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SOC15: Schwalbe Joins In on Plus Sized Fun with Fat Nobby Nic and Rocket Ron Tires

Written by Zach Overholt
22 Comments
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Schwalbe nobby nic rocket ron plusIMG_6263

Up to this point, the options for plus sized tires have been pretty limited. Sea Otter has been the launch pad for a significant part of the Plus sized wave, and with that comes a number of new products meant for the bigger bikes. Even with the momentum of the concept, we were still pretty surprised to stop by the Schwable tent and see not one, but two new Plus sized tires.

Rather than design a completely new tire around the size, Schwalbe has grown two of their most popular tires. Don’t tell them, but the Nobby Nic and the Rocket Ron have put on a little weight…

Schwalbe nobby nic rocket ron plusIMG_6261

Schwalbe nobby nic rocket ron plusIMG_6265

Other than the bulbous casings and enlarged tread blocks, the plus sized options are just as advanced as the other tires in the Schwalbe catalog. Available this fall, currently Schwalbe will be offering both the Nic and the Ron in 27.5X 2.8 and 3.0 sizes, though 29″ plus tires are planned for the future. Given the nature of the tread designs, the Nic uses a tougher 67 tpi casing while the Ron gets a more supple 127 tpi. Nobby Nics will be available both Pace Star and Trail Star rubber compounds and the Rocket Ron is Pace Star across the board.

Schwalbe nobby nic rocket ron plusIMG_6266

 

Tubeless ready, folding bead, and available in both Evo and Performance models, the tires will be found on complete bikes coming this fall. Pricing is TBD, but will include multiple price points based on the different models. According to Schwalbe, the tread patterns are the same but have been optimized for a better contact patch and the tires are best suited for a 45mm rim for the 2.8″ and a 50mm rim for the 3.0″

Schwalbe
Zach Overholt
5,730 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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22 Comments
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Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

No 26″… That would be great..

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Dean
Dean
9 years ago

I know 29+ has been around for a little bit now, but I feel like this 27.5+ phenomenon sprung up in the last two weeks! Mid fat all the way!

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craigsj
craigsj
9 years ago

Curious that Schwalbe would do 650B first and follow with 29 later. I guess they want to take advantage of the lack of 650B+ frames on the market and let the 29+ frames that have existed for years go unserved. It’s amazing the irrational behavior in the cycling industry.

I wonder what they mean by 2.8″? Hopefully it’s not 2.5″ like WTB’s mislabeled, fake 650B+ product.

It would be nice if Schwalbe would focus on shipping ProCore. I suspect that could lessen the interest in 3″ rubber for a portion of the market.

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endurobob
endurobob
9 years ago

I wonder if their tires would be any cheaper if they got rid of the tire size printing on the tread…

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Aaron
Aaron
9 years ago

Can’t wait until 3.0″ high-quality rubber tubeless on wide rims is the standard!

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fast foreward freddy
fast foreward freddy
9 years ago

would love to see schwalbe make 26 x 2.8-3.0 tires to get plus sized tires on standard 27.5 bikes. till then I’ll rock the surly dirt wizard/knard.

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JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

craigsj,
27.5+ in 2.8 and 3 can be used in many 650b frames and almost all 29ers. I’m guessing that is a bigger market than 29+. Many adopted 29ers and now many have a “fat” option. Its a smart move. 29+ is still very niche.

As for pro-core, I’d recon that it would increase the interest for fatter rubber for normal rigs. It allows such big tires to be run at low pressure for low speed compliance and traction, while preventing snakebites on high speed, hard impacts where the spring rate on said fat tire is too low. At least that was the design goal as I saw it.

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Fred
Fred
9 years ago

@craigsj
Schwalbe tires run true to size. I have h several schwalbe tires and they are all great.
I am also eagerly awaiting procore…

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Ryan
Ryan
9 years ago

Another that’s been eager with anticipation in regards to Procore right here.

Also, I’m thinking this could be cool to toss on the 29r SS rigid…and that “planned for the future” feels eons away. It’s going to be like when I put Fat Franks on my Kona, but an XC version.

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Ryan
Ryan
9 years ago

So I just schooled myself on the logistics of going fat on the 29r and now understand the focus on 27.5+ and why that is coming first. Makes sense, and now I’m thinking I have a good excuse for dropping money on some nice 27.5 wheels, Procore, and some fat Rockets…still way cheaper than buying a fat bike. I feel like a targeted customer.

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Piper
Piper
9 years ago

I tried WTB “2.8 inch” Trailblazers on my Tallboy and the bottom bracket was so low it was no fun. I think a 2.8 29er would be fun, but people are going to have to get new rear ends, or someone just needs to do a legit full suspension bike. 29+ Rocket Rons (light) on light fattish rims is going to be a whole lot of fun on a fully!

