[Updated] Schwalbe Sets Sights On Manufacturing Tires From Recycled Rubber

Dec 6, 2021
by Matt Beer  
photo

The amount of energy saved by recycling used goods versus manufacturing new ones is up for debate, but reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills is not, and that's exactly what Schwalbe aims to achieve with their used tire recycling pilot program. The development of the innovative feedstock system comes with help from Pyrum Innovations AG, a German-based company that specializes in building and operating plants to thermally decompose organic materials, and the Technische Hochschule Köln – University of Applied Sciences.

Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the project is researching how to develop a sustainable recycling system for used bicycle tires. Currently, unwanted tires are incinerated or buried in landfills and the goal of the collaborating partners is to change this to a closed-loop economic system by recovering the raw materials. In particular, Schwalbe plans to take the secondary raw materials from the recycling process and put them towards brand new products.

As it stands, Schwalbe, states that all of the bicycles tubes they manufacture are 100% recyclable. They started a project back in 2015 to collect used tubes from dealers, recycling and reusing them to make tubes of equal quality. Schwalbe is continually becoming more sustainable and won the German Sustainability Award 2021 in the ‘Pioneers’ category.

We've reached out to Schwalbe to ask if their full intent is to build on this process and manufacture tubes and tires from 100% recycled rubber.

Pryum Innovations AG is an innovative recycling technology company based in Germany. On the basis of the worldwide patented, unique thermolysis process, the company develops, builds and operates recycling plants, with the help of which Pyrum extracts raw materials of high quality from used tires, rubber and plastic waste and feeds them back into the material cycle. The raw materials obtained include thermolysis oil, for which Pyrum has received REACH certification, and recovered carbon black (rCB).


Update:

Schwalbe has now implemented its tube recycling initiative in Switzerland with the help of Zibatra Logistik AG, becoming the fifth country in the program to recover discarded tubes of any brand at any bicycle retailer. Almost six million tubes have been recycled since 2015 with Schwalbe's devulcanization process throughout Germany, Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands. The program is set to begin in North America in early 2022 with the tire recycling to follow suit as well, once logistics are in place.

Shops simply register for the program, collect old tubes, box and then ship the unwanted ones to Schwalbe free of charge. The process also won Schwalbe the Eurobike Green Award 2015, the Green Concept Award 2020 and the German Sustainability Award 2021.

When asked if Schwalbe's full intent is to build on this process and manufacture all tubes and tires from 100% recycled rubber in the future, their public relations manager, Steffen Jüngst, had this to say:
bigquotesOur current pilot project is testing a recycling system for End of Life (EoL)-bicycle tires that generates valuable secondary raw materials in terms of the circular economy. In the long term, we would like to establish the Schwalbe Recycling System as a sustainable alternative compared to the current disposal by means of waste incineration.

Our research department is working hard on the use of recycled materials in new Schwalbe products. However, this development must comply with all safety-relevant properties of our products and ensure a certain performance. The use of secondary raw materials will therefore depend on technical, environmental and last but not least economical factors.

Is there a major difference in energy consumed to recycle and then manufacture versus simply starting over though?
bigquotesAll our sustainability activities are based on well-founded studies. With this in mind, we take a very close look at the overall process for Schwalbe's tire recycling approach. The ultimate goal is to reduce both energy and resource use.

As we currently are still in the status of a pilot project with our tires we can give you some data from our inner tube recycling program where we have been using material for new products since a while. There the production of the recycled material saves 80% energy and therefore also 80% CO2 compared to the production of the same amount of new material.— Schwalbe Public Relations Manager, Steffen Jüngst

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162 Comments
  • 156 3
 This is great news and i hope they are successful.
I recently watched a documentary about tires and near the beginning of the doc they asked "what is a product that is discarded when it is only 5% worn?" The answer is tires!
  • 109 34
 Honestly though. No one should have to feel guilty about buying new bicycle tires twice a season as long as people are allowed to do dumb and anti-social bullshit like this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p60f66K2u2c
  • 27 5
 @SimonJaeger:

