About 2 months in the past, I went to Finale to blind check Schwalbe’s all-new Albert Radial MTB tires. Subsequent, I introduced house these Gravity casing tires, and added a few of their lighter Path casing analogues. I then proceeded to experience them laborious in all climate and all path situations to see if my glowing first impressions translated on house trails and acquainted bikeparks.
Get able to nerd out on a brand new mountain bike tire for a bit…
Schwalbe Albert Radial MTB tires, an In-Depth Overview
I can merely say, that is the grippiest new all-rounder enduro mountain bike tire setup I’ve ridden in years, whereas nonetheless not feeling gradual on the climbs. I constructed up a brand new enduro check bike within the workshop final week, and these Albert Gravity Radials are the one tire I’ve even considered placing on the brand new bike.
How nice are the brand new Schwalbe Albert Radial mountain bike tires, actually?
I do know that my launch story on the new Schwalbe (virtually) Radial tires late final week reads as a bit glowing. However relaxation assured, the PR data and tech particulars from the staid Germans at Schwalbe weren’t almost so enthusiastic. In truth, their communications on this new tire was tremendous primary. They beautiful a lot caught to a easy description of the standard 45° construction orientation vs. the brand new one which was “a smaller angle” nearer to a real radial orientation. And naturally, their declare of 30% elevated contact patch space on the identical stress, or 10% extra contact even at 7psi/0.5bar increased tire pressures.
I simply actually admire how the change in cloth orientation contained in the tire is so easy, and but it has such an enormous, noticeable affect on how the tire performs.
Why does (extra) Radial building matter?
Schwalbe explains it by saying that their virtually radial building means ~25% shorter strands of the casing cloth from bead-to-bead. And that due to the ~15° orientation of those fibers (vs. standard 45° bias-ply), these fibers within the tire casing lengthen only one/4 the gap within the course of the tire’s rotation.
That successfully signifies that when an edge on the path hits your tire, it solely impacts 1/4 as many fibers throughout the cross-section of the tire casing at a time. And that leads to rather more localized deflection on the level of contact.
What you get is a construction the place the tire knobs can fold over extra intently to a path impediment, whereas additionally then permitting all the giant tire quantity to unfold the whole affect power over a larger space of the tire.
Extra native grip connecting the tread to the bottom. Better contact patch space on the identical tire pressures. And larger damping of the rebound (or bounce) from the spike of air stress contained in the tire quantity when hitting an impediment.
Be at liberty to learn extra concerning the tech in my authentic launch protection, right here.
How a lot do they really weigh?
Within the lead-up to the Albert Radial product launch, Schwalbe didn’t truly ship us any weight figures, merely stating that the brand new Radial building didn’t change weights vs. their standard tire building. However the Albert Gravity & Path Radials are literally an all-new tire, so let’s break down the load claims on the 4 tires we’ve been testing…
- Schwalbe Albert Gravity Radial 29 x 2.6″ Extremely Delicate – claimed weight 1330g – precise pattern weight 1406g
- Schwalbe Albert Gravity Radial 29 x 2.6″ Delicate – claimed weight 1330g – precise pattern weight 1368g
- Schwalbe Albert Path Radial 29 x 2.5″ Extremely Delicate – claimed weight 1180g – precise pattern weight 1148g & 1188g
- Schwalbe Albert Path Radial 27.5 x 2.5″ Delicate – claimed weight 1180g – precise pattern weight 1093g & 1120g
Usually talking, our Gravity tires are a bit heavier & Path tires a bit than the Schwalbe claims, however inside motive for tire-to-tire variation. And likewise in all probability extra correct illustration of the completely different weights of the broader & softer tires vs. the narrower & smaller diameter tire.
(Word: A phrase of warning, I don’t totally belief the claimed weights on Schwalbe.com as there are a number of completely different sizes that record the identical weight, and no weights listed but on the Schwalbe US web site.)
Blind testing that offered me on Radials
My first experience on the brand new tires was in 10 blind back-to-back laps on a single basic Finale Ligure path over the course of 6 hours. Getting uplift shuttles and tuning by Evolve Finale on a Pivot Shuttle all-mountain ebike.
With my suspension dialed in for the combo of hardpack, rock & dusty corners, I set off on the primary descent. Not realizing what tires I used to be driving or what new tech to anticipate, Schwalbe’s engineers set my beginning tire stress primarily based on my typical choice.
After every lap, we recorded my impressions and the mechanics made small stress changes as I requested. Over 4 runs together with an prolonged climbing lap, I adjusted pressures down fairly a bit for extra grip within the delicate bits, then again as much as a really perfect grip balanced with sufficient help within the laborious corners & off-cambers.
Subsequent, Schwalbe swapped within the new tires (at what they later instructed me was +4psi increased pressures), and I did 6 extra laps with 1 extra climbing part. I wasn’t 100% positive what had modified, however I instantly felt I had extra grip AND extra help. Finally, I once more dropped tire pressures a bit extra to match the identical feeling of sidewall help as the primary tires, however with much more sense of grip and management by the roughest sections.
Tremendous Gravity vs. Gravity Professional Radial
In the long run, I had began driving a traditional Magic Mary Tremendous Gravity setup getting it right down to 19/22psi (entrance & rear) for the demanding however not loopy quick or ultra-technical driving. After which I completed on these new Albert Gravity Radials, settling in a bit increased stress at 20/23psi, however a sense of higher grip and management.
Solely later that night did Schwalbe clarify what was completely different contained in the tire.
However I already knew that I needed the brand new Radials.
And I instantly swapped them onto a pedal-powered Pivot Firebird enduro bike for an additional day of Finale shuttled path driving.
Using Overview: The brand new almost-radial tires that merely grip higher than ever!
Since returning again house from two 29er Pivot check bikes, I swapped to the lighter Albert Path Radial tires, mounting them on two Mullet all-mountain check bikes. I needed to see how they fared as path and enduro driving all-rounders, typically getting uplifts, however most of the time pedaling up the climbs.
Finally, the 29er Gravity Radials ended up on a brand new golden enduro check sled…
And nonetheless… Schwalbe’s new Radial tires continued to impress.
Working nearly 5psi extra stress than we had been in Maxxis Minion EXO+ & Conti Kryptotal Enduro tires, the extra closed tread Albert delivered extra grip, an improved supple really feel, and comparable (and even higher) cornering stability.
After my first rides in Finale, we weren’t too stunned to really feel how reliably grippy the tires felt on dry trails – each hardpacked and people with free corners.
However the further grip was particularly spectacular once we had a number of wetter & muddier days driving the latest enduro trails on the Epic Bikepark Leogang and throughout the ridge into Saalbach.
By dropping simply 2psi out of the tires, they folded over and caught to moist roots and slick rocks, despite the fact that they weren’t as open a tread, as devoted delicate or moist situations tires. I even received the sense that the versatile manner the tread folds over path obstacles prevented them from actually packing up with mud.
Using Schwalbe Radials from Italy to Czechia, and all over the place between
All mentioned, in 2 months we’ve examined the tires in Finale; at Leogang, Saalbach, Ještěd, Kraličák, Kouty, Kopřivná, Klínovec & Plešivec bikeparks; the rocky Rychlebské stezky path middle; and our personal rocky & loamy house trails within the northern Czech mountains on the border with Poland.
It’s been a number of enduro driving.
Plus, some quick Czech Enduro racing over the weekend on tough tracks of dusty dry & free pure loam.
One different attention-grabbing facet of the tire is a way that they’re barely quieter – particularly noticeable after I did the back-to-back comparability on the identical path again and again. I believe this comes right down to the slower rebound damping that Schwalbe described.
It’s extra pronounced on tremendous hardpack or large sections of easy rock. However the Albert Radial tires simply don’t appear to make as a lot noise because the older Tremendous Gravity tires did.
Setup options
Using the brand new Schwalbe Albert Radial tires, it merely appears like they’ve further grip free of charge.
It’s a little trickier than regular to reassess what your ultimate tire stress must be, as a result of the tires are extra depending on having the perfect stress to your weight, terrain, and driving model. Plus, a 2-4psi distinction in stress has an actual noticeable impact on each how the tire grips and the way a lot help you’re feeling in corners. And you’ll’t simply squeeze the tires to really feel if it’s appropriate, as a result of elevated native flexibility makes the tire really feel softer on the identical stress than different standard bias-ply tires.
So it’s greatest to make use of a dependable/correct stress gauge, and begin with round 5psi greater than you’ll in an identical model of tire. Then, make any stress adjustments in small increments. In the long run, you’ll discover extra grip AND extra help, most definitely at barely increased pressures than you’ll have thought.
Parting Ideas on driving the brand new Schwalbe Albert Radial tires
With that in thoughts, these new Schwalbe Albert Gravity & Path Radials have performed higher than every other all-mountain or enduro tires that I’ve ridden in current reminiscence. They handle to ship constant, predictable grip throughout variable path & climate situations.
In the event you experience in free or moist situations the entire time, or want a conditions-specific race tire, you would possibly want a extra aggressive tread (just like the Magic Mary or Shredda Radials). However if you would like one tire that you just simply placed on the bike and simply experience, you’d be hard-pressed to discover a extra versatile answer.
On that thought, I constructed this new Scott Ransom up final week. With the ultra-supple Components Belva enduro fork and new light-weight DT XMC carbon wheels, it creates a pedal-able super-all-mountain bike, which is able to function a check mattress for all the things from aggressive path to full-on enduro parts. (Don’t fear, it solely seems like a DH bike, however is definitely a 16.5kg/36lb shredder.)
It’s already featured a primary take a look at the newly accessible Trickstuff Maxima Black brakes. And on the reverse finish of the price spectrum, first impressions are fairly strong on this worry-free MicroShift Introduction X drivetrain!
And I can’t think about a extra ultimate all-rounder tire than these new Schwalbe Albert Radials. My solely actual powerful resolution was whether or not to select the more durable Gravity Professional casing or save 200g per tire with the Path Professional model.
For now, I’ll persist with Gravity on this larger bike, and hold Path tires on the shorter journey path bikes.
Seems like I discovered my new favourite mountain bike tire!
To search out out much more, take a look at the core tech particulars, accessible fashions, and pricing in my Schwalbe Radial mountain bike tires launch story, right here.
