I read somewhere that Steven Abraham is using Schwalbe One tubeless tyres for his attempt to break Tommy Godwin’s yearly mileage record. Interesting choice. Is this to save time fixing punctures?
But I’m more interested in the standard folding clincher with a tube inside. What do you think of this tyre? Schwalbe seems to suggest it has a novel compound that does a better job of balancing the contradictory demands of high grip, low rolling resistance, and good durability.
The Ultremo ZX, which the One replaced, was generally well-regarded except perhaps for cut resistance, so the One definitely intrigues me (despite its high price, which puts it in competition with the Vittoria Open Corsa and probably others).
Would you choose the One for an audax-type bike? Seems to be available in widths of 23, 25, and 28 mm.
Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
Schwalbe are one of his sponsors.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
Yes, so I see on Abraham’s website. But I suppose he still trusts the tubeless tyres to be best for the job (or close enough not to jeopardise his record attempt). It struck me as interesting, because the rest of his equipment is pretty traditional.
Anyway, although Schwalbe has tubeless, tubular, and conventional clincher versions all branded One, these must be very different tyres. I’m really only interested in the clincher with regular tube.
Anyway, although Schwalbe has tubeless, tubular, and conventional clincher versions all branded One, these must be very different tyres. I’m really only interested in the clincher with regular tube.
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
Sam
I've not used these tyres, but after a couple of bad experiences with other Schwalbe tyres I have gone off the brand. The last ones I got were folding Duranos (25mm), one of which was not round on the wheel. Both were also noticeably harsher than the Continental Gatorskins they replaced. I immediately relegated them to a hack bike.
For audax I now use Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons (25mm) which I find roll very well and (importantly, for me) take some of the buzz out of coarse road chippings. For me they also last well. They are grippy in wet or dry, and in spite of the high price I would not put anything else on my audax bike.
I've not used these tyres, but after a couple of bad experiences with other Schwalbe tyres I have gone off the brand. The last ones I got were folding Duranos (25mm), one of which was not round on the wheel. Both were also noticeably harsher than the Continental Gatorskins they replaced. I immediately relegated them to a hack bike.
For audax I now use Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons (25mm) which I find roll very well and (importantly, for me) take some of the buzz out of coarse road chippings. For me they also last well. They are grippy in wet or dry, and in spite of the high price I would not put anything else on my audax bike.
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
pwa wrote:Sam
I've not used these tyres, but after a couple of bad experiences with other Schwalbe tyres I have gone off the brand....
I have to agree I've not used Schwalbe tyres for a few years now due to quality issues over a period ie;not fitting well,sidewall cracks,premature wear rates too.I've also heard and read of similar stories.
Such problems caused me to suspect they had quality control issues,so I stopped using the brand.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
I don't know what kind of support SA has for his attempt, but the requirement for his tyres is surely that they roll well and don't puncture completely when he is away from those who can support him. In this respect the tubeless solution is probably a good one for him because when tyre wears out or becomes badly punctured someone else will be fixing it (which is messy) and paying for it (which is expensive).
In the meantime the gloop will stop small punctures from deflating the tyre, and there is always the option of fitting a tube by the roadside if needs be. I will be very interested to hear how many times the tyres actually punctured and how many were cut-up and/or worn out over the course of his attempt.
Tyre manufacturers are constantly working on ways to improve their product (or their profit margins) and at some point they will make enough changes to it and/or decide that it needs rebranding anyway. At this time they will rebrand accordingly. So on the face of it the 'one' is an improved Ultremo.
FWIW I think the Ultremo wasn't the fastest, lightest, most durable, most grippy, most puncture resistant, most cost-effective tyre in its class. But it did have a reasonable combination of these attributes that might suit some folk. I don't think it is fair to compare it with other tyres in the Schwalbe range because it was (AFAICT) made using different materials in different factories to other tyres in the range. I thought it cut up and punctured rather too easily and that you could choose a tyre to go faster without penalty elsewhere, or go more puncture resistant without it slowing you down too much. How much this has altered with the improvements/rebranding is anyone's guess.
Based on my experience of ultremos I'd try the 'One' in 25 or 28 on an audax bike, and expect them to be fine in dry weather. If the wet weather punctures got too bad (mostly flints IME) I'd fit tyre savers (remember them?) and see how I went with that.
cheers
In the meantime the gloop will stop small punctures from deflating the tyre, and there is always the option of fitting a tube by the roadside if needs be. I will be very interested to hear how many times the tyres actually punctured and how many were cut-up and/or worn out over the course of his attempt.
Tyre manufacturers are constantly working on ways to improve their product (or their profit margins) and at some point they will make enough changes to it and/or decide that it needs rebranding anyway. At this time they will rebrand accordingly. So on the face of it the 'one' is an improved Ultremo.
FWIW I think the Ultremo wasn't the fastest, lightest, most durable, most grippy, most puncture resistant, most cost-effective tyre in its class. But it did have a reasonable combination of these attributes that might suit some folk. I don't think it is fair to compare it with other tyres in the Schwalbe range because it was (AFAICT) made using different materials in different factories to other tyres in the range. I thought it cut up and punctured rather too easily and that you could choose a tyre to go faster without penalty elsewhere, or go more puncture resistant without it slowing you down too much. How much this has altered with the improvements/rebranding is anyone's guess.