Not sure why you got downvoted for that, nobody can argue that is highly wasteful. Stupid if you ask me….
  • 12 6
 @SimonJaeger: cuz “anti-social” is the only thing I have left
  • 19 4
 @SimonJaeger: as a long time car guy and diesel mechanic it’s funny to see burnouts, ear splitting noise and fumes be replaced by silent 4dr sedans doing 8 second 1/4 miles.
  • 55 5
 @heck362: I guess the reason why he got downvoted is party because people feel personally attacked by confrontational comments like these, but also because he's only partly correct. While driving flamboyant sports cars definetley isn't an ecological way of getting around, sports cars aren't the real issue. The real issue is our modern, automobil-centric concept of personal mobility. The difference those couple of people who like to own and drive sports cars make, is a neglectably small part of the effect that is caused by millions of people driving dozens of kilometers every day to get to work, go grocery shopping, etc. Sports car enthusiasts are just an easy target to pinpoint the issue onto - all the while they are actually a neglectably small part of the problem.
  • 5 4
 @Randy-Verified: yea for $200k. We did 8 seconds for half that.
  • 39 0
 @SimonJaeger: I have seen a few comments like this on the environmental threads and I struggle with the notion that someone else’s poor decisions somehow should relieve others of obligation to make better decisions. Seems like an easy way for everyone to point at everyone else’s actions and change nothing instead of taking responsibility for the impact of theirs.
  • 13 4
 @SimonJaeger: Can't wait when you discover pro level drifting.
  • 11 5
 There's a good reason why people don't want to buy recycled car tires despite that they're worn out only by 5%. If you want to try this (car tires), first buy yourself a really good life insurance and then drive vigoriously and then tell us if the recycled tire is still in one piece. There were number of accidentns where the tire just desintegrated despite beeing "rebuild to the highest standards"

I don't know what Schwalbe is up to with recycled rubber but I really would like to know is it truly better for enviroment than using old rubber as sidewalk etc. I can't stop thinking that all enviromental issues are just to increase sells and make people fell better when buying new bike stuff.
  • 8 0
 @SimonJaeger: come on car enthusiasts doing burnouts are not even 0.1% of worldwide tire usage. Problem are millions of cars changing tires every year and whole system of road transportation.
  • 8 1
 @SimonJaeger: not to mention almost nobody does burnout with new tires. Usualy they do burnout on tires just before needing to replace them anyway
  • 3 0
 @maucina: Throw Transport Down the Well!
  • 1 0
 @tkrug: didnt say that, just that even if everyone stopped doing burnouts and buying mtb tires difference would still be next to none compared to general tire consumption
  • 5 2
 @SimonJaeger: Bald, fat and stupid is a way of life....
  • 1 0
 @maucina: haha neither am I, it’s just the first thing that popped into my head after reading your comment
  • 2 1
 @SimonJaeger: Just here to point out also, that technically doing burnouts on public roads isn't really allowed either?
  • 1 1
 @SimonJaeger: bmxers almost never wear out tires. the harder the compound, the harder it is to wear
  • 6 5
 @SimonJaeger: How is rippin a nice burnout anti social? It's pretty fun especially if your tires are getting old
  • 4 0
 You guys wait until your tires have 95% tread remaining? Peasants!
  • 5 2
 @SimonJaeger: Ah yes, bald, fat North Americans with cheap gasoline and with mid-life crisis.
  • 3 3
 That documentary hasn't been to California,
where people run their tires down the cords,
because it never rains no mo
Turns out, it has a serious effect on the environment running them way past their wear marks:
www.washington.edu/news/2020/12/03/tire-related-chemical-largely-responsible-for-adult-coho-salmon-deaths-in-urban-streams
  • 2 0
 @blcpdx: interesting, but how does running tires long have that effect? From that article all tire micro particles have that chemical. . . .
  • 1 0
 @saskatoonbikeguy: oops, I think you're right.
Guess I remembered wrong, been a bit since I read it.
Hopefully they can find a substitute for that chemical.
Funny how it took them so long because tire compounds are proprietary,
so they had to reverse engineer what chemicals were entering the waste stream.
There must be sooooo many cases of that, where "trade secrets" allow them to pollute like mad.
  • 131 37
 Maybe they'll make better tires with recycled maxxis rubber?
  • 111 3
 They'll definitely make tires that are narrower than advertised this way.
  • 40 1
 @warmerdamj: and they will have factory warps in the too!
  • 13 22
flag techride (Nov 26, 2021 at 21:40) (Below Threshold)
 @4thflowkage: schwobbly was already well versed in the manufacturing of warped casings. They need no help from their sticky competition.
  • 31 3
 Sorry to tell you that MAXXIS goes hard in winter and below soil temperatures of 6°C. Wink
I dont have that problem with Michelin, Schwalbe or Onza, probably many more but MAXXIS even said it on their side that the high-quality rubber is not good for that and you should get dual ply Wink

