Schwalbe Wicked Will review…(fantastic tyre)

Short review of the new Schwalbe Wicked Will 29 x 2.4inch tyre (Super Ground version).

So, the new Wicked Will is now available in the UK! (as of a few weeks ago). The tyre comes in three different set ups 1. Super Race (the lightest, but potentially more puncture prone) 2. Super Ground and 3. Super Trail. I am currently running my Ragley Big AL with the Wicked Will on the front and a 2.25 Nobby Nic on the back and it’s a fantastic combination. So what’s so good about the new Wicked Will;

First, it’s impressively light. I purchased two of these tyres, the first weighed in at 865gms, the second at 805gms:

Up front with a Nobby Nuc out back?

Er, OK….

Grrr… lost half that review for some reason:

Secondly, the tyre inflated perfectly tubeless (100ml Stans) and held air perfectly, it’s held at 30psi for over 3 weeks now. The grip is great, but the real surprise was just how fast and efficient the tyre is, rolling on the Tarmac there is little to now humming, very efficient.

The side walls feel pretty robust and grippy, the side knobs really dig in nicely in corners. I would be happy to churn out big road distances on this combination, it’s deceptive how efficiently it rolls. The thread pattern seems to shed mud pretty quickly. Overall, I rate this as a 10/10… any downsides… possibly not a great tyre of heavy downhill/enduro.

Up front with a Nobby Nuc out back?

Er, OK….

Well, I haven’t fallen off yet so it must be ok 🙂

I’d have seen it more as a rear tyre, much shallower tread than a Nic.

They are incredibly fast rolling. I rode HONC with a friend who had 2.4 Wicked Wills on his Spur, and on the fast road descent he just rolled away from my Scalpel HT which was running 2.1 Racing Ralph/Rays.

Been tempted by a pair of these for my Spur but they’ve been completely unavailable this year in Europe other than on full bike builds, which is really weird considering Schwalbe are a German company.

Was thinking WW front and back or WW front / Ralph back.

I have to agree, Nobby Nic rear with one of these is an odd combo considering that you’d usually run the grippiest tyre on the front and the faster rolling one on the rear but hey, if it works for you OP.

They are incredibly fast rolling. I rode HONC with a friend who had 2.4 Wicked Wills on his Spur, and on the fast road descent he just rolled away from my Scalpel HT which was running 2.1 Racing Ralph/Rays.

If it’s down to the tyres, according to Schwalbe’s rolling ratings, a pair of the fastest WW versions would be marginally faster than the slowest RR combo.

I’ve found them a bit fragile on the rear; torn a couple of knobs off. Ooof

So something like the old maxxis forecaster? Although I think the knobs are further apart on this so they clear really well

30psi

In a 29 X 2.4?

The 90’s called and they want their pressure back.

it’s impressively light. 

Secondly, the tyre inflated perfectly tubeless (100ml Stans) and held air perfectly, it’s held at 30psi for over 3 weeks now. The grip is great, but the real surprise was just how fast and efficient the tyre is, rolling on the Tarmac there is little to now humming, very efficient

The side walls feel pretty robust and grippy, the side knobs really dig in nicely in corners. I would be happy to churn out big road distances on this combination, it’s deceptive how efficiently it rolls. The thread pattern seems to shed mud pretty quickly. Overall, I rate this as a 10/10… any downsides… possibly not a great tyre of heavy downhill/enduro.

What an odd “review”. I’m assuming from the dimensions that this is a mountainbike tyre?
Do you have any thoughts or observations not wholly pertaining to its use on road? 😉

Do you never ride on Tarmac then ?

Thanks for the review.

As it seems to be a fast rolling tyre, what is the grip like in Super Trail 2.4 – compared to a Super Trail 2.4 Hans Dampf…? As a rear tyre?

Do you never ride on Tarmac then ?

No I don’t never ride on tarmac. But I don’t choose my MTB tyres based on how they perform on tarmac.

C’mon, it’s a fair challenge. You posted it as a review, on a mountain biking forum but this is the only bit of the review that pertains to mountain biking from what I can see.

the side knobs really dig in nicely in corners

Tell us something about how well it works on the trail.

Tell us something about how well it works on the trail.

Really well, first used for a weekend around Glentress & Innerleithen, great grip on the trails and tracks, felt very good on corners. I think it would work well as a rear tyre in muddy conditions. Seems to shed dirt & mud from the tread pretty well.

Interesting. Sounds like its a stack betterer than an Ikon, which is frankly terrifying in the mud.
🙂

Rolling resistance on road is important to me for some bikes as I cycle to off road routes rather than drive or do a bit of bike packing so mixed terrain. I’m always after a rear tyre that is good on the road and off road.

The 90’s called and they want their pressure back.

On long rides I run my rear tyre pressure harder so that its more efficient and I don’t pick up punctures.

My current rear tyre is a rock razor in good weather and a nobby nic in bad. Does this tyre fit in between the NN and the RR?

Does this tyre fit in between the NN and the RR?

Certainly does. I’m the same, have not owned a vehicle for 27 years, hence the rolling resistance on road is important as I ride from home or train stations.

With some difficulty I found someone with Black 2.4 Super Ground Speedgrip Wicked Wills in stock. I’m off for a Welsh Trail Centre weekend on the 21st so I’ll report back on trail performance then. But first, fitting. These were some of the most difficult Schwalbe tyres to get onto a rim that I’ve ever fitted. Very snug on DT Swiss XMC1200 carbon rims. Lucky I had some carbon-friendly levers. Once on they inflated more easily than any other tyre I’ve tried – presumably due to how snugly they fitted on the rim. The ‘pop’ as they seated was more subdued than most tyres – more of a ‘phut’ really :-). Once on, they held 35psi with no sealant for a couple of hours before I deflated them, popped on side off the rim and stuck some Stan’s Race in. No need to panic, I won’t be riding them at 35psi, that was just to get them seated. No sidewall leaks.