The SILCA Protocol RCG-1 is the fastest gravel tire SILCA makes, designed from the ground up around modern high-volume sizes and the demands of Cat 1 and Cat 2 gravel racing. Rolling speed of a hardpack slick, compliance of an XC race tire, and a tread that knows when to let go and when to bite. In controlled lab testing, the RCG-1 rolled fastest at 25.8 watts, outpacing the Schwalbe Thunder Burt and Continental Dubnital, and comes in 125 and 85 grams lighter per tire respectively. It is equally at home on mixed-surface rides that move between tarmac and dirt.
Look down the centre and you will find a low-ramped directional tread transition built for forward rolling efficiency, with a braking surface that bites hard under deceleration. Into a loose, high-speed corner, elevated elongated side knobs engage to maximise surface area for grip and stability. It is a dual-personality tread: rolls like a slick in a straight line, delivers cornering confidence the moment you lean the bike.
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Features:
- Pulsar Compound: high-performance rubber and silica race compound engineered to balance rolling efficiency, grip, and durability without sacrificing one for another
- Race Casing: developed around modern tyre pressures and wide rims to hold shape and ride quality at the pressures gravel bikes actually run
- CarbonBead BeadLock: carbon fibre bead technology for dimensional stability over the life of the tyre, so the width you measure at installation is the width you keep
- Ghost Shield: lightweight puncture protection tuned for maximum rolling efficiency, adding security without slowing the tyre down
- Ramped directional centre tread for low rolling resistance and strong braking grip
- Elevated elongated side knobs for cornering grip in loose-over-hard conditions
- Tubeless Ready: engineered for modern tubeless systems from the bead out
- Designed for the fastest gravel courses: Gravel Worlds, SBT GRVL, Dust Bowl, and similar events
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Specifications:
| SIZES | 700 x 45mm, 700 x 50mm, 700 x 55mm |
|---|---|
| ETRTO | 45-622 (45mm), 50-622 (50mm), 55-622 (55mm) |
| TPI | 120 |
| WEIGHT | 460g (45mm), 510g (50mm), 535g (55mm) |
| COMPOUND | Pulsar |
| CASING | Race Casing with GhostShield Protection |
| BEAD | CarbonBead BeadLock (Foldable) |
| TUBELESS READY | Yes |
| WIDTH MEASURED ON | 25mm rim after 24 hours |
| MIN SEALANT FILL | 90ml (45mm), 100ml (50mm and 55mm) |
| RECOMMENDED USE | Fast Gravel Racing, Mixed Surface |
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Our thoughts:
The RCG-1 is one of the most interesting gravel tires to come out in a while. SILCA approached the tread design with a specific use case in mind: fast, hardpack gravel races where rolling speed is everything, but you still need to get around corners on loose over hard surfaces. The testing data backs up the claims, and the weight is genuinely competitive with XC race tires. If you're racing the big gravel events or just want the quickest setup for fast gravel days, this is a serious option. The 55mm size in particular opens the door to running it on a range of gravel and even light trail setups.