Common name<\/th>	Usage<\/th>	ETRTO size<\/th>	Typical tyre widths<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
700c<\/td>	Road bike<\/td>	622<\/td>	23, 25, 28, 30, 35mm<\/td> <\/tr>
Gravel bike<\/td>	622<\/td>	35, 40, 45mm<\/td> <\/tr>
Cylocross<\/td>	622<\/td>	33mm<\/td> <\/tr>
29er<\/td>	MTB<\/td>	622<\/td>	2.4″, 2.6″, 2.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
28 inch<\/td>	Commuter bike<\/td>	622<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
650b<\/td>	Gravel bike<\/td>	584<\/td>	45, 50mm<\/td> <\/tr>
27.5″<\/td>	MTB<\/td>	584<\/td>	2.4″, 2.6″, 2.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
Commuter bike<\/td>	584<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
Fat bike<\/td>	584<\/td>	3.8″, 4.5″, 4.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
26 inch<\/td>	Commuter bike<\/td>	559<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
Kids’ bike<\/td>	559<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
Fat bike<\/td>	559<\/td>	3.8″, 4.5″, 4.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
24 inch<\/td>	Kids’ bike<\/td>	507<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
20 inch<\/td>	Folding bike<\/td>	406<\/td>	1.5″, 2″<\/td> <\/tr>
Kids’ bike<\/td>	406<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
16 inch<\/td>	Folding bike<\/td>	349<\/td>	1.2″, 1.35″<\/td> <\/tr>
Kids’ bike<\/td>	349<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
14 inch<\/td>	Kids’ bike<\/td>	254<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
12 inch<\/td>	Kids’ bike<\/td>	203<\/td>	1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>

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All you need to know about bike tyres, plus how to choose and maintain your tyres <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Monday, 26 August 2024 at 13:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

As your one point of contact with the road or trail, your bicycle’s tyres do a lot of work. <\/p>

Tyres have to provide the grip you need without slowing you down unduly. They need to stay inflated and keep going for thousands of miles without needing to be replaced. They need to be comfortable, acting as a primary source of suspension, and they need to transmit your power and steering to the ground.<\/p>

For a seemingly simple part of your bike, tyres are surprisingly complex, and a lot of R&D goes into bringing a new tyre to market. <\/p>

They\u2019re also highly specialised to suit the type of riding you do \u2013 whether that\u2019s a time trial or a downhill mountain bike race.\u00a0<\/p>

We\u2019ll delve here into the types of bike tyre, the component parts that make them up and how to keep yours safe and working well.\u00a0<\/p>