6°c is a joke to be honest.

@techride
  • 19 1
 @Serpentras: I confirm; thanks for mentionning it.
One other negative point about Maxxis is that their tyres sometimes come twisted out of the box, OR, and that's also a big issue: they get and stay twisted after a big shock. If happened again lastly with my front DHF after a big compression. I was running something like 21psi, so nothing fancy.
I tried several times to remount it properly, no way: it's definitely twisted, and I don't speak about the rear tyre: a DHRII. It's so twisted that the wheel looks bent...
May be I'm just not lucky, but it never occurs with the Magic Mary or the Dirty Dan I use during autumn/winter.
  • 19 2
 The new Schwalbes are as good as Maxxis. New casings are very robust and the compounds are very good. Gone are the times with torn thread blocks (or at least they wear similar to Maxxis). The only downside is the lack of Assegai-like tire in the lineup, Magic Marry is great, but not as good on hard surfaces. But this is just related to thread pattern, otherwise they make very good tires. I have been using Maxxis forever, tried Schwalbes for a year and was not disappointed in any way.
  • 86 10
 Maxxis tires are hands down the single most overrated product in the entire mtb industry.
  • 42 2
 @BenTheSwabian: what about Kashima?
  • 1 0
 @4thflowkage: this is true
  • 3 1
 @4thflowkage: MDSA!!!!!! Make the DHRII Straight Again !
  • 3 0
 @BenTheSwabian: agreed
  • 17 0
 @jaame: I don’t think Kashima has fooled anywhere near as many people as Maxxis has.
  • 8 0
 @Serpentras: can't agree more to that !!! MAXXIS in winter is like having KENDA all year long...

Maybe it is time to start a recycling program that would involve the riders as well (not only bike shops). We already have this with our bottles and cans. I wouldn't mind giving back my old tires and get a discount on the new ones....

Unfortunately it is only a dream.....
  • 5 6
 @BenTheSwabian: I'd like to nominate presta valves for that title.
  • 7 3
 @BenTheSwabian: agree partially. If it was 100% true that they were ever rated then why do so many pros run them blacked out if they have no tire contract or their contracted tires aren't as good as needed? Why aren't people running blacked out Schwalbe's?
  • 2 0
 @bman33: Gwinner used MMs to win a few races in 12 or 13 I think.
Nothing is perfect, but at least to knobs stay on Maxxis and the beads stay on the rim.
  • 4 3
 @bman33: people like to have the same consistent stuff and don't like to switch that often. Pros even more exceptional to that. I mean some Pros even cut their thread because they only run only one thread pattern , because consistent stuff you already known.


MAXXIS in comparison with their DD isn't great in damping like the Super Gravity does it. Punctures are way more common with that DD in my book. With the Super Gravity I run for a year now, I dont even had ONE. I did switch back for MAXXIS for a week because blown bikeparts and testrides on other bikes. I had instant failures with those tires. I had the comparable Schwalbe carcasses also for way longer with even an SS thread and no puncture with it. Center slice on the MAXXIS with DHF and Assegai so na man..

