world edition august 2014 - schwalbe · racing bike stage race for many „everymen“ around the...

Schwalbe donates 100 bikes for World Bicycle Relief ... 2

racing and trekking bikes

Tubeless tires for MTB,

The future is tubeless

The Procore double chamber system is revolutionizing tire technology for mountain bikes ... Page 10

A world‘s first: the double chamber revolution

Access to education and medical care:

Bikes that change the world

World Edition August 2014 11th Year

Sales

2 Schwalbe profil 2 2014

The whole world is communicating in an in-

creasingly digital way. Luckily, some things

never change: a bike is, and will remain, a

wonderfully haptic, sensory vehicle. Even the

act of a purchase in a bicycle shop is a spe-

cial experience. For touching and testing out,

for the real conversation between customer

and salesperson, sample rings have been a

popular sales tool for years. Now Schwalbe

has redesigned them.

Sample ringsredesigned

The “news” ring comprises the new

Durano Family, the new Nobby Nic, the

Schwalbe Century in green/white, the Range

Cruiser and the Schwalbe One with white

stripes as an example for one of the four

color variants.

With the “puncture protection” sam-

ple ring, everything revolves around the

puncture protection levels and the establis-

hed touring tires. Finally, there is also the

The digital sales assistant

“sports” model with 14 sporty tires from the

MTB and road divisions.

Should new tire samples arrive, these can

be replaced individually. In the Schwalbe Shop,

the sample rings can be affixed on the fold-

ing shelf board or the tire holder with a spe-

cial hook – the „sample ring parking space“

(see photo below).

Please contact your Schwalbe partner.

In the future there will be three sample rings instead of the

usual four. The themes are innovations, puncture protection

levels and sports with MTB and road racing tires.

Watch films instead of reading instructions:

nowadays, more and more information is

being transmitted through interactive videos.

For two years, the Schwalbe Shop has also

communicated digitally, with a 15 by 25 cen-

timeter touchscreen. In June, memory cards

with new content were sent to all retailers

who screen the following: spectacular vi-

deos that take the viewers into the world

of cycling pros from the perspective of Jens

Voigt, show breathtaking mountain bike ra-

ces or explain technical details concerning

Of the more than 3,000 Schwalbe Shop systems worldwide,

around 400 are equipped with a touchscreen. Now the interactive

display gets an update.

An invitation to check it

out: interactive contents for

the display and redesigned

sample rings at the new

parking space.

tire pressure. As always, eight themes can

be chosen by fingertip in the menu:

Tubeless on the racing bike – a film with

German cycling pro Jens Voigt

The Flat-less Film

The Schwalbe puncture protection levels

How do you measure tire pressure?

The film on Tubeless Ready assembly

Which tube for which tire?

Magic Mary: Stevie Smith and Nico Lau

on the road with Super Gravity

Hans Dampf: Tobias Woggon on trails

in Sweden

Touchscreens immediately capture the inte-

rest of the majority of users. They know intui-

tively: where there is a screen, there is some-

thing happening. They start finding the informa-

tion by themselves with no need for instructions.

The customers can occupy themselves, fill wait-

ing time and buy items spontaneously. The dis-

play helps to relieve a huge workload from the

staff. The volume level can be adjusted on the

device itself or by remote control. „What is the

appeal of the display and how can it be secure-

ly set up in the shop? See for yourself at our

Eurobike stand,“ says Philipp Hawle, Point of

Sale Marketing.

The Flat-less video

is available at

www.schwalbe.com/

en/videos.html

The new sample ring

puncture protection.

Schwalbe multitool with valve functions

Multitools are available ten to the dozen.

Why then must Schwalbe offer such a thing?

„Because we wanted to have a handy tool

in the pocket that integrates the functions

for valve inserts (SV and AV) and valve exten-

sions“, says Carsten Zahn, Schwalbe Marke-

ting Director. „Especially in times of tubeless,

puncture protection liquids and screw on air pumps there is more and more of a need to

take out or tighten a valve insert.“ The multitool includes allen keys in 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 mm,

25 mm torx, slotted screwdriver, SV valve insert, valve extension and a tool to remove

SV and AV valve cores.

