Schwalbe debuts first ‘used tyre’ bike tyre

Bicycle tyres are generally beyond the Tyrepress.com remit, but we’re making an exception for a product billed as the first of its kind with a “closed-loop product cycle.” In addition to being made from 100 per cent Fair Rubber, the Schwalbe Green Marathon contains around 50 per cent renewable and 20 per cent recyclable raw materials. This 20 per cent includes all carbon black used in the tyre.

Recovered carbon black (rCB) entirely replaces carbon black from fossil sources and comes from end-of-life tyres that have undergone the Pyrum Innovations pyrolysis process. Schwalbe manufacturer Ralf Bohle GmbH shares that the production of rCB emits 80 per cent less CO2 equivalent than conventional industrial carbon black, contributing to a tyre that saves some 34 per cent CO2 compared to the previous model. To determine the CO2 savings, a detailed Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) of both models was calculated and evaluated according to the current IPCC AR6 standard (GWP 100, excl. biogenic CO2).

“The Green Marathon is an impressive example of how Pyrum and its partners can close the material cycle,” states Pascal Klein, chief executive officer of Pyrum Innovations AG. “We are proud that our recycled material forms the basis for the world’s first bicycle tyre made from used tyres. This development is further proof of our commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. Together with Schwalbe, we will continue to work to create environmentally friendly solutions for the tyre industry and to continuously expand recycling options.”

Green Marathon is the first product to emerge from the Schwalbe Recycling System, a joint project by Pyrum, Ralf Bohle GmbH and the Cologne University of Applied Sciences.