World Edition August 2014 11th Year

The future is tubeless Tubeless tires for MTB, racing and trekking bikes

A world‘s first: the double chamber revolution The Procore double chamber system is revolutionizing tire technology for mountain bikes ... Page 10 Bikes that change the world Access to education and medical care: Schwalbe donates 100 bikes for World Bicycle Relief ... Page 12 Sales

The new sample ring Sample rings puncture protection. redesigned

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.

The whole world is communicating in an in- The “news” ring comprises the new “sports” model with 14 sporty tires from the creasingly digital way. Luckily, some things Durano Family, the new Nobby Nic, the MTB and road divisions. never change: a bike is, and will remain, a Schwalbe Century in green/white, the Range Should new tire samples arrive, these can wonderfully haptic, sensory vehicle. Even the Cruiser and the Schwalbe One with white be replaced individually. In the Schwalbe Shop, act of a purchase in a bicycle shop is a spe- stripes as an example for one of the four the sample rings can be affixed on the fold- cial experience. For touching and testing out, color variants. ing shelf board or the tire holder with a spe- for the real conversation between customer With the “puncture protection” sam- cial hook – the „sample ring parking space“ and salesperson, sample rings have been a ple ring, everything revolves around the (see photo below). popular sales tool for years. Now Schwalbe puncture protection levels and the establis- has redesigned them. hed touring tires. Finally, there is also the Please contact your Schwalbe partner.

The digital sales assistant The Flat-less video is available at Of the more than 3,000 Schwalbe Shop systems worldwide, www.schwalbe.com/ around 400 are equipped with a touchscreen. Now the interactive en/videos.html display gets an update.

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?

An invitation to check it Magic Mary: Stevie Smith and Nico Lau out: interactive contents for on the road with Super Gravity

the display and redesigned Hans Dampf: Tobias Woggon on trails sample rings at the new in Sweden parking space. 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 Watch films instead of reading instructions: with new content were sent to all retailers staff. The volume level can be adjusted on the nowadays, more and more information is who screen the following: spectacular vi- device itself or by remote control. „What is the being transmitted through interactive videos. deos that take the viewers into the world appeal of the display and how can it be secure- For two years, the Schwalbe Shop has also of cycling pros from the perspective of Jens ly set up in the shop? See for yourself at our communicated digitally, with a 15 by 25 cen- Voigt, show breathtaking mountain bike ra- Eurobike stand,“ says Philipp Hawle, Point of timeter touchscreen. In June, memory cards ces or explain technical details concerning Sale Marketing.

2 Schwalbe profil 2 2014 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 Editorial resistance,“ explains Peter Krischio, Product Manager Race. Dear Schwalbe Partner „In addition, the tire can be pumped up a little more if the bike has to be handed over for the competition the day More and more people are choosing the bike! We before.“ 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 12th Schwalbe TOUR Transalp season, which was difficult for all of us. The e-bike The most fascinating boom, a changed bike-friendly awareness, and racing bike stage race better general traffic conditions in many places, as for many „everymen“ described on page 11, have given the bicycle real tailwind. The good cycling weather in the first half around the world: the of 2014 may also have contributed to this. Schwalbe TOUR Trans- Photo: Andreas Dobslaff Our innovations for 2015 offer a similarly posi- alp. For the 12th edition, tive outlook for professional and leisure cyclists. 1,300 riders from 23 na- Our new Procore double chamber system for the tions – including Canada, MTB is a true revolution! It allows high pressure in USA and New Zealand – the internal chamber and just one bar in the exter- took off from Mittenwald nal chamber. You will find more technical details in Upper Bavaria at the on page 10. end of June. Over seven We have dedicated the lead story to the tube- days in teams of two, they conquered 830 kilometers, ascended a total of less technology for racing, MTB and touring bikes, 19,267 meters, and navigated 19 Alpine passes on the way to the finishing which benefits from our comprehensive innovative line in Arco on Lake Garda. For Schwalbe, special attention was on the new power! We report on the enormous potential of top racing bike tire, Schwalbe One Tubeless: „All 52 competitors from the this technology on page 6. teams equipped with this tire reached the finishing line with no punctures! It would be our pleasure to show you all of this, as well as many new tire models, at our Eurobike The most common defects with normal folding tires were snake bites and exhibition stand. We look forward to speaking with punctured tubes due to braking heat. These defects are virtually eliminated you! with the Schwalbe One Tubeless,“ reports Peter Krischio, Product Manager Race and Schwalbe Race Support. Yours sincerely,

