Without mountain bike tires, you’re obviously not going anywhere. But without the right tires, your ride isn’t going to be as enjoyable. Having the best mountain bike tires for every situation will determine what you can do with your bike.
Your racing tires would do you no good in the winter in the same way your fat bike tires would make you miserable in a race. Whether you ride on rocks, snow, simple trails or trails with every kind of terrain, there’s definitely a tire for you.
Tires are some of the most important pieces of a mountain bike, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the right ones and that you treat them right.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FIND THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES
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MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES 101
7 THINGS TO CONSIDER TO FIND THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES
1. CROSS-COUNTRY TRAILS
For cross-country riding or racing, you’ll want a tire that’s both light and able to endure more advanced terrain than on-road riding.
Cross-country racing involves a variety of disciplines including racing, rocky mountainous terrain and desert terrain. It also frequently involves a lot of mud. You can probably see why you want a tire that offers a good grip but isn’t so heavy that it exhausts you halfway through your ride.
2. WINTER CONDITIONS
Winter mountain biking is an up-and-coming sport that requires a totally different type of tire: fat bike tires. These tires are the only ones out there that can handle the snow and ice. You don’t want to take your chance on winter trails without these tires as even the best grips don’t stand a chance.
These tires are very thick, heavy and often slightly deflated, which can travel through snowy woods or even in fat bike races. Think of motorcycle tires on a bike and that’s what closely resembles fat bike tires.
The major drawback with mountain biking in the winter is that these tires and even the bikes are more expensive than any other mountain bike discipline. This is why winter riding is often reserved for more experienced riders.
3. RACING
Racing tires can be similar to cross-country tires, but you’ll want them to offer more speed. There are a variety of disciplines in racing, but speed is a key factor in nearly all of them.
Race tracks are mostly gravel and hard-packed. This means you need a tire that’s more rugged than an on-road bike, but not as heavy as a tire used to ride down the sides of mountains.
Any tire claiming to be narrower than average and has a low rolling resistance is your best bet when racing. These tires have speed and cornering in mind.
4. DOWNHILL TRAILS
Downhill riding is a branch of racing, but many people also do it on their own. It’s an intense form of riding that often feature steep and rocky trails.
You’ll want tires that offer slip-resistance and can handle jagged rocks. Wider tubeless tires are your best bet against rocks. They’re less likely to get punctured. Wider tires can also offer better traction.
5. ROLLING RESISTANCE
If you’ve ever looked up mountain bike tires, you’ll likely see that sellers discuss the rolling resistance. The exact definition of rolling resistance is this: “the energy that is lost when the tire is rolling”.
What does that mean in layman’s terms?
You want the ability to put in as little energy as possible to keep the tires turning and the bike going forward. So, it’s a good thing if a tire has a low rolling resistance. It means you lose less energy when the tire is rolling.
Low rolling resistant tires are best for racing or riding on the hard-packed ground because they allow you to go faster without exerting unnecessary energy.
6. TREAD
Mountain bike tires have specific treads that allow for better connection with the ground, making sure you don’t slip.
A tread with closely space knobbies (yes, you can laugh) is best for racing or any type of mountain biking where your main concern is speed. You’ll likely find these on narrower tires.
If you do any other kind of mountain biking, wider spaced or thicker knobbies will help protect against slippage on rocky or muddy roads.
7. TUBES OR TUBELESS
WHY TUBELESS?
Tubeless tires are all the rage these days and for good reason. Tubeless tires tend to get flat less often, offer a smoother ride and best of all, provide more speed.
Mountain bike tires are often tubeless because they offer more speed and smoother rides. Also, they tend to be less apt to get punctures (although it’s more of a pain when they do).
Puncture-resistance is especially important for riders who spend their time on rocky mountains. Many riders are opting to pay extra for entirely tubeless tires.
WHY TUBES?
There are plenty of good reasons to stick with traditional tires. First of all, there are more of them on the market. There’s also less maintenance involved. Most riders want a tire they can change themselves and tube tires are easier to change than the tubeless one.
WHAT’S TUBELESS-READY?
Typically, if your mountain bike tires are not tubeless, they’ll be tubeless-ready. This they can easily be made into tubeless tires if necessary.
Photo by http://ift.tt/2nNyJ4u
MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES REVIEWS
1. BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES FOR CROSS-COUNTRY
SCHWALBE HANS DAMPF
BEST FOR: Those who ride on a variety of terrain
WHEEL SIZE: 27.5 inches
TUBELESS: Yes
PROS: Great grip even on hard terrain, making it high in safety
CONS: Not as durable as other tires, not at all meant for on-road riding
2. BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES FOR WINTER
MAXXIS MAMMOTH
BEST FOR: Winter riding and hard-pack trail riding
WHEEL SIZE: 26 inches
TUBELESS: Yes
PROS: Can be used during the winter but are light enough to use on hard-pack dirt, great for cornering
CONS: Pricey
MAXXIS MINION FBF
BEST FOR: Winter riders who handle trickier trails, high-end riders
WHEEL SIZE: 26 inches
TUBELESS: Yes
PROS: Specifically designed to handle corners better than other fat bike tires, slip resistant
CONS: Like most fat bike tires, these are fairly expensive
3. BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES FOR RACING
MICHELIN WILD RACE’R
BEST FOR: Racers who ride on rocky courses
WHEEL SIZE: 29 inches
TUBELESS: Tubeless-ready
PROS: Rear tire traction allows for quick cornering in races, long-lasting
CONS: Fairly expensive as far as racing tires go
SCHWALBE RACING RALPH
BEST FOR: Racers looking for speed over durability
WHEEL SIZE: Various sizes
TUBELESS: Tubeless-ready
PROS: Great for cornering, slip-resistance
CONS: Not the most durable
4. BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES FOR DOWNHILL
CONTINENTAL TRAIL KING
BEST FOR: Riders who find themselves on rocky terrain
WHEEL SIZE: 29 inches
TUBELESS: Tubeless-ready
PROS: Handles well on nearly all terrains
CONS: Not the best for muddy riding
SCHWALBE ROCK RAZOR
BEST FOR: Slower riding on rocky trails
WHEEL SIZE: 26 or 27.5 inches
TUBELESS: Tubeless-ready
PROS: Great on rocks
CONS: Slips frequently during breaking quickly
5. BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TIRES FOR BUDGET RIDERS
WTB WOLVERINE
BEST FOR: All-around, simpler mountain biking
WHEEL SIZE: 26 or 27.5 inches
TUBELESS: Yes
PROS: Great on a variety of trails
CONS: More advanced riders might opt for a more durable tire
MAXXIS ARDENT
BEST FOR: Cross-country riders on a budget or less advanced racers
WHEEL SIZE: 26 or 29 inches
TUBELESS: Tubeless-ready
PROS: Great traction, particularly around corners
CONS: Cheap, so not as durable
NEVEGAL PRO
BEST FOR: All-around riders on a budget
WHEEL SIZE: 26 inches
TUBELESS: Tube or Tubeless-ready
PROS: Consistently rated the best budget tire, great traction
CONS: Cheap, so not as durable
The post MTB Tires 101 appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.
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