Download - Tire Brandbook
©2014 SPECIALIZED BICYCLE COMPONENTS INC. / SPECIALIZED.COM
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YOUR RIDE DEPENDS ON THIS.
The tire contact patch on a road bike is roughly one
square inch per tire. That means two square inches
of area where the rubber meets the road. Through
those two square inches, all of your power, reflexes
and control must be fed through the bike and into the
ground. Flipping that coin, those same two inches of
contact patch are all you have for traction, and are the
sole transmitters of everything you feel being relayed
from the bike to your body.
Wind tunnel sculpted aerodynamics, gossamer-light,
highly responsive, state of the art carbon fiber frame
design, finely evolved suspension kinematics – all this
thought and attention can be let down by sub-par tires.
However, by that same measure, the right set of tires
can transform an otherwise unremarkable bike into
something magic.
5Y O U R R I D E D E P E N D S O N T H I S
T W O -T I M E W O R L D C H A M P I O N T R OY B R O S N A N P U S H ES H I S B U TC H E R S TO T H E L I M I T / VA L D I S O L E , I TA LY
TIRES MATTER. A LOT.
Tires matter. A lot. This golden rule applies equally
to road and mountain bikes. The first product to
bear our name was a tire, and the often taken for
granted bicycle tire has been a cornerstone of our
brand from the beginning. The reputation of a bicycle
can be made or broken by the tires, and as such, we
take the performance of those tires very seriously.
The information contained here will explain in great
detail how our tires are made, why we design and
manufacture our tires the way we do, and define what
environments they are tailored to perform their best.
Why? Because tires matter. A lot.
7Y O U R R I D E D E P E N D S O N T H I S
A TRUE LEGACY
Confronted by the limitations of tires available to
cyclists at the time, Mike Sinyard saw an opportunity
in 1978. Clinchers then were heavy and slow rolling,
and in no way appealing for enthusiasts, whereas the
alternative - tubular tires - required a level of application
and dedication (and glue) that was daunting for most
riders. Thus began the quest to create a lightweight,
high performance clincher tire, one that offered the
performance benefits of a tubular combined with the
understandable simplicity of a clincher. The tire that
came to market as a result of this quest was the first
ever Specialized product, called simply The Touring
Tire — it was a game changer. Following this, clincher
tires and high performance were no longer exclusive
terms, and the market began to embrace the potential
of these new tires.
9A T R U E L E G A C Y
Jim Merz was a rather unconventional pioneer for
testing Specialized Tires, and the importance of his
role in the tire story—and the DNA of the Specialized
brand for that matter—cannot be understated. Known
in the early 70’s as one of the premiere fabricators
and framebuilders in the world, Jim was also a rider
renowned for taking on ‘crazy-long’ endurance rides.
And by ‘crazy-long’, we’re talking about 3,500 mile
rides from Portland, Oregon down to Panama, and
then in 1978, taking off for 5 weeks to ride almost
every single road in Greece. Could there be a more
perfect candidate to test the early iterations of the
Specialized Touring Tire?
“When I was developing the original touring tires,”
said Mike Sinyard. “I’d send them in advance of Jim’s
stops so he could have new tires to try. He’d call me
from time-to-time to give feedback—things like how the
tires performed and when they didn’t hold up. That kind
of real-world feedback from real riders was invaluable
and actually became the way we develop products
at Specialized.”
Real world testing with athletes is a tradition that lives
on, today. But Jim Merz was more than just the original
tire tester—he was part of the original core DNA of the
Specialized brand. During his time with Specialized,
Merz is noted for creating not only the first team
Stumpjumper—the famous pink bike—but also the Epic,
the Epic Ultimate, and the Dupont TriSpoke wheel.
11Y O U R R I D E D E P E N D S O N T H I S
W E L E A R N E D E A R LY O N T H E D I F F E R E N C E B E T W E E N W I N N I N G A N D LO S I N G C A N C O M E D OW N TO 2 S Q U A R E I N C H E S .
13A T R U E L E G A C Y
“ W E H AV E B E E N M A K I N G T I R ES F O R A LO N G T I M E A N D W E H AV E L E A R N E D F R O M B OT H O U R S U C C ES S ES A N D O U R FA I LU R ES . ” – N E D OV E R E N D
15A T R U E L E G A C Y
N E W Y O R K C I T Y H A L L , J U LY 14 , 1 9 8 1 , 5 : 3 4 A M . LO N H A L D E M A N S E TS T H E N E W D O U B L E T R A N S C O N T I N E N TA L R EC O R D O N S PEC I A L I Z E D T U R B O T I R ES
I N 24 D AY S A N D 2 H O U R S AV E R AG I N G R O U G H LY 24 0 M I L ES PE R D AY.