Schwalbe multitool with valve functions Multitools are available ten to the dozen. Frank Bohle Why then must Schwalbe offer such a thing? „Because we wanted to have a handy tool in the pocket that integrates the functions Masthead

for valve inserts (SV and AV) and valve exten- Editor: Ralf Bohle GmbH sions“, says Carsten Zahn, Schwalbe Marke- Otto-Hahn-Str. 1, 51580 Reichshof-Wehnrath, Germany Phone: +49 2265 1090, Fax: +49 2265 70 22 ting Director. „Especially in times of tubeless, [email protected], www.schwalbe.com puncture protection liquids and screw on air pumps there is more and more of a need to Publisher: Vincentz Kundenmedien Postfach 6247, 30062 Hannover, Germany take out or tighten a valve insert.“ The multitool includes allen keys in 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 mm, Phone: +49 511 9910-310, Fax: +49 511 9910-309 25 mm torx, slotted screwdriver, SV valve insert, valve extension and a tool to remove Staff Editor: Claudia Müller (V.i.S.d.P.) Layout: Angelika Jungvogel SV and AV valve cores. Printing: BWH GmbH © Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG

Schwalbe profil 2 2014 3 Technology

With the Marathon Almotion, In the MTB sector, Schwalbe is the only company tubeless tires have whose product range features a long been in the

Photo: Yorick Carroux Photo: Yorick Carroux tubeless tire for touring bikes. lead.

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 ly, which consequently offers optimum safety. A sudden loss of air through ruptured tubes or valve tears is therefore impossible. Is the tubeless technology suitable for all kinds of cycling? Additionally, tubeless systems function very well in com- Markus Hachmeyer: If you want the best performance on bination with puncture protection liquids. Punctures are re- the bike, the Tubeless technology offers clear advantages for sealed within fractions of a second. everyone. For all sports-minded riders who want to get the most out of their material, tubeless is the right choice. The Schwalbe One racing tire is available as a folding tire, tubular tire and tubeless version. What are the What are the advantages of the tubeless system? opportunities for the tubeless variants? With the tubeless system, no inner tube is necessary. The tire For the racing bike, tubeless is still a relatively new technolo- and wheel rim are designed so as to fit together with an airtight gy. But during performance the tires leave traditional folding seal. This avoids much of the unnecessary friction which occurs and tubular tires far behind! The Schwalbe One Tubeless between tire and tube. Therefore, the rolling resistance is incre- provides the suppleness of a tubular tire, without the draw- dibly low; even lower than that of super-light competition tires. backs of the elaborate assembly. Additional advantage: you can ride using tubeless tires with My colleagues Carsten Zahn, Marketing, and Peter Kri- a lower tire pressure without compromising performance. This schio, Product Manager, put the tires through an ultimate brings noticeable comfort benefits, as well as a clear increase in endurance test. They rode 2,000 kilometers from Kayseri in control in critical situations and bad route conditions. Turkey to Tehran; almost 200 kilometers every day, with up Tubeless systems simultaneously offer very high puncture to 100 kilos on the bike. Through the mountains at heights protection. The danger of snake bites is much lower than with of up to 2,800 meters, plenty of descents, deep potholes tube systems. The entire carcass is equipped with a vulcanized and some roads in terrible condition. The tires – which are inner liner, which is very resistant to punctures and cannot actually competition tires – survived all of this without punc- rupture. In case of a puncture, the air escapes only very slow- tures and in good condition.

4 Schwalbe profil 2 2014 Technology

Put to the test on the Schwalbe Transalp Tour 2014: the 52 cyclists on the Schwalbe One Tubeless did not suffer a single punc- Photo: Armin Küstenbrück Photo: Armin Küstenbrück ture during the seven stages! Photo: marathon-photos.com

