Best Bike Tires: Top 5 Bicycle Tires For Your MTB Or Road Bike 

Continental's Grand Prix 4-Season tires are made tough, with a particular emphasis on a double layer of protection under the tread that helps to maximize the resistance to cuts and punctures.

We were also impressed by the addition of a carbon compound, which reduces the wear on the tire and helps it last. This is no minor issue, considering these tires have been used in long-distance races.

Some reviewers also reported getting creative with these tires, using a combination of a slightly wider tire and a little lower pressure to provide added grip without reducing performance.

However, people also noted that these tires, despite their intended durability, wore out much faster than they should have. Even the best tires can have defective units, so you shouldn't try to get new tires right before you need them.

We'd also like to have seen a thicker tread, especially on the sides where it would improve their cornering ability. Long-distance tires like these are meant for smooth, wide turns, and some people need more than that.

These usually retail in the $$ to $$ range per-tire. Wider versions trend more expensive, although Amazon has good deals on all of them.

These are proven tires that use the industry's latest materials and techniques to make tough, high-quality wheels. If you're looking for a robust blend of performance and durability, these are the first tires you should look at.

If you're looking for durability over performance, Continental's Hardshell tires are an excellent place to begin your search.

With their sleek design, Vittoria's tires are all about mixing comfort, quality, and performance.

Introducing the Vittoria Corsa G+ Road Tires

If you're looking for mountain bike tires with excellent grip, these schwalbe tires are the tires you're looking for.

Introducing the Schwalbe Hans Dampf Mountain Bike Tires

Professional-grade tires are better than amateur tires, and Maxxis' mountain bicycle tires more than deserve their reputation for quality.

Introducing the Maxxis Minion Mountain Bike Tires

Despite their deceptively simple appearance, these smooth black tires offer aggressive grips and control over rough terrain.

That would be good all by itself, but Maxxis has also managed to make the tire tough enough to withstand the impacts and sharp edges of mountain bike terrain, and none of the reviewers we saw found them lacking.

Several reviewers noted that they got just one tire to install on the front. If you want more control of your bike without sacrificing the strength of your existing rear wheel, getting just one Minion works.

If there's one thing we dislike about this tire, it's the lack of different sizes. The Maxxis Minion has one size, and if it doesn't fit your bike, you're out of luck. That's a real shame since it's an excellent tire overall - and we hope Maxxis will branch out a little and provide for the rest of the market.

The Maxxis Minion typically retails in the low $$'s per-tire.

As far as the best mountain bike tires go, the Maxxis Minion may well be the best value for your money. It's durable, grips most terrain well, and can withstand even the rigors of most competitions. If you're looking for a mountain bike tire and still don't know which one to get, this is a good choice.

What are Bike Tires?

As the name implies, bikes tires are a type of tire designed specifically for bikes.

They come in three categories: Road, Mountain, and Commuter. More information on these is available below, but first, let's look at the parts of each tire.

Anatomy of a Bike Tire

Bike tires have many different parts, but the five sections below are the most important to consider when you're buying tires.

Bead

The Bead is a thin line of material that helps to hold the tube and casing in place when the tire is under pressure. After all, the last thing you want is for your tire to pop off the rim when you're inflating it.

There's usually one bead on each side of the tire - anything that varies from this is an unusual tire design.

Beads are always made of a non-stretching material to ensure they don't bend under the significant pressure placed on them. Steel is a common choice for cheaper tires, while well-made tires often use Kevlar beads instead.

Casing

The casing is a cover for the inner tube of the bike, and the beads run through the casing to keep everything in place.

Aside from protecting the inner part of the tire, the primary goal of the casing is to both resist internal stretching while simultaneously conforming to the shape of the ground.

Casings don't vary much regardless of the type of tire you get. Almost all casings are made from nylon, but not woven together (which helps to reduce wear and improve the longevity of the tire).

Sidewall

The Sidewall is a particular part of the casing. Unlike the outside of the tire, the sidewall is never meant to be in contact with the ground.

Sidewalls come in two common forms. The first, known as a gum wall, uses natural rubber as a protective layer. This type of sidewall provides a decent amount of damage protection for the tire and is ideal for buyers who prioritize safety.

The other type of sidewall is the skin wall, which has little or no rubber along the outside. This reduces the rolling resistance of the tire (improving its overall performance), but reduces the damage protection and raises the possibility of the tire being punctured from the side.

Sub-Tread

Sub-treads are an optional component of tires. When present, they provide additional protection against punctures.

