Schwalbe Romy Tyre Review: Impressive Comfort Without Sacrificing Speed

By MTBSA contributor

The Romy is one the newest additions to Schwalbe’s MTB tyre lineup, where it’s billed as an all-rounder, something that should work well on everything from trail bikes to enduro bikes. It’s taking the place of the Hans Dampf, a tyre that was polarizing in its time. Some riders loved it, others (like myself) weren’t as impressed. It’s a different story with the Romy, and I have a hunch this one will work for a wider pool of riders, and in a broader range of conditions.

The Romy is available in a Trail or Gravity casing for 29” and 27.5” wheels in either a 2.5” or 2.4” width. In addition, riders can choose from Soft or Mid rubber compounds, and either a radial or diagonal (traditional) casing construction.

Romy Details

• Construction: radial (tested) or diagonal

• Rubber: Soft or Mid

• Casing: Trail, Gravity, or Race

• Sizes: 29" and 27.5", 2.5" and 2.5" widths

• Weight: 1148 grams (29 x 2.5", Trail casing)

• MSRP: $69 - $108 USD depending on casing / construction

• schwalbe.com

For this review, I tested the 29 x 2.5” Trail Pro Radial configuration with the Soft rubber compound, which weighed in at 1148 grams each. Dario’s been putting the miles in on the beefier Gravity casing version, which weighs in at 1355 for the 29 x 2.5” option.

MTBSA's Take

| The Romy is a great option for riders on the hunt for a tyre that rolls quickly but doesn't feel sketchy when things get more technical. Run it front and rear for the fastest rolling speed, or pair it with something a little meatier up front if you're looking to increase traction in the steeps. Overall, this is a very impressive option that actually lives up to the all-rounder designation. — MTBSA contributor

Design

The Romy uses a 3-2-2 tread pattern, with a lower tread height and more open design compared to the Albert. The side knobs alternate between rectangles and L shapes and have a much less pronounced outward angle compared to a tyre like the Magic Mary.

As I mentioned, Schwalbe offers the Romy (and many of their other models) in radial and diagonal constructions. For those that aren't familiar, radial construction refers to the orientation of the threads in the tyre's carcass. Traditionally, those threads have run at a 45-degree angle from bead to bead. In Schwalbe's radial tyres that angle is much greater. While they're technically not a "true" radial, where the threads run at a 90-degree angle, the increased angle does make a very noticeable difference in the way the tyre can conform to the ground - it allows the casing, especially the portion directly under the tread, to deform more easily, which increased the level of mechanical traction.

Price and Weight

The Trail Pro Radial version of the Romy is priced at $102 USD, and the Gravity version is $108. The least-expensive option has a diagonal casing and the Mid rubber compound; it's priced at $69 USD.

Tyre weight varies depending on size and construction, as you'd expect. Here are three different variants and their weights:

Romy Trail 29 x 2.5": 1148 grams (actual)

Romy Trail 29 x 2.5"29 x 2.4": 1050 grams (claimed)

Romy Gravity 29 x 2.5": 1355 grams (claimed)

Romy Gravity 29 x 2.4": 1230 grams (claimed)

The 2.5" Romy's weight is similar to that of a similar EXO+ casing tyre in Maxxis' lineup. Going with a 2.4" width saves some weight, and brings it into a similar realm as a 2.4" Maxxis Dissector, which costs $104 and weighs 1045 grams.

Specialized's tyres are still near the front of the pack when it comes to value - the Eliminator retails for $70. Keep in mind that at the moment Schwalbe is the only one of those brands with a radial tyre in a trail casing - Specialized now has some gravity casing tyres in their lineup, but haven't trickled that technology down to their trail casing tyres yet.

Setup and Testing Conditions

With the Romy Trail tyres I’ve been running 24 psi up front and 26 psi out back, pressures that are 3-4 psi higher than what I’d typically run in a non-radial trail tyre. There’s been a decent amount of hubbub around radial tyres and their optimum pressure - it turns out that telling riders they might need to run a little more pressure than usual can lead to more head scratching than you’d expect.

Not all radial tyres are the same, but in general slightly higher pressures seem to be the ticket for the best performance. Experimenting with different pressures is about as easy as it gets, so don’t be afraid to try more or less until you settle on what works best for where you’re riding. With Schwalbe’s Trail casing radials I’ve found running 4-6 psi higher than I normally would on regular casing tyres to work well.

I’ve been running the Romy on the Canyon Lux Trail and a Revel Ranger, short travel trail bikes that can handle a huge variety of terrain. They’re bikes that can have their trail manners altered significantly depending on the tyre setup - toss on some lower profile XCish tyres and they’ll feel, well, more cross-country oriented, or you can put something beefier on and push them further into trail bike territory.

The Romy strikes an excellent balance between those two tyre styles - it’s fast rolling enough that it still feels appropriate on a lighter, shorter travel machine, but it also has enough traction to prevent things from getting sketchy on steeper trails.

