Schwalbe claims a 20 per cent drag reduction at 45kph in a 28mm width
Schwalbe has unveiled the Pro One Aero, which it calls its most aerodynamic road bike tyre.
The brand claims the 28c Pro One Aero produces 20 per cent less drag at 45kph than the previous aero benchmark, the 25c Schwalbe Pro One TT.
Schwalbe says its RaceGuard technology brings high puncture resistance to the tubeless-ready tyre that’s compatible with hookless rims.
The Schwalbe Pro One Aero will be available to buy for £79.99/€79.90 from October exclusively in black sidewalls and a 28mm width.
Different front and rear construction
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Schwalbe says it designed the shape of the Pro One Aero to be as aerodynamic as possible on the wide rims of the best road bike wheels.
The collaboration between Scott, Syncros and Swiss engineering company Radiate saw the Pro One Aero tested in the wind tunnel and on the road, according to Schwalbe.
Schwalbe hasn’t said how many watts or how much time the Pro One Aero will save you, except that a 28c Pro One Aero produces 20 per cent less drag at 45kph than a 25c Pro One TT.
!["Schwalbe]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2023/07/BR3053-2aa12a5.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"_BR_3053\"")
The German brand also doesn’t offer any rolling resistance claims, so we can only presume the Pro One Aero is faster overall than the existing model.
We’ve weighed the Schwalbe Pro One Aero front tyre at 243g, which is the optimal weight for aerodynamics, according to the brand.
On our scales, the rear Pro One Aero weighs 268g. Schwalbe says the additional weight increases puncture protection but not rolling resistance.
Although light for a tubeless road bike tyre, the Schwalbe Pro One Aero is considerably heavier than the prototype Pro One Aerothan at a claimed 165g.
Who will ride the Schwalbe Pro One Aero?
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Without specifying, the German brand claims numerous professional cycling teams and triathletes have been riding the Pro One Aero.
It claims the tyre will be used widely at the Ironman World Championships in Nice and Kona, where low rolling resistance and drag are prized attributes in a tyre.
Given they ride time trial bikes, you might expect triathletes to use the Schwalbe Pro One TT.
If the Pro One Aero is as aerodynamic and puncture resistant as Schwalbe claims, where does that leave the brand’s dedicated time trial tyre, the Pro One TT?
On paper, the Schwalbe Pro One Aero sounds like a direct competitor to the Continental GP5000 TT TR.
Continental says the WorldTour teams it sponsors have used the GP5000 TT TR on fast, smooth-surfaced road stages and not just in time trials – we spotted it fitted to Tadej Pogačar’s Colnago V4Rs at the Tour de France Grand Départ, among others.
It’s possible we’ll see Schwalbe-sponsored teams opting for the new Pro One Aero tyre for more than just time trials.