Most sub-treads are placed directly underneath the main tread and are made from material like nylon or Kevlar.

Sub-treads are a good choice if you find you've been getting flats on a regular basis. They're also a good investment if you tend to ride over rough terrain (gravel, dangerous objects on sidewalks, etc.), but they aren't necessary for rides over safe terrain.

Tread

The tread is the part of the tire that contacts the ground. Treads come in several styles.

Bike Tire Types

Bikes come in several main types, including road, mountain, and commuter. These are quite distinct in construction, so here are the differences you need to know.

Road Bike Tire

These tires are designed specifically for travel over asphalt, sidewalks, and other smooth terrains - though many will do just fine on road-like conditions such as hardpacked trails.

Road Tire Dimensions

Road bikes tire are designed to hold specific tire sizes, and the best road bike tires fit into this standard. For most road bikes, this is 700c in diameter and 23mm wide at the beads. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has regulations for bike tires that most manufacturers follow, and for tires of this size, that number is 622.

Accordingly, your tire should have both "700c x 23mm" and "23-622" listed on it.

Always check your bike's manual (or the tires the bike was sold with) to confirm the size. It will almost certainly be 700c x 23mm, but rare exceptions do exist. The most common exception is the 650C (ISO 571), which is typically seen on high-performance bikes intended for petite riders.

Types of Road Tires

Road tires come in three primary forms.

Clincher

Clinchers are the most common type of road tire. These have the steel or Kevlar beads that lock into flanges on the rim of the tire's frame.

Clinchers are especially popular because the inner part of the tube is easy to reach if repairs or replacements are needed.

Tubular

Tubular (or 'sew-up') tires have more of a torus shape and are sewn onto compatible rims. Historically, tubular tires have been lighter and better at accelerating than clincher tires, which made them popular in sporting and racing events.

However, tubular tires are also more complicated to repair, so they've largely fallen out of favor with most manufacturers.

Tubeless

Without tube tires are the most puncture resistant bike tubes but they're also somewhat heavier than other types of tires. These do exist - mainly from the manufacturers Shimano and Hutchinson - but they're not common in any sense of the term.

Still, if you're particularly worried about the roads you'll be driving over, it may be worth looking for tubeless options. Expect to replace the rims of your bike if you decide to switch over to tubeless tires.

Mountain Bike Tires

The best mountain bikes tires are designed for rougher terrains, including trails, areas with lots of potholes, and gravel roads.

Many mountain bikes tires come with thick, puncture-resistant treads because they're more likely to roll over small, sharp objects. Thicker treads also help to improve the grip of the tires, lessening the chance of a fall over rough terrain.

Mountain Bike Tire Dimensions

Mountain bike tires are more varied than road tires and come in three common dimensions. The most popular size is the 26" (ISO 559), but you may also see a 29" (ISO 622) or a 27.5"/650B (ISO 584).

The 29" is quite similar to the 700c road tire, but tends to have a wider, taller frame that doesn't actually fit the road bike wheels. Therefore, you should always check to be sure you're getting the right type of tire. 

The 650B, on the other hand, is more popular on older mountain bike and in some parts of Europe. It fell into disfavor for awhile, but recently, this size has been showing up more often on serious sports bikes.

Front- or Rear-Wheel Tire Treads

Some mountain bikes have different treads for their front and rear wheels. This is due to the different purposes of each wheel.

The front tire is intended mainly for steering and braking. As such, it helps if this tire is wide and has a good tread.

The rear tire, on the other hand, carries most of your weight. The best rear mountain bike tires will have a thick tread to prevent punctures, but otherwise, the design doesn't matter too much.

Commuter Bike Tires

These tires are like road tires, but they're designed to match the uneven, often debris-laden surfaces of urban areas. Most commuter tires have slick or semi-slick tread designs, with thick sub-treads as added protection.

Commuter Tire Dimensions

The best street bike tires are about the same as road tires - 700c x 23mm. 26" and 27.5" diameters are also available, but these are distinctly less common on newly manufactured bikes.

Tubes vs. Tubeless Tires

Whether to go tubed or tubeless may be the biggest decision you make when deciding on a particular tire to buy.

Tubed wheels are the more common of the two, and most bikes are sold with these. Part of their popularity stems from how easy these tires are to repair and replace. Tubed tires are most appropriate for road bikes, where comfort and performance are more important than resistance to damage

Without tube tires are most popular on mountain bikes, where the added resistance to flats can make a real difference in your ride. That said, it's important to note that 'tubeless' doesn't mean 'no air' - there's still air inside, and if it escapes, you'll probably have to replace the whole tire.

