Schwalbe Ultremo ZX Clincher Road Tire

As a preface, I purchased this tire because I was running Gatorskins and their sidewall's lack of traction in corners had resulted in one crash and had me fearing for my life during switchbacks or fast corners in the rain.

The first thing you notice, when you pull the Ultremo out of the box, it is a very soft tire. This makes for a very easy one-handed installation on the rim. The softness translates on the road to a feeling like you have a slightly deflated tire, however there is no increase in rolling resistance just a nice decrease in road vibration.

Coming from the Gatorskins, the Ultremo ZX is noticeably faster both in straight line speed and in cornering grip. I saw an immediate increase in speed (5mph) during long downhill sweeps and it stuck so hard in the corners, I found myself ignoring the brake. I weigh in at 185 and my riding partner, who also just purchased a pair, and weighs in around 130, comparing notes, we agreed that this tire behaves the same regardless of our weight difference.

As far as puncture resistance we had one flat between two bikes running this tires over the course of a 40 mile ride. While this may sound bad, I had 4 flats during the course of the same ride running Gatorskins a week earlier. I cannot say that this compares favorable or dis-favorably because heavy rains have been washing a lot of debris into bike lanes and one of my Gatorskins suffered a sidewall tear due to poor road construction.

I installed a 700x23 Ultremo R (known to be defective tire from the defective first batch) on my recumbent trike rear wheel with Duranos (406) in the front. It has been 3 years over 4000 miles only had one flat from glass on the Ultremo many miles after the tire was due for replacement.

Super fast incredibly stick and bullet proof, tried the ZX's this year so far there just as fast as the R's with no flats after 1500 miles.

We now spec these OEM on all our tour bikes and retail sales, I use to only use Conti GP and Conti 4000 to many flats with those.

I've been running the Continental GP4000S because of their renown durability and low rolling resistance. After reading some well written detailed comparo in a European magazine, I decided to give the Ultremo ZX tires a try. They edged the Conti in speed, but just a bit short in durability.

I can say that I was not disappointed. These tires inspire great confidence in taking sharp corners within a pack 26 - 30 mph. They are smooth fast and grip extremely well. I don't ride that bike in the rain, so I cannot comment on wet traction. I was expecting a rather short life, but I have around 3000 miles so far and no flats. The rear looks a little thin, with tons of nicks from glass and other sharp objects, but running Zipp wheels with valve extensions, I've been grateful to not have to mess with that on any ride for the past year. In contrast, I changed from the Continentals because I've had such bad lucks with flats on all my road bikes.

The reason for less than 5 star rating is from the beginning the tires have had threads from the sides peeling off and getting tangled in the brakes. At first I was concerned, but although I can see the missing threads on the sidewall, it doesn't seem to affect the performance. Several shop mechanics I've shown it to, mentioned they've never seen that before. So, despite the great review, I'm a bit leery about getting another set. Another con is because these tires have no treads and wear indicator, the only way to know when it's time to replace is when you start to get too many flats or in my case the sidewalls begin to look very bare.

These tires are great. The construction seems much better than the previous Rs or R.1s. With those, random threads from the sidewalls that you could pull off would come up every now and then. The sidewalls on the ZXs are noticeably more robust. I have only done a couple hundred miles but the compound itself also seems much stronger. No mini cuts or anything yet. They roll just as well as RsR.1s. Maybe even better.

I hate not being able to give these tires 4 or 5 stars. I love the traction and cornering. They grip great and they are light. I haven't had too many flat issues but I'm not riding in perfect conditions so for the few flats I've had not a problem. I ride these tires all the time for training and racing.

Now the problem... I have (not exagerating) had 4 sets of these tires. I just put the 5th set on today and came back to the site to order more tires but NOT these because I'm sick of EVERY SET has had sidewall issues. I run 120lbs pressure weighing 185-190.. The sidewalls start to shread. little strings at first then it just gets worse.

I will likely use my last set for racing only and move on to other brands and try them out. I had luck with Mich Pro III's... guess we'll see.

