REVIEW
German bicycle tyre giant Schwalbe have released BMX race tyres in the past without really gaining traction (pun intended) … but the release of the company’s latest creation really caught our eye.
It was all a little clandestine to begin with. Niek Kimmann was riding with an unknown tyre; people were asking us ‘do you know what tyres Michael Bias is using?’ His Inspyre teammate, Jeremy Rencurel was also testing them. It was clear that the mystery brand was developing something special, with some of the most talented riders in the sport.
Then, after four UCI World Cups wins during the ‘development phase’, Schwalbe unleased the SX-R. Then came Paris, where Saya Sakakibara snatched the Olympic Gold … on the Schwalbe SX-Rs.
We were lucky enough to get our hands on a rare set of 47-406 (approx. 20 x 1.85”) while in Paris. We’ve been riding with them, on and off, since then …
The first thing you’ll notice is how minimalist the tyres are. The slick centre band is the most prominent we’ve seen on a BMX race tyre to date and the directional thread pattern on the sides has minimal depth. After a discussion with Schwalbe, it’s obvious that they have designed the SX-Rs for racing at the highest level, on modern tracks. If you still race around loose dirt turns, there are probably better options out there for you.
The second thing you’ll notice, when you actually get your hands on the SX-Rs, is the weight, or the lack there of. They are light, very light. We weighed our sample in at a miniscule 278g, despite the official weight of 290g. That’s about 15 grams lighter than the previous lightest tyre we’ve found, and we’ve looked … a lot. Reduce rotational weight, accelerate quicker, go faster …
Now that you can get up to top speed quickly, how’s the grip? The first time we used them on a pump track we were nervous in the tight banked turns. The tyres produce a sound, albeit very quiet, that we’ve not heard before, it was a little unnerving, but once you settle in, become more comfortable and get over the psychological issue of looking down at uber-slick tyre between your forks, and really push them into a turn, you’ll discover they stick like glue. And when worn in slightly, they only get better. The rubber feels almost soft to the touch, almost sticky.
In a straight line, on a hard packed surface, it’s a no brainer, they are fast. Zero resistance! Likewise on the gate, we found zero issues. The modern BMX gate provides a tonne of built in grip so the slick centres on they tyres combined with the feather weight let you push through, getting up to top speed quickly.
We were also curious to get the opinion of someone who has been using the tyres through the development phase of the project, so we asked Michael Bias. “I’ve been using them since May this year, after we did testing with them in Germany. I was quite reluctant to change as I was comfortable on my old set up but after the session with them finding the right tyre pressures & pushing the tyres I was fully converted and haven’t looked back since” he told us.
We are not sure why it hasn’t happened already but Schwalbe may actually force you to think about BMX racing slightly differently … do you have the right equipment for the current conditions? The best analogy that comes to mind is F1 tyres, Red indicates soft and slick, for the best conditions. Yellow means medium, and white is the hardest compound that will last the longest but is the slowest. In BMX terms, we feel like the Schwalbe SX-Rs would fall into the F1 Red category, fastest in the right conditions, which for the most part is were BMX racing lives.
We haven’t been using the tyres long enough to comment on longevity but we’re assuming you may replace these more often than other tyres. How much more? We’re not sure yet, but more. Think F1 Red!
Today, the SX-Rs are only available in 47-406 (approx. 20 x 1.85”). Our preferred rear option, the thinner 42-406 (approx. 20 x 1.60”) version hasn’t hit the streets yet but we’re told it will appear any day now. We’re very interested to try that in combination with the bigger front tyre. Out of interest, when we measured the width of the 47-406 compared to a 20 x1.75” of the most ubiquitous brand on the BMX market, the Schwalbe came in at 0.5mm thinner, on the same rim. Tyre sizes can be a bit of a minefield.
So are the Schwalbe SX-R tyres worth your €42.00 … given the right conditions, we think they may just be a steal … reduce rotational weight, go faster …
Find out more about the Schwalbe SX-R tyres HERE
If you have BMX product and you’re interested in a ‘Fifteen BMX’ fair and honest review please email us at info@15.ie … BMX since the 80’s with 25 years of real-world product design experience!
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