Tyre choice
As the only contact between you and the surface you are riding on, your tyres are essential for ensuring that you can extract the greatest amount of pleasure from your ride. Fitting the wrong tyres can have detrimental effects on handling and traction, reducing your ability to control your bike properly.
Related: When to replace your bike tyres
Bike tyres are specifically designed to operate in certain conditions, from the tread pattern to the rubber compounds to the actual construction of the tyre. Deciding which tyre is best for you is a minefield and can be extremely confusing if you don't know what you're looking for. We break down the four main riding categories and what you should look for in a tyre for your ride.
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Offroad
Offroad tyres will have a hard construction in the sidewall and tread area. These tyres will almost always have large rubber nodules or "knobblies" that dig into the loose surfaces of sand, mud, rocks, and gravel. Under race conditions, these tyres will only last a few hours as the compound used is very soft, leading to quick wear. Weekend warriors can usually get a few months of recreational use out of a set of tyres.
When buying a set, you will want to match the tyres to the main type of riding, whether cross country, enduro, gravel or sand. A good soft to medium compound tyre with a strong sidewall and tread construction will be essential to avoid punctures and "snakebites". We would recommend anything from Metzeler or Mitas here.
Adventure
Adventure riders will use roughly a 60/40 split of tar vs. gravel and, therefore, need a tyre that can offer grip for both surfaces. Most adventure riders will opt for a road-biased tyre with large tread blocks that can handle off-road activity. These tyres will have similar construction to the offroad tyres with hefty sidewalls and tread areas, but the compound will be medium to hard for extended mileage.
Hardcore riders will go through a set of tyres once a year, with recreational riders getting away with 1-2 years between changes. We would recommend Pirelli or Bridgestone for great value.
Street
Street covers the majority of bikes out there, with riders needing hardy tyres for our road conditions. These tyres need a medium build that balances lightness with toughness, so sidewalls and tread areas will be light construction with added layers for strength. These tyres will have various tread designs, from minimal patterning to full, medium, and small tread blocks. These tyres are engineered to deliver a maximum lifespan, so the medium to hard compounds are used depending on the tyre style and intended use.
Sportsbikes will usually have medium compounds with little tread patterning, with smaller capacity bikes sporting full tread patterns and having harder compounds for longer life. It makes sense that as the speed increases, the grip also needs to increase, meaning a softer tyre. Depending on the regularity of use and riding style, these tyres must be changed anywhere from 6 months to 3 years.
We highly recommend fitting what the factory put on the bike when it was new. Very often, bike manufacturers will work hand in hand with tyre manufacturers to engineer a tyre specifically for their bikes. Check your owner's manual to see what they recommend, and then shop around for the best deal.
Track
Tyres designed for track use should never be used on public roads. These incredibly soft tyres offer an incredible amount of grip but wear out in just a few laps around the local track. There is no tread design meaning these tyres are slick, hence the name, "Slicks". The tyres are very light and have a highly engineered but light sidewall and traction surface. With such soft compounds made for traction under heat and pressure, these tyres wear very quickly, and most racers will replace tyres every race. They will often have spares in reserve in case of punctures during a race.
When it comes to what you should put on your race machine, it really comes down to personal preference. Most riders will find a true brand and model that gives them the best lap time and stick with that. It is going to be some trial and error but check with the racers at the local track to see what they recommend.
