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    Review: New Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad Tires Split the Difference Between Road & Gravel

    The new Schwalbe Pro One Allroad isn’t entirely a new tire. In fact, it’s a bit of a mashup of the old Schwalbe G-One Speed gravel bike tread on a newer Pro One road bike tire casing and with the latest Addix Race rubber. But by combining the gravel and road tech, Schwalbe has managed to create a more versatile tire, perfect for those longer and faster road rides that inevitably end up on slippery cobblestones or back roads that devolve into dirt.

    Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad blurs line between road & gravel

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, riding cobbles
    (All photos/Cory Benson)

    Schwalbe first introduced a road tire with little dots for tread all the way back in 2015 when they dove into road tubeless. That tire was called the S-One. And designed for racing Paris-Roubaix, Schwalbe only offered it in a 30mm width. At the same time, they launched their gravel tire family with 35mm & 40mm widths of the first G-One, with a similar look but taller dots with little sipes cut across them for better grip. A gravel tire that still exists as the G-One Allround with a lot more sizes. A year later, that S-One officially became a gravel tire, reimagined as the G-One Speed, again only in a 30mm width.

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, up close

    Now, the G-One Speed gets replaced by a similar-looking Pro One AllRoad with new construction inside that kicks performance up a notch, and shifts it back over to the road category where it really belonged all along.

    But, I didn’t like the G-One Speed…

    I didn't like the G-One Speed, Schwalbe's predecessor to the new Pro One AllRoad tire

    After having ridden the 35 and then 45mm versions of the G-One Allround (and later the 45mm), which rolled quickly but still offered plenty of grip, I tried the G-One Speed on my road bike with high expectations back in around 2018-19. But I was sorely disappointed. The heavier gravel casing and narrower width meant that I had to increase pressure, making the ride feel stiff. And without the sipes, the harder narrower tire simply didn’t offer anywhere near as much grip.

    Sure, Swiss Side declared a newer 35mm version the most aerodynamic gravel tire in 2022, and I even rode that wider size on a cargo bike for a little while. But I was already burned.

    So, what made me give the new Pro One AllRoad a fresh chance?

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, on cobblestones like it was designed for

    Schwalbe kinda tricked me into it.

    They teased that a new all-road tire was coming, without telling me more than that it was Pro One supple, yet off-road ready with 30-40mm widths available. If I would have known it was a reboot of the G-One Speed, I probably would have passed. But they sent me a pair of 40mm tires, which measure 37.5-39mm on 22mm DT Swiss ERC wheels. And so, I mounted them and went out for a ride.

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, typical road ride results

    I think now, I went in with low expectations. And I was very pleasantly surprised. The new casing is clearly more flexible than the last version I had tested. The larger volume meant I could run lower pressure for more grip and a lower rolling-resistance feel. And combined with Schwalbe’s latest Addix Race rubber compound, and there’s a feeling of ample grip on cobbles, sold asphalt, gravel, and dirt roads.

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, snow grip too, plus a bit on ice

    Of course, they aren’t magic. The ice & snow I encountered was still slippery, as was wet mud and grass. But it was worlds better than any slick road tire in slick conditions, while still not feeling sluggish on smooth pavement. And unlike most file tread tires, the constant height and spacing of the dots from shoulder to shoulder make for consistent, predictable grip no matter how far you lean over in the corners.

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, wet & muddy with a side of gravel

    All in all, it feels like much better positioning for Schwalbe to have moved this tire back into their road family, where it is a much more appropriate fit. But it is a tire that works well for road riders who can’t resist taking the occasional dirt road detour!

    Tech details

    • road-inspired 3-layer Race Pro 67tpi casing construction
    • manufactured with fair-trade natural rubber and recycled carbon black
    • lower rolling-resistance at the same weight of the previous gravel version, thanks to “optimizing the arrangement of the carcass layers
    • wider V-guard puncture protection belt under the tread, plus reinforced sidewalls
    • Addix Race rubber compound optimized for “precise grip in wet conditions and race performance
    • TLR tubeless-ready & hookless compatible
    • E-25 ebike-rated
    • 30mm (340g), 35mm (425g) & 40mm (465g) claimed weight
    • 35mm 418-432g and 40mm 440-461g actual weights

    Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad – Pricing, options & availability

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, getting wet & muddy

    The new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad tire comes in just one top-tier level, selling for 75€ a piece. They offer it in 30mm, 35mm & 40mm sizes, and only in all black. That makes this the widest tire option available in the Schwalbe road tire family. Get them now from your local bike shop or online Schwalbe retailers.

    Review: new Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad bicycle tire combines road speed & gravel grip, cobblestone-ready

    And you will either make your gravel bike faster on the road or your road bike more capable when the pavement ends.

    Schwalbe.com

    The post Review: New Schwalbe Pro One AllRoad Tires Split the Difference Between Road & Gravel appeared first on Bikerumor.

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