Schwalbe Racing Ray & Racing Ralph Addix Speed – MTB XC setup
A need for speed tyre set-up, for XC fun
Robert Thorpe & Jim Hare
These days, finding a good mountain bike tyre is relatively easy. In truth, the industry has moved on to the point that most brands have at least one outstanding tyre within their range. You know the sort: that tyre which is seemingly always at the top of the list for so many riders. In the latest iteration of the Schwalbe Racing Ray, 2.35 Speed Addix, this family-owned brand from Germany have hit the jackpot, with a tyre that rolls like dream across the dusty trails, adds to your confidence when required, and which also creates some extra efficiency with your mileage on your e-Mtb adventure.
Addix speed compound
The Addix speed grip compound from Schwalbe has been developed to make this a fast-rolling XC weapon, when paired with the Racing Ralph, or even when used as a fast-moving front and rear grin inducing setup on its own. We’ve been testing the new tyre here on the tough and technical, dusty trails of the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors National Parks, where it seems to excel on the hard packed Singletrack.
With the new Addix speed compound, alongside the classic Racing Ray closely packed and forward-facing tread pattern, this speed focused XC tyre digs into the dirt just enough, whilst focusing its energy on rolling resistance and speed. The tread pattern is designed to allow the more rounded shoulder blocks to form to the terrain and give the necessary stability, holding you into the berms and turns as you relax and concentrate on having fun. It works well in the wet too, and does just enough to keep the ride interesting.
Schwalbe have developed several new compounds in recent times, to manage the variety of riding conditions that we all experience. For us, the new Addix Speed compound is just about right on hard packed and fast-flowing trails, and expecially useful on technical trails, with the need for tyre stability, reliability and grip. Where you need this perfect trilogy, with the added addition of great rolling resistance, it’s the perfect XC compound. If however, you’re riding a more trail or enduro type of trail, then you may want to change your options. In the dry summer of 2025, though; the Schwalbe Addix Speed has worked perfectly.
When climbing, apart from the occasional testing moment in the super-steep stuff, the Schwalbe Racing Ray Speed Addix is a reliable friend on the trails, always ready to continue its seamless journey towards the summit. When used with the Racing Ralph on the rear, then the wider knobbles of the Ralph take care of the necessary digging in and provide that extra help in forward momentum, utilising their wider centre blocks to give that all-important extra grip over the weighted rear end of the bike. The set-up is orientated towards modern XC racing, and on test, we’ve found that the Racing Ray Addix Speed is a perfect accompaniment to the hard packed and dusty, technical trails of the Yorkshire Dales this summer.
Front specific for balanced fun
Fitting this tubeless ready tyre is easy and straightforward, and it seats and seals well, holding its shape on the technical sections too. We’ve been running it at 23, pressure-wise, and tackling some technical descents – where the tyre has held its own, despite the less aggressive knobbly pattern. The tyre stays firm and holds its shape, with good side wall stability, allowing you to take on the technical corners at speed – which is what this tyre is all about. And, when you hit the odd pool of spring and summer mud, the tread pattern clears the dirt from the tyre quickly enough to be more than acceptable.
As Schwalbe say, this is a front-specific mountain bike tyre that comes into its own on the descents, where its rolling resistance adds to the fun and excitement. In summary, it’s a fast and flowing mountain bike tyre that races you along the XC trail, and which gives you a genuine and noticeable burst of speed to the proceedings. Having initially tested it in an old-fashioned setup, with the Racing Ray front and rear; we then tested it alongside the Racing Ralph, in the intended and more modern setup. After all, variety is the spice of life, and we wanted to try it in all possible options.
Ray & Ralph, riding in perfect harmony
Having used Racing Ralph both front and rear, in an old school style setup; changing to the more common and intended format, with a Racing Ralph on the rear has produced a significantly different ride – as you’d expect. The more power and grip-oriented tread pattern, does what you’d expect from it, with a wide and grippier tread pattern that eats into the trail. The strong side wall construction also holds you on the right line, whilst flexing just enough to put the maximum tread onto the trail, allowing the speed-oriented Racing Ray to do its job by focusing on getting you along the trail as quickly as possible. Having the Racing Ralph 2.35 at the rear, acts like a well-engineered engine house, driving you forward and holding the line, whilst the Racing Ray Addix at the front, maintains the speed.
It’s a great XC tyre combination that works in harmony, and which seems perfect on the U.K. trails. What has been surprising is how hard wearing the Racing Ray Addix Speed compound has been, lasting all summer with regular trail rides every week, on the hard packed trails of the Yorkshire Dales and Moors. Having the Racing Ray Addix Speed and Racing Ralph Addix Speed working in unison is a fast flowing and confidence inspiring setup that we can definitely recommend, and which will provide you with many months of endless trail riding fun.
We’ll be changing the Ray and Ralph compound in our next tests, and seeing how the more versatile Speed Grip compound works in the more unpredictable autumn conditions. Keep checking in to find out!
Image courtesy of www.bormio.eu/en
