Panaracer Gravelking X1: First Look & New Compounds

[@jasonisaac1]

These look like my kind of tires, thanks JOM. Like that tread pattern, particularly the + version. Am currently running Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tires, riding mostly unpaved in the mountains of western NC. Have been great all rounders.

[@GravelCyclist]

Cinturato M is indeed a fabulous all rounder. LOVE Western NC, barely a flat road as you well know. I imagine you are well acquainted with Maple Sally?

[@jasonisaac1]

Indeed, every ride here has some elevation gain, and long descents. I live in south Asheville, so mainly ride in Pisgah National Forest in AVL, and some in Brevard. I’ve been mtb riding and camping in the Wilson Creek area, and had a lot of fun. Haven’t been for gravel riding on Maple Sally. Would love to get back to Wilson Creek to ride more. I’ve watched your videos of the Bootlegger 100 gravel race there, what a course!!

[@benmayes7962]

Maple Sally is the best! I also recommend Bent Creek near Asheville

[@lazlo2511]

PR have finally updated their offering’s! Great stuff. Looking forward to seeing how they roll.✅

[@phil_d]

Nice to see a few more sizes for 650b, but no R variants or the new X1 😥

[@davidnicholson6680]

Two things I hope they have improved: 1. The GK SKs are infamous for flinging gravel everywhere. It's awful to ride behind someone using those tires. Hopefully these are less Gravelfling-y. 2. Every set of Panaracers I've purchased have a loose fit on every rim I've tried. This makes them difficult to get set up tubeless unless you use a compressor. Hopefully they have tighter tolerances...

[@GravelCyclist]

1. Excellent defense for people who endlessly suck wheel 😂 2. I know what you are referring to, I've experienced this but mostly when I am swapping tyres between wheels. I apply an extra layer (or two) of tubeless tape to the wheel, fixes any loose fitment issue with any tyre, every time. I don't use a compressor, I mount every tyre with a Bontrager TLR Flash Charger pump...I mount a lot of tyres vs the average rider.

[@evanm.2300]

​@GravelCyclist that pump is amazing and affordable 👏🏼. I have that pump too. I hate carrying around air compressors jyst for a freakin bike, its ridiculous. People glorify compressors too much to the point that most dont know or forget that these pumps with air tanks exist. And others think its not good enough or dont bother taking a risk to the unknown and trying it out. The price tag also makes them think its pointless. ...but y would u wana carry a 50 pound compressor around the clean nice house floors, packed with cluttet garage, and car or truck that u need to carry ur bike inside of when going to the store or ride with family or friends, and damge seats, plus its more of a popular item to steal from the car than a pump. And pump doent need 120vols and long cords and adaptors and its quiet

[@patrickstuart8288]

@GravelCyclist I do a regular non-competitive group ride on the C&O (whole thing over 2 days) and hate to ride behind anyone with GravelKing SK (or Bontrager's equivalent) tires. I spend the entire time eating grit. But since I'm the only person who regularly runs fenders, people are more than happy for me to pull.😁

[@GravelCyclist]

@@patrickstuart8288 Haha, well played, and think of the fitness bonus. Love the C&O, I recorded a video of myself and a friend riding it in two days to Cumberland MD, then took the Amtrak back to DC. Brilliant fun!

[@maximraketalife]

It is very interesting. I love Panaracer. 💜

[@mellissanash7517]

To me it seems like an odd choice they don't offer the R casing in the 650b size and maxing the Slick max out at 40mm. Shit, I just want the Slicks in a 700x50mm to match the 650b version. I'd even settle for a 45mm for slicks.

[@10flyingdutchman]

I'm with you. I don't know of any slicks over 40mm other than Rene Herse and those are above my pay grade.

[@mkenyon7429]

On the table of available sizes it shows 30mm widths. The Panaracer site does not show this size but 32mm. Wish they had a 30mm SK. Cannot find one and they do not list one.

[@souleatingpanda]

woah where did the 43c size go?

[@GravelCyclist]

Have to agree, the 43 disappearing is a bummer, that is my go to size nowadays.

[@karlbe8414]

I got 8k miles using a front Gravel King a while ago!

[@GravelCyclist]

Impressive!

[@patrickl9930]

Could you measure the actual width? Ordered 40s for my SL8 roubaix that only just clears 40....

[@GravelCyclist]

The 40's are measuring between 39mm and 40mm on rims with 21 to 23mm internal.

[@mellissanash7517]

Rene Herse can't be the only one to offer slicks in 50mm+ size.

[@GravelCyclist]

Panaracer is the manufacturer of Rene Herse tyres... and other smaller brands.

[@mellissanash7517]

I know that, why it be cool to see panarcer offer their slick in a 50mm or 2.2 size. I'd be first in line. @@GravelCyclist

[@davidstanley9726]

When is a review coming?

[@GravelCyclist]

Very soon, thanks for your patience. I am also working on the R version of the X1 review.

[@q0jkcxd0]

When or where can I buy the new collection of tires?

[@GravelCyclist]

While this is a shortened link - bit.ly/3Ug8nrT - it will take you directly to the Panaracer USA website.

[@q0jkcxd0]

@@GravelCyclist Thanks. I'm from Europe, not available here yet

[@mrr2880]

@@q0jkcxd0I contacted Panaracer UK and they said they're expecting on sale around May..

[@jarednelson4272]

Seems similar the Gravel King EXT, any comment on how they differ?

[@GravelCyclist]

I don't have any EXT's handy to compare.

[@andywithers592]

4:25 … what’s the 4th pedal for in there. Love the info on this channel. I’m new to gravel after a lifetime on the road and cross. Should have done this years ago. Keep up the good work.

[@GravelCyclist]

Andy, that is the ancient way of applying the parking brake. I have no idea why Dodge selected this option, I much prefer the traditional handbrake from the centre console. The handbrake release is left and below the steering wheel... but if you get that wrong, you'll pop the hood!

[@andywithers592]

@@GravelCyclist I’ve never seen that before. Thanks very much for the explanation.

[@jw8578]

Gravel kings are great tires.

[@MrRemota]

Se é Panaracer só pode ser bom. Uso Gravel King SS e Small Knot. Sao ótimos e muito duráveis. O problema é que aqui, no Brasil, são caríssimos. Cerca de U$100 cada um. Uma pena.

[@AOL0321]

I loved these tires too but…..they have got to be the hardest tires to seat tubeless, that I’ve ever owned. My Mtn bike tires are nowhere near as hard to mount!

[@GravelCyclist]

Huh? They are super easy. See my Instagram reel - instagram.com/p/C43zvT2PCMI/

[@AOL0321]

@@GravelCyclist Which are easy, the new or the old? My old Panaracer Gravel King SKs (This past year) were a bear to inflate and catch the bead tubeless, even with a compressor. Mind you, I’ve mounted Mtn and fatbike tubeless tires that were 10 times easier. I ended up having to seat the bead with a tube and then deflate it, then gently pry one side of the tire off and remove the tube. From there I gingerly mounted the unseated tire side back and then inflated it to finally get it to seat on the rim.( these are Vision Team 30 wheels) Then once the tire was seated I removed the valve stem, added sealant and re-inflated. Maybe it was the wheels themselves? They were regular road wheels and I converted them to tubeless, for which they were compatible. Since then I’ve recently sold that bike( Lynskey titanium Helix road-a heavy, heavy bike!) and now I have a beautiful Ibis Hakka MX in Sacre Bleu color with SRAM Rival AXS and carbon Ibis wheels coming next week. Great deals on the Ibis website!

[@GravelCyclist]

Hello again. Sorry, I assumed you meant the new Panaracer X1's, as you replied to my video concerning them. You are spot on that some of the older GK SK's can be tricky to mount, especially if they are what I call, "floppy and sloppy". Simple trick to make your life easier, add one or two additional layers of tubeless tape, problem solved. This applies to any tyre that fits loose, works every time. I don't use a compressor, but the Bontrager TLR Flashcharger like I linked in that reel video.

[@AOL0321]

@@GravelCyclist Yes I did two loops of the MucOff tubeless tape which worked really well with WTB tubeless valve stems. Once those Gravel Kings were seated, they rode beautifully and I even caught a nice Phillips head screw in my back tire one ride which I was able to ride home 8 miles on due to the great quality of that tire and Stans tubeless sealant.

[@AOL0321]

@@GravelCyclist Just curious if you have ever ridden/tested the Ibis Hakka MX before?

[@miran6341]

[@pmcmpc]

This would seem to make redundant the SS and SK ... but they made new versions of those. It makes no sense.

[@GravelCyclist]

I am very keen to see how the X1 performs against the SK. It would take a lot for me to ditch the SK as my go to tyre... will be posting my review of the X1 a little later.

[@pmcmpc]

@@GravelCyclist Always hated the SK - minimal grip, minimal puncture resistance, maximum rolling resistance ... plus it's the origin of GravelFling. SS and S I used fairly extensively but ultimately they were too fragile so I moved on to Tufo.

[@GravelCyclist]

@@pmcmpc Opposite experience here, my go to tyre for 95% of my riding. I laugh at the Gravel fling references, I tell people that's a problem for wheel suckers 😃

[@butterchickem]

that new logo design is unfortunatly an absoulte no go :(

[@GravelCyclist]

Perhaps you can offer design services to Panaracer?

[@butterchickem]

@@GravelCyclist dont understand why they changed the old one. was just perfect as it was. new stuff looks generic but the new thread is nice

[@maximraketalife]

I wrote to the Panaracer company. I asked them not to be like everyone else. I asked them to make an inscription in Japanese so that this inscription would glow in the light. The new logo is worse than the old one.

[@q0jkcxd0]

The 700x38c tire disappears 😭

[@walcottav]

I noticed that too. 🤨It's my preferred size for my local mixed surfaces. Guess I'll enjoy my last SS set while I've got 'em, though I suspect there will be dealer inventory hoarding happening for a while longer. Looking forward to trying these new tires out eventually.

[@maximraketalife]

Gravelking 700x38C - It's true Gravelking 😭