GROUP TEST
They have a huge impact on the way your bike rides, so to help you choose the right rubber we’ve put 12 top options to the test
Those expensive rings of black rubber, fabric and Kevlar that wrap around your wheels and get covered in mud (or loam and dust if you’re lucky) aren’t exactly glamorous. But they are the only things connecting you with the terrain when you’re pushing the limits on a mountain bike.
Totally vital for control then, tyres all ride differently and are something of a dark art in terms of construction, compounds and the compromises that can make the difference between speed and staying safely on track, or a sluggish ride and ending up head first in a ditch.
Modern tyres cost big bucks and also literally wear out rolling along, but seeing as the best ones can transform a bike’s handling for the better, few other upgrades have as big an impact for the same cash. Basically, if you’re serious about performance, quality rubber has to be a budgetary priority.
Tyres span a wide range of opposing goals, from the fastest-possible rolling speed and weigh-saving for faster climbing, to ultimate grip, toughness and traction. No one tyre can ‘do-it-all’ without compromise.
Modern designs are cut and snakebiteresistant and also tubeless-ready, so you can use latex-based sealant instead of inner tubes inside, which vastly reduces the risk of punctures and improves tyre conformity and suppleness.
The 12 tyres here span a range of intentions from aggressive trail and XC riding to enduro, and target both wet and dry conditions. The products come from leading brands that have a sometimes-bewildering array of choices, so we’ll help you to navigate the options, taking into account control at speed and in difficult conditions, and pure weight saving and turnover pace (or anywhere in between).
Generally, being stickier, thicker and chunkier means less issues and trail failures in the form of faff-inducing punctures and damage, and also improves rider confidence and stability at speed. A further benefit is that meatier tyres work way better in mixed or damp conditions; something we’re not exactly strangers to in the UK.
You can’t have it both ways though; the major drawback of thicker rubber and deeper treads is you’ll drag more weight up climbs, while softer compounds and spikier patterns roll more slowly than lower-profile, firmer tyres. The latter are often more exciting to ride and way more dynamic too.
Our line-up features big players and some lesser-known brands hoping to elbow into the tyre market with all-new treads and technologies. Weight, prices, rubber compounds and constructions vary quite a bit, so we’ll delve into the details to make sense of it all. There’s plenty of confusing jargon to cut through, but we’ve done the legwork to let you know which of t