Today, we have 36 years of designing the best tires
in the world. We have employees with lifetimes of
experience assessing the needs of riders, mixing rubber
compounds, designing casings and tread blocks,
testing for rolling resistance and friction and puncture
protection, and developing tires to excel in their given
environments — whether that is a shale slope in the
French Alps, a decreasing radius downhill right hander
on Mt. Hamilton Road, a run to the grocery store or a run
at the World Championship.
17A T R U E L E G A C Y
N I K I T E R P ST R A E N R O U T E TO V I CTO R Y O N 3 0 C S PEC I A L I Z E D T U R B O T U B U L A R T I R E S / PA R I S R O U B A I X 2 0 14
The old notion was narrow tires, pumped up rock
hard, yielded the highest speed. After decades of
bone jarring, tooth rattling ride quality on bumpy
roads it turns out, and we’ve spent quite a bit of time
testing this, the old notion is seriously flawed. What
we’ve found is, essentially, the opposite. Here’s why:
Rolling resistance does decrease as tire pressure
is increased, up to a point. Beyond that pressure,
tires are pumped “dead” and further inflation only
decreases ride quality and road feel while offering no
improvement in rolling resistance.
Meanwhile, larger casings with an increased tire
volume (and lower tire pressure) are more supple
than smaller casings, more responsive to surface
irregularity, and as a result roll more smoothly over a
given surface. This in turn means larger volume tires
roll faster over that surface. Yes, that’s right. We’re
talking about tires that are larger, softer, smoother,
more comfortable, and FASTER.
01/ SMOOTHER IS FASTER
19S M O O T H E R I S F A S T E R
S M O OT H E R I S FA ST E R AC R O S S T H E ST R A D E B I A N C H I
21S M O O T H E R I S F A S T E R
T I R E T EST I N G O N T H E T R E AC H E R O U S A R E N B U R G F O R E ST PAV E
THAT MEANS THE TIRE IS ABLE TO ROLL MORE SMOOTHLY OVER THAT SURFACE, WITH GREATER TRACTION AND CONTROL.
TURN UP THE VOLUME – Back when we first
introduced the Roubaix, getting a serious cyclist to
consider riding anything wider than 21mm was a
serious undertaking. Twenty-three-millimeter-wide
tires were a challenge to the faithful, and 25mm was
heresy. We introduced the 23/25 size designation as
a way of capitalizing on the benefits of a larger casing,
while still appealing to the sensibilities of people who
believed that a narrower tire was necessary for higher
speed. Fortunately, that tire paved the way for a more
in-depth exploration of what could be achieved with
larger volume tires without eliciting howls of protest
from the traditionalists.
“
WIDER TIRES ARE FASTER
Load 50kg, Speed 30km/h, Tested @Specialized Tire Labs
23S M O O T H E R I S F A S T E R
PE R F O R M A N C E C O N F I R M AT I O N O U TS I D E LO S A N G E L E S , C A L I F O R N I A
25S M O O T H E R I S F A S T E R
O P Q S PA R I S R O U B A I X R EC O N
SIZE MATTERS – A wide tire can be run at lower
pressure than a narrow tire. This in turn allows that tire
to conform to road surface irregularities. That means
the tire is able to roll more smoothly over that surface,
with greater traction and control. Ultimately, this means
a wider tire will be able to roll FASTER over that surface,
since it is not losing energy reacting to and being
deflected by surface irregularities. This applies for all
surfaces, but the rougher the road the faster the wider
tire will be compared to its narrower predecessor.
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE – Greater tire volume changes
the shape of a tire’s contact patch, rendering it shorter
and wider for a given air pressure. This has also been
proven to roll faster. Additionally, for a given pressure, a
larger volume tire will deform (bulge) less at its contact
patch when rolling or cornering. Deformation is energy
lost, pure and simple. So, not only will a larger tire
roll more comfortably over a given surface, it will be
deforming less as it rolls. It will be rolling SMOOTHER
and FASTER than a narrower tire. Period.
WHY ARE WIDER TIRES FASTER?
Shorter, wider contact patch = less sidewall deformation
27S M O O T H E R I S F A S T E R
29S M O O T H E R I S F A S T E R
V
S PE E D PE R S O N I F I E D, O LY M P I C XC G O L D M E D A L I ST J A R O S L AV K U L H AV Y / H A FJ E L L , N O R WAY
Smoother is faster, and faster is always the preferred
outcome. Rubber compound plays a huge part in
a tire’s rolling resistance. We have developed our
proprietary Gripton compound to offer improved rolling
resistance characteristics relative to the competition
(as well as offering superior traction, but we’ll get into
those attributes elsewhere), and it’s application in our
Turbo S clincher results in the fastest tire in the world.