Ironman tire in all white Schwalbe is launching a „White Edition“ of its Ironman, limited to 2,000 units. It is the offi-

cial tire of the international competition series staged by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC).

Schwalbe was uncompromising in the speed-focused de-

sign of its first pure triathlon tire. As the first folding tire

from Schwalbe, it is approved for a maximum pressure of

eleven bar. „Such a high pressure is not recommended on

the majority of roads, but on time-trial segments with a

very homogeneous road surface, the high tire pressure re-

duces flexing, and is thus an advantage in terms of rolling

resistance,“ explains Peter Krischio, Product Manager Race.

„In addition, the tire can be pumped up a little more if the

bike has to be handed over for the competition the day

before.“

The most fascinating

racing bike stage race

for many „everymen“

around the world: the

Schwalbe TOUR Trans-

alp. For the 12th edition,

1,300 riders from 23 na-

tions – including Canada,

USA and New Zealand –

took off from Mittenwald

in Upper Bavaria at the

end of June. Over seven

days in teams of two, they conquered 830 kilometers, ascended a total of

19,267 meters, and navigated 19 Alpine passes on the way to the finishing

line in Arco on Lake Garda. For Schwalbe, special attention was on the new

top racing bike tire, Schwalbe One Tubeless: „All 52 competitors from the

teams equipped with this tire reached the finishing line with no punctures!

The most common defects with normal folding tires were snake bites and

punctured tubes due to braking heat. These defects are virtually eliminated

with the Schwalbe One Tubeless,“ reports Peter Krischio, Product Manager

Race and Schwalbe Race Support.

12th Schwalbe TOUR Transalp

Dear Schwalbe Partner

More and more people are choosing the bike! We

see it on the roads, we hear it in our conversations

with you, and we feel it in the market demand.

This is particularly good news after the 2013

season, which was difficult for all of us. The e-bike

boom, a changed bike-friendly awareness, and

better general traffic conditions in many places, as

described on page 11, have given the bicycle real

tailwind. The good cycling weather in the first half

of 2014 may also have contributed to this.

Our innovations for 2015 offer a similarly posi-

tive outlook for professional and leisure cyclists.

Our new Procore double chamber system for the

MTB is a true revolution! It allows high pressure in

the internal chamber and just one bar in the exter-

nal chamber. You will find more technical details

on page 10.

We have dedicated the lead story to the tube-

less technology for racing, MTB and touring bikes,

which benefits from our comprehensive innovative

power! We report on the enormous potential of

this technology on page 6.

It would be our pleasure to show you all of this,

as well as many new tire models, at our Eurobike

exhibition stand. We look forward to speaking with

you!

Yours sincerely,

Frank Bohle


Masthead Editor: Ralf Bohle GmbHOtto-Hahn-Str. 1, 51580 Reichshof-Wehnrath, Germany Phone: +49 2265 1090, Fax: +49 2265 70 22 [email protected], www.schwalbe.com Publisher: Vincentz KundenmedienPostfach 6247, 30062 Hannover, GermanyPhone: +49 511 9910-310, Fax: +49 511 9910-309 Staff Editor: Claudia Müller (V.i.S.d.P.) Layout: Angelika Jungvogel Printing: BWH GmbH© Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG

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Technology


Is the tubeless technology suitable for all kinds of cycling?

Markus Hachmeyer: If you want the best performance on

the bike, the Tubeless technology offers clear advantages for

everyone. For all sports-minded riders who want to get the

most out of their material, tubeless is the right choice.

What are the advantages of the tubeless system?

With the tubeless system, no inner tube is necessary. The tire

and wheel rim are designed so as to fit together with an airtight

seal. This avoids much of the unnecessary friction which occurs

between tire and tube. Therefore, the rolling resistance is incre-

dibly low; even lower than that of super-light competition tires.

Additional advantage: you can ride using tubeless tires with

a lower tire pressure without compromising performance. This

brings noticeable comfort benefits, as well as a clear increase in

control in critical situations and bad route conditions.

Tubeless systems simultaneously offer very high puncture

protection. The danger of snake bites is much lower than with

tube systems. The entire carcass is equipped with a vulcanized

inner liner, which is very resistant to punctures and cannot

rupture. In case of a puncture, the air escapes only very slow-

ly, which consequently offers optimum safety. A sudden

loss of air through ruptured tubes or valve tears is therefore

impossible.

