Snake Skin, Black Chili or L.U.S.T: The big manufacturers of mountain bike tyres - but not only them - like to use euphonious and mostly English terms for certain product features or the technologies used in their products. But what is behind these marketing terms? We explain the most important abbreviations most popular tyre manufacturers.
SCHWALBE
■ TRIPLESTAR COMPOUND
There are three different triple compounds for the high-quality Evolution tyres. Triple compound means that three different rubber compounds (pictured above) are used within one tyre. There are Pace, Trail and VertStar compounds, which differ in terms of rolling resistance, grip and damping behaviour. PaceStar rolls the best, VertStar the heaviest.
SNAKE SKIN
This is an additional layer of fabric designed to make the sidewall of the tyre less sensitive to cuts and sharp-edged stones. However, this means an extra 40 to 50 grams of weight.
■ SUPER GRAVITY
The Super Gravity tyres have a reinforced carcass construction with four plies on the sidewall and two plies on the tread. In addition, there is a snake-skin layer around the entire tyre. This keeps the tyre flexible with stable sidewalls and significantly lighter than a downhill tyre.
■ TUBELESS-EASY
Tyres with this designation can be easily converted to tubeless with latex milk thanks to the specially shaped bead and an impermeable sidewall.
MAXXIS
■ 3C-TRIPLE-COMPOUND
Like Schwalbe, Maxxis also offers a total of three different triple compounds for MTB tyres: 3C Maxx Speed, 3C Maxx Terra and 3C Maxx Grip.
■ EXO-PROTECTION
Tyres with this marking have an additional layer of fabric on the side to protect the sidewall against cuts.
■ L.U.S.T.
L.U.S.T. stands for Lightweight Ultimate Sidewall Technology and means that the outside of the carcass is covered with an airtight rubber layer and a thin protective layer. These tyres are tubeless tyres that can be ridden without inner tubes and latex.
■ SINGLE / DUAL PLY
With the single-ply carcass, a layer of nylon fabric is wrapped around the two bead cores. As a result, the sidewall consists of two plies and the tread of three plies. With the double (dual ply) carcass, there are four plies on the sidewall and six on the tread, as is usual with downhill tyres.
CONTINENTAL
■ BLACK-CHILLI COMPOUND
Only the tyres produced in Korbach have the Black Chili compound, which offers a very good compromise between grip and rolling resistance. Depending on the tyre model, different Black Chili compounds are used. In contrast to other manufacturers, Conti relies on single-compound tyres.
RACE SPORT
Designed for cross-country and marathon use, the RS tyres have a lightweight carcass with a protective rubber coating. The puncture protection is said to be 30 percent higher than that of the lightweight Supersonic tyres.
■ PROTECTION
An additional all-round puncture protection layer makes the tyre more robust against cuts.
The favourite tyres of BIKE readers
In our last major reader survey, you told us which tyres you trust. Schwalbe is by far the number one tyre and Favourite brand by 53 % of BIKE readers. Together with Continental (19%), this already accounts for three quarters of the market. Maxxis is in third place with 5%.
But not only the favourite brand, but also the Satisfaction of tyre owners were surveyed. Schwalbe also came out on top here: 85% of Schwalbe riders would buy a Schwalbe tyre again (Continental 68%, Maxxis 72%).