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

could offer. We thought the realization of the concept Markus Hachmeyer, to be easier, however. After all, we have been doing Senior Product Manager it for scooters, wheelbarrows and MTB for a long time. at Schwalbe and former However, transferring the technology to a high-pres- World Cup cyclist. 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 While tubeless tires on the MTB have been around eight bar. The system had to be absolutely airtight and for years, it was only in 2012 that a truly competitive remain sealed, all at a high pressure. At the same time, system for the racing bike appeared. Why is that? the assembly also had to be user-friendly for an amateur. The idea of tubeless for the racing bike was initially de- This meant the bead core could not become too thick, rided. We ourselves couldn‘t imagine the advantages it as racing bike wheel rims are markedly narrower than MTB wheel rims. In addition, pumping up should work The testers of TOUR, the German racing bike maga- with a floor pump alone; that is, without a compressor. zine, were also impressed: „The tubeless tires from And finally, the system weight should remain under 300 Schwalbe, mounted on Ultegra wheels, have a simply grams. spectacular effect (...). In direct comparison with the We solved the many conflicting goals only after choos- usual folding tires, the tubeless rubbers are a world ing a completely new direction for the construction of apart, rolling far more easily and smoothly. Even the the carcass and for the material of the hollow core. For GrandPrix 4000S from Conti, an undisputed reference the first time, we used high-strength synthetic fibers point for folding tires, cannot compete with them.“ (Issue 1/ 2014) Schwalbe profil 2 2014 5 Technology

in the bead core, in order to achieve the necessary tensile conversion processes involving several attempts, intensive strength and prevent the tire from slipping out of the wheel shaking and frequent repumping are a thing of the past. rim. The complete carcass is not only equipped with a vul- Tubeless Easy is our new standard for the high-quality canized tube, the so-called inner liner, but also further rein- MTB tires of the Evolution line. It replaces both the previous forced all the way around. This all-round protection also in- tubeless tire and the Tubeless Ready version. creases puncture protection, as now the tire shoulders and side walls are also much more immune to tears. We are now Are special wheels necessary for the switch to tubeless absolutely convinced by and enthusiastic about this techno- tire equipment, or can the pre-existing wheels also be logy! used for the tubeless installation? There are basically two possibilities. We recommend using How much potential for bike racing can this technology special tubeless wheels and mounting the tires with the help offer? of liquid sealant. In this way, the rider can be sure that the In the medium term, the tubeless system has the potential components are actually compatible and can be sealed in to come out on top in the professional road cycling market 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- Schwalbe now offers and perhaps prove that tubular tires are not necessary. The plicitly approved by the manufacturer for tubeless conversion special rim tapes and advantages in rolling resistance are simply too great to ignore. should be used. DT Swiss, for example, verified its entire pro- valves for the tubeless A further weight reduction is conceivable in the future. gram for tubeless compatibility and approved most of it. In conversion. so doing, the possible tire pressure according to tire width Does that apply to touring tires as well? is also determined. Some wheels, however, are explicitly dis- The Marathon Almotion is the first and, currently, the only approved for tubeless conversion. If in doubt, please consult tubeless tire for the touring bike. It has a top class rolling the wheel rim manufacturer for information on tubeless con- resistance, is wonderfully comfortable and, on top of that, version! very resistant to punctures. We now offer it in size 50-622 in addition to 40-622. Racing bike, MTB, touring bike: is „Tubeless for All“ the new trend? Schwalbe‘s MTB tires are not really tubeless tires, but For the mountain bike, tubeless tires have been around for rather Tubeless Ready – their previous name – and now: some time now. We are steadily making further detailed im- Tubeless Easy. What was the development process provements to them. For the racing and touring bike, the behind this? technology is still completely new. This is where we Tubeless Easy is an advancement of the Tube- set the trends. We are the leading provider of less Ready technology. It is based on the new tubeless technology and were the first to apply it version of our SnakeSkin side wall. The new to three bike types. It is expected to take some SnakeSkin fabric is made from a stable mo- time until the new technology gains acceptance nofilamentous polyamide fiber and offers across the board. But we at Schwalbe are con- three crucial advantages: firstly, even better vinced: tubeless is the tire technology of the protection against tears, secondly, increased future! 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 The full Spline range from DT Swiss has been tested just as easy as with normal tubeless tires. Long and approved for tubeless use.

6 Schwalbe profil 2 2014 Technology

New profile: All studs have been rearranged The new Nobby Nic: and optimized. 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.

