Schwalbe Rocket Ron Tire [Rider Review]

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XC racing tires must balance low weight with great traction and efficiency, which can be challenging. Schwalbe's Rocket Ron tire is a gold standard for XC racers. See what our customer thinks of the tires! 

Overall

This is an in-depth review of my experience with the Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires. I am an XC rider in Georgia, riding about 20-30 miles per week. I purchased the Schwalbe Rocket Rons (29 x 2.25) for my most used XC bike, a hardtail with 100mm travel. This was the second time I had thrown these tires on my bike. I mostly ride in middle GA at trails like Blankets Creek near Atlanta, GA and often ride at Jackrabbit Trails in Hayesville, NC. I decided to go with Rocket Rons on the front and rear of my bike. Here are some of my take-aways:

The Good? I found them to be extremely light-weight, and fast rolling. Like… REALLY lightweight. I am honestly surprised that they aren’t classified as race-only tires. They are probably the fastest and lightest tires that I have ever tried on my bike. I never found myself wanting for more grip on my packed-clay local trails either. I liked them so much that when my first set wore out, I replaced them with two new Rocket Rons and routinely recommended them to my friends who mostly chose heavier tires. I also love the look and alliteration that all Schwalbe tires have (Rocket Ron, Magic Mary, Nobby Nic). In short, I loved the way they seemed to liven-up my bike.

The not so good? Unfortunately, all that distinction does come with a few trade-offs. While light and fast, I had a few in-and-out thorn punctures on my local trail. Now I know what you’re saying… you can’t blame punctures exclusively on the tires. Which is true! But it is worth noting that I never had thorn punctures with my Maxxis Ardents or Vittoria Barzo/Mezcal set-ups on the same trails during the same time of year. Of course, with the tires being tubeless, it wasn’t much of an issue once the sealant stopped the small leaks. But the relative lightweight of the tires surely contributes to the softer and weaker rubber. One other noticeable downside was the relative lifespan of the tires. I went through my first set fairly quickly. I chalked that up to my more aggressive riding style and root-filled trails, however, when my second set wore out just as fast, I knew it was probably due to the nature of the tire. The strange thing wasn’t really that they wore out, but the way these tires wear down. The outer knobs just started pulling away from the tire, exposing the tan casing underneath the rubber. I never had a catastrophic tire blowout, but it was sure to come with continued riding.

Final Thoughts

Would I get these again? Absolutely! But only for the right rider, bike, trail, and with the expectations that these tires aren’t going to last you a riding season. If you are an XC rider, wanting a fast rolling, lightweight tire, possibly even for racing? Then grab some of these tires today. If you want a bit of longevity from your tires, or are concerned with small punctures, go for something a little thicker. If you aren’t sure what you want but want to experience some ultra-lightweight tires, give these a whirl. I think you’ll notice the effects immediately and be happy you did. Now just practice how to pronounce Schwalbe so you don’t sound silly when your trail buddies ask you about them. Ride on.