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Best gravel tires by use: what the 2026 lab tests say

Published 1 October 2026

Who it's for: gravel riders picking one set of tires for how they actually ride (fast hardpack, mixed routes or soft mud) who would rather read lab numbers than the word "aggressive" on a box.

Short answer: in GRAN FONDO's 2026 group test of 32 tires, the overall Best in Test was the Schwalbe G-One RX Pro and the Best Buy was the Maxxis Rambler. The lowest rolling resistance in GRAN FONDO's lab was the Schwalbe G-One RS Pro at 10.6 W. In GRAN FONDO's separate race ranking, the Continental Terra Competition won and the Schwalbe G-One R Pro was Best Buy. For mud, GRAN FONDO rated the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S the grippiest gravel tire in its field, with two MTB tires, the Continental Dubnital and Schwalbe Thunder Burt, on top of its grip rankings overall.

Those are GRAN FONDO's picks under GRAN FONDO's method. We sorted them by use; we didn't re-rank them.

How GRAN FONDO tested

GRAN FONDO measured rolling resistance at Schwalbe's lab in Reichshof at 20 km/h with a 50 kg load per tire. Pressure was set by width: 3 bar for 40 mm, 2.5 bar for 45 mm and 2 bar for 50 mm. All 32 tires ran tubeless on the same HUNT 40 Carbon Gravel Race wheels (25 mm internal). Puncture and pinch-flat results are GRAN FONDO's own scores, higher is better, and only mean something inside that test field. The main article calls it a 1 to 10 scale; the race article says 0 to 10. (GRAN FONDO, GRAN FONDO race test)

That is one speed, one load and one rim for every tire. Real gravel is messier, and GRAN FONDO says so itself: "Out on gravel, loose surfaces or wet trails, the picture can change significantly."

Don't mix in other labs. Bicycle Rolling Resistance (BRR) also tests gravel tires, but per BRR's test method it runs its drum at 28.8 km/h with a 42.5 kg load. A BRR watt figure and a GRAN FONDO watt figure for the same tire will not match and should not sit in the same column. We quote no BRR figures here. If you want BRR's numbers, read them on BRR's gravel list, next to each other.

Printed width is a suggestion. Most of GRAN FONDO's field was nominally 45 mm. On the Hunt rims, GRAN FONDO measured Pirelli's Cinturato Gravel M and S at almost 2.5 mm wider than claimed, and Specialized's Pathfinder, Terra and Tracer TLR at around 2 mm narrower. Check clearance against measured width, not the sidewall (gravel bike tire clearance, rim width vs tire width). Pressure starting points: gravel tire pressure for 40 mm tires and the tire pressure calculator.

Fast and dry hardpack

For firm gravel, light soil and a lot of tarmac between the dirt. You give up mud bite.

In GRAN FONDO's 17-tire race subset, rolling resistance ran from 10.6 W (Schwalbe G-One RS Pro) to 16.5 W (René Herse Corkscrew Climb TC Semi-Slick). (GRAN FONDO race test) GRAN FONDO's Terra Competition review: "Unsurprisingly, rolling resistance is outstanding too: at just 11.1 watts, the Continental Terra Competition is the second-fastest tire on the test bench across the entire group test, trailing the Schwalbe G-One RS Pro by only 0.5 watts."

GRAN FONDO's race article disagrees with itself twice, so for the record. Its text says: "The Continental Terra Competition, for example, comes in at just under 11 W, only marginally behind the fastest tire in the test." Its own tables and its Terra Competition review say 11.1 W. It also gives the G-One R Pro as 12.1 W in one paragraph and 12.2 W in the table. We use the table figures.

GRAN FONDO's race Best in Test was the Terra Competition, with the Race casing on its test tire. Its race Best Buy was the G-One R Pro: "High efficiency, predictable handling and a strong level of grip come together with good compliance and outstanding puncture resistance." The one drawback GRAN FONDO names is middling impact protection, which matches its pinch score of 2.

Schwalbe: "The G-ONE RS PRO is our fastest gravel tire. The semi-slick tire is designed to provide maximum efficiency on hard surfaces." (Schwalbe US) Continental: "TERRA Competition is designed for fast gravel applications, featuring a light-knobbed tread pattern suited for light gravel, compressed soils and rough, worn-out tarmac in dry to moist conditions." (Continental US)

Who it fits: dry UCI-style races with long paved links, Unbound-type hardpack, or a commute that is mostly road with some gravel. GRAN FONDO on the fast tires in its test: "The trade-off is clear: in muddy conditions, these tires quickly reach their limits, but on fast, hard-packed gravel, they are hard to beat."

