In search  of the holy rubber…

Following up on earlier tire testing in Stellenbosch*, Specialized’s tire whiz guys came up with 5 new prototypes to test. The goal is to make a tire that is very puncture resistant, but still rolls well and doesnt weigh as much as a tractor tire.

*Read earlier blog Tire testing Stellenbosch.

We know we have great tread patterns in the Fast Trak LK and The Captain, its  a matter of making  a strong, light, flexible casing. With an emphisis on STRONG.

Yesterday we tested rolling resistance of the 5 prototypes and also a few competitors’ tires. First I rode the rollers with a Power Tap and took Wattage outputs at 25km/h and 35km/h. Some tires needed 560 Watts to go 35km/h, and with the cold legs, the unfamiliar rollers, and keeping the speed at exactly 35 at 1500m altitude took some huffing and puffing!

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