All Arround MTB

Schwalbe have poached a leading tyre technologist and invested in a new production process to create their latest ‘ADDIX’ compounds, which use more silica and other elements in a more finely-controlled mix. They claim this holds the tyre together much better, so it lasts and rolls better without affecting grip levels. They’ve also increased the number of options from three (PaceStar, TrailStar, VertStar) to four (Speed, Speedgrip, Soft, Ultra Soft), each differentiated by a coloured stripe down the tread. We’ve been impressed by the ‘Soft’ Magic Mary (see review on p98) and have a feeling that the ‘Ultra Soft’ version seen here is going to prove seriously sticky. It’s quite heavy though, with our Super Gravity carcass, SnakeSkin sidewall version weighing 1,124g in the 27.5x2.35in size. Price $97

It’s got a lot more competition than it used to have, but whenever it’s remotely dry enough we grab Schwalbe’s Rock Razor to gift us extra gears under power and extra seconds on descents. It really is that much faster than other chunkyknobbed tyres.

Looking at the wide-spaced, squared and siped knobs of the Nobby Nic you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a super-grippy mud tyre.

Schwalbe's Mary has near magical grip in its stickiest, heavy duty VertStar, Super Gravity format but this much lighter version still retains a serious amount of composure and control in the most testing conditions.