I had run on the back BB, till I could no longer brake with it and the cuts only then appeared and they said, "f*ck you, ride better lines" The tire "said f*ck that, I dont give up even without center knobs". Yeah I have used it till there was not that much left. Consistent till the end, the SG and the ADDIX Soft will be a bit above average tire wear. The worst tire I had for radical wear was the OLD stuff from Schwalbe or the Michelin Wild Enduros.


I like to try new stuff, so maybe I get some Vitorias or whatever next year. If I dont like it I sell it and thats it.
You cant talk about equipment if you never have had some other crap below yourself.
  • 2 4
 @bman33: For most brands, pro DH tires that the racers and factory backed DH teams have access to are not the same tires you can buy in retail. They are made to higher quality standards, with more expensive casing construction and superior rubber compounds than regular production tires. Pro-level racing isn't really an applicable argument.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: vittorias are great, especially the mazza and the mezcal for cc, they roll both way better than they should considering their grip. All of them are true ( unlike my new e13 / vee tires) and they seal well. Outright grip with the mazzas is slightly behind schwalbe ultrasoft but not much. I also have high hopes for the upcoming mm ultrasoft supertrail.
  • 3 0
 @Serpentras: Really interested by Vittoria's tyres as well, The pair Motta / Mazza is sexy AF.
GMBN riders seem to like them very much. I'd like to have more feedbacks about these.........
I'm fed up with Maxxis and don't want to put my money in their gums anymore. I love Schwalbies, but their last versions are on the heavy side (1220g for a 2.40" Super Trail MM, come on!!!)
I used to love Onza tyres, but their range of products is too narrow, like Hutchinson BTW, and I don't need tons of references but 2 or 3 tyres max to cover the 4 seasons of the year.
Also, if I find the perfect tyres, my evenings are gonna be boring Wink
  • 4 0
 @BenTheSwabian: Pro Level racing is 100% applicable is this scenario. Pro compound and /or tread pattern or not, it still matters. I am not in the least saying 'Maxxis DHF/DHR' is the best hands down. However, it seems peculiar that when ever there is an 'issue' with their tire sponsor that isn't Maxxis, they most often switch to blacked out Maxxis tires. Point above about familiarity is legit to a degree, but doesn't account for all cases.
  • 3 1
 @danstonQ: I didn't follow GMBN that much but it can be that they also be sponsored by it and that's it.

Yeah Schwalbe is super heavy, SuperGravity BigBetty 29"x2.6" is 1,45kg. I pedal this half a day, no problem if I wont get any flat, I don't care. My bike weight is maybe 17kg, dont care also. You dont talk about weight in the Privateer club Big Grin
Like I said also above the SG tires damping is incredible. Its free suspension performance, hehe.

Onza would be the winner if they have actual tires for 30mm rims. They still make the narrow stuff for racing I guess?
  • 1 1
 @engjay: What don't you like about them? Granted, I only run tubes (do tubeless prestas behave any differently?) but of the issues I've had with leaky valve cores or stems tearing off, the vast majority have been on schraeder valves. Plus it's way easier to deflate a presta.

Don't know what my choice for most overrated product would be. Water bottles? Big Grin Avid brakes? Never had an issue with the actual performance of the older Maxxis tyres that I sometimes used, but yeah they lasted no time at all and I wouldn't buy any new ones for the price they charge!
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: I even manage to cut Schawalbe BigBetty Performance 29x2,40" (weight around 1600 g) on the rear Smile