Types of bike tyres explained<\/h2>
Early bicycles had solid tyres. – Fox Photos\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The original bicycles back in the 19th century, including penny-farthings<\/a>, had solid tyres.\u00a0<\/p>
As you\u2019d expect, their ride quality wasn\u2019t great. It was John Boyd Dunlop who, in 1888, patented the pneumatic bike tyre<\/a> and ushered in an era of smoother riding.<\/p>
The air in a pneumatic tyre helps cushion the ride by acting as a spring, and does so with little energy loss, so you can ride faster too.\u00a0<\/p>
Bike tyres have become ever more technical, efficient and adapted to their proposed use:<\/p>
Road bike tyres: <\/strong>Are designed for low rolling resistance, low weight and high grip on paved surfaces. The best road bike tyres<\/a> are typically narrow and incorporate little tread. Winter<\/a> or endurance road tyres are more substantial and include more tread. Specialist lightweight road bike tyres are used for time trials and triathlons<\/li>
MTB tyres: <\/strong>Provide grip on off-road rides, with a pronounced tread pattern and a casing designed to withstand impacts. The best mountain tyres<\/a> are highly specialised for the different disciplines.<\/li>
Commuter bike tyres:<\/strong> Are typically wider and more robust than road bike tyres, have a tread and may include reflective details<\/li>
Gravel bike tyres:<\/strong> Come somewhere between road and MTB tyres, being wider than the former but narrower than the latter. Gravel bike tyres<\/a> usually have more tread than road bike tyres and are, generally, designed to be used tubeless<\/li>
Cyclocross tyres: <\/strong>Offer grip for racing off-road, but are typically narrower than gravel bike tyres, to comply with regulations governing officially sanctioned cyclocross races<\/li>
Tyres for folding bikes:<\/strong> Are designed for the smaller wheels typical on folding bikes<\/li>
Electric bike tyres<\/strong>: Are engineered to handle the greater torque, power and weight of electric bikes. Tyre makers may have a separate range for fast electric bikes, capable of assistance above the normal 25km\/h (20mph) speed limit<\/li>
Fat bike tyres.<\/strong> Fat bike tyres are, well, fat. They\u2019re good for riding in sand, snow and bogs, but for other surfaces they\u2019re heavy and slow<\/li>
Kids\u2019 bike tyres:<\/strong> Come in smaller sizes to suit younger riders<\/li><\/ul>
How do bicycle tyres attach to a wheel’s rim?<\/h2>
There are three main types of bicycle tyre. All use different combinations of components to mount to the rim. A variant is the solid tyre, which we\u2019ll also talk about.<\/p>
Clincher tyres<\/h3>
$\"Halo$
A clincher tyre is held in place by an inner tube and, typically, hooks on the wall of the rim. – Rob Borek \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The most common type of bicycle tyre is the clincher. <\/p>
In this system, the tyre is an inverted U-shape with a rounded bead on the edge of the casing. The bead is held against the inside edge of the rim by the pressure inside the tyre, holding the whole tyre safely in place.\u00a0For a standard clincher system, hooks on the rims help to keep the tyre on the rim.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Butyl$
In a clincher system, the inner tube holds the air. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Air is held in an inner tube<\/a> with a valve, which protrudes through the inner side of the rim to enable the inner tube to be inflated.<\/p>
Tubeless tyres<\/h3>
$\"Installing$
A tubeless clincher tyre requires an airtight rim, often taped, and a separate valve to retain air. – Joe Norledge \/ Immediate Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Tubeless tyres<\/a> are a variant of clincher tyres, where, as the name suggests, there\u2019s no inner tube. <\/p>
Instead, an airtight seal between the tyre beads and the rim holds air in the tyre. Liquid sealant<\/a>, usually based on latex, is added to the tyre to help ensure it is airtight.<\/p>
Unlike with a standard clincher, the wheel rim itself needs to be airtight. This may be through a continuous rim bed, or the rim may need to be taped. <\/p>
$\"Removing$
The valve is a separate part in a tubeless system. – Steve Sayers \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
A separate valve screwed to the rim is used to inflate the tyre.<\/p>
Even in tubeless tyre systems, there are often hooks to the rims, which also help ensure tyre retention. But hookless rims<\/a> are increasingly common, particularly in MTB wheels. These rely on tyre pressure and tight tolerances between the tyre beads and the rim to keep the tyre in place.\u00a0<\/p>
Hookless rims are now a feature of many road and gravel bike wheels too, although they impose limits on the tyre pressure you can use, with ISO standards recommending a tyre pressure lower than 5 Bar\/72psi.\u00a0<\/p>
Tubular tyres<\/h3>
$\"\"$
A tubular tyre is glued to a rim with a dished profile. – James Huang \/ Immediate Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
In a tubular tyre, the tyre casing is sewn together on its inner side, fully enclosing the inner tube like a sausage. <\/p>
A tubular tyre is then glued to a rim<\/a> with a shallow dished profile, which lacks sidewalls. <\/p>
This enables the rim to be made lighter and there\u2019s a degree of run-flat capability, both of which have made tubular tyres popular with road racers and cyclocross riders.<\/p>
