Tyres Buyers Guide
Road
Road bike tyres are designed for riding efficiently on paved roads and tarmac. They are typically narrower than gravel, hybrid or mountain bike tyres, with a smooth or lightly textured tread that helps reduce rolling resistance and maintain speed. Modern road tyres feature widths up to 40mm, which can provide greater comfort, grip and confidence on rough road surfaces with little or no noticeable reduction in efficiency.
Road tyres are generally slick and the ideal pressure depends on the tyre width, rider weight and riding conditions. Unlike mountain bike tyres, road tyres do not rely on deep, aggressive tread for grip. On tarmac, most traction comes from the tyre's rubber compound and its contact with the road surface, allowing road tyres to perform effectively in both dry and wet conditions.
Gravel
Gravel bike tyres are built for riding on a mix of surfaces, including roads, gravel tracks, and dirt paths. They are wider than road tyres to provide more comfort and control when the surface becomes uneven or loose. The extra air volume helps absorb bumps and reduces fatigue on longer rides.
Most gravel tyres use small tread patterns to improve grip on loose ground while still rolling efficiently on tarmac.
Mountain Bike
Mountain bike tyres are designed for maximum grip and control on off-road terrain. They are wide and use large tread blocks that dig into dirt, mud, and loose surfaces. This helps the bike stay stable when climbing, cornering, and descending on trails.
The width and tread of a mountain bike tyre allow it to run at much lower pressures than other types. This along with the tread improves comfort and traction, which is essential when riding over rocks, roots, and uneven ground where control matters more than speed.
Hybrid and Commuter
Hybrid and commuter bike tyres are made to be practical and versatile. They are wider than road tyres to add comfort and stability, especially on poor road surfaces, cycle paths, and fine gravel. This makes everyday riding feel smoother and more predictable.
These tyres usually have a smooth centre with light tread, helping them roll efficiently on the road while still offering grip on paths and light trails. They often feature a reflective strip, making sure you are visible to other road users. Durability and puncture protection are often prioritised, as reliability is more important than outright speed for daily riding.
Clincher Tyres
Clincher tyres are the most common type of tyre and are used across all disciplines. They feature a tyre bead that hooks onto the rim and are typically used with an inner tube, although many modern clincher tyres and rims are compatible with tubeless setups that replace the inner tube with sealant. Clincher tyres are easy to fit and widely available.
If using an inner tube, a puncture will mean repairing or replacing the tube, and running very low tyre pressures can increase the risk of pinch punctures where the tube becomes trapped between the tyre and rim. However, their affordability and ease of maintenance make clincher tyres the go-to choice for most cyclists.
Tubeless Tyres
Traditionally, bike tyres use an inner tube filled with air. However, tubeless tyres do away with the tube and seal air-tight to the rim, using liquid sealant inside.
Tubeless tyres and systems allow for small punctures to seal themselves as you ride, sealing the puncture to keep you on the move. You can run lower pressures for more comfort and grip, because of this there is less chances of pinch flats.
Things to consider: The setup of tubeless tyres is different to fitting an inner tube, and not every wheel or tyre is tubeless-ready. For help with this, please see our guide here.
Once you are set up and riding, it is important to note that sealant needs occasional topping up every couple of months to ensure the sealant does its job if a puncture occurs.
Tubular Tyres
Tubular tyres, often referred to as "tubs", are constructed differently from standard clincher and tubeless tyres. Instead of hooking onto the rim with tyre beads, the inner tube is sewn inside the tyre casing and the entire tyre is then glued or taped directly to a specially designed tubular rim. Favoured by professional road racers and track cyclists for many years, tubular tyres known for their supple ride quality, low weight and excellent road feel.
Tubular tyres are becoming less common, however require compatible tubular-specific rims and cannot be fitted to standard clincher or tubeless wheelsets. Installation involves using tubular glue or tape making fitting and roadside repairs more involved than replacing an inner tube or repairing a tubeless puncture.
Things to Consider
Narrow tyres
Narrow tyres offer less rolling resistance, and are efficient on smooth roads. However, they can be less comfortable due to higher pressures and have less grip on rough surfaces.
Wide tyres
Wider tyres will give more comfort as lower pressures can be used. They provide better grip and, therefore, increased rider confidence as they are more forgiving over poor road surfaces.
Treaded tyres
Treaded tyres will provide more grip on dirt, gravel and wet surfaces, giving more control and confidence off-road.
They can, however, add rolling resistance on tarmac and smooth surfaces.
Slick tyres
Slick tyres on smooth surfaces like tarmac are quiet and fast, making them efficient for commuting and road riding. The lack of tread will provide much less grip off-road.
Compatibility & Sizing
Wheel size
Your tyre must match your wheel size in diameter. Common sizes include
700c (road, gravel, hybrid) and 29”, 27.5”, 26” (mountain bike, hybrid)
The size is printed on the side of your current tyre. See our size guide for more info.
Tyre width
Wider tyres can mean more comfort and grip, it's important to note your bike will dictate the width of a suitable tyre. If in doubt, match the width with your existing tyre ensuring that there is clearence with your frame and fork.
On road and gravel bikes, tyre width is measured in millimetres. You may sometimes see this written with a "c", such as 28c or 40c, which simply means a 28 mm or 40 mm wide tyre.
Mountain bike and often hybrid tyre width is measured in inches, for example 2.1 or 2.6.
Tyre compound
Tyre compound is the rubber used to make the tyre. Softer compounds offer more grip but wear out faster, while harder compounds last longer and roll more efficiently, with slightly less grip.
For example, MTB tyres made for slippery trails can have a soft compound to provide more grip, but can wear out quickly. Hybrid tyres can have a hard compound to last longer and provide puncture resistance.
Tubeless compatibility
The tyre and wheel rim must be tubeless-ready, and you’ll need valves and sealant.