Off-road, tread pattern comes into play in addition to
the importance of compound. Through careful Finite
Element Analysis we can determine optimal tread block
size and shape in order to achieve the elusive goal
of high traction and low rolling resistance. By careful
sculpting of tread we can reduce the amount of rubber
surrounding knobs while supporting them to avoid tread
deformation. Less material in the tread equals less tread
deformation. This in turn means less rolling resistance,
and less rolling resistance means faster.
02/ SPEED + ROLLING RESISTANCE
31S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
R AW G R I PTO N C O M P O U N D, H OT O F F T H E P R ES S ES
THE GRIPTON ADVANTAGE – Our proprietary Gripton
compound achieves some lofty goals – such as being
a key component of the fastest tires in the world.
Utilizing mostly synthetic rubber reinforced with
silicon dioxide, Gripton experiences less hysteresis
loss than natural rubber. The compounds in Gripton
tires are not as dense as carbon black compounds,
and experience less internal friction and resultant
temperature build up when deformed. Silica is also
porous, and as a result absorbs less energy than carbon
black compounds. Therefore, Gripton dissipates
less energy than other compounds, and tires using
Gripton run cooler, more smoothly, more efficiently.
Most importantly though, they roll faster. Faster than
anything else. Fast enough to win World Championships.
Results show in 40K TT, the Turbo with Gripton
compound improved by 70 seconds. 35 seconds
faster than a GP4000S.
ROLLING RESISTANCE TEST
PO
WE
R (W
)
Turb
o S
-Wo
rks
MY
11
GP
40
00
S
Op
en C
ors
a C
X
GP
TT
Turb
o S
-Wo
rks
MY
14
33S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
R AW G R I PTO N I N G R E D I E N TS
35S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
T I R E C O M P O U N D I N G E X PE RT, W O LF G A N G A R E N Z
We have made repeated references to Gripton and
what we have been able to achieve because of it
already. But it is pretty amazing stuff and deserves
further explanation. In order to do that, however, we
need talk about the team responsible for Gripton.
Tire compound mixing is not an easily taught
formulaic skillset; it takes years upon years of
accrued, hands-on experience, and is a nuanced craft
with so many variables that it is viewed by many
as something between alchemy and dark magic.
With the decades of experience formulating tires
at the highest level, the Specialized tire team are
master craftsmen when it comes to tire compound
mixing. There are only a handful of people in the
world capable of this complicated science.
THE TEAM BEHIND GRIPTON
37T H E T E A M B E H I N D G R I P T O N
A NUANCED CRAFT WITH SO MANY VARIABLES THAT IT IS VIEWED BY MANY AS SOMETHING BETWEEN ALCHEMY AND DARK MAGIC
When the tire team at Specialized set out to create
the next leap in road tire technology they knew
they needed to develop a tire compound that would
surpass the previous compounds we had employed
in several important areas. The new compound had
to roll faster than anything else, it had to also offer
superior traction to anything else, it had to offer
performance that would enable our athletes to
perform at their absolute best, and it would be a nice
bonus if there was no tradeoff in durability for such
stellar performance.
After extensive prototyping in consultation with the
best racers in the world, the result of our endeavors
was Gripton. Rolling resistance at least 10% better
than the closest competition, better traction in the wet,
and no sacrifice in durability – this is our flagship tire
compound, and it is only available on Specialized tires.
39T H E T E A M B E H I N D G R I P T O N
These impressive results were achieved by the use
of synthetic rubber with the reinforcing addition of an
activated Silica compound. Silica compounds have a
more open pore structure than the carbon black rubber
found on most bicycle tires. The use of synthetic rubber
reduced hysteresis induced energy loss, which was
further aided by the additional Silica. Being porous,
Silica absorbs less energy than carbon black rubber,
and is more loosely packed at the molecular level than
carbon blacks. This means that Silica compounds
experience less internal friction and heat buildup when
deformed, resulting in less energy loss. This is how
Gripton is able to roll faster than the competition.