On 27,5" I had almost zero problems with Maxxis DH HighRoller or DHR II both 60a, dual ply. Now on 29" I haven't found as reliable tire as previous two were on 27,5". Any recomendation for rear tire - I only want as much puncture protection as possible and hard compound (I don't want to pedal super tracky tires on the uphils)?
  • 3 0
 @danstonQ: Me too! The Martello/Mazza combo came stock on my Norco Optic, that's how I was introduced to Vittoria. Since then I've switched to Mazzas front and rear and they are excellent tires IMO. I don't see any reason to switch. I just wish they were available at more retailers.
  • 1 0
 Water bottles @bmbracing:
  • 1 0
 @lkubica: yeah I think the ideal tire combos (at least for me) is Assegai/DHR in spring/summer/fall and Magic Mary/Big Betty in winter.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: So after all that you're saying you run Maxxis anyway?
  • 2 0
 @inside-plus: nope, spare wheel was borrowed and I had no tire for the smaller 27,5" so I kept the MAXXIS on it. Test bikes comes mostly with MAXXIS I won't fav with that.
  • 2 0
 @louiefriesen: If winter means snow, then yes, but MM is awful on wet roots. But to be honest Assegai is not that much better. Anyway, I am keeping BB on the rear and just switching Assegai/MM in the front. When I was living in less rocky more muddy place MM was there all year.
  • 1 0
 @lkubica: yes. Actually I think the Dissector would be better on my trail bike on the rear in summer for that extra rolling speed over DHR or BB. Probably will try that tire next in summer.
  • 1 0
 @lkubica: another tire to try on wet roots sometime would be the Der Baron.
  • 2 0
 @Serpentras: Nobody touches Maxxis super soft compound and tread pattern. If other companies can make a compound that matches that then you’ll see blacked out versions of them but if your racing your, not worried about wear then your just going to run the best tires. Most people aren’t racing though and even though I run mainly Maxxis myself I’d advise anyone to run magic Mary’s. They don’t have the same level of grip as Maxxis but still really good and I just got two years out of a purple / orange mary super gravity where I’ll get two to three months out of a Maxxis maxx grip. For 80% of the grip and a lot more life and faster rolling speed, you can’t go wrong.
  • 2 0
 @louiefriesen: Tried them, bought 2 on a sale from bike discount like 2 years ago, one sealed after two weeks, second did not and eventually exploded from the rim at about 3 bars and casing got damaged. They gripped great, were a bit low volume, but Conti simply lost all the chances for me. Maybe new batches are better, but those I got were utter crap and just don't want to take a risk anymore.
  • 1 0
 @lkubica: understandable. Although 3 bar (43 psi) is really high. I tend to run about 25 psi (1.7 bar).
  • 4 0
 @louiefriesen: just desperately tried to seal it Smile It scared the shit out of me and somehow destroyed my pump Smile Not to mention I was covered in sealant like a pornstar after a gangbang Smile
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: sure the best for racing but like I said 6c is even what MAXXIS said an we have a high chance the soil is that cold in September. Plenty of riding time without snow ahead.

I also doubt that there are no other compounds gripping like that. I would say Onza with their GRP 40.