I'm impressed by these tires after a week of hearty racing and riding. Traveling on vacation in Chicagoland, I brought my bike but could only bring one set of wheels for training and racing. These tires are light, durable and look spiffy. I raced one criterium and they were plenty grippy and one 40 mile road race on fairly rough roads without a problem. They feel maybe a little slower than Michelin ProRace clinchers but that is subjective and I think their larger profile was smoother riding on rough roads. With 200 miles total on gritty and potholed Chicago area roads, they were flawless with Continental aircomp tubes. I weigh 133 lbs. and ran them at 100 psi. No flats an no visible wear.

These are the most supple clinchers I've ever ridden. Not a training tire, used them on pit wheels and foul weather wheels. Raced in a rainy crit at 8085psi fr (I weigh 160lbs) and never even felt wheel slippage. Used to use GP4000S for pit wheels but Schwalbes make Contis feel like rocks.

Superior tire, but it has a purpose. If you're gonna train, train on a training tire.

The tires I have used for the past 3 years have been Vittoria 23 mm Corsa CX, last iteration has 320 TPI. Yes the high thread count is alluring, but does it really make a difference? I think the Ultremo's feel just as good at thread count (127?), but maybe I'm not so discriminating. (I also think mostly all red wine tastes pretty good, as an example). I do like the smooth tread, and the two tires I bought weighed in at 191g and 175g, pretty darn light. They mounted very easily on my REV-27 wheels, using Veloplugs instead of rim tape (My old wheels were Campy Protons, and with rim tape the Vittorias were VERY difficult to mount). After about 200 miles of riding, all is well with the Ultremos. The front tire has not yet worn off the rubber flashing on the center of the tire. The rear has been fine. No flats. The ride seems comfy at 100 PSI. (I weight 125). These tires are supposed to be sticky on the turns, but I cannot comment on that, I have not use them in a crit or any comparable high speed turns. Overall I'm very happy so far, and the discounted price was a bargain compared to the Vittorias.

I bought these to upgrade my old road bike....which then opened the floodgates to replacing everything else lol. I'm really picky about tires and very loyal if I find something good. These go on without much trouble and seat well (which is important on my Rolfs). They are definitely light, accelerate well, ride smoothly and don't have that harsh feel many clinches do. You can definitely hear them sing at speed and seem to have very good grip. No experience with them in the rain yet so I can't report on that, but after 300 miles they show little wear and no cuts even though I'm 200lbs.. I do mostly fast club rides over hilly and sometimes choppy roads, so far I have no complaints and for the price, I think you get your money's worth.

They are on a set of deep rim carbon wheels with an SLC powertap, mounted to a TT bike (Felt DA). I have been so stoked on these tires. I've used them for racing Triathlons from Olympic to Long Course and almost all of my roadie training miles. Flawless. Given I'm not diving and driving through a crit or descending like a bat out of hell on switchback mountain corners. They have served me well in wet and dry conditions, have not yet succumbed to the plethora of glass found on the roads these days, but after all of this it's time to get a new set soon.

I have experienced a few pinch flats, but that would have happened with any tire on the obstacles I ran over.

Good grip, strong sidewalls, durable for long mileages of worry free riding, awesome emergency traction.

I'm sold on them...

With my new Specialized Ruby pro compact that weighs 16 pounds, I wanted to keep the tires light without having to stop to change flats. The specialized pro tires that came with the bike did NOT grip well on descents, so I wanted a good road grip for very fast descents, something that kept the bike light, and pumped at 110-120 psi, these babies still have good rolling ability and still take the bumps in the road. I don't use these for racing but for centuries and am training with them for a double century!!

Very easy to get on and off for fast changing and I run them with a light tube. First set of tires went 2500 miles before i got a flat on city roads!! Beats any specialized tire for a go-fast tire!!

I have put about 600 miles on these tires thus far and they have been flawless. I came from a set of Conti Ultra Sports which were far from stellar. The Ultremo ZX

Has more grip in the corners than I dare use, 40 mph through fast corners and they have plenty more grip in them.

Rolling resistance is low, I saw a 10 mph speed increase down the same hills and picked up speed in the flats.

