It’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to increase the performance and efficiency of your bike, but surprisingly also one of the most often overlooked.
Tyre technology has jumped ahead in leaps and bounds over the past few years. Long gone are the days of those old-school narrow, puncture-prone tyres that would look a year old after just a couple of rides. These days many riders can expect 3, 4 and even 5000 worry-free kilometres from a pair of off-the-shelf performance tyres.
As tyre research and development continues to surge ahead, we now know that wider is faster and more comfortable – particularly over the mid to long distances involved in the booming Gran Fondo scene.
Wider Mean Faster … And It’s Proven
From a full tubeless setup right through to ultra-lightweight race-specific solutions, Schwalbe have the tyre for every cyclist.
Technology has also played a critical role in tubeless tyre development – not only can you have a wider, faster and more efficient tyre, but one that is less prone to punctures as well!
Introducing the Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless – the world’s fastest tubeless tyre, and that’s just not Schwalbe’s claim, it’s the result of intense lab and road tests pitting the tyres against the best of the best.
Ten high-end racing tyres of the world’s leading manufacturers were recently put through a rolling resistance test by bikeradar.com and the team at Wheel Energy in Finland.
Factory Testing
The tyres were up against each other in lab tests (rolling over a smooth then rough drum), then in real world road tests. In the test lab, the Pro One achieved the best results on both the smooth and the rough-surface drum.
Out on the road it was a similar result, the Schwalbe Pro One blitzed the competition.
“Whether it is the lack of a tube, the rubber compound or the excellent construction, the Pro One feels supple and fast on the road,” said Bikeradar’s Ben Delaney following the rigorous testing.
According to the website, the extensive tests proved what many have been saying over the past few years, that wider has definite advantages over skinnier tyres. In addition to this, the extra volume of air provides extra comfort.
“Since wider tyres roll faster and more comfortably, I won’t ever buy a 23mm tyre again,” said Ben Delaney when summarising the test results.
Up close the directional tread pattern of the Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless is clearly visible.
The Perfect Clare Classic Tyre
For those riding the Clare Classic on April 8 2018, tyres will obviously play a critically important role in not just your Clare Classic ride but overall memories of the event. We’d strongly recommend you closely inspect your bike tyres well before the event – look for wear, cuts and flat areas. Check the sidewalls for cracks, abrasions or any signs of something not right.
A new pair of tyres – from Schwalbe’s Pro One Tubeless right through the company’s huge range of course-specific solutions – will be one of the best things you can do for your bike in the weeks prior to the inaugural Clare Classic!
For further details on Schwalbe bicycle tyres visit www.schwalbe.com
