World Edition May 2012 9th Year

Schwalbe plant increases capacities Now with own production facility exclusively for tubes

Trust is good, but grip is better What are suitable for which electric bike? ... Page 6 29ers win on points For the first time, a scientific study has confirmed the superiority of the twenty-nine inch tires … Page 7

Sales

A tip for customers

It has a prominent position in the Schwalbe Shop: the little info flag attracts attention, informs customers and emphasizes the well-structured presentation.

With the new add-ons, the Schwalbe Shop can be even more informati- vely presented, e.g. with the little 15 x 60 cm flag for and tube display. The flag set of high-qua- lity plastic, including the strong metal holders, is available free of charge. The three flags attract attention to Schwalbe’s “flat-less” technology, the exceptional tube qua- lity and the six puncture protection levels. The in- formation provided this way answers a number of customers’ questions and supports the “silent” sale of the products. The flag draws The “tip for the cus- attention to the tomer” in the set of Schwalbe Shop. three is available in Ger- man, English, French, Italian, and Dutch. Please contact your local distribution partner. By the way: a total of around six kilome- Three flags (15 x 60 cm) for the Schwalbe Shop provide information on tubes, puncture protection tres of Schwalbe Shops are operating in more levels and the Marathon Plus (from left to right). The “puncture protection levels” design (center) than 30 countries. is also available as a narrow plastic banner (10 x 70 cm) to be suspended from the ceiling. Six puncture protection levels From Puncture Protection to GreenGuard and SmartGuard: Schwalbe systematizes its puncture protection levels.

The number of different protective belts High Density Guard: a patented techno- KevlarGuard: reliable protection belt grows with the variety of tires. To facilitate logy developed by Schwalbe with the US com- made of rubber and fibers (Big Apple). the choice of the correct puncture protec- pany Warwick Mills. No other protection belt tion, there is a narrow plastic banner (10 x used in tire technology is as densely Puncture Protection: Schwalbe standard 70 cm, see picture above center) with a clear woven! It provides an extremely high degree for all touring tires: a 50 EPI carcass and a overview of the puncture protection level. of puncture protection even with light tires protection belt of . Reliable The information about the puncture protec- (Marathon Supreme). quality for small budgets (Delta Cruiser). tion level is also printed on the tire label (ex- cept for Active Line). GreenGuard: same principle as Smart- High-quality carcass fabric without sepa- Guard, but not quite as thick. One third of the rate protection belt, e.g., for competition SmartGuard, the “flat-less”: the most highly-elastic natural rubber is obtained from tires, that are purposely of extremely light effective protection belt for bicycle tires. The recycled latex products (Marathon). design. five millimeter thick layer of special highly- elastic rubber provides permanent protection RaceGuard: a double-layer fabric. Coarse carcass material without protective (Marathon Plus family, Durano Plus). Good protection for light sports tires (Durano, belt; those tires are not sold by Schwalbe. Kojak, Marathon Racer).

