assembly. After fitting, these gradually tear in a controlled manner during riding.
Although Schwalbe radial tires are considerably more flexible under the tread, they behave almost identically to cross-ply tires in terms of lateral stiffness. This means that they can fully exploit their advantages on uneven surfaces, but do not become more unstable due to our special carcass construction.
We recommend initially using the same air pressure as a cross-ply tire with a comparable carcass construction (e.g. Gravity or Super Gravity). However, since Schwalbe radial tires are more flexible than conventional cross-ply tires even at higher pressures and retain their positive characteristics, the air pressure can be adapted much better to the riding conditions. For example, if the track conditions require a higher pressure to prevent punctures, this is easily possible with Schwalbe radial tires without having to accept disproportionately large compromises in grip.
Since we have only adjusted the angle of the carcass threads, but not the number of carcass plies or the material thickness, Schwalbe radial tires are no more susceptible to punctures than bias ply tires. The cut and puncture protection therefore remains positive.
The TRAIL carcass performs well uphill due to its lower weight, but also works very well on downhill sections. The GRAVITY carcass is designed for tougher enduro and downhill use. Accordingly, it is slightly heavier than the TRAIL carcass, but it is more stable and offers greater puncture protection.
These Schwalbe models are available in radial:
The success story continues: Schwalbe is steadily expanding its portfolio of MTB tires with innovative radial tire technology. The design developed at Schwalbe LAB for even more grip, comfort, and safety is now available for additional models and versions: the new Romy, Magic Mary, Tacky Chan, and Eddy Current.
For this update, the development team has further optimized the existing designs. In particular, the GRAVITY PRO design has been further improved—offering even greater puncture protection while maintaining the same high level of comfort.
