The Schwalbe G-One race gravel tire family finally adds a rocky, loose & wet conditions tire with the all-new RX. Certainly much more aggressive than the tightly packed low-profile arrows and the semi-slick tread you’ll already find in their gravel race tire line-up, the new Schwalbe G-One RX manages a well-balanced combo of smooth rolling performance backed up with plenty of grip for fast riding or racing in soft and loose conditions, or even wet weather and mud.
Schwalbe G-One RX Pro aggressive gravel bike race tire
Schwalbe calls their new G-One RX, their ideal gravel race tire for “maximum off-road performance”. What that means is a versatile tire designed to offer grip on everything from rocky trails to slick muddy tracks. But at the same time, Schwalbe creates a new gravel tire with high-speed racing in mind. They designed this tire to go fast.
If you have dry, hardpack, and even tarmac racing… the almost slick G-One RS is gonna be your fastest option. Then, if your racing is on dry tracks and roads, but with bits of soft dirt, sand, or deep gravel mixed in, the all-rounder G-One R is probably still your best bet.
But if that smooth gravel is likely to deteriorate more into MTB single track, or there’s going to be more proper rocks & roots to tackle, or that perfect dirt devolves into slick mud… you’ll be hard-pressed to find a quicker, grippier gravel race tire than this new Schwalbe G-One RX.
What’s new?
The all-new RX has hints of the tightly-packed arrows & boomerangs of the original G-One R. But in fact, its tread design is completely new, taking inspiration both from past Schwalbe gravel and cyclocross treads.
The center blocks are close enough to roll quickly on hard surfaces, while still spaced enough to dig into soft terrain. Then, teardrop transition knobs radiate out for support as you lean the bike over. Finally, alternating shoulder rows of tall tapered teardrops, separated by tall longitudinal blocks deliver big support and Ideal center tread pitch for easy rolling Boomerang center blocks for excellent traction and braking as proven by the G-ONE R Tear shaped intermediate tread knobs with long contact patch for strong support under load Curved outer blocks for improved traction as proven by the X-ONE R Longitudinal outer blocks for lateral stabilization and off-camber grip Wide gap designed for self cleaning stability when cornering in loose terrain. Then, ample free space in the transition zone helps clear debris away from those central triangles for consistent grip even in soft mud.
And yet, this new aggressive gravel race tread is still faster than both the G-One Bite or Overbite.
While the rubber keeps the same Addix Race name, Schwalbe says it is a new rubber formula – now using more sustainable recycled carbon black and fair trade natural rubber. And it is their fastest Addix compound rubber yet, decreasing rolling resistance by 10% while keeping the same durability
Newly tweaked Pro casing construction
Schwalbe also sneaks some tweaks inside the Pro tire’s construction, compared to the previous Super Race construction for improved performance. The 3-layered sidewall casing reinforcement, 2-layer casing under the tread, V-Guard anti-puncture belt under the tread, and dual-compound Addix Race rubber construction don’t really change that much. But now, both that extra 3rd sidewall layer and the 5mm wider V-Guard breaker extend a bit until they overlap.
The result, curiously, is both increased puncture protection AND lower rolling resistance. But with no extra weight penalty. Those changes combined with improved rolling performance seems counterintuitive. But when pressed on how that could work, Schwalbe alluded that maybe the materials themselves weren’t exactly the same from one generation to the next. But they did elaborate that tire construction-to-performance characteristic relationships aren’t always as straightforward and logical as one might hope. And it’s not that uncommon to see what should be a stiffer tire actually exhibit decreased rolling resistance in the end.
Only available in Schwalbe’s new Pro line with blue graphics like their professional team riders, the new G-One RX is their gravel tire offering the “best possible off-road performance with more grip in difficult conditions“.
“Off-road, especially on rocky and muddy terrain, enormous amounts of grip are required – this is where the G-ONE RX feels most at home.”
Schwalbe G-One RX – Pricing, availability & options
One of the greatest things about the new Schwalbe G-One RX is that there are tons of options, ready to suit almost any gravel rider or racer. It is the top-tier of Schwalbe gravel tires performance-wise, so it won’t come exceptionally cheap. But my general thinking is always that a good set of high-end tires is probably the best value upgrade you can get when you figure the ride improvement-to-cost ratio.
All sizes & colors of the new G-One RX Pro retail for the same $83 / 75€ price. All you have to do is pick the perfect match for your bike.
The new tubeless-ready Schwalbe G-One RX Pro comes in tan wall (dubbed transparent) or all-black sidewall versions, and three 700c sizes: 40, 45 & 50mm. If you need smaller sizes, say to squeeze into an old CX bike, the R & RS also come in 35mm variants.