2 Schwalbe profil 1 2012 Schwalbe at Sea Otter Classic 2012 Every April the North American cycling world descends upon Laguna Seca Raceway in Mon- terey, California (USA) to celebrate all things cycling at the Sea Otter Classic. Celeste Steindl- Moser of Schwalbe North America: “Although the event has seen many changes over the years, watched fads come and go, and witnessed the cycling culture grow exponentially in the US, the festival still holds true to the grassroots feel established from its inception so many years ago. The Schwalbe North America team attends this event year after year, getting a chance to speak face to face with their loyal tire customers and educate the consumer base on all things Editorial tires.” This year, 650b was the talk of the cycling world with many bike brands and Schwalbe partners showcasing showcasing new 650b models for the 2013 season. Not to be outdone Dear Schwalbe partner, the 29er bikes are in high demand and many manufactures were showing their latest wears in that realm. Schwalbe North America was partnering with Giant, Niner and Cannondale to on the outside it is more modern and attractive, showcase the new Racing Ralph, Hans Dampf, and Nobby Nic on the new cycling machines. Celeste Steindl-Moser: “These top brands chose to partner Schwalbe as we continue to be on on the inside you will find the focused and com- the forefront of tire technology.” pact information you are used to. In other words, after 14 years we have completely revamped our customer magazine “profil”. We will continue to Radioshack-Nissan-Trek rides on Schwalbe offer interesting and relaxed reading material and The notably strongest team in the 2012 UCI WorldTour rides on deliberately send you the printed version – the “real thing” just like bikes and tires. Schwalbe Ultremo. The newly formed Radioshack-Nissan-Trek team In our cover story we put the focus on our has been created from team Radioshack and Leopard Trek which was plant in Indonesia. There, we have increased our already sponsored by Schwalbe in 2011. The hand-sewn Ultremo HT capacities significantly, relocated processes back is fondly remembered by the former Leopard Trek riders Fränk and to the plant and reorganized tube production. We Andy Schleck (Luxembourg), Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), Jens Voigt now have combined all production stages under one roof and complete control of each individual and Linus Gerdemann (Germany). The riders from Radioshack around product. Consequently, we are optimally equip- Chris Horner (USA) and the tour specialist Andreas Klöden (Germany) ped for the increasing national and international further strengthen the squad and hopes of success in the major tours demand for high quality tires. In close cooperation and the spring classics with you, we can now meet our customers’ re- quirements even better. We look forward to this are running high. Fabian and wish you a successful season. Cancellara (photo) rode to the first win in Italy, in With kind regards, the “Strade Bianche”. The 190 kilometer long, hilly route runs for about 50 Frank Bohle kilometers over the white gravel roads (“Strade Bianche”) of the Chianti

region to Siena. Photo:GRaham Watson

Masthead Stahlschmidt returns to Humpert After just under three years, Jens Stahlschmidt left Schwalbe in April to Editor: Ralf Bohle GmbH Otto-Hahn-Str. 1, 51580 Reichshof-Wehnrath, Germany return to his former employer Humpert. “I’m leaving the company for fami- Phone: +49 2265 1090, Fax: +49 2265 70 22 ly reasons and express my thanks for the many friendly personal contacts [email protected], www.schwalbe.com Publisher: Vincentz Kundenmedien I have made above and beyond business during my time with Schwalbe”, Postfach 6247, 30062 Hannover, Germany says the Industrial Manager, who headed Schwalbe’s European Wholesale Phone: +49 511 9910-310, Fax: +49 511 9910-309 Staff Editor: Claudia Müller (V.i.S.d.P.) Division. Schwalbe will soon inform its customers about the restructuring Layout: Angelika Jungvogel of the Sales Division. As from April, the General Sales Manager and autho- Printing: BWH GmbH © Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG rized representative Bernd Hopp will be your contact person.

Schwalbe profil 1 2012 3 Technology

Schwalbe plant increases capacities In the last five years, Schwalbe has greatly enlarged its plant in Indonesia. The result: 100 percent more capacity and a reliable high-quality level. The company has, thus, equipped itself optimally to meet the increasing global demand for high quality tires.

