G-One RS – my experience after 1800km

As a person that spends ages researching new parts and at least partially uses reddit for that, I thought I would make sense to share my experiences on the G-One RS by Schwalbe.

Initially I ran it tubeless, 45-622 on my stock Rose G-Thirty disc rim as a rear tire. Later it ran tubed, I'll get to that.

In short; it is really fast indeed. But its protection – excuse the wording – absolutely sucks ass. Which makes it no better than a 6/10 on a good day for me. And with my recent flat fresh in mind, I feel like it is just a 5/10.

It is super fun to ride. I felt noticeably faster than on my Terreno dry 40-622 tires I ran before that. And in my very unscientific measurement of "ride normal evening route at specific heeartrate range" I got a slight jump in speed. Though again, that could be placebo. Braking and acceleration was adequate for it's profile and the cornering is predictable with a lot of grip when leaned over properly. Comfort also is good.

However, it's puncture protection is abyssmal.
I get that it is a race tire, where performance is everything and getting there might be worth the gamble. But I got to wonder what the racers that ride this tire do to trust it in big and rough events. Maybe pet it and sing it to sleep the night before raceday, idk.
I had 3 punctures in 3 months on this tire, while only 1 in the 3 years prior.
All of them on gravel that I never would think twice to ride usually. Gravel, sure, but smooth and well ridden bike path gravel with a few bumpy patches. Only one was a puncture that I don't blame the tube I had to run at that point for. But one that tubeless would have stopped.

The first puncture was big enough to kill the tires' tubeless capability. Only had done about 450km at that point, not even 3 weeks with the tire. Pulled out multiple plugs by riding and just wouldn't seal.
What from? No freaking idea. Rode a patch I ride on 60% of my rides and suddenly got rinsed with sealant. Checked for glass on the path – nothing. I was able to properly wash off all the sealant since I only had run it very short at that time. But no patch would stick like possible on other tires.
So I ran it tubed after that.
Had nothing for a while. Then I got two more punctures in quick succession. Only about 300km apart.
The first was a nasty thorn. Tubeless would have sealed that, it only was a small round hole. But a tube could not have held there so that is fine.
But do you know what the second was? A stone so small I am not sure it even is a stone anymore. If you compare it to the tread you will see it is super tiny. Maybe 2×1 mm if I am generous. How can a gravel tire be defeated by that?

As for other wear and tear, the cornering lugs are fine while the center starts to "slick up". After 1800km I am okay with that but with that horrible reliability I will not continue to run that tire. A shame, because when it works it is great. And by thread I personally would still give it 750-1000km if I push it. But I just do not trust it anymore. Even a new one would feel like a "do I make it or do I not make it?".

Pictures are the tear that killed tubeless with it, the last is the most recent flat.