It seems like a logical idea – Wouldn’t two rows of knobs provide better cornering grip than just one? Tioga is banking on this concept with their new front-specific Edge 22 tire. It doesn’t take long to see the unique knob layout on this tire, or the lack thereof down its middle.
The new Edge 22 was designed to provide instant cornering engagement, as its central knobs start biting the trail as soon as you start leaning into a turn. As your bike leans over further, the central knobs stay engaged while the next row of outer knobs start digging in, theoretically giving the rider double the traction of a typical tire.
Normally tires are designed to provide cornering grip with their outermost knobs, which only engage when you’re leaning the bike over at higher angles (over 30°, according to Tioga). The positioning of the Edge 22’s side knobs is pretty traditional, so the magic here is in those widely spaced middle knobs.
It’s common to see a gap between the center and outer knobs on a lot of tires, as this allows space for the knobs to bend under hard cornering. The Edge 22 applies this principle to the center knobs as well, by leaving a unique gap down the middle of its casing. The center knobs begin bending as soon as you start leaning into a corner, improving grip as you enter a turn. The clever part is that they also remain engaged as you lean into the most common cornering angle range. At aggressive lean angles, both rows of knobs on the Edge 22 contact the trail to provide maximum traction.
Tioga says their test riders have found the tires provide solid grip all the way through corners without the rider needing to purposefully lean the bike over. They also say there’s no feeling of waiting for the outer knobs to dig in and provide traction.
The knobs on the Edge 22 were also shaped and positioned with braking performance in mind. Looking at the center knobs, you’ll notice the rectangular ones have large leading edges, and the siped ones with the extra inner blocks almost create a pocket for dirt to sink in to. All the Edge 22’s knobs have ramped leading edges to reduce rolling resistance, but Tioga says the ramped edges also help reinforce each knob so they won’t buckle under hard braking.
The Edge 22 is optimized for rims with an inner width of 30-35mm. There will be two casing options. The Magnum120 is the lighter weight 120tpi casing, which is reinforced with a thin protective layer that runs bead-to-bead. Tioga’s FlexGrid60 casing offers a stronger & thicker 60tpi tire with abrasion-resistant protective inserts in the sidewalls. Both casings are wrapped with Synergy Dual Compound rubber, which is softer on the sides to maximize traction and firmer in the middle to keep the tire rolling fast.
The Edge 22 will be available with either casing option in 27.5×2.5” and 29×2.5” sizes. All models are tubeless ready and feature folding beads. Tioga lists the Magnum120 27.5” tire at 920g, and the FlexGrid60 27.5” at an estimated 1000g. Weights are not yet available for the 29er versions. All sizes and models will retail for $65. The Magnum120 27.5” tires will be available in mid-July, while the FlexGrid60’s are expected for mid-August. The 29er tires will hit the market in September or October.
Bikerumor will have our own ideas on how the Edge 22 front tire performs in the near future: There’s one on its way for testing now, so watch for our review in the coming weeks. Also, there is a matching rear tire for the Edge 22 in development, but we won’t see it until at least the end of this year.