Mixed, everyday gravel

One bike, changing surfaces, and a forecast you don't trust.

GRAN FONDO's overall Best in Test, the Schwalbe G-One RX Pro: "Surprisingly fast, with loads of grip, good compliance and outstanding puncture protection, the G-One RX Pro is a deserved test winner and the best all-rounder in this group test." In GRAN FONDO's lab it measured 13.9 W, 45.8 mm and 589 g, with a pinch score of 5 and a puncture score of 8. (GRAN FONDO, GRAN FONDO RX Pro review) Schwalbe pitches it for "Enormous grip even under difficult conditions (rocky, muddy terrain)" and "Good self-cleaning in muddy conditions." (Schwalbe US)

GRAN FONDO's Best Buy was the Maxxis Rambler: "The MAXXIS Rambler stands out above all for its impressively high grip and reassuring handling." In GRAN FONDO's lab: 14.8 W, 46.6 mm, 557 g, pinch 3, puncture 5. (GRAN FONDO)

Two caveats on the Rambler before you click buy:

• Which Rambler. GRAN FONDO's results table names only "MAXXIS Rambler", 45-622. No casing, TPI or part number. Its separate Rambler review describes the second-generation tire this way: "The 120 TPI EXO casing is taken directly from MAXXIS’ MTB range and is said to offer improved puncture protection thanks to new materials, without any weight penalty." It also names the HYPR-X compound, but still gives no part number. Maxxis's US shop lists six 700x45C Ramblers, from a $39.00 wire-bead 60 TPI EXO to a $72.00 120 TPI HYPR-X/EXO/TR (part TB00577200, the one that matches GRAN FONDO's description). We can't confirm that is the exact tire GRAN FONDO mounted, so read the lab numbers as belonging to that version, not to every Rambler. (Maxxis US shop, checked 1 Oct 2026)
• The puncture wording. GRAN FONDO's Rambler review says: "Ride quality is impressive given the level of puncture protection on offer – with top scores in both puncture and pinch flat resistance, flat tires shouldn’t be too much of a concern." GRAN FONDO's own table gives it 3 for pinch flats and 5 for punctures, which are the field averages. The table is the measurement, so we go with the table.

Also in GRAN FONDO's table, in the same territory: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M at 13.4 W and Schwalbe G-One Overland Pro at 14.1 W.

Who it fits: weekend mixed loops, light bikepacking, and riders who want one tire for the whole season. If pinch flats on square edges are your main worry, GRAN FONDO's Challenge Getaway XP and Gravine XP were the only tires to score 10 for pinch-flat protection, at 15.2 W and 17.2 W in its lab. GRAN FONDO on mounting them: "After mounting his fourth Challenge tire in a row, our tester Jan gave up and went for a coffee." Bring a compressor and patience.

Tubeless still needs sealant top-ups: how often to top up tubeless sealant. For the spare tube question, see are TPU inner tubes worth it.

Mud, soft and technical

When the slick center strip starts skating, you want spaced knobs and, sometimes, MTB volume.

GRAN FONDO: "It was no shock to see the Continental Dubnital and Schwalbe Thunder Burt (both MTB tires) deliver outstanding performance and top the grip rankings. But the fact that the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S and Vittoria Terreno Pro T60 generate almost as much traction highlights just how far gravel tire development has come." (GRAN FONDO)

GRAN FONDO hands out "grippiest" twice. In the full 32-tire test: "The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S stands out as the grippiest gravel tire in the test field." In the 17-tire race subset, which leaves the Cinturato Gravel S out, about the G-One RX Pro: "As the grippiest gravel-specific tire in the test, it still manages a rolling resistance figure below 14 W." Different fields, so no contradiction.

Pirelli describes the Cinturato Gravel S as its gravel tire for soft and muddy terrain, and adds: "Grip and safety are prioritized rather than the pure speed of racing-specific models." (Pirelli US) That trade shows in GRAN FONDO's lab: 16.3 W and a puncture score of 2. Continental: "Dubnital supersedes its predecessor, the championed 'Race King'." It also calls it "The perfect choice for dry to damp conditions and for rocky, hardpack and light soil." (Continental US) So Continental sells it as a dry-to-damp hardpack tire, and GRAN FONDO still found it at the top of its grip rankings. Neither claim helps if it doesn't fit your frame.