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JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

Piper,
Did you measure tire OD? and on what rims.
Was thinking about doing this on my Sultan. It has about 1/2″ more BB clearance than a TB, and about 0.1″ on a TBLT. Dave Turner was rocking one and it seems decent. On 90% of my trails I could make due with the drop in BB.

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Ryan
Ryan
9 years ago

Shoot! I forgot to measure my bike during lunch to see what kind of clearance I have to work with.

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Piper
Piper
9 years ago

Jbikes, didn’t measure, but it was on Stans FLow EX. I run Geax Goma’s which are a better (bigger/taller) tire and also the volume seems to be on par with a 27.5 “2.8 inch” WTB.
Everyone should watch this video. http://www.bikemag.com/gear/27-bikes/ and pay attention to 8:58 in the video. 29+ is the better option unless you are really short.

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craigsj
craigsj
9 years ago

“27.5+ in 2.8 and 3 can be used in many 650b frames and almost all 29ers. I’m guessing that is a bigger market than 29+. Many adopted 29ers and now many have a “fat” option. Its a smart move. 29+ is still very niche.”

How would you know, JBikes? You have no idea what the true dimensions of these sizes are and true 2.8 and 3.0 tires do NOT fit in “almost all 29ers”. All you’re doing is repeating hype.

29+ may still be “very niche” but not more niche than 27.5+ is.

“Schwalbe tires run true to size. I have had several schwalbe tires and they are all great.
I am also eagerly awaiting procore…”

Whatever that means relative to + sizes though. WTB offers a tire they call “2.8” that is, in fact, rated in the fine print as 67mm and ONLY on a 50mm rim. It’s actually shares casing size with their 2.5″ conventional tire yet WTB would claim it’s “true to size”.

I agree that Schwalbe doesn’t play shenanigans like others do, but I’d like to know how big the casings really are.

“I tried WTB “2.8 inch” Trailblazers on my Tallboy and the bottom bracket was so low it was no fun.”

Right, I hope Schwalbe’s 2.8″ isn’t a con like WTB’s is. I believe there’s a need for that size but it ISN’T part of replacing 29″ with 650B in the same frame. That’s a terrible idea.

A lot of people want to run lower pressures and + casings offer rim protection for that. So does ProCore. I suspect ProCore may enable what people want without the rolling resistance and frame compatibility penalties of +. Sure it’s heavier, but so are + tires and the extra weight of + goes straight into rolling losses. ProCore weight doesn’t. ProCore could both kill a lot of interest in + AND make + better at the same time.

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craigsj
craigsj
9 years ago

“Did you measure tire OD? and on what rims.”

A Trailblazer is about 35mm smaller in diameter than a 2.35/2.4 29er tire. In particular, I’ve measured this result when comparing it to a 2.4 Goma and a Trail King.

Rim doesn’t matter when comparing tire circumference. It doesn’t change significantly.

TrailBlazers result in a BB drop of 18mm greater than 29ers when used both front and rear. That is massive. WTB makes their comparisons against smaller XC tires so that you don’t realize the huge difference. The TrailBlazer is a fraud.

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Ryan
Ryan
9 years ago

@Piper

“29+ is the better option unless you are really short.”
And if you can’t justify another bike to your wife, but a new wheelset composed of 27.5+ 55mm rims and 3″ Rocket Rons strapped to CK’s that you can pop onto your 29er rigid singlespeed on a whim to float the trails on occasion has a decent chance at approval…or able to be considered a necessary bike upgrade/maintenance.

At least that’s my new plan of attack. 😉

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Dingo
Dingo
9 years ago

Well, I will have another set of tires to throw on my Farley 9.6.

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Lewis Loh
Lewis Loh
9 years ago

No 26+? The luddite in me just died a little…..

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wunnspeed
wunnspeed
9 years ago

I’ll be sticking with my 29+… as far as Schwalbe, I really like their road tires but their mtb tires were, by far, the worst tires I’ve ever used in 20+ years of mountain biking. I wore down the tread inside of a couple of weeks. Considering my Geax Saguaros (best tire ever) last me 3+ years….

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lance lau
lance lau
9 years ago

I’m still waiting on them to release the Jumbo Jim 4.0’s; how long will we have to wait for these? I’m guessing we might see them in November…

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Crusty
Crusty
9 years ago

Fat Schwalbe tires have been the vaporware of the bike industry. Jumbo Jims have been a thing for a year now, but no one can get them.

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