Schwalbe G-One Overland Review
Today, we're taking another look at a tire together. As I mentioned in my review of the G-One RS, I used the Schwalbe G-One Overland throughout last summer. You can read below how it performed and whether I would recommend it! For those wondering why this review is coming out before the second part of the Eurobike report, I ran into an issue with my SD card and, unfortunately, lost some photos, including some of the Overland tire. As a result, the photos are a bit limited. I'm still working on the Eurobike report, and once I recover the pictures, it will be published online. As always, please note that English is not my native language. There may be some grammatical errors here and there. Please excuse this, as I am working to improve my skills.
Technical Specifications:
- Price: €49 (as of 7/18/24, from Bike-Components). The 365 version is available for about €10 less. (Received for free from Schwalbe upon request.)
- Weight: 670g (in 50c/2.00)
- Available sizes: 40, 45, and 50mm
- The tire measures 51mm wide on a rim with a 25mm internal width.
- Maximum recommended pressure: 4.5 Bar (65 PSI)
Here's my custom-built steel gravel bike with Schwalbe Overland tires in the 2.00 (50mm) size. It's a straightforward tire that fits perfectly with any setup.
Since I always like to give a brief introduction to the brand, here’s the same text from the G-One RS review. I probably don’t need to say much about the brand Schwalbe; anyone in Germany has likely seen Schwalbe tires on a bike at some point. Of course, the Marathon is one of the legendary tires in cycling history. I first used a Schwalbe tire on my first gravel bike—the Allrounder in 35c, a gravel tire from the early days. (Back in 2019, that was considered a "big" gravel tire.) I've used Schwalbe tires on and off and have generally always been satisfied. However, in recent years, with the gravel bike hype, many other manufacturers have come out with great models that have somewhat outpaced tires like the Allround or Bite. In the past two years, Schwalbe has released three new tires for different uses: the G-One R, Overland, and G-One RS. Today, we’re taking a look at the tire in the picture above, the G-One Overland.
The name "Overland" suits this tire very well, as Schwalbe classifies it as an all-rounder for almost any terrain, and that's exactly how I've used it. The tire currently comes in two different rubber compounds: the "regular" Overland and the Overland 365 version. Due to the different rubber compound, the 365 can be used year-round. The "regular" version can also be used year-round, but the rubber compound of the 365 behaves differently in winter temperatures, providing consistent grip regardless of the season. At Eurobike, I was told that the 365 version is about 8-10% slower, but offers the same level of increased puncture protection. If you're unsure which version would be right for you, I'd suggest considering this question: Do you manage to wear out your tires completely in one season (7,000 km+)? If so, go for the "regular" Overland. If you ride less, I'd recommend the 365 version. As of July 2024, it's available for around €35 and will last you a long time. The 365 also has a small reflective strip that slightly improves visibility.
The specified use case for the Schwalbe Overland, as indicated by Schwalbe
Now, let's take a closer look at the tire and focus on the tread pattern.
The tread pattern of the Overland is uniformly high, except for the small side lugs, which makes the tire perform very well on asphalt, according to Schwalbe. The side lugs provide good grip in corners, preventing the tire from slipping out. I can personally vouch for these claims by Schwalbe. Tires with tread are often somewhat uncomfortable to ride on the road because the tread is usually uneven, leading to vibrations and, more notably, a humming noise (with some tires, it feels like you're riding through a swarm of bees). The first thing I noticed about the Overland was the absence of both. The tire is as quiet as my Conti 5000 AS that I use on my road bike. There are no vibrations from the tread; the tire glides smoothly over any surface. It also feels subjectively very fast, which is always important to me, even if it might not be objectively the fastest tire. The riding experience this tire provides is the best I’ve had with a treaded tire—nothing else compares. Grip has never been an issue; it's something I've completely stopped thinking about because there's always enough of it. The tire was also independently tested by BRR, which confirmed my impressions. The measured rolling resistance is in the upper mid-range, and it ranks first for grip on wet surfaces. I have no complaints about durability and puncture protection either. I rode tubeless for about 4,000 km with this tire and didn’t have a single flat. The tread wasn’t as high as when it was new, but there’s no reason why the tire shouldn’t last another 3,000 to 4,000 km. If you’re on Instagram, you might check out Wiebke Lühmann, who also used the Overland and didn’t need to replace it until about 7,000 km, after riding from Freiburg to West Africa, without a single flat. That’s better advertising for durability than I could provide. I also never had to question the comfort; I rode it according to the pressure recommended by the Silca pressure calculator and never felt like it was losing grip in corners or that the comfort was only there at a specific tire pressure.
Why am I pretty confident that the tire will last a while longer? The tire has one drawback that can’t be ignored—it’s heavy. It weighs almost 700g in the 50 or 2.00 size, which is quite a bit. That’s about 70-120g more per tire compared to the lightest options in this size. It might not sound like much, but weight that you have to get rotating every time you start makes a noticeable difference on longer rides. However, considering the overall package this tire offers, this drawback can be overlooked. For your money, you’re getting a tire that lasts a long time, is easy to mount tubeless, seals without sealant on my rim, and still rolls fast. What more could the average cyclist ask for?
So, let’s sum it up:
POSITIVE
The tire rides comfortably over any terrain, and the grip is consistently good everywhere.
It’s virtually noise and vibration-free due to its uniform, continuous tread.
The tire should last you a long time, with minimal wear.
The price has settled at a reasonable €35 per tire, which is very fair.
The comfort is good!
NEUTRAL
I would have liked to see the tire available in larger sizes, like 2.1 or 2.25 inches.
A version with brown sidewalls would probably look pretty stylish.
NEGATIVE
The tire is not lightweight.
CONCLUSION
The Schwalbe G-One Overland is exactly what it claims to be: a tire that can handle any terrain, from rough trails to smooth roads. It didn’t let me down once last summer. It’s easy to mount, lasts a long time, and is also noise-free? Sounds pretty good, and it’s not an exaggeration. It replaces the “older” Schwalbe Allround as the best tire for anyone who isn’t sure what they’ll use their bike for. I give this tire a clear recommendation. Schwalbe is doing a lot of things right with gravel tires at the moment, and the Overland is a prime example of that.
