Ere Research’s new Genus CCX road tire uses a new rubber compound said to reduce rolling resistance, improve grip and improve puncture resistance.
CarbonX, a spin-off from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and the name of the company’s flagship product, is a 3D structure made of chemically bonded carbon nanofilaments.It’s structured like a sponge, flexible but not crushable, and looks a bit like SpongeBob’s carbon-colored cousin.
Ere Research has used CarbonX to replace carbon black or silica (traditional fillers used in tire compounds) in new tire rubber.It’s not the first company to use a new carbon compound in tires, Vittoria has added graphene to its well-respected tires, such as the Corsa.
Ere Research says CarbonX makes it a holy grail for cyclists by reducing rolling resistance by 2 watts, claiming 9.5 watts of rolling resistance for 26mm tires in a tubeless/hookless setup.
It also says 66 percent more grip and 40 percent more puncture resistance than an (unnamed) competitor.
The 26mm tires weigh 220 grams.That’s pretty light for a tubeless tire, and if Ere’s other claims stack up, it’s likely to go with the best tubeless tires around.
CarbonX was founded in 2014 by Rutger van Raalten and Daniela Sordi, based on their research at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Delft University of Technology, and patented in 2009.
CarbonX’s compound is also being tested in tires for motor vehicles, including trucks, for its ability to improve fuel efficiency and reduce rolling resistance.
The company also sees applications for lightweight conductive plastics designed to avoid static buildup.It makes CarbonX available in five different grades with different surface area, density and pore volume properties.
This is a handcrafted tubeless tire with a 320TPI casing that replaces the usual Kevlar bead with a product called Zylon, which is said to be very strong, while also making the tire suitable for hookless rims.Ere Research says the Zylon is used in Formula 1 as a tether for the wishbone to hold the wheel to the chassis in the event of a crash.
Ere Research’s new flagship tire, the Genus CCX, will be available in summer 2022, retailing for €89.It will be available in 26mm and 28mm widths, with a 30mm version to follow.
Paul has been riding since his teens and has been writing about cycling technology for nearly a decade.He loved gravel even before it was invented, riding a dirt bike through the South Downs and down dirt trails through Chilterns.He also dabbled in cross-country mountain biking and then returned to flat-bar bikes.
Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd, an instant group company?
Post time: May-24-2022