Michelin (France) – When it comes to mountain bike tyres, customers don’t have just one need. They have several, and Michelin has addressed this multifaceted demand with not one but four distinct tyre ranges for two types of use.



Tyres:

• Michelin Jet XCR
• Michelin Force XC
• Michelin Force AM
• Michelin Wild AM

Each one covers a different usage and type of terrain through the use of appropriate technological solutions. Michelin’s investment in All Mountain and Cross-Country tyres marks the latest step in its return to the MTB market following the introduction of its range of Enduro tyres in 2013.

Mountain biking is increasingly about commitment, while both the bikes and the activity itself have evolved considerably. More than 98 percent of today’s All Mountain bikes are equipped with suspension systems, for example, so it was vital to bring new tyres to the market as quickly as possible. The two overriding objectives that were set for these four new ranges led to the following results:

• Innovative, high-performance ranges which deliver significant gains in terms of both grip and strength, two factors that contribute to increased fun and enjoyment.
• With a choice of just 16 sizes, the new ranges are easy to understand, in contrast to the market’s previous lack of clarity.

To achieve all this in such a short time, we had to review our methodology and these new ranges were co-developed in association with our partners in the world of competition. Meanwhile, experts working out of our Technology Centre worked more than ever on a co-design basis. This is a first for Michelin’s Bicycle Tyre Division and saw the Group collaborate with the most exacting teams and riders in the different disciplines concerned. This new approach notably harvested performance gains in a shorter timeframe. The time required to develop a single range is normally three years. Yet, in the same period we succeeded in finalising four distinct ranges which cover 80 percent of the Mountain Bike tyre market’s needs.

Innovation is never an end in itself. To have value, it needs to make a contribution to progress and this has been a leitmotiv at Michelin ever since the very first bicycle tyre appeared in 1891. Our aim is to be a pioneer in the world of mobility. In 2015, our Group invested close to 700 million euros into Research and Development. That’s 13 percent more than the budgets of our chief competitors, and between two and three times more than other brands.

Michelin notably excels in the world of high performance tyre and this constant is no more apparent than in our new MTB ranges which benefit from advanced technologies like Gum X and Shield Technologies. Providing riders with the ability to combine front and rear tyres of different types is another Michelin specificity in its quest to deliver performance.

The launch of these four new ranges will begin this spring with the Competition lines, followed by the Performance lines in 2018. Our objective is to double our sales over the next five years and become one of the sector’s incontestable leaders.