The Best Bike Tires

mountain bike tire macro image by laurent dambies from Fotolia.com

Bike tires are a rider's only point of contact with the terrain that he rides on, and the tires performance directly affects the rider's performance. While a rider's style and terrain may vary, all bike tires are expected provide grip, rolling efficiency and a measure of shock absorption. The best bike tires are made with durable, lightweight rubber compounds that will last for many rides and sport tread patterns that provide traction regardless of the elements.

Panaracer Stradius Extreme

Panaracer's Stradius Extreme tire provides traction in a variety of conditions, making it a solid choice for road cyclists. With its ZSG Ultima tread compound, the Stradius directs water from the tread, allowing for grip in wet or dry conditions. BikeRadar.com reviewed the Stradius, calling it a "top quality road racing tire." BikeRadar's reviewer lauded the Stradius' comfort and ability to grip wet asphalt, saying its tread "provides outstanding cornering grip that just keeps getting better the harder you push it."

Specialized Chunder PRO XC

Specialized's Chunder Pro XC tire made for mountain bikers who want toughness and grip but don't want to sacrifice speed to attain it. Basing its tread profile on the Chunder DH downhill tire, the Chunder Pro XC provides the traction of a hardcore mountain bike tire with the speed of a cross country racer. In a five-star review, BikeRadar.com's Guy Kesteven lauded the Chunder Pro XC as a fast tire that's "grippier and tougher than you'd expect." The speed doesn't sacrifice toughness, however, as Keteven also noted the tire's puncture-resistant qualities as well.

Kenda Kommuter

As its name implies, Kenda's Kommuter tire is designed specifically for commuters. The Kommuter's wide profile provides riders with cushioning from road vibration and the occasional pothole, while a tread profile featuring a smooth center ridge allows for a smooth ride. BikeRadar.com lauded the Kommuter's durability as well as their comfort, lauding their "long life for extra touring and commuting comfort," and noted that after over 2,000 km of use, they showed "little visible wear to either tread or sidewalls."

Resources

Article Written By Billy Brown

Billy Brown is an outdoor sports writer living in Northern California. An avid rock climber and trail runner, he's been writing about outdoor activities, fitness and gear since 2005. He regularly contributes to "The Record Searchlight," uncooped.com, and Trails.com, as well as other print and online publications. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Simpson University and is a NASM-certified personal trainer.

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