MTB

From fast cross-country tyres to biting enduro tyres – besides the tyre width, MTB tyres differ in three main points:

• Tread: The number, shape and arrangement of the knobs influence grip, riding behaviour and self-cleaning properties.
• Rubber compound: Soft compounds generate more grip, but also produce higher rolling resistance.
• Casing: The more aggressive the riding style and the lower the air pressure, the more stable should the tyre structure be, including multi-layer casings and strong puncture protection belts.

The more aggressive your riding style and the more you push your mountain bike, the more likely you are to notice a loss of grip on worn tyres. In the interests of safety and riding enjoyment, you should therefore change the tyres early. But even with a moderate riding style, you should not wait too long until you change your tyres, so that worn tyres do not become a safety risk on off-road rides. At the latest when the knobs no longer show any notches or when signs of fatigue such as cracks in the sidewall or broken knobs appear, it is time for new mountain bike tyres.

Tubeless tyres offer a number of advantages, especially for mountain bikers. The most important reasons that speak for tubeless systems are

1. Fewer breakdowns: The sealant in the tyre closes small holes in a fraction of a second. The elimination of the tube also minimises the risk of snakebites.
2. More grip: Thanks to the reduced risk of punctures, the tubeless tyre can be ridden with less air pressure, which in turn generates more traction.
3. Lower weight: Because the weight of the inner tube is eliminated, you can easily save 100 grams per wheel despite the sealant. This means you have to accelerate less mass every time you start off.
4. Less rolling resistance: An inner tube always "works" a little against the tyre – especially with low air pressures. Riding with a tubeless setup therefore also saves a few watts in the long run.

Wide tyres provide more grip and damping, narrower tyres reduce rolling resistance and make riding more agile – this applies to all bikes and especially to mountain bike tyres. The right tyre width therefore depends on your riding style and personal preferences. However, depending on the bike category, the following tyre sizes have become established for MTB tyres:

• Marathon, Cross-Country: approx. 2.0" – 2.2"
• Down Country, Trail, All Mountain: approx. 2.2" – 2.4"
• Enduro, Freeride, Downhill: approx. 2.4" – 2.6"

From 2.8 inches upwards, we also speak of 27.5+" tyres, more rarely also 29+" tyres. Due to their higher weight and rolling resistance, these plus tyres are, however, almost only found on E-MTB tyres.

If you put the measuring tape on the inside, a 29-inch mountain bike tyre is no bigger than a 28-inch road bike tyre or hybrid tyre. All of them have an internal dimension of exactly 622 mm. However, as wider tyres also bulge outwards, the outer diameter is closer to 29 inches (approx. 736 mm) than to 28 inches (approx. 711 mm). Historically speaking, or in terms of rim size, the "Twentyniner" is just a wider 28-inch tyre and owes its name to the ingenuity of the marketing departments.