ROLLING RESISTANCE AT LEAST 10% BETTER THAN THE CLOSEST COMPETITION, 30% BETTER TRACTION IN THE WET, AND NO SACRIFICE IN DURABILITY
However, aside from the highly proprietary nature of
the ingredients in this mix (We have Gripton mixed at
our own contracted lab, and then sent direct to the
tire factory, where it can only be used in our tires) the
actual mixing itself is a key component to how Gripton
performs. If the compound is not mixed properly, the
ingredients can’t disperse correctly in the mix, rendering
the compound weak and inconsistent. So, we mix in
closed Banbury containers, in a laborious, three-stage
process. The entire batch is allowed to cool between
steps so that material structure can bed in before more
ingredients are added, and this is done in a precisely
controlled environment. It is because of this rigorous
attention to the mixing that we are able to achieve such
consistent wear characteristics on top of the huge gains
made in traction and rolling resistance.
Gripton. There really is nothing else like it in bicycle tires.
Meanwhile, the tire team has a whole lot more in store.
41T H E T E A M B E H I N D G R I P T O N
2 0 1 3 U C I I N D I V I D U A L T I M E T R I A L W O R L D C H A M P I O N S H I P W I N N I N G S - W O R K S T U R B O T I R E
43S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
U C I I T T W O R L D C H A M P I O N TO N Y M A RT I N I S I N ST R U M E N TA L I N S - W O R K S T U R B O T I R E D EV E LO P M E N T
TURBO PERFORMANCE – The pinnacle of our tire
technology is embodied in the S-Works Turbo. A
supple, 220 TPI casing is bolstered by a layer of
BlackBelt barrier protection, providing protection while
maintaining a supple feel. Capped with Gripton rubber
that also extends into the sidewalls for unprecedented
traction even at extreme lean angles, and riding on
a large volume, 24mm casing, this is the tire that
Tony Martin used to win the 2013 World Time Trial
Championship. These attributes – world beating speed
and resilience – are found throughout the Turbo line.
45S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
M A R K C AV E N D I S H , S P R I N T I N G TO V I CTO R Y AT T H E G I R O D’ I TA L I A O N S - W O R K S T U R B O T I R ES
47S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
PA O LO M O N TOYA O N C O U R S E / P I E T E R M A R I TZ B U RG , S O U T H A F R I C A
REFINED DESIGN EQUATES TO PLACING JUST ENOUGH MATERIAL WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST TRACTION AND THE BEST TIRE SPEED.
THE SCIENCE OF TRACTION – Off-road tires face a
myriad of traction challenges, and function ultimately
determines the basic tread of a tire in a given
environment. The tread of a tire designed to excel on
a World Cup DH course is not going to resemble the
tread that wins a World Cup XC race, and neither of
those may be the right choice for a day spent ripping
singletrack with friends. Beyond the basic outer
appearance of a tire tread, however, there is a profound
amount of sculpting that occurs during tire design.
This is where we employ Finite Element Analysis.
Knob siping enhances traction while keeping speed
paramount. Tread block edges feature radiuses and
shoulders, and through careful analysis of tread load
we determine where best to place rubber and where
best to remove material. Refined design equates to
placing just enough material where it needs to be in
order to provide the most traction and the best tire
speed. Too much rubber makes a tire slow.
“
49S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
CASE-BY-CASE CASING – We offer three types of
tire casing in our MTB line, all designed to deliver
superlative performance in different environments.
S-WORKS - Featuring a 120TPI nylon casing, this is
our lightest and fastest rolling construction for XC
racing. Rubber use is kept to a minimum to ensure
weight is kept to a minimum, with high rolling speed
being the ultimate goal.
CONTROL - With a 60TPI casing, sidewall protection
and a little more rubber in the design, Control casing
aims for a balance of speed and durability. Still very
light and exceptionally fast rolling, tires with Control
casing are versatile all-rounders.
GRID - Combining a 60TPI casing with a cut-resistant
fabric layer on the sidewalls, Grid emphasizes
protection and durability while still offering a lively feel
and excellent all-round performance.
51S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
W O R L D C U P D OW N H I L L C H A M P I O N A A R O N GW I N D I A LS I N H I S L I N E S A N D T R E A D C H O I C E S / P I E T E R M A R I TZ B U R G , S O U T H A F R I C A
53S P E E D + R O L L I N G R E S I S T A N C E
V
M I TC H R O PE L ATO D E M O N ST R AT ES TOTA L C O M M I T M E N T C O R N E R I N G / P O RT A N G E L E S , WA S H I N GTO N
On the road, control is predicated entirely by grip.
You need to trust your tires. Wet or dry road, fresh
tarmac or cracked old pavement, paint stripes and
sand in the corner apexes, your tires need to deliver
you with surefooted confidence through all-conditions.
This is why we invest so much importance in our Gripton
compound. Combining Gripton with new, larger volume
casings and carefully designed tread, our road tires
strive to be the perfect choice for an imperfect world.
