Mountain bike tyres: tubeless, 27.5 and 29-inch

Which tread for which terrain?

• Cross-country and dry terrain: low, closely spaced knobs and an almost continuous centre, for a light, fast-rolling tyre, such as the Continental Race King or the Maxxis Aspen.
• Trail and all mountain: taller knobs and pronounced shoulders for grip in corners, such as the Michelin Wild AM2 or the Schwalbe Nobby Nic.
• Enduro and downhill: tall knobs and a thick casing, such as the Maxxis Minion DHF and DHR II or the Assegai.
• Mud: tall, narrow, widely spaced knobs that bite into the ground and shed the dirt with every turn of the wheel, like the Michelin Wild Mud.

The front and rear tyres do not play the same role: the front tyre steers the bike and holds the line in corners, while the rear tyre provides traction and takes the braking.

Casing and protection: what do the versions mean?

The same model often comes with several casings. The lightest suit cross-country and fast-rolling rides; reinforced versions add layers of fabric or inserts in the sidewalls against cuts and pinch flats, for a few tens of grams more. Each brand has its own naming: EXO, EXO+ and Double Down at Maxxis, Super Ground and Super Trail at Schwalbe, ProTection at Continental, Hardskin at Hutchinson. TPI, the number of threads per inch in the casing, indicates its suppleness: 120 TPI for a thin, supple casing, 60 TPI for a thicker one.

Compound: grip or rolling speed?

MTB tyres often combine several compounds: firmer in the centre to roll and last, softer on the side knobs for grip in corners. Brands then grade their compounds from the fastest-rolling to the grippiest, for example MaxxSpeed, MaxxTerra and MaxxGrip at Maxxis, or Addix Speed, SpeedGrip and Soft at Schwalbe. For trail and enduro, a soft compound at the front and a slightly firmer one at the rear is a common compromise.

Mountain bike tyre sizes and widths: from cross-country to fat bike

The diameter is read in inches or in ETRTO: a 29 x 2.40 tyre fits a 622 mm rim, a 27.5 x 2.35 tyre a 584 mm rim, for a width of about 60 mm. Cross-country tyres are often 2.2 to 2.4-inch wide, trail and enduro tyres 2.4 to 2.6-inch; the Maxxis WT versions are optimised for rims with an internal width of 30 to 35 mm. Next come so-called plus tyres, around 2.8-inch, then fat bike tyres, about 100 mm wide. Always check the clearance in the fork and between the chainstays.

Tubeless, pressure and punctures

Tubeless has become the reference set-up in mountain biking: without an inner tube, the tyre no longer pinches on impacts and can be run at a much lower pressure, which increases grip and comfort, while sealant plugs thorns and small cuts. Run the front a little softer than the rear, lower still on greasy ground, and adjust in small steps according to your weight and the tyre width, without going below the manufacturer's minimum. In enduro and downhill, foam inserts fitted inside the tyre protect the rim and allow a lower pressure. No tyre is truly puncture-proof: a reinforced casing and tubeless remain the best defence.

Electric mountain bike tyres

Heavier and more powerful, an electric mountain bike puts more strain on its tyres. The models designed for it, identified by the markings E-Bike or E-50, reinforce the casing and compound: the Hutchinson Taipan Koloss, the Michelin E-Wild or the CST Rock Hawk E-Bike.

Wheels, inner tubes and tyres for other disciplines

To make the most of a wide tyre, the rim has to keep up: our MTB wheels state their internal width. If you stay with inner tubes, choose one from our MTB inner tubes; sealant, valves, plugs and pumps are among our MTB repair accessories. BMX tyres and road and gravel tyres have their own pages, and the full selection of bike tyres also covers kids' and city sizes.

Which mountain bike tyre brands to choose?

Hutchinson developed the UST tubeless standard for mountain biking with Mavic and Michelin; its range runs from the Python for cross-country to the Griffus for enduro, with Hardskin reinforced sidewalls.

CST, the original brand of the Taiwanese manufacturer Cheng Shin, which also owns Maxxis, equips leisure mountain bikes, electric mountain bikes with the Rock Hawk E-Bike and fat bikes with the Big Boat or the Surge.

Schwalbe classifies its MTB tyres by casing, from Super Ground to Super Trail, and by Addix compound; the versatile Nobby Nic and the Johnny Watts, approved for electric mountain bikes, are two examples.

Continental offers the Race King and the Cross King, fast in cross-country, in tubeless-ready ProTection versions, as well as the Double Fighter for tracks and the city.

Michelin organises its range by discipline: Wild AM2 and Force AM2 for all mountain, Wild Enduro, XC2 for cross-country, DH Mud for downhill on greasy ground and E-Wild for electric mountain bikes.

Maxxis combines its 3C triple compounds, from MaxxSpeed to MaxxGrip, with EXO or Double Down casings on models such as the Minion DHF and DHR II, the Assegai, the Dissector and the Rekon.

Where can you find mountain bike tyres on sale?

End-of-line tyres and tyres from previous ranges are gathered in our MTB wheels and tyres clearance; newly arrived models are listed in new arrivals. Before the muddy season returns, as during the summer sales, it is the right time to renew your tyres.

Frequently asked questions

What pressure for mountain bike tyres?

It depends on your weight, the tyre width, the set-up and the terrain. Tubeless tyres are run at a much lower pressure than tyres with an inner tube, and the front a little softer than the rear. Start from the manufacturer's recommendations, then lower the pressure in small steps as long as the tyre does not roll in corners or bottom out on the rim.

Which MTB tyres for mud?

A tyre with tall, narrow, widely spaced knobs, which cut through the greasy layer and clear the dirt with every turn of the wheel. A slightly narrower size slices through mud better than a very wide tyre, and a soft compound grips better on wet roots.

Are mountain bike tyres suitable for road use?

A knobbly tyre rolls heavily on tarmac, becomes noisy and wears quickly. For a mountain bike used mainly in town or on traffic-free cycle paths, a mixed tyre, with a smooth centre and treaded shoulders, is better suited and quieter.

Folding or wired MTB tyre: what is the difference?

The difference lies in the bead. A folding tyre, with an aramid bead, is lighter, folds for transport and most often comes tubeless-ready. A wired tyre, with a steel bead, is mainly fitted to leisure mountain bikes and is used with an inner tube.

Do you need the same tyre front and rear?

Not necessarily. Many riders fit a knobblier, softer tyre at the front, to steer and brake with confidence, and a faster-rolling tyre at the rear. Some models are even designed as a pair, such as the Maxxis Minion DHF for the front and DHR II for the rear.