Additionally, tubeless systems function very well in com-

bination with puncture protection liquids. Punctures are re-

sealed within fractions of a second.

The Schwalbe One racing tire is available as a folding

tire, tubular tire and tubeless version. What are the

opportunities for the tubeless variants?

For the racing bike, tubeless is still a relatively new technolo-

gy. But during performance the tires leave traditional folding

and tubular tires far behind! The Schwalbe One Tubeless

provides the suppleness of a tubular tire, without the draw-

backs of the elaborate assembly.

My colleagues Carsten Zahn, Marketing, and Peter Kri-

schio, Product Manager, put the tires through an ultimate

endurance test. They rode 2,000 kilometers from Kayseri in

Turkey to Tehran; almost 200 kilometers every day, with up

to 100 kilos on the bike. Through the mountains at heights

of up to 2,800 meters, plenty of descents, deep potholes

and some roads in terrible condition. The tires – which are

actually competition tires – survived all of this without punc-

tures and in good condition.

MTB, racing bike, touring bike: The future is tubeless Schwalbe casts off the tube: tubeless tires are the right choice for all ambitious riders, whether MTB,

racing or touring bike. Schwalbe is the first manufacturer to provide tubeless tires for all types of bikes.

The system offers clear advantages when it comes to speed, comfort, grip and puncture protection.

Markus Hachmeyer, Senior Product Manager, explains why in an interview.

Interview

In the MTB sector,

tubeless tires have

long been in the

lead.

With the Marathon Almotion,

Schwalbe is the only company

whose product range features a

tubeless tire for touring bikes. Phot

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Technology

5Schwalbe profil 2 2014

While tubeless tires on the MTB have been around

for years, it was only in 2012 that a truly competitive

system for the racing bike appeared. Why is that?

The idea of tubeless for the racing bike was initially de-

rided. We ourselves couldn‘t imagine the advantages it

could offer. We thought the realization of the concept

to be easier, however. After all, we have been doing

it for scooters, wheelbarrows and MTB for a long time.

However, transferring the technology to a high-pres-

sure system like that of the racing bike was anything

but simple.

The crux of the issue was the high tire pressure.

Were the pressure not over eight bar, we would prob-

ably have had top level tubeless racing bike tires much

earlier. A prerequisite for us was that the tire sit secure-

ly on the wheel rim, even with a tire pressure of over

eight bar. The system had to be absolutely airtight and

remain sealed, all at a high pressure. At the same time,

the assembly also had to be user-friendly for an amateur.

This meant the bead core could not become too thick,

as racing bike wheel rims are markedly narrower than

MTB wheel rims. In addition, pumping up should work

with a floor pump alone; that is, without a compressor.

And finally, the system weight should remain under 300

grams.

We solved the many conflicting goals only after choos-

ing a completely new direction for the construction of

the carcass and for the material of the hollow core. For

the first time, we used high-strength synthetic fibers

MTB, racing bike, touring bike: The future is tubeless

Markus Hachmeyer,

Senior Product Manager

at Schwalbe and former

World Cup cyclist.

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Put to the test on the Schwalbe Transalp

Tour 2014: the 52 cyclists on the Schwalbe

One Tubeless did not suffer a single punc-

ture during the seven stages!

The testers of TOUR, the German racing bike maga-

zine, were also impressed: „The tubeless tires from

Schwalbe, mounted on Ultegra wheels, have a simply

spectacular effect (...). In direct comparison with the

usual folding tires, the tubeless rubbers are a world

apart, rolling far more easily and smoothly. Even the

GrandPrix 4000S from Conti, an undisputed reference

point for folding tires, cannot compete with them.“

(Issue 1/ 2014)

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Technology


in the bead core, in order to achieve the necessary tensile

strength and prevent the tire from slipping out of the wheel

rim. The complete carcass is not only equipped with a vul-

canized tube, the so-called inner liner, but also further rein-

forced all the way around. This all-round protection also in-

creases puncture protection, as now the tire shoulders and

side walls are also much more immune to tears. We are now

absolutely convinced by and enthusiastic about this techno-

logy!

How much potential for bike racing can this technology

offer?