This imperfect world gets a whole lot muddier once
we venture into the dirt. Here, traction becomes
dependent not only upon the grip offered by the tire’s
rubber compound, but also tread block shape, size
and placement. Conditions vary massively, and riders
face those varied conditions with an equally diverse
set of expectations. Whatever those conditions
may be, with decades of experience and a massive
database of testing and FEA, we have tires that are
ideally suited to them.
03/ CONFIDENCE + CONTROL
55C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
57C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
GETTING A GRIP – The combined attributes of tire
compound, tire volume, and tread are what determines
a tire’s road performance, and ultimately how much
confidence a rider has in that tire and how much control
that tire allows the rider to feel. More control equals
more confidence. More confidence means a rider is
more relaxed, making better line choices, and more
confidence makes for faster descending.
MORE CONFIDENCE MEANS A RIDER IS MORE RELAXED, MAKING BETTER LINE CHOICES, SMOOTHER.
TRACTION – Gripton is soft. It has a durometer of
56A, meaning it is softer than other tire compounds.
That softness, when looked at close to the
microscopic level, allows the tire to conform to the
surface it is rolling over – the tire sinks into the surface
of the pavement and the rough Silica in the tread
interlocks with the ground. Additionally, because of
this softness, the tire filters vibration and conforms to
surface irregularity, delivering a smoother ride feel.
VOLUME – Aside from the previously mentioned
speed benefits that result from increasing tire volume,
there are also huge payoffs to be had in terms of confi-
dence and control. With more volume, a tire can be run
at lower pressure, allowing more cushion for absorb-
ing road vibration and handling unpredictable road
surfaces. A larger tire also presents a larger contact
patch, putting more tread on the road, thus offering
greater overall traction for a safe and predictable feel.
TREAD – In a perfect world, a textured tire tread
would be unnecessary. Road surfaces would be
uniform and dry, free of sand and other debris, and
the temperature would be a constant 72 degrees. The
world is far from perfect, however, and even the really
good bits are unpredictable. Tread – the texturing of a
tire – helps rubber sink into rough road surfaces and
gives the rubber a chance to penetrate water or dirt. The
peaks, or high points, in a tire tread increase pressure
into surface imperfections and add contact points
between the road and the tire. This in turn increases
friction, which is how we define grip. Only a little bit of
tread makes a big difference in tire performance, and
too much can slow a tire down, so there is a delicate art
involved in tread design to maintain a tire’s reputation
for speed while enhancing grip.
“
WIDER TIRES FEEL SAFER
• There is more tread area you can rely on
• Higher force is needed to roll the tire over into a turn
RUBBER HARDNESS
• All-around blend adapts and holds confirming fast feel
• Hard compounds are tough but don’t adapt well
• Soft compounds adapt best but wear faster
59C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
61C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
A A R O N GW I N FA ST A N D F O C U S E D / VA L D I S O L E , I TA LY
TREAD REQUIREMENTS – XC-specific tires, like
our World-Championship-winning Fast Trak, rely on
minimal tread that rolls fast while providing optimal
grip for cross-country racing. Gravity specific tires,
like our World-Cup-proven Butcher, require massive
knobs from center to shoulder for edge-to-edge
traction in extreme terrain. Between these two ends of
the mountain bike spectrum can be found a massive
variety of terrain and condition specific needs, all
requiring carefully considered tread to deliver traction
when it counts.
FEA DESIGN – Finite Element Analysis (FEA) allows
us to simulate directional loads - from the whole tire
down to how an individual tread block will react to the
forces being applied. This allows us to configure tread
to offer the best blend of speed and traction for its
intended environment. Leading edges are ramped and
reinforced to decrease rolling resistance, interlocking
sipes allow greater ground penetration for individual
knobs, trailing edges are designed to be softer and
offer more digging traction. All of this is extensively
modeled and tested in FEA before being released into
the wild for real-world testing.
63C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
65C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
W O R L D C U P XC R AC E R K AT E C O U RT N E Y S M O OT H S O U T A R O C K Y ST R E TC H O F T H E C O U R S E / C A I R N S , A U ST R A L I A
DUROMETER – The durometer rating of rubber is an
index of hardness. Lower numbers indicate softer
rubber, whereas higher numbers represent harder
compounds. A softer durometer rubber will gain
more traction, but may wear quickly or deform more
than desirable when subject to high loads. A harder
durometer rubber will last a long time and be more
stable when loaded, but may do so at the expense of
traction. For a frame of reference, a rubber band has
a durometer rating of around 25. A hard skateboard
wheel has a durometer in the 90s.
