Panaracer GravelKing X1 R Tubeless Tire

Panaracer builds the GravelKing X1 tread in 3 casings, and the tread itself stays the same across all of them. What changes is the construction underneath. The GravelKing X1 R is the race version, built on TuffTex R, the supple, low-weight casing the brand uses for its R-line tires. If you've already decided the X1 tread suits your terrain and your priority is a quick, lively feel on race day, the R casing is where that decision lands. It's a tubeless-ready folding tire with an aramid bead, black tread, and brown sidewalls, designed for gravel, dirt, and rough pavement.

The X1 pattern was the first new GravelKing tread since 2017, drawn to cover a wide range of gravel without giving up speed on smooth surfaces. The center is a dense, directional band of tightly packed blocks, with the gaps set into the rubber rather than knobs standing up from it, so it rolls close to a slick on hardpack and pavement. Moving outward, diagonal transition blocks and shoulder knobs open up with generous spacing and sit proud of the center tread, so grip builds progressively as you lean the bike into loose corners. Independent testing of the 40mm size measured center knob height at 1.9mm and edge knobs at 2.2mm, which tells you how low-profile this tread runs despite its busy appearance.

TuffTex R pairs that tread with bead-to-bead puncture protection in a construction built around suppleness and low rolling resistance. A supple casing conforms to rough ground instead of bouncing off it, keeping the tread in contact with the surface and taking some of the sting out of washboard and chunky gravel over a long day. Bead-to-bead coverage means the sidewalls get protection too, not just the crown, which counts on sharp, rocky gravel where a sidewall cut can end your day. The trade-off is deliberate. The standard X1 uses a single TuffTex layer, and the X1 Plus doubles it for riders who would rather carry extra weight than risk a flat. The R heads the opposite way, aimed at racing and fast group rides where grams and watts both count.... Read More