But tubulars are expensive, tricky to mount and even trickier to repair. Some types of glue used are toxic. <\/p>
Rolling resistance has been found to be, typically, greater than tubeless tyres. <\/p>
Tubs are now becoming a niche product, mainly confined to elite cyclocross competition, but a few exceptions remain in the WorldTour ranks.<\/p>
Solid tyres<\/h3>
$\"\"$
A solid tyre eliminates the risk of punctures, but at the expense of ride comfort. – Courtesy<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Another niche product, solid tyres \u2013 also called airless tyres \u2013 work with a clincher wheel rim, but are made from a material similar to running shoe soles. <\/p>
The absence of air means no punctures, but solid tyres are typically difficult to install, their ride comfort isn\u2019t a match for pneumatic tyres and their rolling resistance is significantly higher.<\/p>
Bicycle tyre construction<\/h2>
$\"Zipp$
A good deal of technology goes into developing a bicycle tyre. – Zipp<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Bicycle tyres are surprisingly technical. Tyre makers put a lot of research and development into their casings, rubber compounds and construction to optimise a new tyre\u2019s performance for its intended use.\u00a0<\/p>
That extends to all the components of the tyre, which we describe below.<\/p>
Casing<\/h3>
$\"Checking$
A tyre’s casing holds everything together and is a major determinant of the tyre’s performance. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The tyre casing<\/a>, or carcass, is made up of one or more layers of fabric, usually nylon or cotton, which ensure the tyre\u2019s structural integrity. <\/p>
There are typically at least two layers, usually more, to ensure the tyre is robust enough for its intended use.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Santa$
Mountain bike tyres are often offered in numerous casing options to suit different applications. – Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The number of layers may vary across the width of the casing in some cases, with more in the sidewalls and fewer under the tread.\u00a0<\/p>
How fine the material in a casing is will usually be expressed in threads per inch, or TPI. <\/p>
Cotton tyre casings typically have much higher TPI counts than nylon casings. This results in a more supple ride, although cotton tyres\u2019 longevity and resistance to cuts and abrasion may be less.<\/p>
The TPI count is usually expressed as the sum of the threads in each layer of the casing, so a casing made up of three 40 TPI layers will be shown by a manufacturer as having a 120 TPI count.<\/p>
Bead<\/h3>
$\"Using$
The bead holds the tyre in place on the wheel rim. – Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
In clincher and tubeless clincher tyres, a bead at the outer edges of the casing helps to hold the tyre in place.\u00a0<\/p>
In a non-folding tyre the bead is generally made of steel wire. <\/p>
In a folding tyre it is made of a non-elastic material such as aramid, Kevlar or carbon fibre. <\/p>
$\"Pirelli$
It’s imperative a folding tyre’s bead cannot stretch. – Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Tubeless tyres need to have the best-performing bead material to ensure they don\u2019t stretch off the rim.<\/p>
The bead material is moulded within a layer of rubber to help keep it in place on the rim and, for tubeless tyres, keep the tyre-to-rim connection airtight.\u00a0<\/p>
Tread<\/h3>
$\"Continental$
Road tyres usually have little or no tread. – Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The tread is the part of the tyre that grips the road or trail surface. It\u2019s made of a rubber compound, which will include additives such as carbon black to improve performance.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Comparing$
Tyres are available with different treads to suit different purposes. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
While road bike tyres typically have little or no tread, the tread pattern varies by use, with MTB tyres usually having aggressive treads to ensure grip. <\/p>
Gravel and cyclocross tyres may also have a significant tread pattern, depending on their intended usage.<\/p>
The tread is typically fixed to the tyre casing in a process called vulcanisation, where heat and steam bond the two together. <\/p>
The alternative is to glue the tread to the casing, which is used for most cotton tyres.<\/p>
Compound<\/h3>
$\"Cube$
The compound of a tyre will, among other things, determine how grippy it is. – Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The rubber compound used for the tread will also vary depending on the tyre\u2019s intended use. <\/p>
Softer compounds may increase tyre grip, but at the expense of longevity. <\/p>
The compound will typically include additives such as silica or graphene, which can reduce rolling resistance.<\/p>
Sidewall<\/h3>
$\"Schwalbe$
Tyre sidewalls are rubber coated to help retain air and to make the tyre more robust. – Schwalbe<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The tyre\u2019s sidewall extends from the edge of the tread to the bead. <\/p>
It\u2019s comprised of the tyre\u2019s casing fabric, but is usually coated with rubber to make it more robust and airtight.\u00a0<\/p>
Other tyre construction features<\/h3>
