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The best MTB tyre/gravity combination
Swallow
The manufacturer advises: "The Magic Mary has plenty of puncture protection and cushioning thanks to its super-gravity casing. The Ultra Soft Compound provides grip at World Cup winner level.
level. Rear: Big Betty for maximum braking traction and cornering grip. The Addix Soft rubber compound offers a good compromise between durability and grip."
Front tyre: Magic Mary Super Gravity Ultra Soft 2.4
- 1280 grammes
- 73 Euro >> available here
Rear tyre: Big Betty Super Gravity Soft 2.4
- 1250 grammes
- 73 Euro >> available here
Maxxis
The manufacturer Maxxis advises the best MTB tyre combination for enduro bikes: "There is no way around the Assegai at the front. Ideally with DH casing and the MaxxGrip rubber compound. At the rear, we recommend the Minion DHR II in a brand new 29-inch dual compound version for reliable grip and significantly longer durability."
Front tyre: Assegai DH 3C MaxxGrip 2.5
- 1335 grammes
- 80 Euro
Rear tyre: Minion DHR II DH Dual-Comp 2.4
- 1375 grammes
- 65 Euro
Michelin
Michelin says of its best tyre combination for gravity bikes: "The DH 34 tread, Magi XD rubber and Down Hill Shield carcass offer maximum grip and good stability at high speed on any hard terrain. The DH 22 is used at the rear: excellent on softer ground, but also with good performance on hard terrain."
Front tyre: DH 34 Racing Line 2.4
- 1450 grammes
- 61 Euro
Rear tyre: DH 22 Racing Line 2.4
- 1500 grammes
- 61 Euro
Continental
This is what Continental has to say about the perfect tyre combination for enduro bikes: "The Kryptotal with DH casing in the Super Soft rubber compound is our tip for downhill-oriented applications - whether for enduro or downhill. There is the Cryptotal DH than front and rear tyres."
Front tyre: Kryptotal Fr DH SuperSoft 2.4
- 1290 grammes
- 85 Euro >> available here
Rear tyre: Kryptotal Re DH SuperSoft 2.4
- 1290 grammes
- 85 Euro >> available here
Kenda
The manufacturer advises: "We recommend this combination for riders who primarily want to let it rip downhill. Both tyres are very robust, but we save some weight at the front with the Advanced Enduro casing. At the rear, we use the Advanced Gravity casing for maximum puncture and puncture protection."
Front tyre: Hellkat AEC 2.4
- 1075 grammes
- 63 Euro
Rear tyre: Pinner AGC 2.4
- 1288 grammes
- 65 Euro
Specialised
The manufacturer advises the following as the best gravity tyre combination: "This combination is best for downhill riding. At the front: the T9 rubber compound for maximum damping and grip. On the rear wheel, the Eliminator with its Grid Gravity carcass in Dual Ply ensures cornering stability and optimum puncture protection."
Front tyre: Butcher Grid Trail T9 2.3
- 985 grammes
- 60 Euro
Rear tyre: Eliminator Grid Gravity T7/T9 2.3
- 1290 grammes
- 70 Euro
The best MTB tyres all-round combos for enduro bikes
Continental
The manufacturer advises: "The Kryptotal with Enduro casing and Soft Compound offers a good sweet spot between rolling characteristics, weight, puncture protection and grip for climbs and descents. We recommend it for the front and rear."
Front tyre: Kryptotal Fr Enduro-Casing Soft Comp 2.4
- 1125 grammes
- 70 Euro >> available here
Rear tyre: Kryptotal Fr Enduro-Casing Soft Comp 2.4
- 1125 grammes
- 70 Euro >> available here
Maxxis
The manufacturer advises: "EXO+ is almost mandatory for suspension travel over 150 mm and provides reliable protection. When the going gets rough, the stronger double-down construction is the order of the day at the rear, which consists of two carcass plies with 120 TPI each and rolls more easily than a DH tyre. The 3C MaxxTerra compound ensures lower rolling resistance and is easy to pedal uphill."