They have proved to be remarkably durable, the one flat I have experienced was on the rim side of the tube not the tire side. A few pieces of glass have gotten embedded in the rubber, but nothing has managed its way past the puncture protection belt.

True to advertised weight, mine measured 192g and 196g.

For a race tire these have proved a remarkably good trainer. I am the riding parter Echtogammut mentioned and between 1200 miles between the two of us we have experienced one puncture and we end up riding on some filthy roads. As others have mentioned the tires are quite supple with a nice road feel and smooth out a lot of vibrations. The tires appear soft and fairly thin when you open up the box, as you would expect for a 195g tire, but looks seem to be deceiving as these have been extremely robust. No threads coming off of the sidewalls, and although there are some cuts in the rubber there are incredibly few compared to my previous tires and they are smaller and shallower. The tires seem to wear well for how sticky they are.

With the horror stories out there about the original Ultremo R, I was slightly apprehensive about the ZX, but these tires have proven to be fantastic and I have nothing but praise for them.

I gave this tire 4 stars because they didn't have 4.5. And for a five star they would have to sell it cheaper!

I love this tire. Its fast and grippy on the hard corners.

It also has a good life. I ride 150 miles to 200 miles a week and I get about 1500 to 1800 miles on them. I love the colors too.

For me these are a great race, and training tire. Better than the 4000s.

Training and racing. I love everything about this tire!

Never have I gone into high speed corners with such confidence. I had been told about Schwalbe tires but resisted due to perceived cost. When I took the plunge and felt the payback I was hooked. Cost in the end was not an issue when considering my safety, confidence and my tire performance demands. I now have them on my track training wheels. And have influenced others to ride them with similar feedback. A great tire! Thanks for making them even more affordable!

When I first got my Schwalbe Ultremos, I was not happy. I had two flats in 4 rides and thought they roll good and fast but not so good flat protection. Then I realized that for my weight (220lbs and dropping -) I was not running enough tire pressure. Being these are high pressure tires and can withstand a bit more that the standard 120 - 125 max you see on most tires, I was able to inflat more to account for my weight.

This made all the difference in the world. Now I have my fast times and my longest times between flats measured in months instead of days.

These ride every bit as good if not better than the Conti 4000 and Bontrager R3s while providing very reliable flat protection. And all in a very attractive package to boot!

Already have a second set in a different color waiting in the wings to change up the look. Great tire for the road ahead.

Hard to find a high quality training tire and one that can easily be a competition tire - this one fits the bill.

It has great traction and a smooth rolling feel throughout my varied rides.

Not the cheapest tired but value is strong. Wearability - very good for this type of tire. Getting 2K on average.

I ride the roads west of the Las Vegas strip toward the Red Rock loop. Riding through the loop I notice these tires grip the road better than my Continental Gators. They also seem faster and easier rolling. Can't think of anything I don't like about them other than them being hard to find in Las Vegas. Had to order them online.

I have been riding these for two seasons. Great feel, low rolling resistance, good durability, low weight and very nice cornering. I bought the red tire for 2012 and they look fantastic. A little pricey but worth it.

I loved the look and the tires are super fast and stickey!

BUT!!! at 520 miles all the things everyone complained about came true.

The sidewalls give way, and total failure on a descent, thankfully I was almost at the bottom and going straight. I have two more sets, will train on the flats for a couple of hundred miles and chuck them. Sad to say, I will not buy again.

Great tire, very durable, only one flat in over 1000 miles. I don't think any tire would have held up to the piece of metal that I pulled from mine.

Ride is excellent, corners well, handles bumps well too. Will purchase these again.

The tires are a very good buy. They roll well and are fairly puncture resistant.

I ride 4-5 times a week & have put approximately 150-175 miles on them and they are holding up well.

They also look real sharp with a cool sidewall.

Great light & fast tires.

These are my favorite road tires. Great grip and road feel. I mark them down for value because they don't last as long as others (but that's the price you pay for great grip and feel, right?) and they are expensive.

Second set of Schwalbes. Could not be happier. Used in centuries and long rides.

