Different Bike Tires For Different Terrain

Skills + Knowledge

August 25, 2017

Whether you’re a daily commuter navigating roving city streets on your urban bicycle, a biking enthusiast looking forward to their next big race or a leisurely rider who just wants a comfortable ride, having the proper tires for your biking needs is essential. Thankfully, when it comes to choosing the right tires for your bike, you have a wide range of options.

However, no matter what kind of cyclist you are, sharp tread edges are a necessity. When your tire treads are worn down, you may get a flat and your bike will handle poorly.

Here are some tips for selecting the right tires based upon your needs and terrain choice:

Bike Tire Size

The first thing you need to know about your tires is the correct sizing for your style of bike and the terrain you wish to ride on. How do you find out the current size of your tires? Simply check the tire sidewall.

Bike Tire Tread

If you choose tires with more tread, you’ll be getting tires with a lot more grip and rolling resistance. This means you’ll need to perfectly balance your need for speed with your desire for grip.

There are four different types of tire grip to choose from including slick bike tires, semi-slick tires, inverted tread tires, and knobby tires. Slick bike tires are designed for the road and urban commuters with cruiser beach bikes. Semi-slick tires provide a minimum rolling resistance and faster acceleration. Inverted tread tires have a lot more grip while knobby tires are suitable for biking trails.

Bike Tire Valves

There are two types of bike tire valves including presta valves and Schrader valves. Presta valves are narrow and have a built-in valve cap that you loosen to pump air into the tire. Schrader valves are wider with a valve like those found in car tires.

Bike Tire Features

There are a number of tire features that you should be aware of for your urban bicycle. From foldable bike tires and tubeless tires to studded bike tires and puncture-resistant tires, the tire feature choices for your cruiser with gears are absolutely endless.

It’s important to know what type of features you want or need in your bike tires. Determining what features you need largely depends on what type of riding you will be doing. For example, if you’re simply commuting to work or doing some leisurely riding, studded tire features won’t be a what you need.