Enhance Performance With The Right Mountain Bike Tires

April 23, 2009

Fitting the right mountain bike tires to your bike is absolutely fundamental to getting the top performance out of the bike. You could have the greatest, hottest bike in the whole world, but if you tires are not up to it, forget it.

Simply take a moment to think. Your tires are the one and only points of contact you have with the terrain. The entire tire does not touch the ground, only a small part of it. This small contact governs how well to corner, how fast you go, how quickly you stop, and how well you stay in contact with whatever surface you’re riding on. Knowing this, your confidence level can be related to your tire “comfort”. Having the right tires for the task, will increase your confidence. Not only will your bicycle be able to perform to the extreme, but so will you.

Tire technology for mountain bikes is advancing faster than for the bike itself. Not only are the tires made in different sizes, but new materials are now being developed too. This has resulted in much more variety when choosing mountain bike tires that are right for you.

Although all the tires are essentially made out of rubber, the type and grade of rubber can vary. This takes into account the different types of surface, with each new surface now capable of being related to a specific rubber grade. All terrain tires, trail tires, and XC tires are typical examples. It is now becoming quite a cult sector and is developing its own unique terminology structure including “brand” names such as: Fast Fatties, Black Chili etc.

The knobs on mountain bike tires are especially made to offer the best function on various surfaces. For instance dry terrain tires would have low “knobs”. The low “knobs” effortlessly break through the loose surface of the soil in order to grab into the hard, steady ground underneath. Muddy terrain calls for high “knobs” on tires. The extra height allows the “knobs” to penetrate deep mud and keep a hold on the hard area beneath.

The profile and spacing of the “knobs” is also very important. First of all, there is enough space between them to prevent mud from becoming packed in. Secondly, the “knob” profiles are specifically designed to ensure maximum contact performance when the bike is presented at an angle to the terrain. All terrain tire profiles are a mixture of the best elements of both wet and dry, combined to give a best balance performance. A half way house as it were, but in name only, not in performance.

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