Whether tubeless or tubular, high-end or high-performance tires are produced. Here, the capacities are now double what tires, each individual tire of the around 2,500 different mo- they were five years ago. “Consequently, we can now better dels, as well as all tubes now come directly from the Schwal- cope with peak demands”, emphasizes Schwalbe’s Technical be plant in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. Additional prod- Director Jahn. ucts are not purchased or ordered elsewhere as a private Also new is the tubular facility. On the label, nor are tires and tubes produced for other suppliers. floor flooded with light, the professional racing tire Ultremo “This triple exclusivity – everything from a single plant, no HT is produced among other products. No other manufactu- additional purchases, no contract manufacturing – is excep- ring process demands so much manual skill. Only the most tional and far from being the standard at all tire manufactu- experienced employees may set their hands to it, wind the rers”, emphasizes Holger Jahn, Schwalbe’s Technical Director. carcass threads, coat the carcass with latex, or glue on the For this, the company has invested considerably in the appro- tread surface. This produces the unique synthesis of classi- ximately 80,000 square meters plant over the last few years, cal handicraft along the lines of the traditional Italian model, has integrated new processes such as tubular tire production, with sewn-in latex tube and high-end technology such as the or the production of bead cores, and practices insourcing in- triple compound. stead of outsourcing. Virtually every production stage in the An own production facility – there’s now also one for plant has been checked, reorganized and extended. tubes. In terms of tube production, the plant sometimes The around 3,500 Schwalbe employees now manufacture reached the limit of capacity during the previous years. “Pro- more than one million tires and tubes per month. “What- duction at the limit is, naturally, always problematical as far ever is named Schwalbe on the outside, contains 100 per- as quality and supply capability are concerned”, concedes cent Schwalbe on the inside”, says Holger Jahn. “We are now Schwalbe. Not only have capacities now been considerably bringing all production stages together under one roof, have increased, but the entire process has also been completely short distances to cover, are more independent of sub-sup- reorganized and stabilized – successfully, as Holger Jahn pliers, and have full control over each individual product.” stresses: “Never before have we had such good results in our A highlight – and this can be taken literally as far as the quality tests as right now!” This is true despite the fact that spotlessly clean, bright floor is concerned – is the High End the quality test is extremely stringent. Each tube is individu- Section, in which the Evolution models and other folding ally examined, inflated to 150 percent its volume and stored for 36 hours. Tubes are now produced in permanently instal- Schwalbe stages led production lines – no refitting of equipment required. This ensures uniform quality and appearance. In addition, 1922 Bohle company founded as an exporter of the Schwalbe logo is printed on the tubes. As a result, this is bicycle parts overseas. not only a sign of high quality, but the size is also clearly visi-

1973 Ralf Bohle established cooperation with the ble at a glance”. Korean tire manufacturer Hung-A. The first tires “The reorganization applies to all and with the Schwalbe trademark arrive in Germany. tubes”, stresses Jahn. “Now, we can not only quickly and

1992 Relocation (from Korea) of production and flexibly meet the demand with high quality products, but opening of the plant in Indonesia. are also optimally prepared for possible future increases in

1995 Opening of the company headquarters with demand. We are very pleased that more and more bikes logistics center in Reichshof-Wehnrath near Cologne. are being ridden all over the world. And, with our range of

2011 Schwalbe Asia founded as logistics center products being so diverse and specialized like no other on for Asia. the global market, we will be at the forefront!“

4 Schwalbe profil 1 2012 Technik

Schwalbe plant increases capacities 2

1 3

A glance at the tire production. Clearly visible: The nu- 4 merous production machines. The individual parts of 7 the tubular tire are sewn together. The carcass threads for the tubular tires are manually joined on the drum. Schwalbe’s Technical Director Holger Jahn (right) and Yong Jung, General Manager of the Schwalbe plant. In- side and outside top: with the new imprint, the tube also has a high-quality look. Here, the width of the tube is measured before . Tube production has also been distinctly enlarged.

6

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Schwalbe profil 1 2012 5

Technology

Trust is good, but grip is better

What tires are suitable for which electric bike and why good grip is important – this is explained by Product Manager René Marks.

