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Contents - you will find these topics in the tyre special:
The right tyre width
Cross-country tyres used to be as narrow and delicately knobbly as possible. In contrast, downhill tyres were wide and had maximum tread. Nowadays, 2.4 inch wide tyres are Tyres tyres are represented in all categories, as are rims with an inner width of 30 millimetres. Even in the Cross-Country World Cup, more and more riders are opting for really wide tyres and Impellers with correspondingly wide rims.
The difference to puncture-proof enduro and downhill tyres is therefore only in the tread, the structure of the carcass and therefore also the weight. The so-called plus tyres with a width of 2.8 or 3 inches, on the other hand, have not been able to establish themselves due to their high weight and spongy handling.
But what are the advantages of a wide 2.4 tyre compared to a narrower model? Due to the larger volume, the wide tyres can be ridden with less air with the same puncture protection. This increases grip and comfort. In addition, the tyres also roll more easily off-road or on gravel than their narrow, fully inflated competitors.
The tyre tread
Although the tread makes the biggest visual difference between the individual tyres, it only has a minor influence on the tyre's performance. Rolling resistance. It is true that models with closely spaced lugs on the tread roll noticeably smoother on the road. However, the ease or toughness with which a tyre accelerates depends primarily on the rubber compound and not the tread.
For better interlocking with the ground and faster self-cleaning, more open profiles with higher lugs are usually used on the front wheel. As more weight is placed on the rear wheel, the lugs are often lower and larger for better support. As rubber is heavy, the type and size of the tread pattern also has a significant influence on the tyre weight.
The tyre pressure
Lightweight World Cup racers often ride a Tyre pressure around 1.2 bar. However, this only works with the right tyre and rim width, low body weight and, of course, the right riding technique.
The advantages of low tyre pressure are obvious: with less air in the tyre, the contact area with the ground increases and the tyre can deflect more easily. This increases grip and comfort. And, even if not everyone has realised it yet: The Rolling resistance in the field decreases!
Accessories: Everything that makes you fast
TPU hose
Tubes made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) are the first choice when it comes to low weight. The lightest models for a tyre width of up to 2.5 inches weigh just 43 grams. This saves even more weight than a tubeless set-up with at least 60 millilitres of latex milk. This is noticeable in the acceleration. In terms of rolling resistance, however, TPU loses out to tubeless or latex tubes. However, the protection against punctures is pleasingly high.
Tyres: Flat and wide
If you look around the Cross-Country World Cup, you can see a clear trend in tyre choice: Despite wet and often muddy conditions, many racers ride on wide but only minimally profiled tyres. Although this increases the risk of punctures and requires excellent bike control, it keeps the weight down.
In addition, the short lugs can hardly pick up any dirt and clear themselves very quickly. However, this only works if you know the route and can optimise the material for it. Normal riders are better off opting for more grip and puncture protection instead of squeezing every last gram of weight out of the tyre. After all, who has the riding technique of Nino Schurter, Mathias Flückiger or Thomas Pidcock?
"During various measurements, we found out that we can reduce the tyre pressure by increasing the volume thanks to wider rims and tyres - which in turn results in lower tyre rolling resistance. With this experience, we asked Maxxis to develop wider tyres - which is how the Aspen 2.4 came about. The first tests then confirmed our assumptions. Not only is rolling resistance reduced, comfort and grip are also improved. The only disadvantage is the additional weight. But this is disproportionate to the reduced rolling resistance." Nino Schurter
Happy tubeless: tubeless tyres
Tubeless tyres have become indispensable in racing. Weight, puncture protection and rolling resistance all speak in favour of dispensing with the inner tube.
RefittingWith a little practice, you can convert to tubeless without spilling a single drop of latex milk. As almost all high-quality tyres are now tubeless-compatible and most rim profiles are suitable for fitting, you often don't even need a compressor. You can find detailed instructions on how to convert tyres here: www.bike-magazin.de, keyword tubeless.
In the event of a breakdownSmaller holes, such as those caused by thorns, are reliably sealed by the latex milk. For larger holes of around five millimetres or more, the Sealing milk but to its limits. If it bubbles, only tyre plugs can help (Tubeless repair kits in the test). With the help of a special tool, the sticky sausages can also be used to seal larger holes in no time at all.
Rolls betterIn addition to the higher puncture protection and the lower weight compared to a butyl tube, the rolling resistance naturally speaks in favour of tubeless. Without an inner tube, around two watts can be saved per tyre because less material has to be deformed during rolling. This also allows the tyre to work better and adapt more precisely to the surface. If you ride tubeless, you can also reduce the tyre pressure by around 0.2 bar with the same puncture protection.