In the medium term, the tubeless system has the potential

to come out on top in the professional road cycling market

and perhaps prove that tubular tires are not necessary. The

advantages in rolling resistance are simply too great to ignore.

A further weight reduction is conceivable in the future.

Does that apply to touring tires as well?

The Marathon Almotion is the first and, currently, the only

tubeless tire for the touring bike. It has a top class rolling

resistance, is wonderfully comfortable and, on top of that,

very resistant to punctures. We now offer it in size 50-622

in addition to 40-622.

Schwalbe‘s MTB tires are not really tubeless tires, but

rather Tubeless Ready – their previous name – and now:

Tubeless Easy. What was the development process

behind this?

Tubeless Easy is an advancement of the Tube-

less Ready technology. It is based on the new

version of our SnakeSkin side wall. The new

SnakeSkin fabric is made from a stable mo-

nofilamentous polyamide fiber and offers

three crucial advantages: firstly, even better

protection against tears, secondly, increased

snake bite protection, and thirdly, a very

easy tubeless conversion – from which Tube-

less Easy gets its name. The use of liquid sea-

lant is necessary, but the assembly is otherwise

just as easy as with normal tubeless tires. Long

conversion processes involving several attempts, intensive

shaking and frequent repumping are a thing of the past.

Tubeless Easy is our new standard for the high-quality

MTB tires of the Evolution line. It replaces both the previous

tubeless tire and the Tubeless Ready version.

Are special wheels necessary for the switch to tubeless

tire equipment, or can the pre-existing wheels also be

used for the tubeless installation?

There are basically two possibilities. We recommend using

special tubeless wheels and mounting the tires with the help

of liquid sealant. In this way, the rider can be sure that the

components are actually compatible and can be sealed in

an airtight way.

There is also the possibility of conversion. Most wheels

can be converted without any problems. For the first time,

we are providing rim tapes and valves to seal conventional

wheels and prepare them for the tubeless installation. This

means it is no longer necessary to invest in new expensive

wheels for the switchover. The rim tape is extremely pleasant

to handle, while also being resistant to high pressure, and

one tape is sufficient even for the racing bike. The special

aluminum tubeless valves are very light and, with their black

anodized appearance, are very discreet on every wheel rim.

The conical valve base is suitable for the majority of wheel

rims.

Such conversions have been carried out on mountain bikes

for a long time. In general, it is perfectly possible to make

wheels airtight using the rim tape, even with the racing bike‘s

high pressure system. To ensure that the wheel rims can cope

with the loads and that the tire sits securely on the wheel rim

even in tubeless operation, only wheels which have been ex-

plicitly approved by the manufacturer for tubeless conversion

should be used. DT Swiss, for example, verified its entire pro-

gram for tubeless compatibility and approved most of it. In

so doing, the possible tire pressure according to tire width

is also determined. Some wheels, however, are explicitly dis-

approved for tubeless conversion. If in doubt, please consult

the wheel rim manufacturer for information on tubeless con-

version!

Racing bike, MTB, touring bike: is „Tubeless for All“ the

new trend?

For the mountain bike, tubeless tires have been around for

some time now. We are steadily making further detailed im-

provements to them. For the racing and touring bike, the

technology is still completely new. This is where we

set the trends. We are the leading provider of

tubeless technology and were the first to apply it

to three bike types. It is expected to take some

time until the new technology gains acceptance

across the board. But we at Schwalbe are con-

vinced: tubeless is the tire technology of the

future!

Schwalbe now offers

special rim tapes and

valves for the tubeless

conversion.

The full Spline range from DT Swiss has been tested

and approved for tubeless use.

Technology


With the Nobby Nic, Schwalbe also revised its

SnakeSkin side wall, which reliably protects

MTB tires from side damage.

The new SnakeSkin side wall is made from

a stable monofilamentous polyamide fiber

rather than the previous multifilamentous

fiber. It has three crucial advantages: even

better protection against tears, increased

puncture protection, and, above all, a very

easy tubeless conversion. The use of liquid

sealant is necessary, but the assembly is

otherwise just as easy as with real tubeless

tires. This is where Tubeless Easy, the new

standard in the Evolution line, gets its name.

It replaces both the previous tubeless tires

and the Tubeless Ready versions.

