No new tread, no new carcass and yet everything is different. This is because the bicycle tyre specialists from Schwalbe are giving their high-quality Evolution tyres new rubber compounds. From June 2017, the old Pace, Trail and Vertstar compounds will be replaced by the new Schwalbe Addix compounds replaced. A further improvement in the rubber compound is made possible by the use of a new intermesh mixer, which is normally only used for car or truck tyres. When developing the new Addix rubber, the main focus was on better durability, but rolling resistance and grip have also been significantly improved, according to Schwalbe. All prices and weights of the MTB tyres in the Addix series remain unchanged.
Schwalbe Addix in four variants
Schwalbe is introducing four different rubber compounds for the various areas of use, from cross country to downhill. The familiar Pace, Trail and Vertstar compounds have been replaced by Addix Speedgrip (Cross Country/Tour), Soft (All Mountain/Enduro) and Ultrasoft (Enduro/Downhill). The Addix Speed compound is completely new and is mainly used in the low-profile cross-country tyres Furious Fred, Thunder Burt, Racing Ralph and optionally also in the Rocket Ron. Despite the additional fourth rubber compound, customers need not be afraid of numerous new variants. Only the Magic Marry enduro tyre is available in three different rubber compounds. All other profiles are only available in two rubber compounds. The classic touring tyre Nobby Nic will even be available exclusively in Addix Speedgrip.
Like their predecessors (Trail and Vertstar), the downhill-orientated Soft and Ultrasoft compounds shine with extremely good damping, which gives you a feeling of safety on fast descents. Thanks to Addix, the problem of tearing side lugs and the associated high wear should be a thing of the past. Schwalbe has also worked to ensure that both soft and ultrasoft tyres work perfectly even at low temperatures. But that's not all. Schwalbe's product managers even promise that the new Addix compounds will solve the duel between high grip and low rolling resistance and perfectly manage the balancing act between these two properties. This is made possible by the use of up to four different types of rubber per compound and tyre.
How do I recognise the new Addix mixtures?
All tyres with the new Addix compound from Schwalbe have a coloured label on the sidewall as well as a coloured stripe on the tread. The colour on the tread disappears from the tyre after the first few kilometres on the trail, but the label on the side remains.
We have already extensively tested all the different Schwalbe Addix compounds in the lab and in practice. You can find all the results in the big tyre test in BIKE 6/17 - from 2.
May at the kiosk.
You can also read the complete issue in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or in the DK shop order:
