New Panaracer GRAVELKING range deep dive | How to pick the right tyre for you and your riding

The original Panaracer GRAVELKING range, launched in 2014, were among the first tyres designed specifically for gravel riding.

The tyres included features almost unheard of at the time – with large-volume casings, tubeless options and multiple tread patterns, it took the emerging gravel riding world by storm.

Back in 2013, gravel bike wheels were but a twinkle in a bike designer’s eye, with the original range optimised for rims in the 17 to 19mm-wide range.

Gravel bikes were, for the most part, built around adapted cyclocross bikes or the rare road bikes with wider tyre clearances. These bikes enabled you to explore off-road, but were not designed for a specific purpose.

Fast forward to 2024 and there are many gravel bike rims that are 25mm wide (or wider). The rise of hookless tech has also complicated things.

Gravel riding has evolved too. While there are many all-rounder gravel bikes, gravel racing and fast gravel riding have taken off.

At the other extreme, riders are taking on multi-day off-road bikepacking expeditions – modern bikes designed with huge clearance to fit mountain-bike style tyres are now commonplace.

Add in all-road bikes, which are designed to mix tarmac and light gravel riding, typically with narrower, fast-rolling tyres, and there’s a huge range of off-road riding that gravel bike tyres need to handle.

With all of that in mind, Panaracer designed the new GRAVELKING range from the bottom with new casings, rubber compounds, width options and added puncture protection.

At the same time, it retains the multiple tread patterns, widths and robust build that made the original GRAVELKING the go-to option for so many gravel riders.

Panaracer has also introduced the fast-rolling GRAVELKING X1.

Let’s look at the features of the new GRAVELKING range in detail.

New profile and casing

Panaracer has redesigned the geometry of the GRAVELKING tyre range to suit wider rims.

Its BeadLock bead design increases compatibility with hookless beads and provides easier seating when setting up tubeless.

It has also introduced a new high-thread-count casing and a stronger puncture protection layer. Called TuffTex, this offers bead-to-bead protection from punctures.

TuffTex is available in three grades, again to cater for the various needs of modern gravel riders.

Alongside the standard casing used in the GRAVELKING tyres, a TuffTex+ dual layer available in the GRAVELKING+ tyre range is designed to be extra resistant to cuts and punctures.

It adds a little weight, but provides the robustness some gravel riders need for tricky terrain and multi-day bikepacking adventures.

Finally, there’s TuffTex R. It’s designed for gravel racing, is lighter and has lower rolling resistance.

New tread pattern

The GRAVELKING range has always stood out for its wide range of tread options.

That’s been augmented by a new X1 tread, so there are now five different treads in total.

The X1 tread is aimed at gravel racers, with a fast-rolling centre but more aggressive side lugs for grip when conditions get tricky.

The new tyre geometry ensures a smooth transition between the two and there’s good mud clearance.

The standard GRAVELKING tread has a fast-rolling square block pattern.

The GRAVELKING SS is a semi-slick tread with a smooth centre, designed for dry hardpack and mixed-surface use.

GRAVELKING SK tyres have small knobs, again making them a great option for dry, fast-rolling off-road.

Finally, the GRAVELKING EXT tread is designed for extreme conditions – think mud, sand and wet trails. Typical UK riding, in other words.

New rubber compound

Panaracer has reformulated its rubber compound too.

The new Zero Slip Grip (ZSG) rubber is designed to provide low rolling resistance, both off-road and on.

It also provides consistent performance, whether riding in 40ºC heat or -20ºC cold.

New width options

While the 43mm width of the widest of the original GRAVELKING tyres was pushing the envelope of what gravel bikes could fit in 2013, considerably wider tyres can be fitted to modern gravel bikes with the widest clearance.

Panaracer has increased its range of widths, with some 700c tyres available up to 50mm wide.

You can go wider still with its 650b options, which spread up to 54mm wide.

Panaracer also offers 29in and 26in GRAVELKINGs – perfect for mountain bike to gravel bike conversions.

The standard GRAVELKING and GRAVELKING SK tyres are also available in a 26mm width. They and other GRAVELKING treads include a 28mm option, which is ideal for all-road riding.

Panaracer GRAVELKING options in brief