Radial MTB Tires Compared: Schwalbe vs. Specialized vs. Vee Tire Co.

Schwalbe made noise with the release of its radial tires, and since then, a few other brands have joined the trend, though not to the extremes of Schwalbe. Both Specialized and Vee Tires have released radial versions of their most popular MTB tires, with slightly less aggressive casings, making them more predictable. While not everyone is hopping on the radial trend, it’s nice to see more options on the market.

Having spent time on both Specialized and Schwalbe radials over the last year, I’ve noticed a difference between bias-ply casing and radial MTB tires. While “radial” tires for mountain bikes are not truly radial as we know them in automotive tires, the threads of the tire casing are more in line with the radial pattern than they ever have been before.

Schwalbe is pretty open with their casing construction, but both Specialized and Vee Tires are a little more tight-lipped about the cross-pattern, but it’s clear from riding them that both Specialized and Vee have not gone quite as extreme as Schwalbe.

This gives the tires a more malleable structure when in contact with the ground, which means a larger contact patch and, to an extent, more grip. While the “more grip” thing is true, it has its limits, especially with the more obtuse cross-pattern that Schwalbe uses in its radial tires, which can lead to a more flexible tire in situations where that isn’t needed. Because of the radial-ish construction of these tires, most riders find that 5 to 10 more PSI is the sweet spot for the expected support while still benefiting from the larger contact patch.

Vee Tires and Specialized have taken a less aggressive approach to the radial casing, finding a middle ground between what Schwalbe is doing and traditional bias-ply construction for their radial tires. I’ve found that with the Schwalbe Radial tires, much higher tire pressures are required to avoid folding them in hard-packed corners, and they are slightly less predictable overall than bias-ply tires, even at higher pressures.

Three Radial MTB Tires Compared: Which Is Best?

With the Specialized and Vee radials, things are a little different. Specialized says you can run the same PSI as a bias-ply tire, whereas Vee recommends 2-5 PSI higher than usual. In the hand, both the Specialized and Vee radials feel much more rigid than the Schwalbe tires, likely because their casings are slightly less extreme.

There’s a noticeable difference between the Schwalbe radial construction and the other options on the market, with both the Specialized and Vee radials feeling a lot more similar to bias ply casing tires, but still offering the same supple and damped feeling of a more flexible casing.

In comparison, the Vee Tire RAD Core tires are the most robust, with harder rubber and a more supportive sidewall, which has been a nice contrast to the almost squirmy feel of the Schwalbe radials. The Specialized Radials are a nice middle ground that offers a more noticeable damping effect but still holds true to the predictability of a bias-ply tire.