even with these bikes, the loads and average speeds are higher than in the case of a normal bicycle. With “E-bike Ready” tires, spe- cialist retailers and bikers are on the safe side. René Marks, Schwal- be Product Manager What do I have to pay for touring tires. attention to in the case of fast electric bikes? Interview Where the tires are concer- ned, special approval is ne- What tires do you recommend for cessary. Tires with ECE-R75 electric bikes up to 25 km/h? homologation, valid throughout About 95 per cent of all electric bikes are Europe, are the simplest soluti- pedelecs up to 25 km/h with assistance. on in this case. In addition, a code For these, we recommend our “E-bike Rea- number on the tire informs the user dy” tires. We have tested eight models in of what the model is capable of. For terms of the special requirements and given instance, 33 B stands for the maximum them the “E-bike Ready” signet. The legis- load-bearing capacity of 115 kg per tire lator does not prescribe any special tires for and a maximum speed of 50 km/h. slower electric bikes. However, we recom- The illustration shows what tires are suitable mend fitting a tire with the “E-bike Ready” Some Marathon sizes also bear the ECE- for which electric bike. signet for pedelecs up to 25 km/h because, R75 homologation mark. What is the difference between the Energizer and the Marathon? The difference lies in the rubber compound. A Marathon is above all known for its extre- mely high mileage. The mileage of the Energi- zer models is also not bad, but their key fea- ture is the tire grip. With fast electric bikes, even less experienced cyclists attain very high speeds in bends. A good grip, particularly in wet weather, is therefore decisive as far as safety is concerned. The compound is also useful for electric bikes with front- drive: since there is little load on the drive wheel, tires of standard rubber compounds tend to spin on steep climbs.

Is there a tire that is suitable for all electric bikes? My top recommendation for every type of electric bike is the Energizer Plus! You can’t go wrong with this one. Excellent puncture protection due to the GreenGuard and, in addition, the extremely grippy compound. With : an ex- What is appropriate for fast electric bikes can, tremely grippy com- naturally, not be wrong for slower pedelecs. pound ensures safety.

6 Schwalbe profil 1 2012

Technology

29ers win on points

A system comparison performed by the German Sport University Cologne has now provided the first scientific proof: 29 inch tires are superior compared to their smaller colleagues in some criteria such as , roll-over behaviour and safety – but not in all points.

Twenty-niners are currently the “rolling he- ros” of the biking world. According to US media, the bikes with the large make up almost 50 per cent of the MTB market in the USA. But do the 29 inch tires also have measurable advantages, or are they just a marketing coup of the industry? To answer this, Schwalbe commissioned a study at the “Big Foot” with renowned German Sport University in Co- measurable advant- logne. The study is the first scientific system ages: 29ers will estab- comparison of both wheel sizes in the world. lish themselves. To study the effect of the wheel size on Photo: Markus Greber road behaviour, the Director of the study, dual preference – those who gave manoeuvr- similar, if not quite so differentiated. These Dr. Achim Schmidt from the Institute for Out- ability the highest priority, decided in favour results were confirmed in laboratory tests. door Sports and Ecology at the German Sport of the 26 inch model. Those who wanted sa- Schmidt: “This was to be expected due to the University in Cologne, tested different techni- fety chose the 29 version. “Although there physical conditions – a smaller tire deforms cal aspects, as well as the road behaviour. are distinct differences in the individual opi- more and, as a result, tends more to run un- “The outstanding result is the superiority nions, the overall picture is, however, not so true than a larger tire. This requires more en- of the 29ers in all seven criteria in the off- clear.” ergy when rolling.” road course”, assesses the cycling sport ex- Facts and not the riding experience coun- “There are some results that clearly speak pert. Fifty students who did not know what ted when measuring the rolling resistance. for the 29 inch tires”, says Achim Schmidt. wheel size they were riding, assessed down- On asphalt, gravel and asphalt with obstac- “However, not all differences are measur- hill safety, stable road behaviour, comfort, les, the twenty-niners were well and truly in able. The rolling resistance and the riding fear of somersaulting, uphill grip, and down- front. The most distinct difference was in the experience play an important role. The per- hill line selection significantly better. How- power with low pressure (1.5 ) on asphalt: formance-oriented biker benefits most from ever, the result becomes relative in the over- it was a notable 7.9 Watts! The difference the rolling resistance, whereas the rookie all assessment. When the 50 testers were was only 1.9 Watts with 3.5 bar. The higher treasures the robustness. From a technical asked which bike they would buy, 29 stu- the pressure, the more the inputs of both point of view, the 29-inch models have justi- dents chose the 29-inch and 21 the 26-inch. systems levelled out on smooth asphalt. The fied their existence and will establish them- The choice was made according to indivi- system differences on the other terrains were selves as an alternative to the 26-inch models.”