There are other features that make up a bicycle tyre, which may improve its appropriateness for its intended use.<\/p>
Puncture protection<\/h4>
$\"Schwalbe$
Some tyres are designed with puncture protection in mind over all else. – Simon Bromley \/ Immediate Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Most bicycle tyres include a puncture protection layer under the tread. This is made up of a denser material, which is better able to guard against penetration than the casing fabric. <\/p>
Materials used and their brand names differ by the tyre manufacturer, but Kevlar or denser nylon fabric are typical components.<\/p>
It’s possible to add a separate tyre liner insert<\/a> to a tyre to increase the level of puncture protection.<\/p>
Some tyres designed for specific uses, such as lightweight time trial tyres, may omit the puncture protection layer.<\/p>
Knobs and studs<\/h4>
$\"Schwalbe$
Mountain bike tyre tread patterns are highly developed to provide grip in different conditions. – Alex Evans \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Knobs are rubber protrusions in the tyre\u2019s tread. They are most often found on MTB tyres and offer grip for off-road use. They may also be a feature of some gravel, cyclocross and specialist road and commuter bike tyres.\u00a0<\/p>
The knobs\u2019 pattern and their depth will vary with intended use. Knobs may incorporate siping \u2013 slits in the rubber to improve grip.<\/p>
Specialist tyres for use on ice and snow may include metal studs<\/a> screwed into the rubber studs to cut into the frozen surface.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
Reflective details<\/h4>
$\"Schwalbe$
Tyres designed for urban use often incorporate a reflective strip in their sidewalls. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Tyres, particularly those designed for urban use, may include a reflective strip in the sidewalls to increase road presence at night.<\/p>
Bicycle tyre sizes<\/h2>
$\"29in,$
The same model tyre is often available for multiple wheel sizes. – BikeRadar<\/figcaption><\/figure>
There\u2019s a huge range of bicycle tyre sizes \u2013 or more accurately internal diameter \u2013 depending on the wheel diameter they\u2019re intended to fit.<\/p>
Road bikes are typically fitted with 700c tyres, although in some cases smaller 650b tyres are fitted to smaller frame sizes.<\/p>
Gravel bikes, too, may use 700c or 650b<\/a> tyres.<\/p>
$\"650b$
A 700c wheel (left) and a 650b wheel (right). – Katherine Moore<\/figcaption><\/figure>
MTB tyre diameters are usually expressed in inches, reflecting the origin of MTBs in the US. Their typical tyre diameters<\/a> are 29 inches or 27.5 inches.\u00a0<\/p>
These MTB tyres are equivalent in diameter to 700c and 650b tyres on road bikes, although tyres aren\u2019t usually interchangeable between road bikes and MTBs due to the difference in tyre and wheel rim width. It may be possible to use MTB tyres on some gravel bikes though.\u00a0<\/p>
Previously, MTBs rode almost exclusively on 26-inch wheels and tyres, but these have largely been superseded by the larger-diameter tyres on modern MTBs for their superior traction and roll-over.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Female$
Commuter bikes come with a variety of tyre sizes, from 26in to 29in. – Steve Sayers \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Commuter bike tyre sizes are also often expressed in inches, although confusingly 700c\/29in tyres are sometimes marketed as 28in tyres when they\u2019re designed for commuter bikes<\/a>. You can also find 27.5in and 26in commuter bike tyres.<\/p>
Some larger children\u2019s bikes<\/a> have 26in tyres, although 24, 20, 16 or 12 inches are more common sizes, reflecting the different-sized bikes required for younger children.<\/p>
Folding bikes typically have small wheels and tyres too, with 20 inches a common size, although some folders \u2013 including Bromptons<\/a> \u2013 use 16in wheels and tyres.<\/p>
Fat bike<\/a> tyres are massive. They usually start at 3.8in and can reach 5in wide. They typically hold low pressures and roll on 26in, or sometimes 27.5in, wheels.<\/p>
Bicycle tyres and rim widths<\/h2>
$\"\"$
A tyre and rim’s size and compatibility are ultimately defined by their ETRTO number. – Matt Pacocha<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The array of different tyre sizes and rims to which they fit means there needs to be some standardisation. That\u2019s ensured by ISO standards, which in turn follow those defined by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation, or ETRTO.<\/p>
You\u2019ll find ETRTO size markings on all bicycle tyres, even though they\u2019re marketed by their more usual 700c, 27.5in, etc. designation. The ETRTO tyre sizes are defined by the the nominal tyre width in millimetres and the nominal tyre bead diameter, so a road bike tyre might have an ETRTO number of 25-622, indicating it\u2019s 25mm in diameter and will fit on a 700c wheel.\u00a0<\/p>
Why is it called 700c? Read our explainer<\/a> for more detail.<\/p>
Principal ETRTO tyre sizes<\/h2>
You can find a tyre in pretty much any width you choose. In contrast, there are specific tyre diameters, designed to fit properly on a specified rim height. Here\u2019s a list of ETRTO tyre diameters and typical widths, along with the types of riding they\u2019re used for.<\/p>
<\/colgroup>