Great value and durable

I originally bought the Schwalbe Ultremo ZX due to its great review in Cycling Plus magazine and I haven't been disappointed. The tire rolls fast and grips well and it was easy to mount. I just replaced the rear tire after 2818 miles and the front tire still has plenty of mileage left. I have had NO flats during their duration on the bike!! Getting the Ultremo ZX's at the daily special price was also a bonus! The Ultremo ZX's were a replacement for the OEM tires which were worn out at 1700 miles (and had two flats during that time).

I have used Schwalbe in past with no probs. I like Orange and their wear.

Good all around tire Feel good on dry roads , I'm to lazy to ride in the rain so I'm not sure what they Are like in the rain

I commute 200 days per year & ride a 20- 30 mile daily loop. Overall, I rate this tire as excellent!

I ride the Schwalbe Ultremo ZX and the heavier duty Schwalbe Ultremo DD on my Colnago road bikes. They are very smooth rolling with very good puncture protection and durability.

Great looking tire, multiple color options, that has a smooth roll on the road and corners great with a confident and grippy contact feel. An easy tire to change without having to use multiple levers getting it on. Makes for a fast change for the unfortunate flats that will occur...eventually. Only tires I roll with and I ride about 5K miles a year.

I now have 400 miles on the tires, and don't see any of the issues others are complaining about. I bought another set, they are fast and roll great.

They were recomended to me by the guy at the bike shop, his favorite tire

While he admits they are not super durable, they roll fast.

For me they are worth it, I don't mind changing tires at 900-1,000 miles to have a tire that rides this fast. I do pump them up to 140, so maybe that is part of the difference and I'm not exactly heavey at 150lbs.

Fast and durable

Have had these tires for a month and have seen good gripping qualities on curves. Also, since they are softer, there is more of a cushioning effect (damping) on rough surfaces. I know some folks wrote that they had seen some tire cuts in the first 3 months or so of riding, but I tend to think this is a result of inflation vs. body weight issues, and not the quality of the tire itself. I would hightly recommend these tires.

They got them on sale and reviews were good , so decided to give them a try. Tire feels good , grippy and predictable through downhill corners, didn't test them out on full wet conditions , but in the damp , felt ok. They do feel little on the softer side , but not in the bad way. They are light and feel pretty fast , hard to judge the speed, because I upgraded my wheels also. I got about 200 miles on the set and then I ran over piece of rusty piece of metal , what looked like a dryed leaf and it slashed my rear tire, so can't comment on long term durability.

I really want to love this tire, I think it rolls out better than any tire I have tried, fast! I have seen a durability issue, the sidewall starts getting threads and blew out at 500 miles. I'm currently using them on event or race day only, not for training. I believe they just came out with a new model, I will try it.

I hope they have addressed the durability issues. They also look great!

I use it for training as well as competitive cycling. They wrap my Ksyrium Elites which I use for everything.

Need to put more miles on them but so far very fast and strong. I little unstable through damp turns though.

I ride about 200 miles a week and have been using the Verdestein Fortezza Tricomp and loved them. I decided to try the ZX because I had heard a lot of good things about them. On my first ride I split the rear tire's side wall. I was able to salvage it (after spending this much) by puting a piece of a water bottle between tire and tube. A month later the front tire split big with no debris in the road and had to be picked up. A month of riding for $130? I went back to the Verdestein.

On the recommendation of a LBS that was sold out of Conti GP 4000's I tried these. The higher pressure does give lower rolling resistance at the expense of a supple ride - but that's the only plus. After two days of riding on Vermont 100 these tires were butchered with cuts and gouges all over the casing. I phoned B.T.D. and had them express ship a new set of Conti's to my in-laws house so I could finish the New Hampshire part of my ride. I've gotten 3100 miles out of my Conti's so far this year. There's really no comparison...especially for endurance riding.

All I know is these tires flatted on me twice on my first ride. I won't race on them as planned. Decided to replace them before my big race with Michelins Pro series tire which has done well for me.

I have only 100 miles on the tires and luv them, super fast! Can't yet comment on how durable. I do like to inflate to 135-140ish and I'm only 150ish. So far they are awesome, will check back...

They have these tires with green stripes also.It would be nice if you carried the green striped tire also.