The profile design was also completely

overhauled. It is now even more versatile and

works even more impressively in every riding

situation. To achieve this, Schwalbe Chief De-

veloper Markus Hachmeyer further optimized

every single stud - size, shape, surface and

layout. Because every detail influences the

tire‘s performance.

„It is not the fastest cross country tire, not

the most robust endurance tire or the least

slip-resistant mud tire. But if you are looking

for a tire which works in every situation, a

tire which won‘t let you down, whatever the

weather or the terrain, there is no better

choice than the new Nobby Nic!“ declares

Markus Hachmeyer.

As before, Nobby Nic is available with two

Triple Compounds: the extremely fast Pace-

Star and the supremely slip-resistant TrailStar

Compounds. Despite the distinctly improved

riding performance, the tire‘s weight and roll-

ing resistance remain the same. „We are so

convinced by the new Nobby Nic that we are

also using it as a replacement for the tire le-

gend, Fat Albert, as well as for the old Nobby

Nic,“ says Hachmeyer.

A further minor innovation concerns the

label: the size designations are now also

given directly on the profile, which can be

easily found when it is in the package or if

the information on the side wall is no longer

legible.

The new Nobby Nic:A true all-mountain tire Nobby Nic has the widest range of applications of all Schwalbe‘s MTB tires. It is

popular among tour and all-mountain riders, but is also perfect for blistering marathon

races or technically challenging Enduro competitions. Now, Schwalbe presents the third

generation Nobby Nic.

New profile: All studs

have been rearranged

and optimized.

Makes the tubeless conversion

easier: the new SnakeSkin

side wall.

Tubeless Easy replaces

both the tubeless tires

and the Tubeless Ready

versions.

Technology


The new color variants complete the range of the Schwalbe

One top racing bike tire, which was launched in 2013. It is

now also available in the new special sizes 20, 24 and 26

inches. Peter Krischio adds: „It is still the fastest and, at the

same time, most reliable competition tire from Schwalbe.

The name demonstrates how important this racing bike tire

is for us.“

Durano gets a face-liftIt is the most popular training tire for „mile eaters“: the Dura-

no endurance tire has received a completely new profile and

is now ten grams lighter. Its outstanding qualities and the ex-

tremely high mileage remain unchanged. The Dual Compound

provides optimum grip even on damp roads in winter. And

the RaceGuard with a double layer nylon fabric is a tried and

tested protection for light sporty tires. The five color variants

also include a completely white tire.

Range Cruiser, all-rounder for the price-conscious The new Range Cruiser has the most versatile profile in the

Active line. Its continuous tread strip in the middle of the

tread surface ensures smooth movement on the road, and

its coarser external blocks give the necessary grip on rough

terrain. Like all tires in the Active line, Schwalbe has equipp-

ed it with a high-quality 50 EPI carcass and the effective

Century for modern classics Schwalbe‘s new Century unites modern tire technology and

classic design. At the beginning of the 20th century, a bicycle

culture was born in many European countries. Today, bikes

in vintage styles and modern interpretations such as lifestyle

bikes, fixed-gear bikes or Dutch bicycles in unusual colors all

hark back to this first golden age of the bicycle. Schwalbe

honors the beginnings of the bicycle culture with the Centu-

ry, whose profile and contours are guided in detail by the ti-

res of the early 20th century. The highlight: the side wall in

the traditional billboard technology achieves a slight 3D look

with embossed lettering in a contrasting color. Those who

have sophisticated tastes can combine black tires with a side

wall in cream. The lifestyle bike is topped off by the tires with

gray side wall. And British racing green, in combination with

white, gives classic bikes a spectacular contrast! With reflec-

tive strips, 50 epi carcass and K-Guard.

Color accents on the Schwalbe OneColor also comes into play with the racing bike: „We delibera-

tely kept the colorful stripe on our Schwalbe One very narrow

and positioned it on the outer far part of the tread,“ explains

Peter Krischio, Schwalbe Product Manager for Race. This means

the color accents look attractive in red, blue, white or subtle

silver, and – even more importantly – they have virtually no

impact on the performance of the OneStar Triple Compound.