Common name<\/th> Usage<\/th> ETRTO size<\/th> Typical tyre widths<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>

700c<\/td> Road bike<\/td> 622<\/td> 23, 25, 28, 30, 35mm<\/td> <\/tr>
Gravel bike<\/td> 622<\/td> 35, 40, 45mm<\/td> <\/tr>
Cylocross<\/td> 622<\/td> 33mm<\/td> <\/tr>
29er<\/td> MTB<\/td> 622<\/td> 2.4″, 2.6″, 2.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
28 inch<\/td> Commuter bike<\/td> 622<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
650b<\/td> Gravel bike<\/td> 584<\/td> 45, 50mm<\/td> <\/tr>
27.5″<\/td> MTB<\/td> 584<\/td> 2.4″, 2.6″, 2.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
Commuter bike<\/td> 584<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
Fat bike<\/td> 584<\/td> 3.8″, 4.5″, 4.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
26 inch<\/td> Commuter bike<\/td> 559<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
Kids’ bike<\/td> 559<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
Fat bike<\/td> 559<\/td> 3.8″, 4.5″, 4.8″<\/td> <\/tr>
24 inch<\/td> Kids’ bike<\/td> 507<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
20 inch<\/td> Folding bike<\/td> 406<\/td> 1.5″, 2″<\/td> <\/tr>
Kids’ bike<\/td> 406<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
16 inch<\/td> Folding bike<\/td> 349<\/td> 1.2″, 1.35″<\/td> <\/tr>
Kids’ bike<\/td> 349<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
14 inch<\/td> Kids’ bike<\/td> 254<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr>
12 inch<\/td> Kids’ bike<\/td> 203<\/td> 1.5″, 1.75″, 2.0″<\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>

How do bicycle tyres attach to a wheel’s rim?<\/h2>There are three main types of bicycle tyre. All use different combinations of components to mount to the rim. A variant is the solid tyre, which we\u2019ll also talk about.<\/p>

Other tyre construction features<\/h3>There are other features that make up a bicycle tyre, which may improve its appropriateness for its intended use.<\/p>

How do bicycle tyres attach to a wheel’s rim?<\/h2>
There are three main types of bicycle tyre. All use different combinations of components to mount to the rim. A variant is the solid tyre, which we\u2019ll also talk about.<\/p>

Other tyre construction features<\/h3>
There are other features that make up a bicycle tyre, which may improve its appropriateness for its intended use.<\/p>