Depending on the situation, we offer different durometer
compounds on our off-road tires, and where it makes
sense, our tires feature dual compounds for optimal
performance. We use a 60-durometer rubber on our
XC and trail tires - this offers a great balance between
rolling speed, traction and durability. All-mountain tires
feature 60-durometer rubber on the center treads, but
a softer 50 compound on the edge knobs for improved
traction when cornering. Butcher in Control and Grid
versions, designed primarily as a front tire, employs
50-durometer throughout for grippy traction. Our DH
tires use a super-gummy 42-durometer compound
laid on top of a 70 base, in order to provide ultra-sticky
traction with a solid, squirm resistant tire base. We
tailor the rubber compound of each of our tires based
on the environment where they will be used, in order to
offer the best performance for that environment.
67C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
A N N E K E B E E RT E N O N H E R WAY TO A N OT H E R P O D I U M F I N I S H AT T H E E N D U R O W O R L D S E R I ES / N EVA D O S D E C H I L L A N , C H I L E
69C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
FORT WILLIAM WORLD CUP WINNER TROY BROSNAN CHECKS OUT THE GOODS AT SPECIALIZED HQ / MORGAN HILL, CALIFORNIA
ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT – Real-world testing
remains the ultimate judgment of the tires we design.
We test our tires in all climates and terrains, across all
disciplines and we have the best riders in the world
offering us their critical feedback throughout the
development process. Aaron Gwin, Troy Brosnan,
and Mitch Ropelato help us shape our gravity-
oriented tires. Curtis Keene and Anneke Beerten
provide hands-on insight to our range of trail and
enduro rubber. Christoph Sauser and Todd Wells
lend their decades of experience to making our XC
tires devastatingly fast. All the computer modeling
and compound mixing in the world only gets us so far;
it takes real riders, the world’s best real riders, to
provide the input we need to finally bring these tires to
market with total confidence.
71C O N F I D E N C E + C O N T R O L
V
CHRISTOPH STRASSER WINS RAAM ’14 AND SETS A NEW COURSE RECORD COVERING 3,020 MILES IN 7 DAYS 15 HOURS AND 56 MINUTES ON ALL-CONDITIONS TIRES
- WITHOUT A SINGLE FLAT
04/ DURABILITY
“Nail in tread.” “Blade in sidewall.” These are the
actual names of industry standard tests for tire
puncture resistance. They are very apt descriptors of
what is being tested, and what we expect our tires to
encounter, and survive, in the real world.
As much as fast rolling, smooth riding, confidence
inspiring tires can elevate a ride to the sublime, nothing
brings the party to an abrupt end like a puncture. Glass
and nails lie in wait on the roads, potholes and cracks
hide in shadows, thorns wait trailside and knife edged
rocks reach for sidewalls in tight singletrack. The world
is a dangerous place for a tire. To that end, we spend as
much time sweating the class leading details on each
of our flat protection technologies as we do ensuring
the superior ride characteristics of our tires. Protection
without compromise, puncture resistance combined
with light weight, superb traction, and supple ride
quality – these were the goals. Our previous puncture
resistant tires were the industry standard. Our new tires
set the standard again.
73D U R A B I L I T Y
I N - H O U S E P U N CT U R E P R OT ECT I O N T E ST FAC I L I T Y
75D U R A B I L I T Y
ARMADILLO – The name Armadillo has long been
the standard for durability and puncture resistance.
Now, our All-Conditions Armadillo Elite furthers that
reputation, by improving anti-flat characteristics and at
the same time bringing true high performance to this
durable benchmark. The Aramid belt has been replaced
with a Nylon belt (this improved puncture resistance
and at the same time enhanced ride smoothness),
we changed the casing/shoulder profile of the tire
and applied Gripton rubber to smooth out the ride
even more and decrease rolling resistance, and the
size range now includes widths from 23mm to a silky
smooth, road eating 32mm casing.
NAIL IN TREAD TEST
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77D U R A B I L I T Y
A R M A D I L LO I S O U R L EG E N D A R Y P U N CT U R E R ES I STA N T, H I G H - W E A R T I R E T EC H N O LO G Y
79D U R A B I L I T Y
THE GOLD STANDARD FOR HIGH-MILEAGE, TROUBLE-FREE, ANTI-FLAT TIRES HAS BEEN RAISED AGAIN
All-Conditions anti-flat technology is second to none.
We use a proprietary polyamid matrix that belts from
sidewall to sidewall and bonds seamlessly with the
rubber compound of the tire. Because of the tight
weave of the matrix, the polyamid offers superior
puncture resistance, yet the material is pliable enough
to enhance ride quality.