Front tyre: Assegai EXO+ Casing 3C MaxxGrip 2.5
- 1195 grammes
- 80 Euro
Rear tyre: Minion DHR II DoubleDown-Casing 3C MaxxTerra 2.4
- 1220 grammes
- 85 Euro
Swallow
Schwalbe recommends this as the best all-round combination for enduro tyres: "Proven tread pattern at the front for all situations. Addix Soft has excellent rolling characteristics in relation to damping and grip. Hans Dampf on the rear wheel reduces the weight without sacrificing braking traction. The rolling characteristics are excellent, the tyre only reaches its limits in very wet conditions."
Front tyre: Magic Mary Super Trail Soft 2.4
- 1150 grammes
- 67 Euro >> available here
Rear tyre: Hans Dampf Super Trail Soft 2.4
- 1015 grammes
- 67 Euro >> available here
Michelin
The manufacturer advises: "The combination of the Wild Enduro Front tread, Magi-X DH rubber compound and DH Shield carcass offers maximum grip, regardless of the type of terrain. The Wild Enduro Rear Racing tyre line was specially developed for use on the rear wheel. The result: optimised rolling resistance combined with high grip in all conditions."
In front: Wild Enduro Front Racing Line 2.4
- 1400 grammes
- 64 Euro >> available here
At the back: Wild Enduro Rear Racing Line 2.4
- 1350 grammes
- 61 Euro >> available here
Kenda
The manufacturer advises: "We also recommend the Hellkat/Pinner combination for all-round use on enduro mountain bikes. However, with the Advanced Trail casing. Thanks to the lighter carcass and the slightly more durable rubber compound, both MTB tyres roll faster than their gravity counterparts."
Front: Hellkat ATC 2.4
- 898 grammes
- 61 Euro
At the back: Pinner ATC 2.4
- 997 grammes
- 61 Euro
Specialised
The manufacturer advises: "We recommend the Butcher in the Grid version with T9 rubber compound. The carcass is light yet robust. For the rear wheel, we recommend the fast-rolling Purgatory T7 Grid Specialized tyre. The T7 compound offers a perfect blend of grip and long-lasting performance."
Front tyre: Butcher Grid T9 2.3
- 925 grammes
- 50 Euro
Rear tyre: Purgatory Grid T7 2.3
- 810 grammes
- 45 Euro
Interview with downhill icon Marcus Klausmann
Are MTB tyres already fully developed, or is the enduro tyre for every terrain still to come?
Marcus Klausmann: There will always be improvements, but in nuances. A mountain bike tyre for every terrain remains a dream. The choice of tyres is always a compromise. Grip, puncture resistance, rolling resistance, light weight - you will never be able to combine everything at a top level. However, there is still room for improvement in the choice of tyres. I have noticed that many bikers ride bikes that are too downhill-heavy and, above all, tyres that are too heavy.
Manufacturers are accused of developing their bikes for racing instead of for hobby bikers. Does this also apply to MTB tyres?
Some high-performance models are actually developed for racing. However, the majority of tyres are also suitable for hobby bikers. The stupid thing is that many hobby bikers deliberately choose components from the racing world - even though the product is not suitable for their intended use. Whether it's suspension elements, tyres or bikes. Manufacturers should have the courage to develop some products solely for racing use without offering them to the customer. Because these products simply make no sense for amateur sport or are even counterproductive.
Let's stay with the tyres: Which MTB tyres should hobby bikers choose, and when should you replace tyres on your bike?
Hobby freeriders don't need a super-soft rubber compound. Because the little bit of extra grip comes at the price of reduced durability. That costs money and is bad for the environment. I usually ride enduro tyres all the way down. Especially at the rear. If that bothers you? Then I just have a little less grip - if you're not racing, it doesn't matter.
Foam inserts like Cush Core - only for enduro racers or also useful for hobby freeriders?
More for racers. Because in racing, a flat tyre means: "Game over!" To prevent this, you mount Tyre inserts. This comes at the price of more weight and wheel inertia. What is more important to you - puncture protection or agile riding behaviour? Everyone has to answer that question for themselves.
Are plus-size MTB tyres rightly dead?
Definitely, in my eyes they have always been dead. 2.4 inches is the ideal tyre width for any application. The Air pressure for MTB tyres depends on the area of use. I usually ride tubeless at 1.7 bar front and rear.
More articles on the subject of MTB tyres:
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
