2015 SCHWALBE Nobby Nic 2.35 Tubeless Easy – Out Of The Box (Project Single Speed ’15 – part 4) : by c_g

It was last summer when the new SCHWALBE Nobby Nic first debuted having already won the Tweedlove Enduro on its first outing. Despite this booming intro in a hard-core race, the tire is desigend to be one of the most versatile and universal tires around and as such is specced on a multitude of trail oriented bikes for the ’15 season.

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SCHWALBE Nobby Nic’15 – mounted on the AX-LIGHTNESS/TUNE wheels and ready to rock’n roll.

To truly prove its claim for versatility, SCHWALBE is offering no less than 28 different versions of this tire – 8 of them in the 29“er format. The choices vary from the mid-range Performance Line 2.25 wire bead for 21,90 Euros (30.58 USD in the US) – already coming with a dual compound  – to the Evolution Snakeskin 2.35“ for a full 54,90 Euros (93.41 USD) with the choice of the faster PaceStar compound  or the more grippy TrailStar compound. For the complete range of the Nobby Nic tires in its 3rd generation, please go to the corresponding SCHWALBE page or re-read our Eurobike’14 intro of the New Nobby Nic:

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What we have received for review is a set of Evolution Series tires in 2.35“ width with the PaceStar compound and the revised Snakeskin sidewall protection and Tubeless Easy technology. By going for a new casing design made up of monofilament fibers (visible in the lower image above) and a optimized bead, SCHALWBE claims it to be even easier to set up tubeless. I will report on that in my first update on the tire.

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Round cross section and mostly rectangular tread pattern – two of the more obvious features of the SCHWALBE Nobby Nic.

Our two sample tires weigh 775 and 782g – about 50g heavier than claimed. At least this will do away with the NN’s reputation of being too lightweight for a trail tire ;-). We shall see if and how this extra weight shows while riding … we will report back.

The width and volume of this tire is extraordinary, though. On the AX-Lightness rims (introduced here), with an inner width of 25.5mm, the Nobby Nic measures a full 60mm/2.3″ casing width (and after 24h mounted at 2bar/29PSI)! This is very good and is clearly something that will help me in getting over the additional weight.

In the upper image the round cross section is very evident – a feature that all Nobby Nics have carried over throughout the generations. In direct comparison to its predecessor, but also compared to the Hans Dampf (still one of our favorite tires for Central European trails, due to its awesome traction and good manners), the new Nobby Nic has very rectangular if not quadratic tread knobs all over. If it were not for the slightly rotated knobs and the slight chamfering on the leading side, one could almost think the Nobby Nic was a non-directional tire.

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There are pronounced grooves on almost all the knobs, deeper in the center and shallower towards the edges, rectangular to the rolling direction on the central pattern and parallel on the outer knobs – another feature carried over from the Hans Dampf. Each knob widens at the base and the side knobs get extra reinforcement, all adding up to less knob flex and less stress risers where connected to the base compound. The side knobs are taller than the central tread at 55mm versus 40mm.

Sounds interesting? Indeed, and we are excited to be running the new SCHWALBE Nobby Nic 2.35 on our single speed project bike. Soon we will have more of my first impressions of them.

RIDE ON,
c_g

Note: This product was sent over for test/review at no charge to Twenty Nine Inches-DE. We are not being paid nor bribed for this review and we will strive to give our honest thoughts and opinions throughout.