Significant assessment differences on the bike test course

5 29er 26er 4

3 Assessment Assessment

2 3.3 3.5 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.13 3.14 Spin Somersault Line selection Safety Road behaviour Comfort Appearance 29er 3,56 4,49 3,88 4,18 4,26 4,18 4,16 26er 3,14 4,18 3,38 3,60 3,68 3,84 3,86

Cycling quality © Dr. Achim Dr. © Schmidt, DSHS

Schwalbe profil 1 2012 7 6.30. – 7.22. Tour de France 8.29. – 9.1. EUROBIKE, Friedrichshafen, Germany 9.19. – 9.21. Interbike Expo, Las Vegas, USA

Left: Race Support on the Schwalbe Transalp Tour. Middle: The Schwalbe truck houses the stand. Right: “Chances for open ears” – here at the Giant’s training camp.

Technology

But contact to the professional cyclists is also indispensable to Schwal- Schwalbe on tour be. Therefore, Lademann with the Schwalbe Race Support truck – pa- cked full with tires and wheels – not only accompanies all-comer races, but also the UCI Radioshak Nissan Trek Team on the spring classics, the Whether the Bike Festival at Lake Garda or Paris-Roubaix, Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. Schwalbe Race Support has become Tour de France or Sea Otter Classic: There is no better an institution there. “We have carefully built up the trust of the riders and mechanics over the years. Their feedback is extremely valuable in the de- place to have an ear on the market than at the mountain velopment of new tires. Cooperation of this type cannot be bought”, says biking and road racing events and competitions. Schwalbe Christian Lademann, himself a former professional cyclist. Race Support is on the spot worldwide, gives advice, fits tires, represents the company – and listens very carefully. MTB: Multi-faceted like no other cycling sport discipline The MTB sport is also its own microcosmos. No other cycling sport disci- Each sports event is unique and has its own special appeal. For pline uses such highly nuanced material. Advice is indispensable. Requi- instance, in the spring classics for all-comers, there are 20,000 rements, purposes of use, terrains – everything is important. Michael Kull participants in the Flanders tour alone. Here, all bikers suffer on and a team of Schwalbe employees are at World Cup races and the major the cobblestones – professionals just as much as amateurs. Dur- events. They have everything in the truck that they need for their stand at ing the Schwalbe Tour Transalp, breath-taking alpine landscapes the finish line. Once there, they have their hands full: they change tubes, compensate for the kilometers of climbs. “Whoever is at these tires and wheels, and provide information on the around 20 different events really loves their sport and puts up with a lot for it”, says MTB tires and their various versions – such as which one offers the best Schwalbe Product Manager Christian Lademann appreciatively. protection against thorns in the Roc d’Azur or which one grips best on “Here are the sportsmen who ride on our tires. That is why we the stony ground around Brixen. Michael Kull, who is himself an active are here. We make the Schwalbe brand known to this group, 4X biker, puts his heart and soul into it: “To be where the cyclists are, to give advice regarding the choice of model, pass on fitting tips, be part of this scene, to belong – that is how we can meet the needs of and help change tires.” the bikers with new products.“

Royal Flash The bike manufacturer Skeppshultcykeln, one of the three Schwalbe distributors in Sweden, is very happy about the royal splendour. Crown Princess and her husband Daniel visited their Purveyor to the Swedish Court. In the plant around 100 kilometres from Stockholm, they were able to choose the components for two , which were manufactured for them the same day. To date, the company founded in 1911 manufactures virtually all parts itself – and equips all bicycles with Schwalbe tires. The pair had alrea- dy been given two Skeppshult bikes in royal blue and with Schwalbe tires when they married. For her new bike, Vic- toria chose an orange-coloured frame and Daniel decided Flash on lagoon green, both with saddles and leather grips from Brooks. With their Big Apple tires, they are the first royal balloon bikes!