If you haven’t noticed, Japan’s Panaracer has been going all in on both tubeless and gravel. After launching its popular GravelKing and GravelKing SK gravel tires, the company has continued to introduce new widths, new colors and even more colors.
Not content on making a fashion statement, the company was showing off two new GravelKing treads, a new casing option, as well as a nutty new tubeless sealant at Sea Otter.
New Tire Sealant
Panaracer has embraced tubeless in a big way, with its new Seal Smart low-allergen tubeless sealant that uses walnut shells as a coagulant. The company says it seals bigger holes faster than the two most popular sealants. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
The Smart Seal tubeless sealant could be an interesting option for the allergic or the puncture prone, regardless of the brand of tire you’re rolling on. The sealant pairs latex with walnut shells for a coagulant and Panaracer’s Jeff Zell says the sealant outperforms the two main competitors in terms of the size of hole it can seal and the speed in which it seals holes.
The sealant is also said to be more friendly to those allergic to other sealants, although those with nut allergies may want to steer clear.
The sealant is said to last up to 6 months in your tires. A 4 oz bottle good for 2 tires retails for $7, while a 16.9 oz bottle retails for $20.
+ (Plus) Casing
All the standard GravelKing treads are now available in a + (Plus) Protite Shield casing with bead-to-bead puncture protection. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
Any sealant typically has a tough time sealing sidewall cuts, and thus Panaracer has a new “+” (Plus) casing that uses the Protite Shile for complete bead-to-bead protection. The extra layer of reinforcement is said to be 2.5 times more puncture resistant than Kevlar while adding minimal weight.
The + versions of the popular GravelKing tires retail for $54.95, $5 more than the standard versions.
All the standard GravelKing treads are now available in a + (Plus) Protite Shield casing with bead-to-bead puncture protection. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
New Gravel Treads
Find yourself wanting more bite than the GravelKing SK offers? Panaracer has heard you and has ported over two of its cyclocross treads to the GravelKing line.
The Panaracer CXCG (Cedric Gracia) cyclocross tire now has a bigger sibling in the form of the GravelKing EXT (Extreme). It’s a fast-rolling tread available in several widths for a variety of terrain. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
The old Panaracer CXCG cyclocross tread, named and designed with Cedric Gracia in mind, is now available in the form of the GravelKing Ext (Extreme).
The tread offers nearly continuous center knobs with block side knobs and is described as the ideal tire for mixed terrain: pavement, gravel and some dirt. It comes in 33, 35 and 38mm widths.
The Panaracer Regacross tread is now available in a GravelKing tubeless casing, and is now called the AC for “All Conditions.” 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
The high-volume Panaracer Regacross cyclocross is now available in a GravelKing tubeless casing and is called the Panaracer GravelKing AC (All Conditions). It was briefly called the GravelKing Mud. It might be a slightly confusing naming scheme for some.
While the Extreme is said to be best for mixed terrain, the AC All Conditions tire, with more spacing between its knobs, is said to be for rougher terrain than its GravelKing siblings. Just don’t call that rouger terrain Extreme!
The GravelKing EXT and AC both retail for $50 and will come in black and brown casings.
More info: panaracer.com