With the Nobby Nic, Schwalbe also revised its „It is not the fastest cross country tire, not SnakeSkin side wall, which reliably protects the most robust endurance tire or the least MTB tires from side damage. slip-resistant mud tire. But if you are looking The new SnakeSkin side wall is made from for a tire which works in every situation, a a stable monofilamentous polyamide fiber tire which won‘t let you down, whatever the rather than the previous multifilamentous weather or the terrain, there is no better fiber. It has three crucial advantages: even choice than the new Nobby Nic!“ declares Makes the tubeless conversion better protection against tears, increased Markus Hachmeyer. easier: the new SnakeSkin puncture protection, and, above all, a very As before, Nobby Nic is available with two side wall. easy tubeless conversion. The use of liquid Triple Compounds: the extremely fast Pace- sealant is necessary, but the assembly is Star and the supremely slip-resistant TrailStar otherwise just as easy as with real tubeless Compounds. Despite the distinctly improved tires. This is where Tubeless Easy, the new riding performance, the tire‘s weight and roll- standard in the Evolution line, gets its name. ing resistance remain the same. „We are so It replaces both the previous tubeless tires convinced by the new Nobby Nic that we are and the Tubeless Ready versions. also using it as a replacement for the tire le- The profile design was also completely gend, Fat Albert, as well as for the old Nobby overhauled. It is now even more versatile and Nic,“ says Hachmeyer. works even more impressively in every riding A further minor innovation concerns the situation. To achieve this, Schwalbe Chief De- label: the size designations are now also veloper Markus Hachmeyer further optimized given directly on the profile, which can be Tubeless Easy replaces every single stud - size, shape, surface and easily found when it is in the package or if both the tubeless tires layout. Because every detail influences the the information on the side wall is no longer and the Tubeless Ready tire‘s performance. legible. versions.

Schwalbe profil 2 2014 7 Technology

Variety and color – innovations for 2015 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.

Century for modern classics The new color variants complete the range of the Schwalbe Schwalbe‘s new Century unites modern tire technology and One top racing bike tire, which was launched in 2013. It is classic design. At the beginning of the 20th century, a bicycle now also available in the new special sizes 20, 24 and 26 culture was born in many European countries. Today, bikes inches. Peter Krischio adds: „It is still the fastest and, at the in vintage styles and modern interpretations such as lifestyle same time, most reliable competition tire from Schwalbe. bikes, fixed-gear bikes or Dutch bicycles in unusual colors all The name demonstrates how important this racing bike tire hark back to this first golden age of the bicycle. Schwalbe is for us.“ honors the beginnings of the bicycle culture with the Centu- ry, whose profile and contours are guided in detail by the ti- Durano gets a face-lift res of the early 20th century. The highlight: the side wall in It is the most popular training tire for „mile eaters“: the Dura- the traditional billboard technology achieves a slight 3D look no endurance tire has received a completely new profile and with embossed lettering in a contrasting color. Those who is now ten grams lighter. Its outstanding qualities and the ex- have sophisticated tastes can combine black tires with a side tremely high mileage remain unchanged. The Dual Compound wall in cream. The lifestyle bike is topped off by the tires with provides optimum grip even on damp roads in winter. And gray side wall. And British racing green, in combination with the RaceGuard with a double layer nylon fabric is a tried and white, gives classic bikes a spectacular contrast! With reflec- tested protection for light sporty tires. The five color variants tive strips, 50 epi carcass and K-Guard. also include a completely white tire.

Color accents on the Schwalbe One Range Cruiser, all-rounder Color also comes into play with the racing bike: „We delibera- for the price-conscious tely kept the colorful stripe on our Schwalbe One very narrow The new Range Cruiser has the most versatile profile in the and positioned it on the outer far part of the tread,“ explains Active line. Its continuous tread strip in the middle of the Peter Krischio, Schwalbe Product Manager for Race. This means tread surface ensures smooth movement on the road, and the color accents look attractive in red, blue, white or subtle its coarser external blocks give the necessary grip on rough silver, and – even more importantly – they have virtually no terrain. Like all tires in the Active line, Schwalbe has equipp- impact on the performance of the OneStar Triple Compound. ed it with a high-quality 50 EPI carcass and the effective

Puts the finishing touches on Strong contrast: the Schwalbe One is A popular long-distance modern classics: the Schwalbe now available with colorful stripes in runner with a new Century in true style. red, blue, silver and white. tread: the Durano.

