Review of an affordable everyday tyre from Schwalbe: What can the new Motion Kojak do?

Tour summary: Good, affordable everyday tyres

With the G-One RS’s fast tread pattern, the Motion Kojak performs well both in terms of rolling efficiency and noise levels. With some puncture protection and eco-friendly rubber, it leaves little to be desired for everyday use. It’s worth recommending, provided that a width of at least 40 millimetres isn’t a deal-breaker. - Adrian Kaether, Test & Technology Editor

Tyres are the most underrated part of a bike. When buying a new bike, people think about the frame, the gears, perhaps even the brakes – but hardly anyone associates the bike with its tyres. Yet hardly anything has such a direct impact on the actual riding experience as the two strips of rubber on which the whole bike rolls. Schwalbe knows this, of course. And with the Kojak, the tyre specialist is now entering a contender into the race that, on paper, promises an unusual combination: urban suitability, all-round performance, eco-friendly green rubber and a stylish look – all for under 40 euros. We wanted to find out whether the Motion Kojak lives up to its promises.

Just design, or is there more to it than that?

The most striking feature of the Kojak is its tread pattern. Instead of the classic rows of lugs or the smooth racing tyre look of its predecessor, fine, uniform scales run across the entire tread and up the sidewalls. It actually looks great and serves a practical purpose too: the uniform tread pattern is designed to ensure smooth, predictable handling whilst delivering grip during acceleration and when cornering, without unnecessarily increasing rolling resistance. Of course, for functional reasons, the scales wouldn’t need to extend all the way to the rim, but this design keeps the look very consistent.

Incidentally, anyone familiar with the Schwalbe range might recognise these tyres: they look exactly the same as seen on the tread of the G One RS racing gravel tyre (reviewed here), the fastest gravel tyre in the Schwalbe range. Now that’s what I call a promise!

The build quality and finish make a solid impression. However, anyone hoping for a lightweight folding tyre option will be disappointed: the Kojak is available exclusively as a clincher and only in widths of 40, 50 and 60 millimetres. This means extra weight – in our test, the 40-millimetre-wide tyre 615 grams on the scales. For an affordable everyday tyre, that’s perfectly acceptable. A narrower version, perhaps 32 or 35 millimetres, isn’t available.

On the road: light on its feet and pleasantly quiet

On tarmac, the Kojak immediately shows what it’s capable of. Rolling resistance is noticeably low – the tyre rolls effortlessly and is also surprisingly quiet. It creates a pleasant sensation that hardly any energy is wasted, that the bike simply rolls without any drag – almost like a racing tyre. This is no coincidence: the eco-friendly rubber compound, combined with the uniform scale-like tread pattern, works well together here. Admittedly, the Kojak probably doesn’t match the rolling efficiency of high-end road bike tyres – it lacks the specific high-performance compounds – but for an everyday tyre costing under 40 euros, it performs at a very high standard.

The ride is pleasantly smooth. No jarring bumps, no unexpected jolts – the even tread pattern pays off here in terms of high predictability. Anyone who commutes daily will appreciate this unobtrusive nature: the Kojak simply gets on with the job, reliably and without any fuss.

On gravel: Better than expected

Things get interesting off the tarmac. The Kojak isn’t a gravel tyre – nor is it meant to be. But it performs noticeably better on loose surfaces than a classic city tyre or even a narrow racing tyre. On light gravel, the scale-pattern tread still provides sufficient grip; braking also feels controllable, with no risk of unpleasant slippage.

It’s certainly enough for the occasional detour onto unpaved field or forest tracks – but if you’re serious about gravel riding, you’ll need more tread. Schwalbe’s own G-One Allround also rolls along very briskly and should therefore be the better option. The Kojak is clearly best seen as a complement here, not a replacement. For the typical commuter scenario involving the occasional gravel track, however, it’s perfectly suited.

Puncture protection & sustainability: a solid foundation

The RaceGuard puncture protection belt is Schwalbe’s tried-and-tested middle-of-the-road solution – not maximum protection, but perfectly adequate for everyday use. If you’re cycling over rough city pavements, this offers you reasonable protection. However, simply riding straight over broken glass – as you might with the Marathon Plus, for example – is probably not a good idea.

Particularly worth mentioning: the ADDIX Green compound. Schwalbe uses recycled industrial carbon black from its own tyre recycling programme. This isn’t just a ‘greenwashing’ label, but a concrete step towards a circular economy. The fact that the tyre still rolls well makes it all the more impressive.

Wet grip: the question mark remains

One area that requires further investigation: wet grip performance. Initial impressions suggest nothing negative, but we still lack reliable data from variable conditions. We reserve the right to make a final judgement on this point. It is often the case that cheaper tyres perform less well in this respect.

Under the radar

The Kojak isn’t a tyre that makes a splash with spectacular superlatives, nor does it score top marks in all test rankings. But it is something that is perhaps more valuable in everyday use: a reliable all-rounder with clear strengths, acceptable weaknesses and a price that leaves little room for debate.

The biggest problem is the competition from within the same range: a G-One Allround is also still very fast and very predictable, and is likely to offer slightly more grip on gravel. What’s more, the tyre is lighter and tubeless-compatible. It’s similarly affordable in the Performance version, but probably not quite as durable. The Kojak is also likely to score higher in terms of ride feel than the lightweight G-One Allround knobby tyre.

Anyone who prioritises everyday practicality – and wants a reflective strip, for example – should opt for the new Marathon Almotion. The G-One RS gravel tyre mentioned above is, of course, also an option as a fast tyre, but it costs more and, due to the significant difference in tread pattern between the tread and the sidewall, requires a steady hand when cornering.

Schwalbe Kojak – Technical Specifications

Rating

• ✅ Low rolling resistance
• ✅ Responsive steering and quiet running (on the road)
• ✅ Good value for money
• ✅ Sustainable rubber compound
• ✅ Solid grip even on loose gravel
• ⚠️ Wet grip: not yet fully assessed
• ❌ No folding or tubeless versions available
• ​❌ No versions less than 40 millimetres wide