Tyres are one of the most important components of any mountain bike; no other product has such a drastic influence on riding characteristics. Tyres transmit steering and driving forces and are part of the chassis, primarily responsible for the precision work. How securely the tyre interlocks with the ground and how it cushions and damps determines whether we feel safe on slippery surfaces.
With a motor, the requirement profile for the tyres changes, especially with regard to the transmission of drive forces. The combination of calf and electric power causes thin tyres to break away uphill when things get loose and slippery. At the same time, good guidance characteristics are required at the front, as the uphill speed increases significantly in technical passages. Experience has shown that coarse-tread, wide tyres with adhesive compounds roll quite unimpressed even over tricky passages. With the right tyres and the right riding technique, we can climb inclines that would be absolutely unrideable without a motor. Only the right tyres give you the freedom to make full use of the motor's power on technical terrain. The downside of a lot of grip is increased rolling resistance. This can be tedious, especially when riding without power. More rubber also increases the inertia of the wheels, which feel more sluggish and are more difficult to accelerate, costing you some reach and agility.
You can read whether special e-MTB tyres are better than the tried and tested tyres in the test report (including range and height), which you can download as a PDF in the download area below.
We tested these three E-MTB tyres:
- Continental Mountain King ProTection 2.3"
- Maxxis Minion DHR II EXO+ 2.6"
- Schwalbe Eddy Current Front/Rear 2.8"