8 Schwalbe profil 2 2014 K-Guard puncture protection belt. Optionally available with A spiked tire called Winter The Schwalbe trade reflective strips. for Birdy and Brompton show stand at the Brompton and Birdy are among the classic folding bikes. The Eurobike, hall A5, 27.5 inches conquer the trekking bike tire sizes are as special as the bikes themselves. Schwalbe now stand 300. „We expect touring bikes and e-bikes with 27.5 inch wheels presents its spiked tire called Winter for the first time in the sizes to appear on the market very soon,“ says René Marks, Product 30-349 (Brompton) and 42-355 (Birdy). Fans of folding bikes Manager Touring. Mountain bikers who ride 27.5 inch bikes no longer need to give up their favorite bike in the winter. With are also interested in riding road tires. They are asking more its 72 or 76 metal pins, the winter tire has a firm grip on the and more about road versions. Schwalbe is well-prepared for ground and perfect control on slippery surfaces. With a 50 EPI this new demand and provides an all-round range of eight carcass, reflective strips and K-Guard puncture protection, it tires. From fine to coarse profiles, from Kojak, Marathon and combines high-quality tire technology with a low price. Just like Energizer to Smart Sam Plus and Super Moto-X. all of Schwalbe‘s spiked tires, it is safe to ride on dry roads, too.

All-rounder for the New and exclusively With the Schwalbe Winter, even Active line: the new in 27.5 inches: Super Birdy and Brompton can now be Range Cruiser. Moto-X. ridden safely on icy ground.

Schwalbe profil 2 2014 9 Technology

A look inside the tire: the „X-ray image“ makes the interior high pressure cham- ber visible.

A world first: the double chamber revolution

Hard 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.

In off-road biking, there is a motto: the lower The double chamber system has already wheel rims are also extremely well protected the tire pressure, the better the performance. proven successful in the World Cup. Nico against dents

However, this involves the risk of a snake bite. Lau (France) won his first Enduro World Cup Even when riding in difficult conditions, „Up to now, the limit has been around 1.5 with it. On the downhill course in Fort Wil- distinctly lighter tires can be used

bar. You would hardly dare to ride normal liam, Scotland, the Frenchwoman Emmeline In case of puncture: excellent run-flat mountain bike tires below this figure,“ ex- Ragot (1st place) and the Australian Sam Hill features thanks to internal high-pressure air plains Schwalbe Marketing Director Carsten (2nd place) were triumphant with Procore. chamber

Zahn. The riders are enthusiastic about the possibi- At the same time, the internal high-pres- But that is no longer true! In the future, lities of the new system: sure system protects the tire on the wheel

the tire pressure can be controlled with a The tire pressure can be reduced to rim. „Burping“, the dreaded air loss which double chamber system. Its name is Procore, 1 bar. This makes for an enormous amount occurs as a result of low pressure in conven- and is derived from „progressive core“. The of grip. Even on the roughest terrain, the tional tubeless systems, is eliminated core is filled with a high pressure of around tires „stick“ to the ground The double chamber system is a joint

4 to 6 bar and progressively absorbs even the The suspension of the tire reacts extreme- development with component producer strongest shocks. You can ride with an extre- ly sensitively Syntace. „It can also be mounted on any

mely low external tire pressure of 1 bar, which The extra damping and traction allow regular wheel with a rim width of about leads to a massive improvement in tire perfor- fantastically good control over the bike 23 millimeters or more,“ Carsten Zahn points

mance. No more danger of snake bites. The 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. The double chamber system: Later, components will also be available indi- extremely low pressure in the vidually as replacement parts. Procore will be outer chamber and high pres- compatible with customary tires and rims. sure in the inner chamber. The system will be compatible with all regular tubeless- suitable tires.

10 Schwalbe profil 2 2014 Market

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.

Interview perative that they be suitable for high volumes cycling lanes. But also Denmark, Copen- of people on main routes and for fast e-bikes. hagen in particular, is setting an example There are now more and more cyclists Furthermore, I see a great – and still largely with 27 fast cycling lanes already largely in urban traffic. Is it true to say that this unexplored – potential for transporting loads completed. Promotion of cycling traffic is a is due to an increased interest in cycling with the bike. Cargo e-bikes for various trans- topic in almost all of the world‘s metropolises rather than a better area-wide infrastruc- port purposes are already on the market. and large cities. Whether London, New York, ture? What‘s missing is a modern infrastructure Mexico City or Cologne – even Beijing has There are clear figures which show that towns which is suitable for cycling traffic. We need rediscovered the bicycle for a reason. 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- Picture: P 3 Agentur für Kommunikation und Mobilität ments. In Cologne, there are eight planners in the city and external planning offices who Short-range mobility in the city: an ideal infrastructure for bike traffic and pedestrians is an invitation are dedicated to the matter. I know of simi- for exercise and enhances quality of life. lar projects in Düsseldorf, Munich, Karlsruhe, Aachen, Freiburg and Münster. They probably a new policy to shape the future, which taps How does the livable city of the future exist in many other towns too. into the potential of cycling and invests cor- look to you? Health, fitness, climate, particulate matter, respondingly. It is not enough to put protec- The city of the future is compact, urban,