Tips & tricks: Better puncture protection, more grip
Rubber compound
Especially on deep soils, an open tread pattern with high, stable lugs ensures essential interlocking, cornering grip and self-cleaning. But even the best tread is useless if the rubber compound is not right. The tyre compound is decisive for the wet grip and damping of a tyre.
Manufacturer designations such as MaxxGrip (Maxxis) or Ultra Soft (Schwalbe) on the tyre sidewall indicate that this is the most grippy rubber. When it comes to seconds in DH or enduro use, the damping of the compound has a major influence on the riding experience. If the so-called rebound elasticity is low, i.e. the rubber damps heavily, this increases the riding control the most. The tyre is plush.
Tyre inserts
Especially in downhill and enduro racing, but sometimes also in cross-country use, some riders swear by Tyre inserts. The foam rings can be fitted in addition to a tubeless setup and significantly increase puncture protection as they cover the rim flanges where the tyre is punctured in the event of a snakebite, thus protecting the tyre and rim.
There are now even variants that can also be ridden with an inner tube and enclose it, e.g. from Tannus. Depending on the intended use, the tyre inserts are available in different versions from 70 to almost 300 grams. Our Laboratory measurements have shown that a Cushcore insert increases puncture protection by 57 percent with an additional weight of 270 grams per tyre.
Because the inserts, which lie close to the rim, hardly need to be deformed when rolling, rolling resistance does not deteriorate. However, the tight fit of many inserts makes fitting tricky. On the other hand, they keep the tyre securely on the rim even at low pressure and offer good emergency running properties.
The carcass basics
In terms of puncture protection, the tyre carcass has the greatest influence. For example, a particularly stable tyre casing can prevent punctures even more effectively than a Tyre insert. In our comparative measurements, the puncture protection of a heavy tyre with a downhill carcass in the picture below (3) was a full 118 percent higher than that of the lighter tyre with a trail carcass.
So the differences are huge, but they do affect the weight. The trail tyre weighed a whole 360 grams less with an identical tread. To avoid carrying unnecessary weight, the carcass construction should therefore match the area of use.
The structure of a Schwalbe Race tyre (1) shows that there are only two carcass plies in the tread. The puncture protection is correspondingly low, but the tyre can adapt more flexibly to the surface. The Enduro tyre (2) has significantly more plies and an additional protective layer against punctures (yellow). In addition, a rubberised protective strip (Apex, green) increases puncture protection.
The rim flange
It is not only the type of casing that has the potential to prevent punctures, but also the rim, which is in direct contact with the tyre. While the rim width influences how well a tyre is supported laterally, the shape of the rim shoulder, including the hump, is responsible for how well the tyre sits in the tubeless setup. With the latest rim designs, the shape of the now hookless rim flanges is also optimised compared to the classic rim.
In order to distribute the load over a larger area in the event of a puncture, Bike Ahead, for example, uses a specially moulded rim flange for the Three-Zero rim. In the event of a puncture, the tyre is damaged less quickly thanks to the rounded, wide rim flange. Specialized takes a similar approach with its Roval Control wheels with a four millimetre thick rim flange.
Basic knowledge of tyres
A little rubber, a few studs, and the tyre is ready. As simple as the black round tyres look on the outside, their structure on the inside is quite complicated. An overview of the most important components and their function.
1. profile
The tread gives the tyre its face and provides the first indication of the terrain and purpose for which it might be suitable. While high lugs with large clearances are ideal for muddy conditions, the tread on tyres for dry tracks can be just millimetres high. The higher the lugs, the larger they need to be. Without sufficient support, especially for the outer lugs, the tyre can otherwise quickly feel unstable and buckle. This is also often the reason why some tyres still work well for light riders but offer too little stability for heavy riders.
2. carcass
The carcass is the basic structure of a tyre and usually consists of a rubber-coated nylon fabric. Depending on the design of the tyre, a different number of fabric layers are used. Most tyres have two layers on the sidewall and three on the tread. Enduro or downhill carcasses have up to six plies on the tread. The greater number of overlaps increases puncture protection and weight, and makes the tyre less flexible overall. As a result, DH tyres are usually more difficult to mount and feel uncomfortable even at low tyre pressures.
3. APEX
The apex is an additional puncture protection insert in the bead area that extends into the sidewall of the tyre. This insert is usually made of rubber or a thicker rubberised fabric and makes the sidewall less sensitive to punctures. Due to the additional material, tyres with an apex are always heavier, but also significantly more puncture-resistant.