In addition to the revolutionary Procore system and the new

Tubeless Easy technology, Schwalbe presents further innovations

at the Eurobike fair in Germany. They not only offer proven per-

formance, but also bring style and color to the bike, depth to the

range and new technology to established models.

Variety and color – innovations for 2015

Puts the finishing touches on

modern classics: the Schwalbe

Century in true style.

Strong contrast: the Schwalbe One is

now available with colorful stripes in

red, blue, silver and white.

A popular long-distance

runner with a new

tread: the Durano.


K-Guard puncture protection belt. Optionally available with

reflective strips.

27.5 inches conquer the trekking bike „We expect touring bikes and e-bikes with 27.5 inch wheels

to appear on the market very soon,“ says René Marks, Product

Manager Touring. Mountain bikers who ride 27.5 inch bikes

are also interested in riding road tires. They are asking more

and more about road versions. Schwalbe is well-prepared for

this new demand and provides an all-round range of eight

tires. From fine to coarse profiles, from Kojak, Marathon and

Energizer to Smart Sam Plus and Super Moto-X.

A spiked tire called Winter for Birdy and Brompton Brompton and Birdy are among the classic folding bikes. The

tire sizes are as special as the bikes themselves. Schwalbe now

presents its spiked tire called Winter for the first time in the sizes

30-349 (Brompton) and 42-355 (Birdy). Fans of folding bikes

no longer need to give up their favorite bike in the winter. With

its 72 or 76 metal pins, the winter tire has a firm grip on the

ground and perfect control on slippery surfaces. With a 50 EPI

carcass, reflective strips and K-Guard puncture protection, it

combines high-quality tire technology with a low price. Just like

all of Schwalbe‘s spiked tires, it is safe to ride on dry roads, too.

All-rounder for the

Active line: the new

Range Cruiser.

New and exclusively

in 27.5 inches: Super

Moto-X.

With the Schwalbe Winter, even

Birdy and Brompton can now be

ridden safely on icy ground.

The Schwalbe trade

show stand at the

Eurobike, hall A5,

stand 300.

Technology


In off-road biking, there is a motto: the lower

the tire pressure, the better the performance.

However, this involves the risk of a snake bite.

„Up to now, the limit has been around 1.5

bar. You would hardly dare to ride normal

mountain bike tires below this figure,“ ex-

plains Schwalbe Marketing Director Carsten

Zahn.

But that is no longer true! In the future,

the tire pressure can be controlled with a

double chamber system. Its name is Procore,

and is derived from „progressive core“. The

core is filled with a high pressure of around

4 to 6 bar and progressively absorbs even the

strongest shocks. You can ride with an extre-

mely low external tire pressure of 1 bar, which

leads to a massive improvement in tire perfor-

mance.

The double chamber system has already

proven successful in the World Cup. Nico

Lau (France) won his first Enduro World Cup

with it. On the downhill course in Fort Wil-

liam, Scotland, the Frenchwoman Emmeline

Ragot (1st place) and the Australian Sam Hill

(2nd place) were triumphant with Procore.

The riders are enthusiastic about the possibi-

lities of the new system:

The tire pressure can be reduced to

1 bar. This makes for an enormous amount

of grip. Even on the roughest terrain, the

tires „stick“ to the ground

The suspension of the tire reacts extreme-

ly sensitively

The extra damping and traction allow

fantastically good control over the bike

No more danger of snake bites. The

A look inside the tire:

the „X-ray image“

makes the interior

high pressure cham-

ber visible.

wheel rims are also extremely well protected

against dents

Even when riding in difficult conditions,

distinctly lighter tires can be used

In case of puncture: excellent run-flat

features thanks to internal high-pressure air

chamber

At the same time, the internal high-pres-

sure system protects the tire on the wheel

rim. „Burping“, the dreaded air loss which

occurs as a result of low pressure in conven-

tional tubeless systems, is eliminated

The double chamber system is a joint

development with component producer

Syntace. „It can also be mounted on any

regular wheel with a rim width of about

23 millimeters or more,“ Carsten Zahn points

out. It increases the weight of each wheel by

around 200 grams.

As an initial step, Schwalbe is planning

the market launch as a set with all com-

ponents for modifying an entire bike: two

Procore inner tires, two special tubes, two

tubeless rim tapes, Doc Blue and assembly

support – for all three wheel measurements.

