By Alex Evans

Published: Tuesday, 10 May 2022 at 12:00 am

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Getting the best mountain bike tyres for the type of riding you do and the conditions you typically encounter can be a real headache.

Get it right, however, and tyres – which you’ll need to match to your mountain bike wheel sizes – can make a big difference to how your ride behaves. You can spend all you want on the best mountain bike wheels, but they won’t fulfil their potential without suitable tyres.

Why is it so tough to find the right tyres? First, there’s a lot of assumed knowledge with MTB tyres.

You’re expected to know what a mud tyre should look like and where it will perform best. The best winter mountain bike tyres are worth considering if you ride a lot in the wet.

You need to know what type of tread pattern works well on smooth or bumpy terrain, and you need a decent knowledge about carcass thickness and rubber compound.

But, fear not, we’ve done the leg work for you.

For each tyre we’ve added what that model is good at, what it’s designed for, whether it’s available with different rubber compounds or carcass thicknesses, and which discipline it’s most suited to.

• Best cross-country tyres 
• Best downcountry tyres
• Best trail tyres
• Best all-mountain tyres
• Best enduro tyres
• Mountain bike tyres buyer’s guide

What to look for when buying mountain bike tyres

You can’t overstate the importance of a good set of tyres. They drastically affect how your bike rides, so skimping is a false economy. Finding the best tyres for your needs is far from straightforward though.

Width

Width is crucial. Wider tyres roll faster over soft or bumpy terrain – in timed tests we’ve consistently ridden DH tracks faster on them – so many brands now offer 2.6in options. But a fatter tyre won’t suit everyone, because they can have a bouncy ride feel and won’t fit all frames.

Tread

Tread pattern is a key consideration too. Tall, widely-spaced knobs are ideal for muddy or loose terrain, while shorter tread blocks tend to be faster – rolling and more predictable on hard surfaces.

Andy Lloyd / Our Media

Compounds

Most MTB tyres are available in several rubber compounds. Softer compounds grip better on roots and rocks, and have a more ‘planted ’ ride feel, because the rubber absorbs more energy from bumps. The downsides are that they wear faster and have more rolling resistance.

Casing

Many tyres come with a choice of casings too. Our guide to mountain bike tyre carcass construction has all the detail.

But in short, thicker carcasses are less likely to puncture. Due to stiffer sidewalls, they can usually be run at lower tyre pressures without the sidewall collapsing when cornering. They also provide more damping, so are less bouncy over bumps.

Thinner casings roll faster, especially over bumpy ground, and transmit less feedback at a given pressure.

Russell Burton / Our Media

Front or rear

Tyres are becoming increasingly specialised for the front or rear wheel. Rolling resistance and puncture protection are more of an issue on the rear, as it supports most of the rider’s weight, whereas grip is more important up front, to stop your front wheel sliding out.

That’s the basics covered but we’ve also added an in-depth buyer’s guide and glossary at the end of the article, to help you find exactly what you need.

Many of the MTB tyres we’ve tested recently, and have been impressed by, have been orientated towards trail and enduro riding, and this is reflected in our current list. We have more tyre reviews in the pipeline, and will only recommend tyres we’ve tested and that are current models.

Best mountain bike tyres

Best cross-country tyres of 2022

Cross-country tyres are optimised for tamer trails than their downcountry, trail, all-mountain and enduro counterparts. They are typically lighter weight, given that this is a keen focus for cross-country racing.

Schwalbe Racing Ray Addix Speed

5.0 out of 5 star rating

David Arthur / Immediate Media

• £51 / €58 / $65 as tested
• 692g claimed weight
• 29×2.25in tested
• A fast-rolling tread pattern
• Best as a front tyre

The Racing Ray is a lightweight, fast-rolling option that corners well. It has a front-specific tread pattern and is designed to be used in tandem with a Racing Ralph rear tyre. The Addix Speed Rubber compound is designed to balance optimum grip, speed and durability. The tyre works very well in most conditions, be it dry or damp. It has great straight-line rolling speed, offers a reassuring feel on corners and is confidence-inspiring when braking.

• Read our full Schwalbe Racing Ray Addix Speed tyre review