Schwalbe introduces Romy and a new order in its MTB lineup

Schwalbe is reorganizing its mountain bike tire program and aims to achieve one main thing: the selection should become simpler and easier to understand. Going forward, the entry point will be three clearly separated families — depending on whether it's for rough bike-park use, your local trail lap, or the most efficient racing possible.

At the same time, carcass designations and rubber compounds are being streamlined. The focus will also shift to radial constructions and new Pro versions, in which Schwalbe will place greater emphasis on material issues such as fair-trade natural rubber and recycled components.

The new classification comprises the Gravity, Trail and Race families. Gravity targets hard use with plenty of reserve in stability and control, the Trail family bundles the all‑round models for trail and all‑mountain, and Race stands for the lowest possible weight and speed. According to Schwalbe, the complete switch to the new Race family is planned for 2027.
Also new is that the family names in the MTB segment will also apply to the carcass constructions. Schwalbe reduces the previous variants to three basic constructions and supplements them with Pro versions. According to the manufacturer, these Pro versions are developed in close coordination with its own racing environment and are intended to further improve grip, puncture protection and control.
The rubber compounds are also being simplified: the term Addix disappears, the former Speedgrip will be called Mid in future. In addition, the compounds Speed, Soft and Ultra Soft are added — depending on the desired balance of rolling resistance, damping and traction.

In practice this means: Anyone who until now had to work their way through multiple casing names and compounds should in future first be guided by the intended use (Gravity/Trail/Race) into the right category - and only then choose within the family by tread, Pro option and, where applicable, radial construction.

While the casing threads in most bicycle tyres run diagonally at a 45° angle, in Schwalbe's radial tyres they are arranged at a significantly blunter angle. This results in a 30% larger contact patch at the same air pressure and thus noticeably more grip as well as greater damping, and is intended to provide additional safety and control.

New mountain bike families

Compounds NEW

With the Romy, Schwalbe introduces a new tread positioned as a versatile solution for trail and all-mountain — for both front and rear. In its construction the tyre relies on pronounced shoulder knobs for cornering grip and control, plus a more densely arranged central tread intended to help with rolling and durability.
Depending on the intended use, different constructions up to Pro variants are planned, and Romy has also been announced as a radial version. In the Pro versions Schwalbe uses fair‑trade natural rubber as well as recycled carbon black (rCB) from its own tyre recycling.

As you can see in the table below, Romy is available in numerous variants, compounds and sizes, as radial or bias-ply tires. All variants are tubeless-ready, so the choice is primarily determined by the intended use and your individual riding style.

The Tacky Chan is being further developed as a precise downhill tire and is coming as a radial version in additional sizes. The radial-specific, slightly more closed tread pattern is intended to provide a more harmonious ride feel and should not only allow smoother turn-in but also deliver more grip, better braking traction, and clear feedback at the limit.

Compared to the Magic Mary, this tire features more robust shoulder knobs as well as an open shoulder area for feedback and self-cleaning. In addition, the Tacky Chan is expected to be lighter on average and to serve as the successor to the Big Betty.

For the Tacky Chan radial, Schwalbe also specifies a 67-EPI carcass as well as the Pro materials with fair-trade natural rubber and rCB. The manufacturer makes an exception for versions with the Ultra Soft compound, where rCB is not used consistently.

The Eddy Current remains in the line-up as a powerful specialist for All‑Mountain and Enduro and is also getting a radial version. With it, Schwalbe is targeting more grip, control and safety — even when it’s about traction uphill and clean braking and stability downhill.
Characteristic are the massive tread blocks, which are intended to support propulsion and deceleration. Large-volume center blocks are also meant to increase durability — interesting for anyone who rides a lot and doesn’t want to fit a new rear tyre after every muddy week.

With the Albert, Schwalbe says it is responding to high demand and announces additional variants. The tyre is designed for safety and control across a wide range of use, with a tread specifically matched to the radial casing.
The radial construction is intended to better filter out irregularities and thus make better use of the contact patch on terrain — which will be particularly noticeable on roots, loose gravel and changing surfaces.

Magic Mary remains in the lineup as a well-known gravity all-rounder and will continue to cover a wide range of uses - from demanding trails to enduro and downhill. Its forgiving handling still provides reserves even when the line isn’t quite right.

In the radial version, a larger contact patch and better filtering of bumps are intended to translate into more grip and comfort. There are also Pro variants here with natural rubber from fair trade and rCB.