Commuting bikes can go either way, though we favor tubeless because you never really know what you're going to be riding over in a city.

There is a third option here - solid tires. However, while these are completely resistant to flats, the lack of air for suspension also means that these tires tend to have significantly lower ride quality.

If safety is your most important priority and comfort doesn't matter too much, consider getting solid tires. Otherwise, tubed or tubeless are better choices.

Activity and Recommended Tire Pressure

Most tires should be inflated to 50-60 pounds per square inch (psi). It's important to check the pressure of your tires on a regular basis - especially tubed tires, which slowly lose pressure over time as air escapes. If you squeeze the tire and feel it deform under your touch, the pressure is too low.

Every tire lists its recommended tire pressure somewhere on the inside. Use these numbers as your guide when inflating.

When to Replace Bike Tires?

Even the best bike tires need to be replaced on occasion. However, contrary to common belief, tires do not need to be replaced at a set distance.

Instead, only replace them in the following situations:

Otherwise, the tire is likely suitable for continued use. It is worth noting that high-quality tires tend to last for much longer than their cheaper counterparts. A low-quality tire may only last for 1000 to 2000 miles on average, while a high-quality tire might last for 10,000 miles or more.

How you ride your bike will affect how often your tires need to be replaced.

If you're constantly going over rough, sharp terrain (like gravel), you may need to replace your tires more often than most people. Similarly, if you brake hard and often, you could wear out both the brake pads and the tread faster than usual.

Why You Should Choose Your Bike Tires Carefully?

There are two main reasons to be careful when choosing the sorts of bike tires you want.

First, bike tires will affect your performance. There's no point in buying a mountain bike whose tires aren't suitable for going up a mountain.

Buying the wrong tires is a lot like buying the wrong type of car. Sure, you could buy a sedan to haul things in, but it's probably not going to work as well as getting a truck or a minivan.

Second, the right type of tires will help you be safe. If your tires don't work properly, you could find yourself thrown off your bike, skidding into dangerous territory, or crashing into something (or someone) you were trying to avoid.

What to Pay Attention to When Choosing Your  Best Bike Tires?

There are six major points to pay attention to when deciding what sort of tire to buy.

Bike Type

This is the single biggest factor. What kind of bike you buy dictates the type of wheel you should get to go with it. Mountain bikes get mountain bikes tires. Commuting bikes get commuting tires. And so on.

You don't need to mix-and-match different types of tires, though you may want to buy a different set of tires if you plan to regularly travel over different sorts of terrains and don't want multiple bikes. In these cases, make sure you get a mountain bike frame - it's always better to plan for rougher terrain instead of smoother.

Wheel Size

Most wheel sizes are standard, with each of the categories having 2-3 common tire sizes.

That said, the fact that they're not completely standard means you still need to check and make sure you're getting the right size of tire for your bike. When in doubt, refer to your bike's manual.

Tire Width

This usually goes along with tire sizes, since there isn't much variation. The key point to understand here is that wider tires tend to be better at gripping and turning, while narrow tires tend to be better at accelerating and going straight.

Which you should go for depends on the types of areas you'll be riding in.

Tread Type

As we discussed above, different treads are intended for different terrains. Always look for a tread pattern that matches your intended use.

If you aren't sure how you plan to use your bike, just go for inverted treads. They don't have quite the best performance in any area, but they're excellent for casual riders and people who plan to ride in many different terrains.

Tire Durability

When it comes to tires, more durable is always better. Durability is almost always tied directly to price - the more expensive your tire is, the longer it's likely to last.

Cheap tires may seem like a good idea at first, but constantly replacing them means they could be more expensive over time... and that's not taking the safety issues into account if they go flat at an inconvenient time.

Riding Style

Finally, how do you plan to ride your bike?

Are you a rougher rider? If so, you'll probably want to look for wide, thick treads that can stand up to your style.

Do you prefer a smoother, gentler ride? You can get away with something sleeker and slimmer than other people.

Conclusion

To the untrained eye, most bike tires are little more than rings of black rubber - but as we discussed above, there's a wide variety of features and options available to you.

Ultimately, though, it comes down to this: When you're riding a bike, you should have the right tires. 

Now that you know what to look for, you're ready to compare prices and features to ensure you have exactly the right tires for the terrain you want to ride in.