Get power and grip with the right Mountain Bike Tyres

As with any wheel fitted transportation mode, what you put on those wheels is what counts! You can have the ultimate power machine but if your mountain bike tyres are not gripping a surface then it’s a lot of wasted energy. It’s not as though you are limited for choice, except perhaps regarding specialised mtb tyres, because there’s an excellent standard selection available of high-performance products.

This range will probably be added to in the not too distant future, with tyres offering a more frontal and rear edge, for braking and climbing purposes. In addition, there should also be a harder wearing and more durable rubber as available in other types of two-wheeled related sports!

About choosing tyres for mountain bike performance

The high volume performance ‘plus’ mountain bike road tyres provide the best performance when at a low pressure that offers various advantages when climbing on certain surfaces. However, they are not recognised for having the best sidewall supporting strength when impacting hard on the surface and loading into corners.

On the plus side, these tyres have a significant stopping capability when hammering the brakes, with an effective cushioning that reduces the fatigue factor! A highlight of the “plus” tyres is the results gained from their high volume. This helps in picking up and the bike placement, which is a particular benefit if you’re riding one of the heavier-weighted bikes with larger mountain bike tyre sizes.

What are the best mtb tyres?

This can lead into choosing tyres for courses and conditions, such as semi slick mtb tyres. Slick or Semi-slick tyres are utilised by cyclists who prefer to avoid biking on rough surfaces or in the mud. This form of a tyre has a limited road surface resistance and therefore, a more enjoyable and faster riding experience is provided. For multi-users on reads and rougher terrains, there is a semi-slick mountain bike tyre available, with a semi-knob design that provides grip on hard and rough surfaces.

Contrastingly, mtb slick tyres are designed for street and conditions where aquaplaning is not an issue for cycles because of their narrowed width, a higher pressure, and lower travel speed. These factors are also helped by a circular cross section to compensate for the bicycle “lean” in the turns. It’s a tyre able to penetrate the surface water layer with relative ease.

A closing statement regarding the best mtb tyres could be that the grip provided by a larger tyre, combined with a heavier bike weight, effectively drives the tyres into the surface, making for a more predictable and safer ride. However, for higher speeds, for example, on “emtb”, some bite and tread must exist!