I have stopped riding super soft stuff this year because the "soft" BB super gravity tire's did hold up till October and it's actually not that difficult to ride. Traveling is still off for me so I won't have that big challenges because the twats also destroyed most of the good trail's we had.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: its so damn hot in southern california (mid 80-mid 70s) that my maxxterra shorty feels like a maxxgrip when its on the trail
  • 1 0
 @DizzyNinja: i buy the cheapo tires. Last gen shorty 3c maxxterra for 16 a tire is great
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: even ultrasofts cope well with cold weather, the new mm supertrail ultrasoft shoulb be great all year round.
  • 1 0
 @optimumnotmaximum: could be, never tried them. I have a MM on the rear because I could not get the BB in super gravity in my size. Super crappy that you can't replace stuff with the same right now..
Will try ultra soft for the front if I can get it.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: My favourite tires were the old 2.35 MM Ultrasoft SG, but the new 2.4 ones come at 1400g so i will be switching to the ST when they become available. BB soft ST or SG for the rear should be nice too.
  • 2 0
 @danstonQ: Mazza’s are great…I used to only ride MM…then found the Assegai as a front tyre which is probably the best…then a good friend kept telling me to try Mazza’s…he was right, they are very good too! Better than MM I would say…on the rear it’s a bit draggy of course, but it’s to be expected (Martello on the rear for dry weather might be perfect combo)!
  • 1 0
 This will only work if their knobs are tractor-beamed back on and "recycled" the instant they rip off on the 4th ride; my HD's haven't lasted half a season
  • 1 0
 @chrod: why are you riding Hans Dampf in the first place? And second was this the super stuff or just regular?
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: I got two HD in the past, the snakeskin was ok. The knobs on the SG came off after a couple of rides, no such problems with the MM though. HD ist just a bad tire overall.
  • 1 0
 @optimumnotmaximum: I dont know anyone who is sane who rides that. Never ever ! even before super was a thing.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: dont get me wrong, the hd snakeskin came on my 2019 propain and it was a bad tire, really easy to pinchflat and not much grip, it rolled ok though -and the knobs stayed on unlike the ones on the HD version on my hardtail ( I thought it would be a good option for the rear because of the robust and not so slow rolling casing, i was obviously wrong).
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: Good Q - got 'em cheap of jensonusa.com (like $20 each, years ago), their 27.5 Addix Performance TL easy. 10 rides and they were basically done. $2/ride lol
  • 64 3
 All New "Rubbish Roy" coming spring 2023
  • 43 0
 The all new Recycled Rudolf Evolution Line Super Trail Addix SpeedGrip.
  • 55 12
 If they do this I'll switch from Maxxis.
  • 25 43
flag Bro-LanDog (Nov 26, 2021 at 17:16) (Below Threshold)
 No you won't.
  • 4 10
flag scary1 (Nov 27, 2021 at 11:14) (Below Threshold)
 I’ll switch if they get rid of those stupid stripes
  • 10 0
 @scary1: they're visible until the first ride on dirt...
  • 2 0
 @AndrewHornor: oh cool! I did not know that
  • 8 1
 @scary1: I thought it would bug me too, but it doesn't. Maxxis yellow hot patch is much worse IMO
  • 2 0
 @AndrewHornor: I can’t see that while riding, also it’s not off center
  • 27 0
 A rubberball company went broke... But they bounced back
  • 18 0
 New Schwalbe tire lineup incoming:

Rubbish Roy (credit: Phaethon85)

Recycled Rudolph (credit: hit-n-run)

Trash Troy

Garbage Garry

Reused Raymond

Reprocessed Ryan

Salvaged Sawyer

Waste Walter
  • 1 0
 refuse ruben
  • 14 1
 We are an independent tyre-specific retail business in the UK, and have been looking for a recycling program to allow customers to return tyres to us and not end up in landfill. Another one to look out for is a program called Velorim, who put the individual materials in a tyre back into the construction industry. Good on Schwalbe for this one, we will be happy to support!
  • 13 0
 I bought 1200 sq ft of rubber flooring that is made from recycled tires. Shit is amazing: 1 inch thick, just layed it over rough concrete and even when it's -30 outside the floor doesn't get cold. Plus you can put heavy stuff on it without damaging it, or when you're working out you can drop heavy weights on the ground no worries. Pretty good use for old tires IMHO
  • 5 0
 @swenzowski: Where did you buy it? Brand/link? I love to have some of that for my garage work shop
  • 5 0
 @bman33: landmarkathletics.com/gym-flooring-bulldog-series-tile-12mm.html

