Schwalbe has always followed the principle “get there” as a way to give athletes the confidence that they can reach their goal, whether it is a commute to work or winning the biggest races. It also represents how they work internally, being persistent and coming up with solutions no matter the circumstances. In gravel, this means developing a portfolio of products that allows riders to thrive in all conditions, and when the terrain gets rough, their new G-ONE RX is the logical choice.
Ride bold
In order to push your limits with confidence, the German tire brand is launching today a new gravel model with more grip, designed for rocky or muddy conditions. It is positioned as the direct replacement for the G-ONE Bite and Ultrabite, and becomes the third component of the G-ONE R portfolio.
The tread design of the G-ONE RX inherits the boomerang center blocks of the G-ONE R, which stands out for its traction and braking power, but the knobs are more pronounced. The tear-shaped intermediate tread knobs were also present in previous models, but the G-ONE RX counts also on outer blocks – both curved and longitudinal – for lateral stabilization and off-camber grip. The concept of these paired outer blocks originates from the cyclo-cross sector, where Schwalbe has already successfully implemented it on the X-ONE R.
The current G-ONE R Performance line is also being revamped and renamed as the PRO line. All models – G-ONE R, G-ONE RS, and the new G-ONE RX – now include the Race Pro construction with increased puncture protection. There are three layers on the sidewall and two below the tread. Compared to the previous carcass, the protection layer covers more part of the rubber. The improved V-guard belt also provides increased protection under the tread. It is made of high-tech fiber and has a wider protection area.
Durability is a critical KPI for Schwalbe, and the previous models were already optimized in this regard. The new ADDIX Race rubber compound is claimed to have the same durability and reduced rolling resistance. This rubber compound is made from recovered carbon black, which we were told saves 80% in CO2 emissions. Rubber is sourced in a fair way, and Schwalbe introduced us to the entire sourcing process during our visit.
Firstly tested in-house
Our first ride with the G-ONE RX was under the conditions it is designed to thrive. We traveled to Schwalbe’s headquarters near Cologne, Germany, and after a first day in which several Schwalbe employees guided us along their new facilities and explained to us what it takes to produce a tire, we tested the new product on a muddy loop. The tire width for the day was 45 mm, and the tire pressure was set by Schwalbe based on a questionnaire we filled out beforehand. In our case, we were riding 1.8 bars in the front and 2.0 in the back.
We would like to highlight the cornering grip of the G-ONE RX, especially in sharp, off-camber turns. It gave us the confidence to tackle the turns more aggressively without the fear of losing our line. We were told that the gaps in the intermediate part of the tread were meant to provide self-cleaning capabilities, and it is true that at the end of each off-road section of the route, the tires were clean. The wheels kept turning without any problem riding over muddy gravel, but although that day in Germany was rainy enough, we still wanted to test the G-ONE RX in extreme conditions.
Later brought to the World Championships
The Gravel World Championships in Leuven could have been the perfect testground because aware of the surfaces on the course we were expecting a lot of mud. For better or worse, the week leading to the race was dry so we opted for the G-ONE RS in 40mm with the new carcass instead. Its minimal rolling resistance was great for the fast course it ended up being, and finishing the race with no punctures is a good indicator of the improvements made with the new compound.
The new PRO line
We hope no one noticed it back then, but we raced the Worlds with black skin tires and the new PRO line logo, which were not launched yet. Until now the G-ONE tires were only available with transparent skin.
The aforementioned Schwalbe PRO line distinguishes the tires that stand for exceptional performance. The blue line you may have seen during the earlier part of the year on the tires of Schwalbe’s ambassadors’ tires is being replaced by this new PRO label.
The rebranding includes a new motto, “Podium Proven”, and because nowadays even the ones leading the race opt for wider tires, Schwalbe now offers an additional 50 mm tire for each of the members of the product line. The G-ONE R PRO line is TLR, hookless compatible and ETRTO compliant.