Later, components will also be available indi-

vidually as replacement parts. Procore will be

compatible with customary tires and rims.

A world first: the double chamber revolutionHard on the inside, soft on the outside – the new Procore double chamber system is revolutionizing tire technology

for the mountain bike! On the inside, a high-pressure chamber ensures extremely high resistance against snake bites.

At the same time, the tire literally sticks to the ground, with only 1 bar of pressure in the external chamber.

The double chamber system:

extremely low pressure in the

outer chamber and high pres-

sure in the inner chamber.

The system will be compatible

with all regular tubeless-

suitable tires.


Market

There are now more and more cyclists

in urban traffic. Is it true to say that this

is due to an increased interest in cycling

rather than a better area-wide infrastruc-

ture?

There are clear figures which show that towns

and municipalities are recording distinct in-

creases in cycling traffic all over Germany.

The bike trend is not abating. Particularly in

large cities, the bicycle is well on the way

to becoming the expression of a modern, ur-

ban lifestyle. Today‘s variety of bicycle types

offers a host of possibilities for individual ex-

pression and potential with regards to mobi-

lity, coolness, lifestyle – in stark contrast to

the mass movement of people which public

transport represents.

The issue of „Promotion of cycling traf-

fic“ is gaining ground in communal transport

policy, but cannot compete with the traffic

growth. This means there is a growing dis-

crepancy between the demands of cycling

traffic and the infrastructural conditions,

especially in large and medium-sized towns.

To what extent do the towns take cycling

traffic seriously?

By now, it‘s not just one officer dealing with

cyclist concerns – it‘s often entire depart-

ments. In Cologne, there are eight planners

in the city and external planning offices who

are dedicated to the matter. I know of simi-

lar projects in Düsseldorf, Munich, Karlsruhe,

Aachen, Freiburg and Münster. They probably

exist in many other towns too.

Health, fitness, climate, particulate matter,

noise protection or CO2 reduction – these

are all issues which affect people in cities.

In all of these problem areas, the bike has

the greatest effect. In no other field of action

within traffic planning can individual benefits

– health, inclusion, mobility costs – and so-

cietal benefits – reductions in traffic, CO2,

noise and particulate matter – be so advan-

tageously combined as with increased cycling

traffic.

What are the priority tasks of cycling infra-

structure?

Building sustainable cycling path networks,

which are safe and convenient. It is also im-

perative that they be suitable for high volumes

of people on main routes and for fast e-bikes.

Furthermore, I see a great – and still largely

unexplored – potential for transporting loads

with the bike. Cargo e-bikes for various trans-

port purposes are already on the market.

What‘s missing is a modern infrastructure

which is suitable for cycling traffic. We need

a new policy to shape the future, which taps

into the potential of cycling and invests cor-

respondingly. It is not enough to put protec-

tive strips on the traffic lanes, install bike

stands and erect a couple of road signs. The

federal state government has allocated 80

million euros for the construction of cycle

paths. That is most definitely not enough for

cycling traffic. After all, it is the second most

popular traffic vehicle after the car.

If we want to promote cycling with better

quality, a redistribution of the road space is

unavoidable. In the future, no city can afford

to allow valuable public space to be occupied

by parked cars for 23 hours a day.

The Netherlands are still the benchmark

for cycling traffic promotion of genuinely

high and lasting quality – including in fast

The bike is the solution! Does the bicycle boom in Germany have something to do with improved infrastructure? What are the

biggest challenges? Schwalbe profil spoke to Franz Linder to find out. The owner of the engineering and

urban planning office Planerbüro Südstadt and of the P3 Agency for Communication and Mobility in Cologne

has been a consultant of the AGFS (Association of pedestrian and bike-friendly towns, municipalities and

districts in North Rhine-Westphalia) for over ten years.

cycling lanes. But also Denmark, Copen-

hagen in particular, is setting an example

with 27 fast cycling lanes already largely

completed. Promotion of cycling traffic is a

topic in almost all of the world‘s metropolises

and large cities. Whether London, New York,

Mexico City or Cologne – even Beijing has

rediscovered the bicycle for a reason.

How does the livable city of the future

look to you?