I bought it a year ago and they had some sale going on so I got the ugly red colour. Worth it to monitor them and wait for a deal or reach out and see what they will offer you.
  • 9 0
 Hey Schwalbe I’ll give ya some cheap stock tires and you can turn them into Big Bettys and Magi Marys and send them back to me!
  • 12 1
 That would be amazing. I hate tossing tires
  • 5 1
 This is the kind of environmentally responsible initiative that doesn't annoy me. I'm all for reusing and recycling.
So many of these things are greenwashing... This is not.
Now Schwalbe, can you make a Magic Mary at under 1000g again please?
  • 6 0
 I thought this was already a thing? So what has been happening to my tires when I take them to the recycling center?
  • 6 0
 No sh*t. Was about to post the same thing. You have a rubber recycling center?
  • 7 1
 In California they get “recycled” into playground chips…and really toxic (for the construction workers) highways.
  • 7 0
 @unrooted: In San Diego at least I was unable to find a way to recycle bicycle tires. Car tires are recycled and you pay $5 each when you get new ones. No one wanted to take bike tires. Actually, one tire shop was willing to take them at $5/each. I was uncertain whether many of our customers would be willing to take what amounts to a 5-25% hit on a tire purchase. You can send tires and tubes to companies like Green Guru but that only accounts for a small amount of the tires we throw away every year. I'm hoping the new Green Initiatives in the bike industry make tire and tube recycling a normal thing in the USA.
  • 3 1
 @mastashake: maybe this initiative can lead to a service based business model in the future. You pay for the service to have tires, if they are worn you send them back and get a set of fresh ones. Like this, the manufacturer gets a predictable supply of feedstock for the recycling plant and uses them for new tires. It's been done before, there are other sucessful examples like office carpets and jeans.
  • 1 0
 @unrooted: cant be good for the eco system either, bound to have some trace of rubber/heavy metals being worn off the road into the air as dust or down the drains. Of course tires already wear out but still.
  • 3 0
 I get all my tires in bins at bikeshops when 80%-60% of their life is still there and use them into the ground, then make things out of them later or put them back in the bins. Haven't paid for a single tire in 5.5yrs. People definitely trow them away too soon for no reason!
  • 7 2
 This is awesome. The whole bike industry could benefit from making more recycled stuff
  • 5 0
 Making more recycled stuff depends on buying and using more recyclable stuff, and also depends on 2 very important factors: chosing the right trash and what's the local recycling policy and seriousness.
As a bike mechanic, I know for years that bicycle tyres are absolutely not recycled nor optimized like car or truck tyres which are mostly grinded and used for roads and buildings constructions, for instance.
I hate to do that, but every working day I throw some used tyres that I put in the normal bin, because despite of my will I don't have any other solution. The public dump refuse them, and the contacted authorities have no answer to the question. I hate that.
  • 7 1
 This is really neat. I hope it works out for them.
  • 11 6
 Don't worry, if you didn't think they were a rip-off before, now they're going to be even more.
  • 2 1
 Underappreciated humor right there.
  • 7 1
 I like the idea and hope they succeed.
  • 5 2
 Schwalbe If you’re reading this waste minimisation is very important to me as a consumer and I would exclusively stick to your brand if an initiative like this were achieved.
  • 2 0
 Unfortunately, for us living in the US Schwalbe doesn't offer the recycling program here. I tried to recycle some Schwalbe innertubes and when emailed them they said it's only for those living in the EU. I hope they broaden their recycling program globally.
  • 5 0
 Call me sceptic, but "thermolysis" done by a company called "pyrum" sounds awfully similar to "just burn the stuff.
  • 7 1
 Well done.
  • 9 3
 This is rad
  • 6 1
 Ought to find some Schwable!
  • 5 2
 Bjorn bikes, (a small company in BC) has been working on this. They also currently sell recycled grips and gravel bikes made from recycled metal.
  • 6 1
 NICE
  • 1 0
 I don't have much to compare it to, but that 80% energy savings figure for inner tube recycling sounds really impressive. If the tire program yields anything close to that, it seems like it's a no-brainer.
  • 5 2
 Pirelli does it with f1 tires so...
  • 5 0
 Are those the same tires used for 1 race????????
  • 3 1
 @unrooted: barely.
  • 4 0
 @unrooted: haha they dont last even half
  • 2 0
 @Serpentras: They can if you're Checo (minus the mandatory pit stop)
  • 6 2
 $150 tires here we come
  • 4 1
 lel, I guess you cant read do ya? It is stated that this is a thing since 2015. So how long have we to wait to get to this price point?
  • 2 2
 @Serpentras: fanboy reads what fanboy likes, ey? The 2015 project is on tubes it says.
  • 4 3
 @Muckal: I switched back to Schwalbe only a year ago. If you can tell me a better tire with more puncture resistance and surpassing , grip, self cleaning and shit to the BB and MM I want to know what you have.
Dont say anything about MAXXIS because that is not a f*cking tire for even the autumn if I want 3C.