In both “nail in tread” and “blade in sidewall” tests,
the new All-Conditions Armadillo Elite outperforms
the previous version, as well as the competition. The
gold standard for high-mileage, trouble-free, anti-flat
tires has been raised again, and we can now add the
terms “high-performance” and “smooth-rolling” to the
previous descriptions for toughness and durability.
BLADE IN SIDEWALL TEST
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81D U R A B I L I T Y
D E T E R M I N I N G T H E B EST C O M B I N AT I O N O F F L E X I B I L I T Y, C U T, A N D P U N CT U R E P R OT ECT I O N
83D U R A B I L I T Y
ENDURANT – Endurant is a casing found exclusively
on our Roubaix tires. Utilizing an innovative approach
to casing design during molding, the 120TPI casing
material is doubled back across the tire after wrapping
the bead, resulting in a true 3-ply, bead-to-bead
casing. The result of this is a responsive, lightweight,
high-performance tire that still offers superb resistance
to not just punctures impacting the tire vertically but,
also has a much stronger defense against shoulder and
sidewall cuts.
BLACKBELT – Blackbelt is our race-ready tire
insurance. A strip of tightly cross-woven aramid
material is laid atop the casing directly under the tire
tread. This provides a layer of protection against glass,
nails and other surface debris, yet is light enough that it
doesn’t in any way interfere with the speed or flexibility
of the tire. Blackbelt is found on all our Turbo and
Espoir tires, and is also found backing up the protective
abilities of Endurant construction on almost all of our
Roubaix range.
ROUBAIX TIRE WITH ENDURANT CASING
TURBO TIRE WITH BLACKBELT CASING
85D U R A B I L I T Y
M AT T H U N T E R P U S H I N G T H E L I M I TS / S PA I N
87D U R A B I L I T Y
C U RT I S K E E N E P U TS H I S G R I D C A S I N G S TO T H E T E ST / S A N TA M O N I C A , C A
GRID – Theoretically, dirt should be softer than
pavement. In reality, the world of dirt can often be a
mountain bike tire’s worst nightmare. Thorns, bigger
thorns, big rocks that flatten casings and cause pinch
flats, sharp rocks that love to eat sidewalls; it’s a rough
life for a mountain bike tire. Grid is our tough solution for
that rough life.
Starting with a tough, 3-ply casing, Grid is bolstered
with extra sidewall reinforcement that resists sidewall
cuts and at the same time adds stability to the tire
when under hard cornering loads. It’s also ideal for
tubeless tire applications. The added protection
greatly enhances the tire’s durability without the bulky
weight penalty usually associated with this level of
assurance, resulting in responsive, light, agile tires
that can take serious abuse.
CONTROL – is found on our versatile, jack-of-all-trades
trail tires. Featuring a robust, butyl wrapped nylon casing,
this is a rugged, lightweight construction that adapts
easily to tubeless use, yet is nimble enough to give a lot
of dedicated “performance” oriented XC tire casings a
run for their money.
GRID IN NUMBERS
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/ Purgatory 29x2.3
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89D U R A B I L I T Y
V
05/ TUBES
For almost as long as there have been tires with the
Specialized name on the sidewall, there have been
tubes with our mark on them. All our tubes are molded
to ensure consistent wall thickness and uniformity
of material. Our tubes are made with butyl rubber,
which is less permeable and therefore more airtight
over time than natural rubber. We employ extra long
oval rubber valve stem bases in our ultra-lightweight
Turbo tubes, to ward against valve stem tearing, and
we apply talc to Turbo tubes to ease installation and
reduce friction inside the tire when they are mounted.
Even the valve stems themselves have been smoothed
out to ensure a seamless junction point with bicycle
pump heads. These are little touches, but they speak
to decades of experience with tubes, and are part of
the reason Specialized is the default tube amongst
bike mechanics everywhere.
With thinner walls and lower weight, our Turbo tube has
been shown to reduce rolling resistance by as much
as 13% per wheel. Airlock tubes come with sealant
already inside them, offering self-sealing technology
ready to go. We have thorn resistant tubes with
asymmetrical rubber distribution that are 4mm thick
where the tire hits the dirt. For the truly cursed, we even
have a Desert Protection thorn resistant tube injected
with our tried and true Airlock sealant. Schrader valves
or Presta, short stem or long or really long, from 12” to
29”, patch kits, sealant, tire levers, sew-up glue when
it comes to tubes, we’ve got it dialed.
