Test Schwalbe G-One R Gravel tires: more off-road or more asphalt? If you don't want to commit yourself when it comes to gravel, you've been waiting for this tire. In the Velomotion test, the Schwalbe G-One R proved itself as an all-rounder on gravel bikes that combines grip and smooth running.
If you look at the gravel bikes of the 2022 model year, you might think that the segment is shifting in the direction of "trail": more and more bikes are coming with a long top tube, short stem and slack steering angle; you can also see suspension forks and dropper posts more often now. But that's only one side of the coin: Many cyclists want to use their gravel bike more like a racing bike, but with more freedom in choosing the route. Their routes lead over asphalt and gravel; and just as a slick, narrow race tire is unsuitable for the latter, a knobbly gravel tire doesn't really roll well on the road.
And now? ... Schwalbe has launched a tire like "Race" with the G-One R that is supposed to reconcile both. The tire specialists write on their website that it is made for use on light terrain, on gravel roads and asphalt – that makes you curious and wants to try it out right away.
"Souplesse" thanks to the new carcass
First something about the structure of the "R": Similar to the "Pro One" racing tire and various MTB tires, the new gravel tire is based on Schwalbe's "Super Race" carcass with two layers of fabric under the tread and three on the side walls. This should ensure smooth running and suppleness (what Schwalbe calls "Souplesse"), while at the same time the tire is stiff enough and protected against sidewall damage. In addition, there is a completely new profile that, for the first time in the history of the G-One series, does without round profile knobs. With the Boomerang profile, the tread lugs are shaped like the Australian throwing stick; the lateral ones have an elongated teardrop shape. The running direction is clearly recognizable.
Schwalbe tubeless tires are usually easy to install and the G-One R is no exception. With little effort and without assembly fluid, it can be attached to the hookless carbon rim of the Leeze CH 40 Gravel Basic press, and when inflated with the SKS racing compressor, it immediately and permanently holds the air. The next day, one tire is still full even without sealant, the other has air loss due to a valve stem that is not screwed in tightly.
Smooth running at low pressure
So fill in the sealant and bring it up to operating pressure. Schwalbe allows a maximum of 4,5 bar in the 40 mm wide tire, but it already feels pretty bulging at just under 2,5 bar. It rolls extremely easily on asphalt; Although it lets you hear the typical hum of a profile tire on the road, the Boomerang profile does not generate any vibrations - you could think you are driving with a slick tire. The first briskly driven corners show what the R can do when leaning: The round shape with the tread blocks that reach quite far to the sides ensure that the wheel can be angled without a noticeable transition. The Schwalbe behaves like a real (albeit very wide) road tire. Even well above 30 km/h, it doesn't appear to be slowing down, even though we reduced the pressure a bit on the way and are now only around 2,2 bar. The good lateral support of the tire on the rim is also surprising - it doesn't feel spongy at all and shows no tendency to buckle sideways in curves. The wide hookless rim should also come into play here, which, due to its construction, offers the tire better lateral support. Deviating from the rule that a wide rim also makes the tire wider, the G-One R measures just under 39 mm at the front and rear.
Off-road, our test lap begins with a short uphill sprint over a gravel footpath at full power while pedaling out of the saddle. It wouldn't be a shame if a tire jumped here, but the R stays firmly on the ground. The longer ascent on a gravel forest path, partly done while sitting, partly pedaling out of the saddle, is easy with the new tires - the grip is great, even where the loose surface is quite coarse, and the tires roll smoothly over everything bumps away. The former may also be due to the fact that we mounted the rear tire against the direction of travel - this way it can (at least that's the idea) dig a little better into the ground.
Lots of grip in almost all driving situations
At the top, the gravel gives way to asphalt with holes and sharp edges, which makes you happy about the large volume of the 40. Catching a puncture that could damage the carbon rim is not to be expected with this "air cushion". The Schwalbe G-One R Gravel tire rolls buttery softly over the following path with a hard-rolled, sandy surface, and the style continues. Even where it gets really muddy, it offers a lot of safety. A lot of wet dirt collects in the open profile for a short time, but it is thrown out immediately as soon as the speed increases again.
It is precisely this relationship between the positive and negative parts of the profile, i.e. lugs and indentations, that results in the good function: The positive part is so large that it enables smooth running on smooth, firm ground without the "juddering". profiled tire results. Thanks to the fairly large negative component, the tire can then bite down on loose soil.
Any cons? Well, leaning on loose ground isn't exactly the R's specialty. This is where tires like the Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite, which has longitudinal tread blocks that press into the ground on the tire shoulders, have an advantage, as does the G-One Bite can do better. In order to recognize this weakness, you have to push the tire (and yourself) quite hard. Given the strong performance of the new one in pretty much every other field, this aspect can be neglected anyway. Not least when there is asphalt again at the end of the lap and the pace picks up again. If you consider that the 40 tire would have to be significantly inferior to a narrow racing tire in terms of aerodynamics and weight, the G-One R is almost sensationally fast, and that too with an air pressure that makes no compromises off-road necessary.
Wishes, ideas, suggestions? The Schwalbe G-One R Gravel tire could be a bit lighter - at 508 and 509 grams, both test samples are slightly heavier than the 480 grams on the manufacturer's website. And a version with a width of 35 mm could also be interesting, because that will get you pretty far in the mix between asphalt and off-road.
