Schwalbe’s Tyre Tread Cutter

This is probably only going to interest those of you who don’t pay full price for tyres – the idea of getting a new tyre and then chopping off half of the knobs won’t make sense to most people, but if you’re a World Cup racer racing to the limits, sometimes stock tyres don’t fit the terrain as much as you’d like – in cases where there’s fast rolling sections with damp corners, you might want a lower centre tread, but full height cornering knobs. So unless you have a set of those with you (or your tyre sponsor makes one) then many race mechanics will resort to clipping off tyre knobs with wire cutters. Anyone who’s done this will tell you just how much of a pain it is – which is why Schwalbe has come out with a tyre tread cutting tool for the job.

lIt’s €26 or so. And it’s probably something that you’re not going to want, but now you know it’s out there, right?

“Although we offer a suitable tread for every type of terrain, sometimes unpredictable trail conditions require a unique tread to find the perfect balance of rolling and grip”, says Michael Kull from Schwalbe Marketing and Race Support. “With the tread cutter, riders can adapt the tire tread even more perfectly to the respective situation.” For example, the sturdy center lugs of our mud-terrain tire, Dirty Dan, can be shortened for easier rolling. Or, as with Hans Dampf, the transition lugs in the shoulder area can be trimmed, giving more free space, and making the tread more aggressive. Lugs that have been worn “round” can have a straight edge again. Kull: “This is the first tread cutter developed specifically for MTB tires. With it, you can cut the lugs off with a smooth edge and – thanks to the cutting-height adjustment – to your exact required height.”