Schwalbe’s G-One tyre range has been a stalwart of the gravel discipline since launching almost a decade ago. The original Allround was widely loved for its combination of lightweight, supple casing with a minimalist tread design that produced a noticeably fast-rolling tyre while managing to deliver predictable, reliable handling on a range of surfaces.
Over time, the range grew to include a wider variety of tread designs from super fast semi-slicks to aggressive, open tread made for battling the slick mud of northern hemisphere winters; all retaining the core characteristics of that first Allround and its distinctive polka-dot tread pattern.
More recently, Schwalbe has been progressively modernising the range, responding to the needs of its racers for ever-faster tyres to tackle the long open roads of mega events like Unbound Gravel, while also building on the versatility that made the G-One so popular with amateurs and commuters alike.
The range now includes nine different tyres — including the original Allround — in a dizzying array of dimensions. Schwalbe recently sent us a few to try out – including the Bite, Overland, and R, all in a 700x40c size.
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Schwalbe G-One R
Key details
- Price | $119.99
- Size | 700 x 40mm
- Weight | 497g
The G-One R is, in many ways, the spiritual successor to that original Allround. Launched in 2021, the R brought the Super Race construction to the G-One range, incorporating lightweight puncture protection with a supple tubeless carcass they claimed at the time delivered unmatched ‘souplesse’ for a gravel tyre.
The R has a new tread pattern that Schwalbe describes as “boomerang shaped”. The centre knobs have a chevron profile and are tightly spaced to create a smooth-rolling contact patch for covering long distances at speed, while the transitional and side knobs fan out from the centre in an even pattern that hints at the G-One of old.
On the bike, the R, like its predecessor, feels immediately fast on a range of surfaces, and its uniform tread pattern makes for a dependable ride characteristic — there are no sudden changes in knob shape or big mud-shedding gaps in the tread that can create those unpredictable moments in slippery corners or on off-camber surfaces.
It’s not invincible. That same tread can definitely get clogged with mud, and struggles to hook up when things get too slippery. But, it is worth serious consideration if you’re looking for a fast, high-performance tyre that will have your back in the widest possible range of conditions.
We didn’t get to test it, but there is also an RS model that shares the same construction of the R, but combines similar tear-drop side knobs with a minimalist centre scale-tread to create a super fast semi-slick race tyre. If maximum speed on dry, predictable surfaces is your aim, then it’s the one to go for, but for those of us who aren’t racing — and aren’t changing tyres regularly — it’s maybe a bit restrictive in its use case.
Schwalbe G-One Bite
Key details
- Price | $119.99
- Size | 700 x 40mm
- Weight | 528g
The G-One bite is the second-most aggressive tread option in the range, only topped by the aptly named Ultrabite.
The Bite retains the basic characteristic of the earlier G-One models— a tread of circular knobs with subtle siping, distributed across a tubeless carcass — but varies in that the knobs are larger, taller, and more dispersed, signalling the tyre’s enhanced grip and loam-shedding abilities.
Unlike the faster tyres in the range that employ a more uniform tread, the Bite also introduces a slightly more pronounced side knob for better cornering traction on looser surfaces; a feature that the Ultrabite really takes to the next level.
Out on the trail, the Bite lives up to its name, particularly when cornering on patchy gravel or grass where the more subtle treads can get a touch overwhelmed. The trade off is that the Bite lacks some of the “buzz” of its faster siblings, and can feel draggier and less dynamic on smoother or paved surfaces.
The Super Ground carcass here is also less supple than the Super Race of the R; its construction adds a 30g weight penalty but also contributes to that slightly more damped feel.
G-One Overland
The Overland is the last of the three Schwalbe sent us, and in some ways is the odd one out in the range. Deviating from the performance focus of the earlier G-One tyres, and the newer R and RS, Schwalbe bills the Overland as a gravel tyre for “commuters, adventurers and e-bikers”.
The tyre prioritises durability, and you can feel it when mounting the tyre to a rim. The stiffer carcass and sidewall required noticeably more persuasion than the other tyres tested here. The tread pattern mimics the chevrons of the R to a degree, but is distinctly “blockier.” The centre knobs are also ramped to promote smooth rolling on tarmac, for a tyre that Schwalbe pitches at 50/50 on/off-road use.
Key details
- Price | $109.99
- Size | 700 x 40mm
- Weight | 545g
The Overland does mimic some of the Rs ride characteristics, too — it handles predictably, and it does roll well on smooth surfaces. While it doesn’t have the dynamism of the R or inspire quite the same level of confidence off-road, that’s clearly not the intention.
In many ways, the Overland is the ideal tyre for that extra bike we all seem to have in the shed — the commuter that does double duty for meandering winter bike path rides and the occasional overnighter when the trails are too wet to ride.