4. protective belt
To provide additional protection against punctures, some tyres are equipped with an additional layer of fabric. This fabric is usually a particularly close-meshed and very tear-resistant material, which is designed to prevent the penetration of foreign bodies such as thorns or cuts in the sidewall caused by sharp stones. Compared to the apex, the fabric layer only slightly increases the weight of the tyre. While the protective belt is only used on the sidewall of some tyres, other tyres have all-round protection.
5. tyre designation
In addition to the size in inches (e.g. 29 x 2.5 inches), the tyre label also has an ETRTO designation (63 - 622). The European Tire and Rim Technical Organisation uses the first number to indicate the tyre width in millimetres on a standard rim. The second number stands for the inner diameter of the tyre. Sometimes a TPI (threads per inch) specification is also found on the tyres. This indicates how tightly woven the threads of the carcass are: the higher the number, the finer the weave.
6 EPI/TPI
Ends per inch or threads per inch (threads per inch). Indicates how finely and tightly woven a tyre carcass is. The higher the value, the finer the threads and the lower the weight. Low numbers therefore mean stable, heavy fabric. Typical values are 60 to 127 TPI; enduro and downhill tyres usually have 60 TPI carcasses in three to six plies on the tread.
7. PSI/Bar
Pounds per square inch is a pressure specification similar to the bar commonly used in German-speaking countries. 14.5 PSI corresponds to a pressure of 1 bar.
8. puncture / snakebite
A puncture, also known as a snakebite, is one of the most common tyre defects. The tyre is compressed so much at one edge that the inner tube is punctured by the rim flange, which is visually similar to a snakebite.
9th breakthrough
During a puncture, a foreign object, usually a thorn or sharp stone, penetrates the tyre and punctures the carcass and inner tube. The higher the quality of the carcass fabric, the more resistant the tyre is.
10. execution
Wired, folding and tubeless tyres are the most common types in mountain biking. In contrast to the lighter folding tyres, clincher tyres have a non-folding bead core made of wire bundles. Tubeless tyres, also known as UST tyres, work like car tyres without a tube and are more puncture-resistant, but they have other pitfalls.
Rubber compound
Triple, dual or quadruple compound? Addix Soft, Black Chilli or MaxxTerra? Manufacturers are inventive when it comes to naming the rubber compound of a tyre. However, the first information only refers to the number of different rubber compounds used in a tyre. In the pattern on the right, for example, it is a triple compound, as used by the manufacturer Maxxis in its tyres with a 3C compound. As a tyre should provide good damping and high grip in the wet on the one hand, but must also roll easily on the other, there are conflicting objectives. Some manufacturers try to get to grips with this by using different compounds within a tyre. A harder, elastic compound is used in the base, which consumes little energy when rolling and gives the lugs stability. A slightly more cushioning compound with more grip is used in the tread above. The outer lugs are often even softer and more cushioning.
FAQs: Questions and answers about tyres:
1. what are the benefits of tyre combos?
The front and rear wheels fulfil different functions: At the front, you need guidance and above all want to be able to brake, for this you need grip and traction. In other words: a softer rubber compound and a stronger tread that can interlock with the ground. The rear tyre should roll well, so the rubber can be harder and the tread can also be tamer. Special case: downhill. Here, the rear wheel also fulfils a braking function, which is why the same tyres are often used at the front and rear for downhill.
2. how important is the carcass?
The carcass is the tyre's skeleton. It should be as stable as necessary and as flexible as possible. Flexible to adapt to the unevenness of the terrain, but stable enough to prevent constant punctures. Downhill tyres have a multi-layer carcass, which provides high puncture resistance and better damping.
3. tubeless? Advantages and disadvantages
Tubeless is more puncture-resistant, reduces weight, improves rolling resistance, allows lower tyre pressure and therefore provides more traction and comfort. The disadvantages are more complex assembly, burping with greater lateral forces, a higher price and air escaping from time to time. Special tubeless rims are also required.
4. when is a tyre worn?
There is no rule of thumb for this. If the edges of the studs are round, World Cup racers reach for new tyres, often after just a few runs. Hobby bikers can theoretically run the studs all the way down. The rule is: the lower the lug height, the worse the tyre interlocks with the ground. The tread is much more important on the front tyre than on the rear tyre. Rear tyres can safely be run all the way down - to a semi-slick tyre. By the way: tyres with a soft rubber compound provide a lot of grip, but wear out much faster (eraser effect) than harder compounds.
5. are plus tyres dead?
