Anyone who begins to Mountain bike tyres probably looks at the profile first. Obviously, it differentiates one model from another. However, the inner workings of a tyre are just as important as the rubber compound. The carcass forms the backbone of an MTB tyre, so to speak. The structure determines puncture protection, stability, damping and also the weight. And this is exactly where Swallow with its major relaunch. In future, there will be a choice of five different, completely newly developed carcasses. The aim: every biker can ride their tyres in exactly the version that best suits their personal area of use. To make it easier for bikers to find their way around, Schwalbe has given its new tyres concise, clear names.
New Schwalbe carcasses at a glance. From light (cross country) to heavy (downhill):
- Super Race
- Super Ground
- Super Trail
- Super Gravity
- Super Downhill
Super Trail is completely new - and particularly relevant for e-mountain bikers. This carcass fills the gap between the old Snakeskin (now Super Ground) and Super Gravity carcasses. Super Trail could be a strong compromise for anyone who wants to ride their E-MTB in serious terrain and wants a robust tyre with decent puncture protection. In addition to the new carcasses of the high-quality Evolution line, there is also the affordable Performance line, which relies on its own carcass construction.
But Schwalbe has not only tweaked the inner workings. There are also two new profiles. And we will also be seeing a lot of these on E-MTBs in the coming year.
The new Schwalbe Nobby Nic
No tyre has been fitted to more mountain bikes in recent years than Schwalbe's Nobby Nic. A true touring classic! However, the Nobby has lost more and more ground on e-mountain bikes and has been criticised. Even a moderate E-Fully could quickly push the lightweight tyre with its shallow tread and thin sidewall to its limits on more demanding terrain. The new edition of the Nobby Nic for 2021 wants to leave the image of the tame tourer behind - and also poach in serious trail terrain. The tread has been completely redesigned for this purpose. The side lugs are much more pronounced and self-cleaning is said to have been improved. The Nobby Nic is available in Super Ground and Super Trail versions, which also transforms it from a light touring tyre into a solid trail tyre. Anyone looking for a particularly light touring tyre for moderate terrain will no longer be served by the Nobby Nic. The new Nobby Nic costs between 59.90 and 64.90 euros in the high-quality Evolution version. Available in 26, 27.5 and 29 inch and widths of 2.25, 2.35, 2.6 and 2.8 inches.
New: Schwalbe Big Betty
Anyone who has been on a mountain bike for a while will remember Big Betty. For many years, the massive tyre made a name for itself as a bike park and downhill all-rounder. Until it disappeared from the Schwalbe programme. Now the new edition is on the shelves. And this is particularly good news for e-mountain bikers who ride their bikes in tough terrain. Until now, the classic enduro combination from Schwalbe consisted of Magic Mary at the front and Hans Dampf at the rear. The new Big Betty is the much grippier version of the Hans Dampf, which pays off on E-MTBs, especially on slippery uphills. Cornering grip is also significantly improved. We will see the combination of Magic Mary and Big Betty on many trail and enduro eMTBs in 2021. Big Betty is available in 26, 27.5 and 29 inch as well as 2.4, 2.6 and 2.8 inch widths. The high-quality Evolution tyres cost between €59.90 and €67.90, depending on the model.
Best of all, we have already been able to test this combination extensively in practice and in the lab! In EMTB 4/2020, you can read the detailed tyre test with 9 pairs for demanding E-MTB use. In addition to tyres from Maxxis, Continental, Michelin, Kenda, Vittoria, Pirelli and Specialized, we also included the brand new Schwalbes. Magic Mary/Big Betty and the specialist combo for E-MTBs: Eddy Current. The magazine will be available at newsagents and digitally from 18 August.
Eddy Current: What's new about the special E-MTB tyre?
Eddy Current will also be rolling on the new carcasses in 2021. This means that instead of Super Gravity on both wheels, the massive tyres will in future be supported by the very stable Super Gravity casing on the rear wheel, while the slightly lighter Super Trail casing will be used on the front wheel. As before, Eddy Current will only be available in exactly this version and only with the Addix Soft rubber compound. You can find out how this combination works in our big tyre test in EMTB 4/2020, available in stores from 18 August!
An end to high wear and tear at last?
With its relaunch, Schwalbe also focussed on the durability and wear of its round tyres. For years, there have been repeated complaints about studs tearing out on some models. The Schwalbe developers finally want to put an end to this. The solution: more rubber on the tread. This makes most tyres noticeably heavier. "In the end, a more reliable tyre makes the customer happier than a 150 gram weight saving," says Product Manager Carl Kämper, explaining the new Schwalbe philosophy. E-mountain bikers will certainly find it easier to cope with the extra grams. And they will also benefit in particular from greater durability. The upgrade in figures: According to our measurements, a 29er Nobby Nic in the lightest available version (Super Ground) now weighs around 950 grams. A Magic Mary in 29 x 2.4 is no longer available for less than 1200 grams, as the enduro pair Magic Mary and Big Betty are not available with lighter carcasses than Super Trail. This makes them real heavyweights. The days when Schwalbe tyres were among the lightest of all classes are definitely over for now.
Conclusion on the new Schwalbe tyres
The new carcasses and profiles are a real benefit for e-mountain bikers! The new Super Trail casing will make trail and enduro e-MTBs more robust and capable, as will the new Big Betty. Moderate bikers will also benefit, for example from the beefed-up profile of the Nobby Nic. Only real gram-filers will be left out in the cold and will wish for some lightweight models to return. The move to forego top values in the weight ranking in favour of better durability is worthy of all honour. This should primarily benefit the normal customer. That's a good thing! In an industry driven by superlatives, this is not a matter of course.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
