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Mountain Bike Tires Explained: Everything you need to know to choose the best MTB Tires

a group of the best mountain bike tires
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If you’re new to cycling, you’d be forgiven if for assuming that all mountain bike tires are basically the same: They’re the knobby ones, right? Yes… But mountain bike tires can vary hugely in their size, materials, durability, and, depending on those knobs, the type of terrain and riding style they’re designed to handle.

A properly chosen mountain bike tire can make a ride more comfortable, safer, and give you more traction on the trail. It can shave grams off of your total bike weight, or it can make you less prone to flat tires. Tires are quite literally the base of the bike -its connection to the ground- so the tires you use make a big difference to your ride quality.

Here’s what you need to know to understand how MTB tires work, the differences in construction and type, and how to choose the best mountain bike tire for your bike and riding style…

What types of MTB tires are there?

2021 BH Lynx Race EVO XC bike, lightweight cross-country light trail mountain bike, climbing
c. BH bikes

Tires are generally marketed for four types of mountain bikes and styles of riding:

Cross-country / XC / Marathon: If you’re all about speed and climbing, and you’re a bit of a weight weenie or planning to race, cross-country mountain bike tires are for you. They’re thinner and lighter than the other options, and will roll faster. They generally have smaller, lower, and/or fewer knobs, and distinct front- and rear-specific tires are common.

While lighter means faster, the weight savings come at the expense of protection. XC tires have fewer layers of puncture and cut protection, so they may not be the best choice for gnarly trails, though burlier tires for cross country bikes are available. (We’ll explain all the layers and construction a little further down)

NS Bikes Define AL 170 long-travel mullet enduro plus all-mountain bike, ride photo by Bartek Wolinski, AL 170 1
c. Bartek Wolinski for NS Bikes

Trail / All-Mountain / Enduro: For most people, this is what they mean when they say “Mountain Biking”. Moving up in travel, you have Trail bikes (120-140mm), All Mountain (140-170mm), and Enduro (160-180mm). The tires get bigger, tougher, and more aggressive as you move up that ladder, too.

Here, knobs are taller and start to get supporting trusses to hold up to higher speed, more aggressive cornering. Tire size and volume increase to offer more traction and support, and they add more protective layers to the casing. Some tires get dual rubber compounds to put more grip on the sides.

2021 Canyon Sender CFR DH bike, lightweight full carbon World Cup downhill race mountain bike, photo by Ryan Finlay
c. Ryan Finlay for Canyon

Downhill / DH / Gravity: If you’ve ever been to a lift-served bike park, you know what downhill bikes look like. They’re burly, have massive suspension, and DH tires are built extra tough to withstand serious drops, huge obstacles, and hard hits.

c. Devinci Bikes

Plus / Fat Bikes: These bikes are designed for wider tire clearance. Fat bikes are typically ridden in snow (or occasionally sand, like on beaches) because their massive volume provides great flotation in soft surfaces.

“Plus” bikes sit between fat and trail-sized tires, and had a brief period of popularity with 2.8″ to 3.0″ tires because the added width boosted comfort and traction. But the category has mostly gone away, and most regular mountain bikes and suspension forks won’t fit tires this wide.

What size mountain bike tire do I need?

onza aquila frc enduro mtb tire review and actual weights

An MTB tire size is typically expressed as wheel diameter x tire width (like 29 x 2.4).

Generally, mountain bike tires come in three diameters – 26″, 27.5″ and 29″. There are also smaller ones for children’s bikes, ranging from 12 to 24 inches in diameter.

The second number is the width and can range from 1.9″ for ultralight race bikes (and kids’ bikes) to 5″ for fat bikes.

While the 26, 27.5 or 29-inch measurement is based on your wheel size, the tire width is determined in part by how much clearance you have between your fork or rear triangle and your tire, and by your personal preference. You’ll have a range of widths to choose from, depending on what you’re looking for in a tire. In general:

  • Cross Country: 1.9″ to 2.25″ width
  • Trail / All-Mountain / Enduro: 2.25″ to 2.6″ width
  • Downhill: 2.4″ – 2.5″ width
  • Plus: 2.8″-3.0″ width
  • Fat Bikes: 3.7″ to 5″ width

Another major consideration is matching your tire width to the correct rim width. We have a full technical article on which widths work together to help you stay within the safe ranges.

Which tires do I need – cross country, trail, enduro, or downhill?

the best rear mountain bike tires lined up on MTBs

Downhill is simple…if you’re riding at a downhill bike park, you need DH tires. The difference between trail/enduro tires and cross-country tires is a bit more subtle.

From there, a good starting point is checking the size of tire that comes stock on your bike, then determining what type of tire and features best match your terrain and riding style. Just because you have a “trail” bike with 140mm of travel doesn’t mean you can’t put a more aggressive “enduro” tire on it if that’s what’ll work best for you…or vice versa.

But what features do you need? For that, let’s look at tire construction…

What materials are MTB tires made from?

