Schwalbe continues to refine its gravel tyre range, and the latest addition, the G-One RX Pro, is its most open and aggressive design yet. Open tread patterns often come with a trade-off in rolling speed, but the RX defies that expectation, delivering a surprisingly fast and smooth ride. However, it lacks the bite you might expect on the edges when pushed hard through corners.
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Schwalbe G-One RX Pro – Technical Details
The G-One line-up is split across several tiers, with the Pro models sitting at the top and aimed at racing. Each has a distinct focus: the pure-speed G-One RS Pro, the versatile G-One R Pro, and the third tyre is the RX.
Schwalbe describes the G-One RX Pro as offering enormous grip for rocky and muddy conditions, promising maximum traction, confident cornering and effective mud shedding – ideal traits for typical British riding. Riders familiar with cyclo-cross tyres may recognise a nod to the classic CX Pro tread pattern, featuring the distinctive boomerang-shaped knobs said to deliver both reliable grip and effective mud-shedding performance.
On test here is the 700x50mm version, weighing 641g and 635g respectively, slightly above the claimed 615g. The RX Pro is available with black or transparent sidewalls and in 40mm, 45mm and a large-volume 55mm width.
The Pro versions use the same updated construction, featuring a 3-ply 67 TPI carcass (Schwalbe calls it EPI) and a wider V-Guard puncture protection layer than that found on the earlier R and RS Pro models.
Schwalbe G-One RX Pro – Performance
Fitting the RX Pro was straightforward. Across testing, I used Hunt and Reynolds rims, sometimes with tyre inserts fitted. In every case, the tyres were easy to mount by hand, needing just a single tyre lever at most, and inflated easily with a track pump.
For such an open tread, the RX Pro tyres quiet rolling was immediately impressive. Starting pressures were in the mid-20s PSI, and I experimented across a mix of terrain, dropping both and settling at considerably lower pressure before the end of testing.
Open tread tyres are often noisy and can feel sluggish on tarmac, but the RX Pro feels notably fast. Off-road, traction is good when climbing, although it can slip slightly on fine gravel or grit when out of the saddle. Braking traction is also a little unpredictable across surfaces, especially on grass, though this is typical for gravel tyres due to the low tread height.
Tested across a wide range of conditions, the RX Pro proved versatile, combining speed on dry trails with strong grip and mud clearance in all but the stickiest conditions. The only real issue arose when pushing cornering limits, where it tended to lose traction just as you expected it to hold. This prompted me to keep lowering the front pressure, which helped slightly. The open tread transitions to a more closed pattern at the edges, which may explain the occasional loss of grip on certain surfaces.
With Tubolight Diamana SL inserts fitted for a bit of extra sidewall support, I ran pressures as low as 18 PSI. The change noticeably boosted cornering grip, and the inserts kept the tyres from squirming too much when pushed hard.
Most of the time, cornering grip is perfectly adequate, and the overall speed from such an open tread design is remarkable, proving faster than many brands have managed with similar designs. Schwalbe doesn’t market the RX Pro as a dedicated mud tyre, and while it is the most aggressive in the G-One range, it stops short of the extremes seen in Vittoria’s T80 and T90 or Pirelli’s Cinturato S. The latter, while grippy, is nowhere near as quick as the RX.
For many gravel bikes, the 40mm or 45mm options will be the practical limit due to frame clearance, but the availability of 50mm and 55mm versions reflects the growing demand for wider gravel setups. However, as we move into that territory, the RX begins to overlap with mountain bike tyre options such as the Racing Ralph, Racing Ray, or Thunder Burt – all of which are well proven and, in some cases, even faster. A direct comparison between these would be interesting to see.
Schwalbe G-One RX Pro – Verdict
At £75, the Schwalbe G-One RX Pro sits at the premium end of the market, but it delivers quality and performance to justify the price. It blends impressive rolling speed with a high level of grip most of the time, outpacing what most tyres with such an open tread could manage.
Vittoria’s revised Terreno range (T60, T70, T80) offers potential alternatives, priced from £54.99, though a forthcoming Pro version is likely to cost more, and it should be an interesting comparison.
Schwalbe has once again produced a fast, high-performance gravel tyre. The RX Pro is the most aggressive in the G-One family, offering a great balance of grip and speed for mixed and muddy terrain. It may not be quite as assured in hard cornering as the RS version, but for riders facing rough, rocky or unpredictable conditions, the G-One RX Pro is a strong and impressively rapid choice.
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