91T U B E S
ARAMID – A high strength synthetic fiber, aids in puncture resistance
BANBURY CONTAINER MIXER – A closed chamber mixer utilized in precise mixing of rubber compounds
BAR – Not just a place to purchase liquid refreshments in a convivial environment, Bar is a unit of measurement for pressure, 1 Bar equals atmospheric pressure at sea level
BEAD – The edge of the tire that seats into the rim,tire plies are wrapped around a bead of steel, nylon or Aramid
CARBON BLACK – The most common pigment and reinforcing ingredient in most tires
CASING – This is the fabric that wraps around the tire bead and that the tread rubber adheres to, this gives the tire its shape, usually nylon
CLINCHER TIRE – A hollow casing tire with a bead that interlocks into a rim
COMPOUND – The ingredients of rubber (natural or synthetic) and additives that give the tire its characteristics
CONTACT PATCH – The surface section of a rolling tire that is in contact with the ground
AIRLOCK – Our proprietary tire sealant. Available
in liquid form or pre-installed in tubes
ARMADILLO – Our legendary puncture resistant,
high wear tire technology, protects the tire from
bead to bead
BLACKBELT – A high standard of proficiency in
many martial arts, and also a strip of Aramid tough
puncture protection found on our performance tires
GRID – Proprietary Specialized casing technology,
improves puncture resistance and enhances
sidewall stability
GRIPTON – Our proprietary flagship tire compound
ENDURANT – Roubaix 3-ply tire casing,
lightweight AND highly protective
DUAL COMPOUND – a tire tread featuring differing hardness compounds in different areas (eg: hard compound in the center for increased wear and softer compound at the tire edge for enhanced grip) DUROMETER – A measure of rubber hardness first defined by Alfred Shore
GRIP – Adhesive friction against a surface
GRIPTON – Our proprietary flagship tire compound
ETRTO – European Tire and Rim Technical Organization. The organization responsible for standard tire and rim sizing
EXTERNAL RIM WIDTH – The distance measured across the outer surfaces of a rim, from one rim wall to the other
FEA – Finite Element Analysis
HYSTERESIS – “A retardation of an effect when the forces acting upon a body are changed (as if from viscosity or internal friction)”; in this case, one of the forces that determines how a tire deforms under load and how tire rubber reacts to pressure
INNER TUBE – A torus shaped impermeable rubber sleeve that is inserted into a tire and inflated to a desired air pressure
INTERNAL RIM WIDTH – The distance measured between the inside walls of a rim
KNOB – A block of tread on an off-road tire
PLY – A single layer of material, usually woven cords of nylon, that forms a tire casing
PRESTA VALVE – A tire air valve, designed for high-pressure use, specific to bicycles, an easy way to infuriate bike shop employees is to refer to these as “presto” valves when purchasing
PSI – Pounds per Square Inch, this is a unit of measure for tire pressure (for those who do not fear the metric system, 14.5psi equals 1 bar)
RIM – This is a component of a wheel that the tire is mounted upon, clincher rims have hook bead sidewalls to interlock with clincher tire beads, tubular rims have a concave surface for the tire to be glued in place
ROLLING RESISTANCE – The enemy of forward motion, caused by energy loss through hysteresis
SCHRADER VALVE – Automotive style tire valve also in common use on bicycle tubes, not to be confused with Presta valve
SEW UP – A colloquialism for Tubular tire
SPECIALIZED PROPRIETARY TIRE TECHNOLOGIES
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
93G L O S S A R Y
SIDEWALL – The area of a tire casing between the bead and the tread of the tire
SILICA – Silicon Dioxide, when used in tire compounds, can reduce rolling resistance and improve wet grip
SIPING – Thin grooves cut into tread, siping improves grip
TIRE PRESSURE – The inflated air inside the tire that ultimately determines ride characteristics, measured in either BAR or PSI TREAD PATTERN – The texture, size, shape and placement of tread on a tire, determined by the tire’s intended use TPI – Threads Per Inch TRACTION – Grip, but with the added dynamic of acceleration or lateral forces, and inconsistent surfaces like sand or mud TUBELESS – A tire and rim combination that can be inflated without an inner tube, sometimes with a tire sealant, sometimes without TUBE TYPE – A tire that is designed to use an inner tube for inflation TUBULAR TIRE – A tire casing with an inner tube completely encased within, then glued to a specifically designed rim UST – Universal System Tubeless, a specific rim and tire interface designed for tubeless use
VALVE STEM – Either a Schrader or Presta valve, attached to a tube or a sealed rim, for the purpose of inflating a tire
VOLUME – The inflated three-dimensional space contained within a tire, constrained by the tire material and the rim
VULCANIZATION – The method used for bonding, as well as curing the tread of a tire to the casing.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS (cont.)
95G L O S S A R Y
97A N D K E E P O N R O L L I N ’