Maybe I did misread it yeh, non the less how this could make it more expensive is still a big question to me.
  • 3 1
 @Serpentras: it could make them more expensive because they are more greenerer. Anyway, I don't care, I'm done with Schwalbe for anything offroad.
  • 3 0
 @Muckal: to bad, I thought the same dude. Some buddy's convicted me to give them another try.

So what are you rocking?
  • 1 1
 @Serpentras: Maxxis. I'm happy with them. I tried WTB lately and learned to stick with what I know and like.
  • 1 1
 @Serpentras: EXO casing even. Mind blown, I guess?
  • 2 0
 @Muckal: true , I cant imagen how I would ride that. I have some EXO SS for the commute but thats it.
  • 14 13
 If they want to have less tires going to landfills, how about making tires that don't start tearing off side knobs after 50 miles.
  • 18 3
 This issue has been solved for a long time.
  • 3 4
 Amen. Schwalbe is German for flimsy tires.
  • 3 1
 @wyorider: What's German for "I haven't ridden a Schwalbe tire in years but like to repeat mindless tropes, and it looks like a Session"?
  • 1 2
 In a way it's good news, in another it means that so far materials were cheap so they didn't care. Now that stuff is getting expensive and hard to get, they start caring about recycling. But it's not just Schwalbe, but pretty much every tire brand ?
  • 2 0
 Ok I only read half the article and criticized too quickly, stupid me... I guess I can't give my old tires to my LBS but if at least they're doing something on their side that's cool.
  • 4 2
 And how exactly are they planning to track down those millions of torn hans dampf sideknobs, eh?
  • 4 2
 Sweet, who doesn’t want even more expensive schwalbe’s?
  • 2 0
 My guess it's a EU / US thing... I never sent more than 35€ per tire, regularly see schwalbe / Michelin / Contis at some online shop for that price, with Maxxis you only get that price very rarely and then it's exo/2c in 2.3" non wt version (comparable to a 15€ schwalbe 2.1" Performance compound)
  • 3 3
 Would be better if everyone looked more into additives to make tyres biodegradable. People are doing it for plastics already.
  • 1 0
 High end mtb tyres are made from natrual rubber.
  • 2 0
 @KingOla: 100% rubber and nothing else .. wow

I am only pointing out what industry and mass manufacturers are looking at.

Shame the technology isnt quite there for IVD's yet!

Just made that up of course as this is Pinkbike and I don't work in medical devices R&D for the world leader in a sector.
  • 2 0
 @betsie: You're ignoring an important concept here: fitness for purpose. ANYTHING that biodegrades in a landfill will also biodegrade (to differing extents) when in contact with the same microbes at appropriate temperatures and within the correct substrate. Unlike single-use medical device components which can realistically (and easily) be kept away from moisture and sources of degrading microbes, we're talking about an item which is intended to be ridden in the dirt. Wood is biodegradable, but I don't want my disc brake pads made out of it.
  • 2 0
 ill be riding schwalbe if they are are recycled in thicker side walls
  • 2 1
 That would be awesome!! Always feel guilty buying tires
  • 1 0
 The ultimate rubber solution.
  • 2 3
 Schwalbes have been recycled for years. No other tire has been cut and used as chainstay protection, an application where they truely excel.
  • 1 0
 or for saddle grip. i think it was lenzerhide a few back that some guy zip tied a bit of tire do he could sit down to use a tear off.
  • 1 0
 Anybody know which model of tire that is in the article?
  • 1 0
 Wow instead of makig better Tires that last longer than a week
  • 1 0
 Models include: Recycled Ruben and Second-time Shawn
  • 1 0
 I can see them gluing knobs onto tires that only had 1 ride on them...
  • 1 0
 Love a Mary on the front and a Nobby in the back
  • 1 0
 Wicked Will is the tire in the photo
  • 1 0
 Why did this get bumped?
  • 8 10
 They could just recycle all the knobs that rip off new Schwalbes.
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