Review After 5 years running Assegais, Schwalbe Albert radials!

[RebornRider]

In 2020 I replaced the original tires on my 2019 Turbo Levo with Assegais front and rear because the internet convinced me they provided the most traction. I had no complaints about them, so I bought new Assegais about once a year for 5 years.

A few weeks ago I decided to try Schwalbe Albert radials. I have always been skeptical of the average rider's ability to feel the difference between two different products of good quality. It's a bit like a car modder saying his new, high-flow air filter made a huge difference in acceleration. Everything has a blue tint when the pedal is to the metal! Yeah right. So i was not expecting to feel a difference between Assegai and Albert

Holy moly, was I wrong! I can't speak to any difference in ultimate traction because I try to avoid finding the limit of grip. In terms of steering responsiveness and the level of grip I use, the two tires are equivalent. But ride comfort is another story. The radials really do filter out the harshness from washboard trails, stones, anything with a sharp edge. I imagine the Assegai to Albert transition is of the same magnitude as Assegais at 40 psi to. Assegais at 22 psi. The difference is that big.

To summarize, for my needs the Alberts are every bit the equal of Assegais in all measures except for ride quality, where the Alberts are significantly better. I will stick with Alberts.

I use trail casings and not-the-softest rubber option for both brands.

 

[John_likes_bikes]

You think you like the Albert, wait until you try the Magic Mary Radial, at least on the front. It's even better if you already like the Albert.

 

[levity]

If you want to experience the difference in traction without risking reaching/exceeding cornering grip just compare straight line braking. We find that the Schwalbe radials have more bite and allow later and harder braking. Our experiences cornering are also consistent with better traction than similar bias ply tires. There’s a detailed thread on radials discussing different tire modrls, pressures, etc.

Schwalbe radial tyres

Look interesting, any information other than what's on the Schwalbe Web site? https://www.schwalbe.com/en/radialtires-mtb

www.emtbforums.com

 

[k2rider]

I ran nothing but Schwalbe for years. I've always liked the Magic Mary up front but their pricing has gotten out of control. I buy my tires in bulk, 8-10 at a time from shops in Germany, and I pay about $45 a tire for my Assagai's. I *do* push the limits of grip and the Assagai's haven't let me down. I'm not saying there couldn't be better tires out there but at $108 a tire (what Schwalbe has the Magic Mary Radial listed for), I won't be finding out either.

 

[RebornRider]

I picked the Albert over their other radials because my regular ride (Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park) is all hard park clay. I'm pretty sure I have never ridden on loam.

I paid $74 for each tire by shopping around. Not cheap for sure, but worth it to me because I REALLY like the decrease in harshness. There are stretches on one of the trails where I couldn't see properly because I was getting bounced around so bad. With coils front and rear and now the Alberts, it's not buttery smooth, but the intense harshness is gone.

 

[xtraman122]

Yeah the radial tires are definitely one of the few objectively better, nobody has anything bad to say about it, products out there. Everyone notices the smoother ride, better grip, etc. They just need to work on availability… Seems like it’s always hard to find the compound/tread/casing combination you want. I’ve been on MM front/Albert rear so far this year, but just noticed a puncture in my sidewall on the rear so now I’m going to try MM in the rear as well.

 

[k2rider]

I picked the Albert over their other radials because my regular ride (Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park) is all hard park clay. I'm pretty sure I have never ridden on loam.

I paid $74 for each tire by shopping around. Not cheap for sure, but worth it to me because I REALLY like the decrease in harshness. There are stretches on one of the trails where I couldn't see properly because I was getting bounced around so bad. With coils front and rear and now the Alberts, it's not buttery smooth, but the intense harshness is gone.

If you're in NorCal, find the time to get up to Oregon. Ideally after a fresh rain but it's almost always good. Oakridge, Sandy Ridge and the North Umpqua Trail are some of my favorites but once you ride that fresh loam, nothing ever really compares.

 

[RustyIron]

I can't speak to any difference in ultimate traction because I try to avoid finding the limit of grip. In terms of steering responsiveness and the level of grip I use, the two tires are equivalent.

I agree, for the most part. I did feel, however, that the Alberts were squirmy when I ran them at the same pressure as I did the Assegais. But you're not supposed to do that. When I added a few psi, the stability improved. I push mine to the point of slippage quite frequently. With the Assagais, when they let loose, it was abrupt, and then it would abruptly hook up. With the Alberts, it's gentler when letting go, and it's not as shocking when it hooks up again. In this regard, the Alberts are far better than the Assegais. Don't get me wrong--the Assagais are great. If I wasn't running Alberts, I'd be rollin' on Assegais.

I tend to run the harder compounds because I'm stingy. With the Assegais, I'd get close to 350 miles on a rear. The Alberts haven't be getting me past 250 miles.