Tires
Our very first Enduro Allroad prototype tires started out as knobbies with supple casings – then we had the knobs shaved off by Peter Weigle. We wanted to test the concept of a very wide, supple tire before committing to expensive tire molds. We were happy to report that...
When you design a product, develop it, test it and finally bring it to market, you wonder how it will be received. Of course, you are confident that others will like it as much as you do – you wouldn't have released it if it didn't meet your high...
Rene Herse tires are available in two versions: standard and extralight. What is the difference between the two? The difference is in the casing. The standard casing is already quite light and supple, but for the Extralight, we worked with our Japanese supplier to push the envelope further. These tires...
A little while ago, I wrote about how new scientific research has allowed us to design wide, supple tires that offer the speed of narrow, high-end racing tires. The key finding is that above a certain threshold, increasing tire pressure no longer...
Of all our research on tires, the most revolutionary finding is this: Tire pressure has almost no effect on a tire's speed. We did not believe it at first, either, so we've tested it numerous times. It's been confirmed numerous times, with different methodologies. The real revolution is not how...
Sometimes we get an e-mail or a phone call from a customer asking, "I bought the Compass 32 mm tires, but they only measure 28.5 mm on my rims. Why is this?" Decades ago, some tire makers cheated when stating tire widths. Why? To make their tires appear lighter than...
Improving your tires can make the biggest impact in the speed of your bike (apart from changing the motor!). The difference is especially pronounced for slower riders, whose wind resistance is less than that of faster riders. Most cyclists know that supple tires make you faster on your bike. But...
It may be popular to talk about "no-compromise" products, but the reality is that the best products involve a careful balance of features and properties. Take our new Compass tires... We could have made them lighter! The only place to remove material is in the middle of the tread. We...
As we get the first feedback from riders about our new Compass tires, it's nice to hear that others enjoy them as much as we do. Here are a few samples of unsolicited feedback: "I used the new Barlow Pass tyres on a route that included miles of rough railway...
How wide a tire is too wide for optimum performance? Our research shows that wider tires don't give up anything on smooth roads, and gain a significant advantage on rough roads. This has been shown for tires up to 31 mm wide. It's now a well-established fact...
Many cyclists are tempted by the performance and comfort of supple tires, but they are afraid that they might get too many flats without puncture-resistant belts and reinforced sidewalls. Tire Wipers improve the flat resistance of your tires without detracting from their comfort and performance. Few foreign objects are so...
Many cyclists want to ride on wider tires, but are limited by the clearances of their bikes. So they want to use the widest tires their bike can fit. How do you determine your bike's maximum tire width? You need a set of calipers (below). If you don't have any,...
Sometimes we get a call or an e-mail from a frustrated customer: "I have a brand-new set of your tires, and both wobble when I mount them on my rims." In most cases, it is not the tires' fault. Usually the problem stems from the difficulty of mounting tires...
Since we have published a post about "The Dangers of Narrow Tires," it is only fair that we look at the other side of the coin. What are the disadvantages (or even dangers?) of wider tires? I can think of a few: - Weight: A wider tire and a...
It is unfortunate that most "road" and even "hybrid" bikes are sold with tires so narrow that you cannot cross streetcar tracks at an oblique angle without risking a fall. The Seattle Times reported recently about a rail line that crosses a city street not far...
Every cyclist knows the sensation: You ride along, feeling at one with your bike and the world. Suddenly you notice your tire going soft, often accompanied by a hissing sound. Like Icarus, who flew too high and got singed by the sun, your euphoria is dashed as you come...
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