noise protection or CO2 reduction – these tive strips on the traffic lanes, install bike green and, to a special degree, shaped by are all issues which affect people in cities. stands and erect a couple of road signs. The short-range mobility. I support a vision which In all of these problem areas, the bike has federal state government has allocated 80 can be described as „The city as a living and the greatest effect. In no other field of action million euros for the construction of cycle moving environment“. A city in which move- within traffic planning can individual benefits paths. That is most definitely not enough for ment is not forced, but rather arises from – health, inclusion, mobility costs – and so- cycling traffic. After all, it is the second most health consciousness and a pronounced sense

cietal benefits – reductions in traffic, CO2, popular traffic vehicle after the car. of ecological awareness and where walking noise and particulate matter – be so advan- If we want to promote cycling with better and cycling are simply a pleasure. tageously combined as with increased cycling quality, a redistribution of the road space is traffic. unavoidable. In the future, no city can afford Does such a city already exist? to allow valuable public space to be occupied It would be a mixture of Dutch cities and What are the priority tasks of cycling infra- by parked cars for 23 hours a day. their fast cycling lanes, an urban lifestyle like structure? The Netherlands are still the benchmark in London or New York, and the Italian joie Building sustainable cycling path networks, for cycling traffic promotion of genuinely de vivre. Of course, this concept can also be which are safe and convenient. It is also im- high and lasting quality – including in fast adapted to small and medium-sized cities.

Schwalbe profil 2 2014 11

August 27 – 30, 2014: EUROBIKE, Friedrichshafen, hall A5, stand 300 September 10 – 12, 2014: Interbike, Las Vegas, USA, stand 9091

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.

Bikes that change the world Photos (3): WBR

In Africa, a bicycle can dramatically improve a human „The bike does not only benefit the students; it improves the lives life. The World Bicycle Relief organization (WBR) has of the whole family,“ reports Kristina Jasiunaite from WBR Germany. already proven this almost 200,000 times. Schwalbe „Vaccination rates for children increase by 50 percent, because the mothers can use the bike to take their children to the doctor after has now donated 100 of the special Buffalo Bikes to school. And the fathers can cycle to the market to sell produce.“ WBR educational projects. World Bicycle Relief was founded by F. K. Day (SRAM) in 2005, following the Indian Ocean tsunami. In Sri Lanka, they provided over Before she got a bike, Ethel had to walk more than two hours to 24,000 bicycles. Today, the organization is represented in 13 African school in rural Zambia. The 15-year-old often got to class too late countries, as well as in the Philippines, Indonesia and Peru, and has and could barely concentrate due to tiredness. Now it takes her already delivered almost 200,000 bikes in total. In addition, WBR just 45 minutes with the bike, and she can realize her dream of trains local mechanics, in order to ensure provision of maintenance becoming a nurse. She often brings her classmates to school on services and replacement parts. the bike too. The massive Buffalo Bike is assembled in five African countries. It „When students have a bicycle, their absence rate is reduced is a bike created for extreme loads and rough sandy paths: 23 kilo- by almost 30 percent, and their grades improve by almost 60 per- grams, no gears, with a steel frame and coaster brake, wide 26 inch cent,“ determined WBR in scientific studies. Before they can take tires and a carriage surface for up to 100 kilograms. full ownership of the bike, the children must prove their regular „To give children a future with a bicycle and improve the lives of school attendance for two years. Only through education do they the whole family – that sounds like a pious hope, and yet has become have any chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and disease in reality for tens of thousands of families. We are happy to dedicate the rural regions of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola or South Africa. ourselves to this,“ says Frank Bohle. (www.worldbicyclerelief.org)

Chairskating-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!“ Flash Photo: Graham Watson Photo: Graham Watson