Fentuz

Hi all,

I normally ride on 650b more specifically, Front Continental CrossKing 50-584 (25psi) and Rear Continental RaceKing 50-584 (28psi). With that setup, I tend to ride intermediate Komoot mountain bike stuff, 35 to 50 km, 50 to 70% off tarmac.

As I read to people find 700c better from a rolling point of view, I thought I'd give it a try and see how it affects the local off road KOM results
I bought a pair of g-one ultrabite, size is 45-622. As the tyre volume is similar (well 85%), i set both tyres with 28psi as i do with the rear conti.

Within 5 minutes, I had to stop as the G-One ultrabite were so hard, it was hurt my lower back (lumbar). I dropped to 24psi and it was better but still, the setup was not as comfortable as the conti setup. I carried on as I wanted to see if 700c rolls better than 650b and it does but I would not say it is a mega change. On muddy rocky hills, the tyre does not grip as much as the conti race king.
But the thing which is really bad is the lack of compliance, the tyre sidewall are so stiff that despite the redshift stem, the vibrations got transferred to my forearms and elbows giving loads of pain, something i never felt/experienced with the continentals even after a 200km MTB weekend.

I went back on the bike yesterday for a quick 32km with the 1st 20min on tarmac, I dropped the front to 22psi and it is still super hard. I show the 2 sets of wheels to a member of family who was surprised to see how stiff the G One were compared to the Race King.
The G one are stiffer than the old Marathon I have on the folding bike spare wheels...

As I still want to see how 700c does over 650b, I ordered a pair of race king 50-622 I know it will not be as good as cross king in the mud but in summer conditions, it is something I won't mind... in winter, 650b will go back on tha bike as they allow fender clearance

Badger6

Your assessment is of this tire matches that of a few other G-Series tires (I believe they all use the same casing, the difference is the tread block pattern). The folks at Gran Fondo did a comparison test of some popular gravel tires and near the bottom of the article note that the two G series Schwalbe tires they tested were noticeably less comfortable than any other tire in the test.

Metieval

Hmm I was just ready to order 650x2.0 g-one speed.
I picked them over RH switchback for ease of tubeless setup. Maybe I'll put the Teravail Rampart back on top of the 650 list....

Edit: oh I just caught that the g-one were of the 700 flavor...
Yeah I'm so over , rolls better fast , fast fast faster thing now days. If I want fast on rough then I'm riding my 29er scalpel himod.

Fentuz

I really like the 650b with race king... I read about the snakebite puncture but as I ride with slime inner tube, it is fine.

I am waiting for the 700c race king and to reduce puncture risk, I ordered some Zefal tyre liner.

Metieval

I am frustrated with schwalbe, And that is just shopping. LoL snakebite, raceguard, and then some are TE some are TLE. But not all....

My $6200 road bike had schwalbe ones, I think I rode them for a month, and then I gladly swapped out for gp5000. I wasn't too impressed. But it was almost the same issue. What were they exactly? Yes or no to v-guard. I'll never know.

This same kind of schwalbe crap is also why reviews are all over the place, about punctures and slices. Super fast, super slow, supple or hard.
In my opinion they have no middle ground. You've either get supple and prone to puncture. Or harsh and durable and slow. I really have no idea, nor the desire to figure it all out.

I do have the tubeless 700x40 g-one that came with my rlt9, I've never mounted them. I did test ride that tire on a rlt9 rdo, and also a rlt9 steel. While I couldn't actually test psi. The steel bike was definitely way lower psi. And road feel was way more muted. How much was psi, how much was the 853 steel?

My bike can fit 700x50 or 650x50. I run 35's now and toe overlap is manageable. I really don't think I'd like a bigger 700. Maybe depends on ride. But as a general use gravel bike. More toe overlap, higher standover are all negatives.
I do have the investment in 700c wheels. Mavic with no rim tape needed. So swapping from a fast 32 - 35c tubeless, or a 700x42 resolute is easy enough. Meaning not too hard to swap out for any specific ride be it a long paved ride, or be it , long gravel ride.

I'm about to pull trigger on lightbicycle 650 wheelset. And I've of the opinion now to just go with the Teravail Rampart 650x47.

I love the idea of a 650x50 Donnelly USH or MSO, but the weight.. like 644 and 670. Again more specific use than just having an all around general tire.
Places I spent in Colorado Arizona usually had me on my scalpel 29er. Rather than the gravel bike. For the places I spent elsewhere riding I think the ramparts will be fine as I spent more time gawking at the views then being in a hurry anyways.

Fentuz

So, after 1month... I got some 50-622 Race King but once on the bike (carbon frame) I was not happy with the clearance (4 mm all around) which I found bizarre because the G-one Ultrabite 45-622 have loads of clearance... After rechecking everything, I found the while ultrabite being 45-622, the tyre is 45mm wide but is 42mm tall - unlike Race King which has a circular section, Ultrabite is truncated for added clearance.

So I was going to refit the 650b rims but lazzyness got me, I couldn't be bother resetting the the derailleur, the brake calipers, sensors and recalibrating the powermeter... so, I run Ultrabite @ 22/23psi Rear and 19/20psi front which is more comfortable and per "Cycling Weekly" findings... The tyre feels heavy especially on tarmac (asphalt ) and has absolutely not side grip. When it goes down tyre tacks left by tractor and motorbike or cracks in dry stream beds , it struggles to get out as the side knobs have rounded (peanut) shape and is contoured around the tyre carcasse. The Conti Cross King has trapezoidal edgy block which are not contoured and act like a stud in the soft slippy clay.

I still think Race king on the rear and Cross King on the front is a more versatile combo as the race king seem to give the same grip as ultrabite of road but is faster on tarmac and X king give much more off road control and doesn't seem to be much slower the ultrabite on tarmac...

Ultrabite is still usable though see below



And:

Ride around the Block on G-0ne Ultrabite