Mountain Bike Tyres - How To Choose The Right Tyres

The sort of tyres you choose for your bike depends on what you use it for. Mountain bikes are used for many different things over different ground, and each discipline requires different tyres. If you have the right tyres for the job they will make it safer and improve your riding as well.

Tyres either have an inner tube that keeps them inflated or they are tubeless, but which one sort should you choose?

The majority of tubeless tyres have a thick sidewall that fits into a specific sealed-bed rim. These tyres can handle rough ground so they are perfect for downhill, but the flip side is the cost.

The benefits of an airtight seal and a durable, low pressure performance are outweighed by the cost. They also require a clean rim and tyre to fit them, and a big pump to inflate them.

Clean conditions are not often available if the tyre needs to be changed out on a trail. And even with a CO2 cartridge pump you will most likely have to use an inner tube until you can get home and fix it. Even though small holes might be repairable a big hole can mean the tyre is even written off as well.

Tubeless tyres are heavier than tyres with inner tubes so if you are looking for fast start times and riding speeds choose a lighter tyre. Inner tube tyres also offer greater flexibility as you can get them in a wider range of design and tread styles.

You can get kits to convert tyres from an inner tube to tubeless. These work by combining a latex-based filler liquid with a rubber rim strip that seals the inside of the tyre and rim. You might have to top up the filler occassionally but it still costs less than buying a tubeless tyre.

You still get most of the low pressure advantages of a tubeless tyre but with a much bigger choice of rims and treads, and with only the initial kit cost and latex top-ups to pay for. They are also lighter although the same repair problems on the trail apply unfortunately.

Whatever tyre you go for it is vital to replace them regularly. A blow out can cause injury and cost competitions. With the right selection and maintenance your tyres will make a huge difference to your riding.