Despite being a brand you may not have heard of unless you’ve lived in Europe, once you put some miles on a pair of Schwalbe tires, we are certain that you will be recommending them to your cycling friends, especially those that bicycle tour. The Schwalbe name stands out in the minds of adventure tourists and doomsday preppers as a brand of tire built to withstand the abuse that comes with long distance bicycle travel, all while offering a smooth and comfortable ride. Touring tales abound of Schwalbe tires covering entire continental stretches and recording over 10,000 miles without suffering a single flat! The consensus is that their tires are just built differently.
Schwalbe touring tires are stubbornly durable and have proven to be extremely reliable in unpredictable conditions, making them the default choice for anyone looking to embark on an extended tour even in the developing world. If you are looking for a tire that will keep you on the road for the long haul, Schwalbe has some of the toughest tires in the market today.
Founded in 1922, Bohle is the parent company of the brand ‘Schwalbe’ and is Europe’s largest manufacturer of pneumatic tires for bicycles and wheelchairs. Production is based in Indonesia where they employ more than 3000 people and are involved in various sustainability projects such as the Orangutan Survival Foundation and the Fair Rubber NGO. Schwalbe strives to use recycled rubber in their products where possible and have an innertube and tire recycling program.
Schwalbe offers an impressive lineup of bikepacking and road touring tires that includes tried and tested models like the acclaimed Schwalbe Marathon Plus with its legendary impenetrable shell and the beloved Schwalbe Marathon Mondial.Their tires are tagged with an in-house rating system from 1 to 7 on puncture protection. Level 7 is advertised by Schwalbe as “flat-less” and that is no marketing gimmick, their tires have over the years gained the reputation of being almost impervious to punctures.
