But what type of cyclist is the Wicked Will the choice for then?
Carl: The tire is for the rider who wants to make little sacrifice in downhill performance so depends on grip and traction, but at the same time needs a fast tire with good rolling characteristics for uphill sections.
Concrete example: The Wicked Will is the ideal companion of an alpine crossing with many meters of altitude, where you do not want to torment yourself with rolling resistance but already want to really get fast on the descent. An Absolute All-purpose weapon.
Robert: Through the different carcass construction, in which the tire will be available, you can ideally adapt the tire to your personal needs. Super Race with the focus on high suppleness and low weight, Super Ground for the ideal mix of weight and puncture protection and Super Trail for high lateral stability and high puncture protection.
The tire can be ridden, by the way, not only as a pair front and rear, but also in combination with other tires: so I can combine it with a stronger focus on the downhill as a fast rear tire with a more aggressive profile in front, such as a Nobby Nic or even a Magic Mary, or as a fast XC combination as a front tire with a Racing Ralph on the rear.
The Wicked Will therefore ranks between the Nobby Nic and the Racing Ralph? How does it differ technically from these models?
Carl: Wicked Will combines the tread depth of a cross-country tire with the block shapes and proportions of a trail or downhill tire. We get the maximum performance out of the shallow tread depth. The tread depth is as small as possible to improve the rolling characteristics and reduce the weight. The excellent rolling characteristics were particularly ensured by the center lugs with ramps on the leading edges. However, the ramps were also interrupted to give sufficient propulsion at the same time.
Robert: Semi-ramp knobs is the key word here. The block shape was designed to get aggressiveness into the tire and provide lateral grip. Aggressive siping means every millimeter on this tire is used for grip. Each lug has two sipes and the braking edge was extended. The shoulder lugs come from the downhill area. They provide long grip edges and give extremely good grip in the turn.Despite the traction generated by the profile, the tire rolls extremely low vibration and quiet.
The tire scores in both worlds and impresses with a lot of technical know-how. It combines speed and grip in one tire and is the new all-rounder, making it a true “Unlimited Edition” (laughs).