The city of the future is compact, urban,

green and, to a special degree, shaped by

short-range mobility. I support a vision which

can be described as „The city as a living and

moving environment“. A city in which move-

ment is not forced, but rather arises from

health consciousness and a pronounced sense

of ecological awareness and where walking

and cycling are simply a pleasure.

Does such a city already exist?

It would be a mixture of Dutch cities and

their fast cycling lanes, an urban lifestyle like

in London or New York, and the Italian joie

de vivre. Of course, this concept can also be

adapted to small and medium-sized cities.

Short-range mobility in the city: an ideal infrastructure for bike traffic and pedestrians is an invitation

for exercise and enhances quality of life.

Interview

Pict

ure:

P 3

Age

ntur

für

Kom

mun

ikat

ion

und

Mob

ilitä

t

Left / Right: A bike hugely reduces the

hours-long journey to school – and thus

gives access to education. Center: The WBR

also provides on-site training for mechanics.

Flas

hChairskating-Splitter „When dispirited children in wheelchairs become the cool, con-

fident kids from the skatepark – those are the best moments in

the workshops,“ says David Lebuser (photo, at the right) from

Germany. Chairskating or WCMX refers to wheelchair users hurt-

ling over ramps and through half-pipes. That is exactly what Le-

buser does with child and adult wheelchair users in his workshops.

The inspiration is „They will skate again“ at Venice Beach in Los

Angeles – a competition which changed his life too. „I learned

more in two days there than in two years here. The experience

continues to help me overcome huge struggles even in every-

day life,“ says Lebuser. Today, he is Germany‘s only professio-

nal chairskater. The 27-year-old is also director of the Actionsport

workshop in the German Wheelchair Sport Association. „In 2013

I gave three seminars – this year it will be six. There is a huge de-

mand for workshops and competitions and we have ambitious

plans!“

August 27 – 30, 2014: EUROBIKE, Friedrichshafen, hall A5, stand 300

September 10 – 12, 2014: Interbike, Las Vegas, USA, stand 9091

Phot

o: G

raha

m W

atso

n

„The bike does not only benefit the students; it improves the lives

of the whole family,“ reports Kristina Jasiunaite from WBR Germany.

„Vaccination rates for children increase by 50 percent, because the

mothers can use the bike to take their children to the doctor after

school. And the fathers can cycle to the market to sell produce.“

World Bicycle Relief was founded by F. K. Day (SRAM) in 2005,

following the Indian Ocean tsunami. In Sri Lanka, they provided over

24,000 bicycles. Today, the organization is represented in 13 African

countries, as well as in the Philippines, Indonesia and Peru, and has

already delivered almost 200,000 bikes in total. In addition, WBR

trains local mechanics, in order to ensure provision of maintenance

services and replacement parts.

The massive Buffalo Bike is assembled in five African countries. It

is a bike created for extreme loads and rough sandy paths: 23 kilo-

grams, no gears, with a steel frame and coaster brake, wide 26 inch

tires and a carriage surface for up to 100 kilograms.

„To give children a future with a bicycle and improve the lives of

the whole family – that sounds like a pious hope, and yet has become

reality for tens of thousands of families. We are happy to dedicate

ourselves to this,“ says Frank Bohle. (www.worldbicyclerelief.org)

Before she got a bike, Ethel had to walk more than two hours to

school in rural Zambia. The 15-year-old often got to class too late

and could barely concentrate due to tiredness. Now it takes her

just 45 minutes with the bike, and she can realize her dream of

becoming a nurse. She often brings her classmates to school on

the bike too.

„When students have a bicycle, their absence rate is reduced

by almost 30 percent, and their grades improve by almost 60 per-

cent,“ determined WBR in scientific studies. Before they can take

full ownership of the bike, the children must prove their regular

school attendance for two years. Only through education do they

have any chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and disease in

the rural regions of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola or South Africa.

Bikes that change the world In Africa, a bicycle can dramatically improve a human

life. The World Bicycle Relief organization (WBR) has

already proven this almost 200,000 times. Schwalbe

has now donated 100 of the special Buffalo Bikes to

WBR educational projects.

Phot

os (3

): W

BR

world edition august 2014 - schwalbe · racing bike stage race for many „everymen“ around the...

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