Yes, plus tyres from 2.6 inches to even 3 inches wide are almost extinct. Only a few manufacturers still specify chunky 2.6 tyres. This is because the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, such as a spongy ride feel. Tyres around 2.4 inches wide make sense for gravity use.
6. do I need mud tyres?
Racers swear by mud tyres on muddy, deep ground, as their long lugs provide noticeable advantages. For hobby freeriders, special mud tyres - and therefore an additional set of wheels - are a superfluous investment. Hobby bikers should make sure that the tyre has good all-round capabilities and works well in a wide range of conditions.
7 How do you recycle tyres?
There is a good recycling chain for bicycle inner tubes: bike dealers take back defective inner tubes, which are then 100 per cent recycled by the manufacturer. Old tyre casings, on the other hand, often end up in household waste or at the recycling centre - depending on the federal state regulations. There is currently no effective recycling system for tyres. As tyres have a high calorific value, they are usually incinerated in waste incineration plants.
8. does a tyre have an expiry date?
Yes, unfortunately. Tyres harden or become brittle. The more they are exposed to the weather, the faster the rubber ages. Ozone is particularly responsible for this. If the tyre is new and stored properly (dark, dry, as airtight as possible, for example in a plastic bag), it will easily last 5 years without losing performance.
9. how important is tyre pressure?
Very important. A low pressure provides more comfort, traction and therefore riding safety. Unfortunately, the lower the tyre pressure, the higher the risk of punctures. Low tyre pressure mainly has a negative effect on rolling resistance on the road or on gravel paths - but less so off-road, as scientific studies have shown. DH World Cup racers run 1.8 bar at the front and 2.0 bar at the rear. The high pressure is due to the much higher speed at which racers are travelling. The high pressure makes the tyre more puncture-resistant and it flexes less. The rule of thumb for tyre pressure is: as low as possible without risking punctures and with sufficient lateral stability so that it does not smear. Rule of thumb for hobby freeriders (approx. 75 kilos): 1.5 bar at the front, 1.7 bar at the rear. If you're travelling slowly on mountain tours, you can even go down to 1 bar. Such a low air pressure provides enormous traction and the tyre is very wide. With tubeless systems, you can generally ride at 0.3 bar less pressure, but at some point the limit is reached and these tyres will also puncture.
10 Rolling resistance: What do the values say?
The rolling resistance is given in watts and indicates how much energy a tyre "swallows". A normally sporty person can achieve 250 watts per hour. If they have to constantly exert more energy because the tyres swallow a lot of watts, they will be knocked out sooner. The values are measured in the laboratory on a smooth steel drum, but may be slightly different off-road. As the front tyre is less loaded, the rolling resistance of the tyre is less noticeable here than on the rear tyre.
11 Which value is more important: puncture or penetration?
Clearly, the puncture resistance is more important. It tells you how robust a tyre is. Punctures are rare, but punctures are the big enemy of mountain bikers.
12. what effect do wide rims have?
Wide rims increase the lateral stability of the tyre at low pressure, and the tread becomes flatter overall, so more lugs grip the ground. This leads to more traction.
13 What are the effects of the different rubber compounds?
As a general rule, the softer the rubber compound, the greater the grip, traction and wear. Tyres with soft rubber have the greatest effect on the front wheel in particular. Hence the rule of thumb: soft at the front, harder at the rear for better rolling resistance. In downhill use, soft rubber compounds are usually used on both wheels. The rubber compound also influences the damping properties of a tyre. This rebound elasticity has a major impact on handling behaviour. Downhill compounds have very high damping values and therefore stick to the ground. Disadvantage: low durability, not very sustainable!
14 What are the benefits of two-chamber systems and foam inserts?
Dual-chamber systems are used in conjunction with tubeless tyres. The tyre is pressed into the rim bed in such a way that it cannot jump out and lose air, as happens with pure tubeless tyres, for example during cornering compressions or burping. The biggest advantage is the enormous puncture protection, as the high-pressure tube armours the rim. In dual-chamber systems, the air pressure can be reduced to below 1 bar, depending on the intended use. Foam inserts such as Cush Core and the like have a similar purpose. Both systems are mostly used in DH and Enduro races. Disadvantage: more weight and wheel inertia.
15. do lightweight tyres make sense on enduro bikes?
Yes, of course it depends on where you are travelling. In rocky bike areas such as Latsch or Lake Garda, you need puncture-proof tyres with good damping. If, on the other hand, you are riding in low mountain ranges, on softer ground and undulating trails, then lightweight tyres with a rather hard rubber compound make sense. This is because they generate a lot of propulsion and lively handling. The lower tyre weight significantly changes the character of the bike - the tractor becomes a sports car.
