8th advent calendar door: Albert turns the MTB world upside down
Is it possible to develop flexible tyres with maximum utilisation of the contact area that offer even more grip, safety and comfort? Yes, it is! The latest development from the Schwalbe LAB: MTB tyres with radial tyre technology - an innovation that has never been seen before in bicycle tyres! The basis is the completely rethought carcass construction.
Schwalbe's Albert is the world's first bicycle tyre with a completely new carcass construction. Its threads, which run diagonally across the tyre at a 45° angle in normal bicycle tyres, are arranged at a much more obtuse angle in the Albert. The technology, which was developed in the Downhill World Cup, opens up a completely new dimension in the function of bicycle tyres. First and foremost, the arrangement ensures that the carcass material overlaps shorter and with less tension. As a result, the tyre deforms more selectively and can react much more flexibly and adaptably to bumps without sacrificing the safety factor.
Secondly, the radial tyres offer approx. 30% more contact area than conventional tyres at the same air pressure. Even if the air pressure is increased by 50%, the contact area is still 15% larger and the tyre retains its flexible properties. This means that the air pressure can be freely selected according to the rider's wishes - with virtually no negative impact on suspension behaviour and comfort! The increased contact area and more flexible response behaviour provide significantly more grip, more damping, more safety and more comfort. The tyre absorbs impacts better and uses the suspension travel more effectively - it literally sucks itself into the ground. This applies to both mountain bikes and eMTBs, which have significantly more traction on the ground with the two tyres.
When developing Albert, Schwalbe's developers utilised the findings from the development of the Tacky Chan. The basic question: What should a tyre look like that gives me a lot of security in every situation? The shoulder lugs from the Tacky Chan were adopted and ensure extended braking edges, durability and good transferability of lateral forces.
Website: www.schwalbe.com
Radial technology explained. What's behind the new Albert & Shredda MTB tyre: www.youtube.com
Win one of two Schwalbe Albert sets (size and model of your choice) worth €159.80 today
Participation for our door number 8 is possible here from 8 December 2024: