Will Schwalbe’s semi/more-radial tires make you a better mountain bicyclist? In my case, the answer is a cheeky “Yes, but…“

And, the ‘but’ is that the difference in comfort plunking around with my low-pressure bias-ply 29×3″ Plus-tire setup vs. a relatively high-pressure 29×2.5″ setup forces me to actively descend my hardtail all the time. Coupled with a lower bottom bracket, I have upped my game on steep, janky trails. 

Now, these tires do deliver the traction and support to charge {relatively speaking}. There is absolutely something to Schwalbe’s new-to-bicycles tire construction. Compared to the previous generation Magic Mary, an excellent tire, also with their Ultra Soft rubber, well, their more radial version, even with an extra 3-4 psi, conforms to roots with an increased level of witchery. 

Here’s what Schwalbe has to say about their radialish threads: “The carcass material overlaps for a shorter time and with less tension. As a result, the tire deforms more selectively and can react much more flexibly and adaptably to unevenness without sacrificing control.“

After a bit of back-and-forth, but with a strong desire to see what the radialish movement is all about, I purchased a Magic Mary Gravity Pro* front tire and an Albert Trail Pro for the rear. Yes, a lighter construction, less damped, and more supple carcass for the rear tire. 

I know that might sound counterintuitive, but the tires are on a hardtail, so even though one of the selling features of the more radial construction is boosting traction, support, and damping without running low-low pressures and an insert, there was simply no way I wasn’t going to run my CushCore Trail rim protection. I like dent-free living. 

*{This Gravity Pro Radial construction sits between the very damped-riding Super Gravity bias-ply (traditional) casing and the supple but supportive Trail Pro Radial casing for those playing along at home.}

Radial Tires Are More Obtuse

Schwalbe marketing claims their more radial construction provides an increase of 30% more contact area at the same air pressure as their traditional tire construction. Then, everyone who’s ridden them {?!?} agrees the tires work better with 3-4psi more air pressure than they’d run in their previous generation same-size rubber, so that number’s meaningless. No worries, though. Schwalbe claims even with a 50% increase in pressure, there’s still a 15% increase in contact area, and riding provides no reason to doubt them. 

I’m not too, too concerned about the maths, mind you, and the rest of Schwalbe’s marketing material holds true enough for enough people that rumours persist that every tire brand intends to align their carcass threads at a more obtuse angle. Who will be next? Rumours abound, and I’m looking forward to the presumable clear-out pricing on still-rad tires that just happen to be less radial. 

More grip, more damping, more control. Everyone I’ve talked to who has run the latest and greatest tires agrees, at differing levels, that Schwalbe isn’t blowing smoke. Some have gone, or intend to go, back to their previous stalwarts, Maxxis or Continental, but most of the folks who’ve tried them are sold on what Schwalbe’s up to. 

For the record, hedging, Schwalbe’s tires aren’t truly radial in the sense of a car tire where the carcass threads run at a 90° angle to the tire’s rolling direction. That would require a significant weight increase and completely different, belted construction. Schwalbe’s threads are much more radial than the standard 45°-thread bicycle tire construction, which allows the more radial rubber to better deform/conform to terrain. 

There is one negative to consider, as with Plus tires being run softer, and that’s added traction can also mean increased rolling resistance. Will we see XC-race tires with this same type of construction? Maybe. Being able to marry increased traction and increased support, thanks to higher pressure, should reduce or eliminate the benefits and added weight of running inserts for some users. 

I also imagine the next generation of Schwalbe Radial tires will use new tread designs {knob dimensions & layouts} specifically designed to maximize advantages from the new construction. 

Insert Thoughts Here

A big believer in inserts and particularly a fan of CushCore, I’m running a front tire sans insert for the first time in years. The damping is not the equivalent of running an insert in a Plus-volume tire, but it’s impressive how well the Magic Mary Gravity Pro tire conforms to the trail surface, even with my fairly firm, no insert setup. 

{In the future, I’d like to compare the Mary Ultra Soft Gravity Pro against the same tire with the Trail Pro Radial casing, both with and without an insert.}

The radialish rubber is impressively compliant at higher pressures; however, there’s still no such thing as a silver bullet for choosing tires. I can certainly appreciate how some folks say they achieve an insert-like ride without the cost, weight, and installation of said insert, but even with the Gravity Pro casing, the damping is not at the same level. Still, previous Mary + insert vs. the new, more radial option, I’ll take the latter for a front tire setup. 

Schwalbe admits that these more radial tires are slower rolling, so despite folks holding out, I don’t know that we will see the technology trickle down to the fastest rolling World Cup XC tires. Even with some XC racers running inserts. Maybe this is just the start, and Schwalbe will be fine-tuning future tire performance based on degrees of radiality?!

[Aside] 

A Laconic Veritably Irrevocable No. 

I needed a tire setup that was more there-there for the aggressive trails and increased speeds that I’ve been enjoying on my Will’s Chromag. I also, nerd-alert, wanted to put some miles on a more radially constructed tire for myself, try to understand the hype, and also to see if the new Albert is my goldilocks for Shore riding. Shorter knobs than the Mary should roll faster and be more predictable on rock armouring? 

At the same time, I’ve been wanting to try a faster rolling rear tire that can still generate single-speed climbing grip for the Arcturian. The main concern being the low-low BB, but that could be fun until it’s not, right? My plan was to run the most aggressive Albert option up front with the so-fast semi-knob Wicked Will for a rear tire. It doesn’t get much more mix-matched: Addix Ultra Soft is so slow. Addix SpeedGrip is so fast. 

I ran the idea by Alvin, my tire guru, and received an ironclad “NO.” If you’ve ever had your own Alvin at a bike shop, you know how nice it is to have someone save you from wasting your money. For this bike, and understanding my insert plans, Alvin was adamant that I wouldn’t be happy with anything less than the Magic Mary up front and an Albert in the back. The combo is so awesome in terms of what this rig is capable of; he was obviously correct.

More than any discount or front-of-the-line service, this is, I think, the best thing that can come out of having a good relationship with the solid folks at a great bike shop. Great advice can improve your experience and save you money.

[/Aside]

Neglecting Short People

I know, I know, mullets rule all. But just as MX-curious tall folks I know have made the move back to dual 29″ hoops, I’m positive that dual 27″ {27.5″, 650B, 584mm} wheel setups are going to make a comeback, and not just for those riders who are five-foot-zip. The added roll-over of the big tire aside, it always feels better to be riding your bike than along for the ride, and under a certain height, there’s an obvious transition between the two bicycle-situationships. 

{Plus, it’s easy to convert many MX bikes to dual 27″ with some combination of a longer travel fork and taller headset.}

Now, add to that 6FiftyB revival claim the idea that radial tires make even more sense for the lightest riders. Where I’m adding 3-4psi per tire to a semi-radial system to find my perfect balance of support and traction, a rider 2/3 or 1/2 my weight may find that 1-2psi delivers a more efficient and grippier trail experience. 

Balancing suppleness and support at lower pressures is one reason why it’s so key that the folks at Maxxis manufacture their stickiest compounds in their lightest casings. Schwalbe followed suit with an Ultra Soft version of the Magic Mary with their Trail Pro carcass. The problem? It’s a 29’er only. 

The Clairebarian was due for a more aggressive pair of tires with the level of trails she’s been tackling, and I would have bought her the same Albert Soft / Magic Mary Ultra Soft combo that I’m running, but both in Trail Pro Radial casings, for no other reason than to prove my theory. 

Instead, it’s the Shore-neoclassic Assegai MaxxGrip EXO+ & DHR2 MaxxTerra EXO combo. 

Tired Thoughts

Semi-radial, pseudo-radial, I guess we can just give marketing a break and call them radial? If you hear anyone claiming that the more supple casing is somehow equatable to running a true 2.8″ or 3″ Plus tire, well, they haven’t ridden a proper Plus tire setup. There’s no extra floatation, no big boost to margin of error, and not the same level of suspension/comfort.   

That said, when it comes to comparing radial construction, there’s something to the hype. On my Will’s ArctuHawk Voyager, I’m loving the mix of traction, support, and efficiency climbing, as well as the uncanny ability for a tire that seems too firm to ye olde squeeze test to conform to greasy roots, etc. 

There is certainly additional grip available in off-camber gnar with the bonus of compounds and tread designs that are more aggressive than anything that has ever been available in Plus-sized rubber. For my Will’s Chromag, I’m sold, even if the step up in performance on the hardest trail I ride is a step back in overall comfort when I’m plunking around. 

For the front of my rigid bike, I’ll continue to mine my hoard of 29×3″ Bontrager XR4 tires for the front – and lament that more aggressive tires and compounds never made it to the larger format – as the difference in comfort from that added volume is awesome, and the traction is sufficient for where I ride the bike and the speeds I hit. 

As a rear tire, though, I’m planning to try the 2.5″ Albert Trail Pro Radial, with CushCore Trail, on my double-hardtail as well. I’m sold on the beauty balance of traction and rolling speed, the uncanny off-camber control, and it’s comfortable enough for back-of-the-rigid-bike duty. 

Yeah, so. I wouldn’t take off some near-new bicycle boots to switch to the more radial rubber unless you’re a nerd who just has to try it. And, in that case, I imagine you’ve already picked up a set? But, next time you’re due for tires anyway, if you’re not taking advantage of closeouts on still-awesome 45° bias-ply construction, there is definitely something to the hype surrounding this Schwalbe Radial rubber. And that something is worth experiencing. 

And the key takeaway is we’re not just talking about an advantage for folks who shred. Even I noticed a difference right away, and anyone can benefit from faster rolling, more supple, more progressive tire performance. Well, anyone except for folks with a 27″ front wheel. Come on, Schwalbe, Magic Mary Trail Pro Radial Ultra Soft 27×2.5″! 

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