Based on my experience of ultremos I'd try the 'One' in 25 or 28 on an audax bike, and expect them to be fine in dry weather. If the wet weather punctures got too bad (mostly flints IME) I'd fit tyre savers (remember them?) and see how I went with that.
cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
beardy wrote:http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews
Something to have a look at.
Thanks: interesting site (and links to Wim Schermer's blog covering smaller wheel sizes).
"42"
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
Brucey wrote:......... I don't think it is fair to compare it with other tyres in the Schwalbe range because it was (AFAICT) made using different materials in different factories to other tyres in the range....
cheers
But people's views of a brand are based on their experience with other tyres in the range,if they're not upto scratch due to manufacturing faults,etc,a good apple in the barrel won't get off first base for people who've had such experiences.
Bad brand experiences send people elsewhere.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
sure, give a dog a bad name... but AFAICT when you buy an Ultremo (or One now I suppose) you are buying a German made tyre and when you buy many others in their range you are buying an Indonesian-made tyre. IME it is the latter that are OK if they are OK and are b. awful if they are not.
cheers
cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
beardy wrote:http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews
Something to have a look at.
It’s interesting that the Vittoria Open Corsa CX was tested with and without a latex tube. The latex tube saved 2.3 watts at 60 PSI and 1.3 watts at 120 PSI. Similarly, a latex tube in the Continental Grand Prix 4000 S II saved 2.2 watts at 60 PSI and 1.6 watts at 120 PSI.
The Schwalbe One was only tested with a butyl tube, but does well for rolling resistance there (a little better than the Open Corsa CX, which surprisingly does a little worse than the Grand Prix 4000 S II, albeit with better puncture resistance).
The Continental tyres tend to do very well in tests (arguably the best), but their prices are noticeably higher than the others. Maybe a case of getting what you pay for?
It’s funny how Michelin seems to have lost traction (ho ho). Michelin tyres are often heavily discounted. The marketing people were slow to spot the fatter-tyre trend, and it seems they also concentrated on grip and durability just as rolling-resistance tests on the internet began to make more cyclists prioritise that aspect of performance.
Schwalbe has never done me any harm, though I’ve certainly read about quality problems. Brucey: Schwalbe says the One is made in a new factory in Indonesia.
I’m looking for good grip (not a big fan of falling), comfort, and speed. I’m willing to accept the odd puncture in pursuit of these things. If I can get nearly the same performance at significantly lower cost, I’ll take the lower cost.
Decisions, decisions.
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
I started using Schwalbe after becoming disappointed with Continental tyres, which I found failed prematurely in their sidewalls. Also, I had two Continental tyres which were not round and had to be returned.
Schwalbe seem heavier than Continentals, but they last for ages.
Schwalbe seem heavier than Continentals, but they last for ages.
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
Blackbike
I'm interested in tyres failing due to sidewall damage. I've done many thousands of miles on Panracer Paselas and Continental Gatorskins, both of which have been criticised by others for vulnerable sidewalls. I've had no problems at all, despite riding mainly on inconsistently surfaced country lanes. Why do some people experience problems and others don't? I ride mainly in Wales and the Cotswolds / Wiltshire area, and I have never had damage due to flints. Is this to do with where people ride? The only time I ever damaged a sidewall was when I rode over a broken bottle, and I can't blame the tyre for that.
I'm interested in tyres failing due to sidewall damage. I've done many thousands of miles on Panracer Paselas and Continental Gatorskins, both of which have been criticised by others for vulnerable sidewalls. I've had no problems at all, despite riding mainly on inconsistently surfaced country lanes. Why do some people experience problems and others don't? I ride mainly in Wales and the Cotswolds / Wiltshire area, and I have never had damage due to flints. Is this to do with where people ride? The only time I ever damaged a sidewall was when I rode over a broken bottle, and I can't blame the tyre for that.
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
I've always considered the Ultremo ZX to be a light weight tyre more suitable for racing rather than distance Audax events. I used them on my time trial wheels after recommendations from a couple of 'fast lads'.
I don't know where I'm going but I'll always tell you where I am.
Re: Schwalbe One tyre: as good as it sounds?
squeaker wrote:Thanks: interesting site (and links to Wim Schermer's blog covering smaller wheel sizes).
Thanks. I’ve heard of Wim Schermer’s innovative pendulum testing before. But this is a pretty fascinating article about the Ultremo ZX, as far as I can tell from Google’s translation of the original double Dutch. It seems the rolling resistance varies enormously with surface roughness and temperature. The former is not so surprising, but the extent of the temperature dependence surprises me – and makes me wonder how applicable testing at room temperature is to riding on a 10°C day, for example.
In the comments on that page are more revelations: the tyre was quite a bit faster on a 19 mm rim than on a 25 mm rim, in direct conflict with the marketing buzz saying wider rims reduce rolling resistance.
And another interesting point in the comments: Schermer says the drums often used to test rolling resistance show a lower resistance than flat ground. I had thought it would be the other way around, since the tyre deflects more on a drum than on flat ground. But he suggests the shorter contact patch on the drum and thus reduced moment of force is the dominant factor.