What tyres would you recommend for the G Line for someone who plans on riding on a mix of light gravel and roads?
I know this has come up before (here, and here, and here), but I’m curious to know if anyone’s views have changed, or if there are any new recommendations.
As far as I can tell the only tubeless option is the Schwalbe G One – but the consensus seems to be they’re not great tyres.
Personally I’d like to find a comfortable tyre that can handle a bit of light gravel and roads, but I’m struggling to find anything that does it all.
All Options:
Schwalbe G One – (20 x 2.1) – review
- Pros: Tubeless, okay on light gravel.
- Cons: Bad rolling resistance on road, bad puncture resistance.
Continental Contact Urban – (20 x 2.00) – review
- Pros: Good puncture resistance, good rolling resistance.
- Cons: Not tubeless, not great on light gravel?
Schwalbe Marathon Plus – (20 x 1.75)
- Pros: No more punctures?
- Cons: Uncomfortable like all Marathons?
Schwalbe Marathon 365 – (20 x 2.15)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: Uncomfortable like all Marathons?
Schwalbe Marathon Racer – (20 x 1.50)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: Uncomfortable like all Marathons? Too skinny?
Maxxis Torch – (20 x 1.95)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: ?
Maxxis Grifter – (20 x 1.85/2.10/2.30/2.40)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: I assume the wider variants might not fit? They're also very heavy.
Schwalbe Big Betty – (20 x 2.25)
- Pros: Tubeless?
- Cons: Will they fit?
Schwalbe Rocket Ron – (20 x 2.25)
- Pros: Tubeless?
- Cons: Will they fit?
Schwalbe Motion Big Apple – (20 x 2.15)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: ?
Schwalbe Big Ben Plus – (20 x 2.15)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: ?
Schwalbe Billy Bonkers – (20 x 2.00)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: ?
Schwalbe CX Comp – (20 x 1.75)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: Too skinny?
Schwalbe Green Marathon – (20 x 1.75)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: Too skinny?
Schwalbe Little Joe – (20 x 2.00)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: ?
Schwalbe Pick-Up – (20 x 2.15)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: ?
Schwalbe Smart Sam – (20 x 2.35)
- Pros: ?
- Cons: Will they fit?
by amiable_robot
6 Comments
Just for clarification: the Contact Urban are 2.0″ not 2.2″, it even says 50-406 on their website so I don’t know why they wrote 2.2″.
I tried the G One, Contact Urban and am running now the Motion Big apple.
The Pros and Cons are really accurate. The G-One have bad puncture resistance and are relatively slow but comfy. The Contact Urban are fast but they are only usable on pavement and unfortunately there are only available at 50mm width.
The Motion Big Apple are a mix of both, a little faster than the G-One but slower than the Contact Urban. They are better on slight gravel but obviously not off road tires. But they are really comfy thanks to the 2.15″ width and the puncture resistance is similar to the Contact Urban, I like them so far.
Oh, and just as a side note: the 2.15″ tires work much better with the G-Line when it’s folded (with mudguards and rack). With the Contact Urban, or any tire under 2″, the folded bike tips over very easily when pushed from the side. With the wider 2.15″ tires, the front tire hits the floor sooner and kind of bounces back, so it only tips over if you push it harder.
Schwalbe billy bonkers come to mind.
pretty much it is a job for Schwalbe G-One but u can also consider Schwalbe Billy Bonker 20″ (not tubeless). I wouldn’t consider Conti Contact Urban at all for this purpose, it is a semi-slick road tyre toughed up for street rides.
Apparently the [Schwalbe G-One Speed 20×1.5](https://hollandbikeshop.com/fr-fr/pneus-et-chambres-a-air/pneus-schwalbe/pneus-20-pouces-schwalbe/schwalbe-g-one-speed-s-terrain-20-x-1-50-addix-s-grip-noir-694932/?country_id=73&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22285391439&gbraid=0AAAAADIXUeF_pxTjik0ENeIMKbnquHAJC&gclid=CjwKCAiA3L_JBhAlEiwAlcWO5-DErhpX3ochM09jvwkbf9fjx7kLIQJO6Mmxm9Mso2JBvuxON4wkxxoCYOUQAvD_BwE) is tubeless ready.
Tubeless is non-negotiable for me, after that I want the largest fast-rolling tyre that fits.
The g-one is pretty good as an all-round IMO. It’s quite fast, tough enough, and very grippy for its speed, Which isn’t really something that comes out in lab testing.
I had the same thing with them on larger bikes, they got me up things that fitter, faster riders couldn’t clear on more aggressive tyres, whilst being a load faster than those aggressive tyres, on my gravel bike that I mostly ride offroad.
You can push them way harder than you should be able to, and the keep gripping in wet/loose conditions way past the point they should. All whilst being fast enough.
I think people here overestimate what’s needed for gravel because they don’t ride on it much on a Brompton but you can really get away with slicks or any tyres on gravel especially if it’s light and dry. Wet dirt/mud you want something with real tread.
Also consider the amount of smooth road vs gravel and the efficiency loss. Is it really worth getting faster wearing and slower tyre just for x amount of gravel?
I’ve done a lot of gravel (more than light gravel) on 16” wheels with Schwalbe one slicks.
Since all the tyre for the G line are already so wide pretty much any slick tyres will work if you want efficiency. You can also reduce pressure for more traction on gravel.