The Thunder Burt's 13.0 W is not a typo. In GRAN FONDO's lab it rolled faster than most of the 45 mm gravel tires, while weighing 570 g. The cost is width. GRAN FONDO measured it at 51 mm and adds: "That is the catch: not every gravel bike has clearance for tires over 50 mm."

Who it fits: winter forest gravel, clay, and technical courses where walking costs more time than a few watts on the road sections. Confirm frame clearance before fitting anything 50 mm or wider.

Hookless rims

GRAN FONDO ran every tire on HUNT 40 Carbon Gravel Race wheels, and describes them like this: "At 1,424 g, this lightweight hookless setup suits almost every type of riding while ensuring identical test conditions across the board." That tells you these tires mounted and held air on that rim in that test. It does not tell you that every size of every model is approved for hookless, or at what pressure.

Before you buy for a hookless rim:

1. Check the tire maker's hookless approval for your exact size. Continental's product pages carry a hookless column in the size table, and Pirelli's Cinturato Gravel S and M pages state hookless compatibility. On the Schwalbe, Maxxis and Specialized product pages we checked, we didn't find a hookless statement, so ask the brand or check the packaging.
2. Check your rim maker's maximum pressure and its approved-tire list.
3. Run under the lower of the two limits.

We don't list per-tire hookless pressures here because we couldn't confirm them for every tire in this guide. For road tires, the hookless road tire list has what the brands publish.

Who should buy which (going by GRAN FONDO's test)

• One set for varied terrain: Schwalbe G-One RX Pro, GRAN FONDO's overall Best in Test. US$91.00 RRP at Schwalbe US.
• Good grip for less money: Maxxis Rambler, GRAN FONDO's Best Buy. $72.00 for the 120 TPI HYPR-X/EXO/TR 700x45C at Maxxis US, which is the version that matches GRAN FONDO's description.
• Dry race day: Schwalbe G-One RS Pro (lowest rolling resistance in GRAN FONDO's lab) or Continental Terra Competition (GRAN FONDO's race Best in Test).
• Mud without MTB width: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S, still listed in 45-622 on Pirelli's US site.
• Maximum grip, and your frame clears about 51 to 55 mm: Thunder Burt or Dubnital.

All prices checked 1 October 2026 on the brands' US stores, in US dollars.

What we could not confirm

• US prices for Continental and Pirelli. Their US product pages loaded on 1 October 2026 but showed no price. Hutchinson's site didn't load for us, and we didn't check Vittoria.
• The exact Rambler GRAN FONDO tested. Its table gives no casing or part number. Its review describes a 120 TPI EXO, HYPR-X Rambler but gives no part number, and Maxxis sells several 700x45C versions.
• The Rambler's puncture rating in words. GRAN FONDO's review says "top scores"; GRAN FONDO's table says average. We used the table.
• Two GRAN FONDO figures. The race article's text gives the Terra Competition as "just under 11 W" and the G-One R Pro as 12.1 W; its tables say 11.1 W and 12.2 W. We used the tables.
• Hookless pressure limits per tire. Not listed here. Check the tire maker and the rim maker.
• Wear life. GRAN FONDO did not publish a wear figure.

Spot an error? Email [email protected].

Sources

All lab figures are GRAN FONDO's (published 5 May 2026). Brand pages and US prices checked 1 October 2026.

• GRAN FONDO: 32-tire group test, 17 race tires, Schwalbe G-One RX Pro review, Maxxis Rambler review, Continental Terra Competition review, Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S review
• Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Our tests explained, CX/Gravel results (different method; no BRR figures used in the tables)
• Schwalbe US: G-One RS PRO, G-One RX PRO, G-One R PRO, G-One Overland Pro, Thunder Burt
• Continental US: Terra Competition, Dubnital
• Maxxis US: Rambler
• Specialized US: Pathfinder TLR
• Pirelli US: Cinturato Gravel S 45-622, Cinturato Gravel M 45-622

Disclosure: Pedal Brief may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This version has no affiliate links. We have not tested these tires. Every lab number below was measured by GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine and is credited to it. Prices are what each brand's US store showed on 1 October 2026. Full disclosures.