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    Is the actual question "can I trust that the results are consistent between knobby and smooth tires"? Also, the difference is around 1 watt so it's going to be difficult to notice without controlled test setup.
    – ojs
    Commented May 2 at 19:21
  • 1
    @ojs The actual question is a generalization of that, yes. It's not only smooth versus knobby, but also between the different flavours of knobby. The Hans Dampf has for example a similar wattage as the Power Gravel, but it's the not impression it gives when riding on tarmac - another hard surface, but different from the steel used by BRR.
    – Rеnаud
    Commented May 2 at 21:39
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    You will wear down the knobs on the Power Gravel more by running them on asphalt, especially given you have 1) very small round knobs and 2) mediocre tires. Whether that is a problem depends on whether you actually need the knobs for your gravel riding.
    – oscu0
    Commented May 3 at 0:10
  • 1
    The BRR steel wheel/road is more about consistency between tests that may be years or decades apart in time. Its not trying to replicate any real-world condition, so it is slightly less-relevant to an off-road / mud / gravel rider. Maybe they need a dirt wheel and a pea-gravel wheel and a loose gravel wheel etc to test different classes of tyre ?
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented May 3 at 0:50
  • 1
    @Criggie indeed, I understand the point of the steel plate, but the point of the question is mostly to know if there's some real-life value for these tests, especially when comparing tires with the different tread profiles, or if it's more of a "theoretical exercise" that only makes some sense if comparing two similar tires — without dismissing the amount of work behind the site.
    – Rеnаud
    Commented May 3 at 7:21