2020 Pirelli Scorpion E-MTB trail & gravity-ready e-bike tires
c. Pirelli

The simple answer is “rubber.” But it’s a bit more complicated than that. We have a deep dive on tire construction right here, but here’s the quick version:

RUBBER: Every brand has their own unique rubber compounds designed to excel in different ways, and many disclose the durometer (aka “firmness”) of the rubber. Lower durometer numbers (40-60) are softer and have better the grip, but they’ll roll slower and wear out faster. Harder rubber (higher durometer, usually 60-72) provides lower rolling resistance so you can go faster, but won’t grip as well.

Higher end tires usually get dual compounds, putting a softer rubber on the side knobs for better cornering, and firmer rubber in the middle for faster rolling and better braking.

CASING: Every tire has a casing that the rubber is applied to. It’s usually a woven nylon fabric. Cheaper tires have lower TPI casings, but most “performance” tires start at 60tpi and this is a great baseline because it’s both flexible and sturdy. More aggressive tires sometimes use two 60tpi casing layers to add more support and cut protection. The tradeoff is they’re less supple and can have a firm-feeling ride, although they’re also better able to handle lower tire pressures without getting squirmy.

Lighter-weight “race” tires can get 120tpi casings, which use thinner fibers to increase the thread count. They are very flexible and help the tire deform to match the terrain, so they feel amazing, but they’re expensive and not nearly as cut resistant.

REINFORCEMENTS: In addition to the casings, some tires add reinforcements to further prevent sidewall cuts, punctures, and pinch flats. Look for a Kevlar or Aramid layer under the tread (puncture protection) or on the sidewall (cut resistance), or both.

An “Apex” layer is a small foam or rubber wedge layered between the casings by the tire’s bead. It adds a bit of sidewall support, but its main purpose is add a cushion between the sidewall and the rim to prevent snakebite punctures when you hit a sharp edge really hard.

All of these technologies work great, but they all add weight and cost. Knobbier, more aggressive tires pedal slowly and can really sap your energy on the climbs and flats. So, only buy as much tire as you really need.

What about MTB tire beads?

You may notice that some tires in your local bike shop are sold neatly folded up in a cardboard wrap, while others are open to full size.

Cheaper tires use rigid wire beads because they’re easier to manufacturer and cost less. Some downhill tires still use wire beads because weight doesn’t matter as much and they’re a bit less likely to come off the rim, but mostly you’ll want to upgrade to…

Folding bead tires use Kevlar beads, which are much lighter. Kevlar won’t stretch, so it’s unlikely to come off the rim (never say never, but it’s basically a non-issue), and these are easier to mount on modern tubeless-ready rims.

What do the knobs do?

tire profile maxxis shorty mid spike

Those knobs on the tire—also known as lugs—provide traction. We did a deep dive on MTB tire knobs here, but for a quick reference, here are the basics:

  • Big lugs with wide spacing will help you roll through muddy terrain. These are usually tapered—wider at the bottom and smaller at the top—to allow tires to shed mud faster.
  • Ramped knobs, which are what you see on most bikes, are slanted in the direction that the tire will roll for less resistance, then squared off in the back to provide more resistance when you brake.
  • Small, short, tight lugs will allow you to roll faster and are better for harder surfaces and trails without many obstacles.
  • Side lugs provide grip in corners as the bike leans (and often tires will have a line of transition lugs between the center and side lugs for lesser corners).
  • Low-profile lugs (shorter ones) will roll faster, but will not grip as well on obstacles or corners.

Does tire direction matter?

are mountain bike tire treads directional or front and rear specific
Ritchey’s Trail series of mountain bike tires exemplify both directional and front- and rear-specific tread patterns. c. Ritchey

Most lugs are designed to roll in a certain direction, which is usually indicated on the tire. Mount them backward and you’ll end up adding resistance to your ride rather than improving your traction. And some tires, like the Ritchey Trail series above, are front- and rear-wheel specific.

Can you run two different tires?

Cannondale with a Schwalbe Racing Ralph in the rear and a Racing Ray tire mounted on the front wheel.
Cannondale with a Schwalbe Racing Ralph in the rear and a Racing Ray tire mounted on the front wheel.

Absolutely! A lot of top pro racers will opt for more traction in the front and a faster-rolling tire in the rear. For example, Canyon MTB Racing’s Emily Batty is a fan of the Schwalbe Racing Ray tire in the front and the Racing Ralph in the rear. The front-wheel-designed Racing Ray in the front offers an aggressive XC tread developed for optimal steering precision with its lug design, while the Racing Ralph in the rear rolls faster. (This combination is also a favorite of Bikerumor staffers.)

Should I set up tubeless tires?

