The Schwalbe Ultremo comes in a few different versions, some with a bit of tread and some with more or less protection from punctures. These are the R1 versions which are light but still have a puncture resistant layer. They weigh about 180gms for a 23c tire and they are as slick as they come. This is a performance focused tire.
On first inspection they sit with a very round, even profile. This is always a good sign that cornering will be predictable. They are somewhat plain to look at and seem as though there isn't much going on. The side wall flows seamlessly into the top of the tire. They appear to be on the narrow side for 23c. It's not uncommon at all to see differences from one brand to another as far as width. TPI (Threads Per Inch) is listed at 127. This number deserves a little explanation. Different manufacturers use different standards to come up with this number. Schwalbe uses the number of threads per inch in one single layer of the casing. Others use the number of threads per inch in the entire casing which is sometimes three layers thick. The greater the TPI, the better handling and more supple the ride character is. Most tires in this price range have adequate TPI. These tires are light, at 180 grams, they are among the lightest clinchers out there.
The first ride on these tires was actually at Levi's GranFondo in October. I threw them on the night before, inflated to 110/115 and away we went. First I noticed that they have a very nice feel over bumps. They feel as though they damped the bump and the resulting vibration very well for a tire inflated to 115 psi. They are not soft, just comfortable. Some tires that are this comfortable can feel sluggish, these do not. Once things spread out and pace lines developed and speeds increased, the tires really started to shine. These guys are super fast rolling. They are completely slick which helps but the casing of the tire has to be constructed in a way that allows the tire to absorb the texture of the road without losing speed. Job well done in that respect. Climbing was great, they are so light I figured as much. Corner at speed and descending was where I was surprised. These tires are VERY predictable in corners and I found myself catching up to others very quickly in corners and down hill. Since then, I've been riding them a lot and I have yet to have a puncture. I'm pretty lucky when it comes to flats (knocking on wood now) but at 180gms I am still impressed. Since then it has been raining and in the wet, these tires become a different beast. They are among the slipperiest tires I've ridden when the roads are wet. This is not a rain tire and after a couple of rides I decided that these were simply a summer tire.
In the end, I love these tires. They are extremely fast and grippy in dry weather. They have held up really well and still have some life in them after several months. Anyone looking for a lightweight performance tire, give these a shot and I'm sure you'll be impressed ON DRY ROADS. They make a rain version too but we have yet to try that. We have our favorite rain tires from Continental and Vittoria.
Here they are after a few months of riding. The rear tire is still nice and round.
Interesting. I had almost a polar opposite experience with those tires. On my first outing I had 4 flats (I weigh 150, soaking wet,) and crazy amounts of cuts within a week or so. They were pushing the glass blunting capabilities of some silica they added to the rubber- ineffective, in my case. Also, they didn't roll fast. I put that down to casing material choice. They simply felt slower than other tires, and I'm not talking a Veloflex tubular either- just a Panaracer Extreme Duro (not all that duro, actually) felt noticeably faster than these. I wonder if Schwalbe didn't go back to the drawing board...
ReplyDeleteHey Devin, definitely a but of luck involved in the world of flats and I seem to be on the lucky side in general. That said, I think there has been three versions of that tire. Mine are in the middle. I usually ride either Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX or Conti GP4000s. I have still yet to flat on them which is remarkable for 180gm tire. The Continental GP4000s seems to be a bit of a better tire for durability if you're looking for something a bit more reliable.
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