New tyre uses ‘electron beam bonding’ manufacturing process to apparently improve quality control and reduce rolling resistance
Panaracer has launched a new ‘Fast’ version of the Agilest road tyre, said to offer lower rolling resistance thanks to the use of a new manufacturing technique.
Panaracer refreshed its tyre line-up in 2022 by introducing the Agilest range, with clincher, tubeless and tubular options for road riding.
We described the tubeless version as “a high-performing, lightweight tubeless tyre” in our Panaracer Agilest tyre review. Now the Agilest Fast follows as an update that hones in on performance.
According to Panaracer’s testing, the Agilest Fast is said to be “up there with the [Continental GP5000]”, in terms of low rolling resistance, although we haven’t yet seen any of Panaracer’s test results.
The Panaracer Agilest Fast will cost £69.99 / $79.99 per tyre.
Electron beam bonding
The Agilest Fast uses what Panaracer’s Jeff Zell describes as an ‘electron beam bonding’ manufacturing process.
“I know, it sounds like a bad 1950s science-fiction movie,” Zell told BikeRadar at COREbike, one of the UK’s biggest trade shows for the cycling industry.
“It’s an electron beam that merges all of the layers [in the tyre] together and eliminates any error – or the possibility of a gap between layers.”
Zell says the process, used in other industries, improves the integrity of the tyre – reducing the likelihood of quality-control issues, while also lowering the rolling resistance.
According to Zell, a tyre’s typical manufacturing process, whereby the different layers of material are assembled and then vulcanised, increases the possibility of small manufacturing defects, which may not be visible when the tyre is checked for quality control.
“We’re always looking for new ways to come up with things that make the product line stand out, more than just a regular road bike tyre, and that’s now leading us to Fast,” said Zell.
The electron beam bonding process allows for “much more precise alignment and bonding of the materials, however many there are,” according to Zell. “You’re not leaving things to chance as much.”
The tyre still goes on to be vulcanised, Zell adds.
‘As fast as anything in the market’
The Agilest Fast is the brand’s fastest road tyre. “It’s as fast as anything in the market,” adds Zell. “Both in our testing and also in independent laboratory testing.”
Zell told BikeRadar that he’s waiting for the final set of test results from a lab in Belgium, but “right now we’re right up there with the GP5000”.
We’ll be bringing you more exclusive tech insights from the COREbike show – keep your eyes on BikeRadar.