Ride Impressions

The Romy’s strong suit is the level of comfort it delivers, especially in chunkier, rootier terrain. The radial casing allows it to do a great job of conforming to the ground, rather than getting deflected and bounced off-line. If you haven’t ridden a radial tyre before, the main difference comes from the ease that the centre portion of the tyre can deform. This means you can have a tyre that’s supportive enough for harder packed turns while still remaining very compliant for extra grip while climbing or braking, even at the slightly higher pressures I mentioned earlier.

Speaking of climbing, the Romy rolls quite well - it’s very smooth, and doesn’t feel draggy or sluggish. That extra compliance also comes into play, and gives the tyre plenty of traction when navigating chunky, technical climbs.

Saying that a tyre excels when conditions are ideal isn’t exactly breaking news, but I do want to mention just how well the Romy does in those hero dirt scenarios, when the ground is firm but slightly tacky. That’s where the Romy really comes alive, with great cornering traction, good rolling speed, and an overall level of comfort and predictability that not all trail tyres possess. My local trails tend to be on the firmer and faster side during the summer months, the conditions where the Romy really shines. For riders who want to branch out from lugging around heavy, sluggish enduro tyres without going all the way to an XC-oriented option, the Romy is a great option.

Wet Conditions

It’s been a pretty dry summer, so the Romy hasn’t seen too much in the way of deep mud, but I have been able to get it out on a handful of wet rides. In mixed conditions, the type where the ground isn’t fully saturated but there are still puddles, and the roots and rocks are shiny, it’s done well, and the open pattern helps keep the tread from getting too clogged up. That said, for really grim conditions it’d be better to choose something with a deeper tread to ensure the knobs can actually get through the slop.

Dario’s been testing the Romy tyres too, but with more of a focus on the Gravity casing variant. He's around 20 pounds heavier than me (165 lb (74.8 kg) vs 185 lb (83.9 kg)), so it's interesting to see how his pressures differ from mine

Dario's Notes

I’ve been riding the Romys for a while now, both in the Trail and Gravity casings. With the Trail radial casing tyres, pressure ends up being the trickiest things to dial in - I’ve settled on 30/31psi in the rear, with 28psi up front. They can start to feel bouncy at those pressures, but you do still reap some extra grip at slower speeds.

The updated Gravity casing is a totally different story. They feel far more stable than the previous version, and still deform in all the positive ways. Falling in line with the new Specialized Radial construction, I’d say you can essentially run your go-to pressures here, without much compromise. I’m typically running 24-25psi up front, and 27-28psi out back in Gravity tyres.

The 2.5" Soft rubber Romy has been a great rear tyre for the summer months, keeping rolling speed high while still offering a ton of cornering grip when you lean the bike over. They feel pretty schralp-y, but in a way that feels predictable and useful. I like being able to cut traction when desired, kicking the rear out, letting the front bite, and tightening up a corner.

I’m not sure if I’d use the Romy as a front tyre on any sort of bike where a Gravity casing is appropriate, but it’s possible that some people who value rolling speed over everything will find a use case. For me, it’s been a great combo tyre with either a Magic Mary or Tacky Chan up front, both of which offer a lot more cornering traction and predictability.

If you’re looking for comparisons, the closest tyres I can think of are the Specialized Eliminator and the Continental Xynotal. Both come in at a slightly lower volume, but still offer the same speed/grip combo that feels great as a fast rear option. The Xynotal’s tread feels the least useful under braking, and the updated Eliminator definitely has more lug height to it, but the Schwalbe’s casing deformation does add a bit of grip beyond what you’d expect.

How Does It Compare?

At times it the Romy reminded me of a faster rolling, slightly more compliant Maxxis DHR II. The DHR II has more bite under braking, but the Romy isn’t worlds apart, as long as conditions aren’t too wet and muddy.

The Maxxis' Dissector is an apt comparison - it’s another good all-rounder for trail bikes and beyond. The Dissector lives up to its name in loose, dusty conditions, and it does a good job of digging in and finding grip, even when it feels like you’re riding in a sandbox. I’d put it ahead of the Romy when it comes to digging in and finding traction in loose terrain. The Romy’s not far behind, but the slightly shallower tread depth does mean it has a little less bite, at least as a front tyre.

The Romy is a little faster rolling with a slightly more muted feel than the Dissector. I’d happily run either one without complaint, since they’re both very predictable, and are free of any strange handling traits. The radial Romy does offer something a little different thanks to its construction, and that’s what I’d recommend for rides looking for extra comfort, a tyre that takes the edge of chattery or rough trails. I could also see running a radial Romy up front and a diagonal casing one in the rear, especially if I was mainly riding fast, hardpacked trails.

Pros

+ Great blend of rolling speed + comfort

+ Good cornering support

+ Nice balance of grip and tread longevity

Cons

- Doesn't dig in as well in really wet or dusty conditions. (But it's great up until that point.)

For South African readers

Overseas prices in this report are not confirmed South African retail prices. Check local availability, warranty support and the complete rand price with your retailer. No MTBSA test score has been assigned.