4oz stans tubeless sealant required for fresh 29x2.4" tire setup

A lot of mountain bikes and wheelsets are sold as tubeless-compatible, though many may not come actually set up with tubeless tires. As the name implies, tubeless tires don’t require tubes and instead use tape around the wheel’s inner rim to seal off the spoke holes. Sealant is poured into the tire and the tire is seated, usually using an air compressor or a bike pump with a “booster” chamber in order to add enough air quickly to get the tires to ‘sit’ on the rim of the wheel.

The sealant does exactly what you’d assume it would: Keeps the air sealed into your tire, even if you get a small puncture or you hit an obstacle hard and pinch your tire. This means you can run lower pressures for better comfort and traction, and you save the weight of the tube, too. However, they are harder to deal with if things do go awry and can be messy, so if you’re not much of a mechanic, you may want to stick to regular tubes while you build your skills.

Is there a difference between tubeless and regular MTB tires?

You can attempt to turn any mountain bike tire into a tubeless setup, but we wouldn’t recommend it unless both your tire and rim are labeled as ‘Tubeless Compatible’ or ‘Tubeless Ready’.

Fortunately, almost every modern mountain bike tire (especially ones you’d be upgrading to) are now tubeless-ready. And most modern mountain bike wheels use tubeless-ready rims, all of which are manufactured to meet size and diameter standards to ensure a safe, secure fit. As long as you’re buying a reputable, major brand of wheel/rim and tire, tubeless setup is easy and reliable, and will improve your ride quality.

What do the different tire descriptions mean?

In addition to putting tires into the XC, trail or downhill categories, brands often categorize their tires by the conditions that the lugs are optimized for. As you look for a tire, think about the terrain you typically ride, and whether you prefer comfort or speed.

  • MUD: Pretty self-explanatory, but tires optimized for mud tend to have wider-spaced, spiky-shaped lugs so that mud doesn’t cake up between them and ruin your traction.
  • SEMI-SLICK: If you’re a racer and often on non-technical trails, a semi-slick allows you to maximize speed with tightly placed, low-profile lugs.
  • LOOSE: Lots of sand or small rocks that move around where you ride? Look for tires designed for loose riding.
  • HARDPACK: Fast shredding on hard dirt or slickrock.
  • ROCKY: Some tires are designed to be more puncture resistance and armored on the sides so that if you’re riding in an area with lots of sharp rock, you’ll be less likely to puncture.

How much should MTB tires cost?

There’s a huge range of pricing when it comes to mountain bike tires. A decent tire can be as inexpensive as $30 per tire, but can easily climb up to over $100 per tire. The sweet spot is right around $50-70/tire when it comes to cost versus value for most riders.

MTB Tire Buying Guides

So, which type and brand should you buy? We’re adding MTB cross country, enduro, and downhill tire buyer’s guides, here’s what’s live now:

  • Cross-Country MTB Tires Buyer’s Guide (coming soon)
  • Enduro/Trail MTB Tires Buyer’s Guide (coming soon)
  • Downhill MTB Tires Buyer’s Guide (coming soon)

What questions do you have about MTB tires? Leave ’em in the comments and we’ll answer them!

Feature image © Pirelli

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Richard Barrett
Richard Barrett
3 years ago

Good information.
Are inserts a good idea?
Thanks

Tyler Benedict
Admin
3 years ago

We’re testing a LOT of tire inserts right now and will have a buyer’s guide for those published soon that will explain the pros and cons of the category in general and all of the major player’s products, too. Stay tuned!

Richie
Richie
3 years ago

Can I run hookless TLR rims with standard non-TLR folding bead tyres using latex inner-tubes?

Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim
3 years ago

Your all-mountain and enduro bike travel description are reversed. Most people riding downhill are also on tires 2.3-2.5. I don’t know anyone riding dedicated DH bike on 2.8in tires. Tires used in enduro have more in common with DH tires than XC. I run DD rear tire on my enduro bike and I don’t think anyone riding an XC bike would be running one of those.

Zach Overholt
Admin
3 years ago
Reply to  Tiny Tim

You’re right. Updated to reflect that.

Professed
Professed
3 years ago

Triple and quadruple compounds are rather common now. It seems Specialized, conti and pirelli still stick to a single compound. Dual compounds would not really be considered as ‘high end’ don’t you think?

Tyler Benedict
Admin
3 years ago
Reply to  Professed

Depends on the brand. Dual compound tires are certainly higher end than single compound tires.

Brian Goldberg
Brian Goldberg
2 years ago

My bike is a GIANT brand MTB 27.5 X 2.1″ any idea why they chose that width?

Dalton
Dalton
2 years ago

Bike tires are an impressive product of continuous technological innovation, and every biker will be able to appreciate this more as they ride more. Experienced cyclists may be able to understand tires at a different level, considering how different modern ones are from those made one or two decades ago. You will have gained a higher appreciation for them after learning about how our bike tires are made. 

Charlie
Charlie
7 months ago

Trying to upgrade my bike with new wheels, but I’m not sure they’ll fit my wheel rims. I’m wondering what kind of rims you guys would recommend

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