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Buyer’s guide: Top mountain bike tires for any trail

Find the right tire for the conditions you ride in

A. Maxxis Ardent Race, 27.5 x 2.35 $111

For those looking to soak up gnarly rock gardens, but also roll quickly on hardpack, the Ardent Race has you covered. Taking the same high-volume casing and tread pattern from its trail-focused big brother the Ardent, the Ardent Race cuts the knob height in half and adds some ramping to lower rolling resistance. The Ardent Race won’t be as good in the mud as the Ardent. But for technical cross country courses, the Race is a great choice.

B. Continental X-King ProTection, 29 x 2.4 $86

If you don’t like switching tires to match trail conditions, the
Continental X-King makes for a great all-round option. With
a lot of low-profile, angled knobs, the X-King rolls smoothly
with little resistance, but can bite into the dirt when you lean
it around a corner. The Black Chili compound will give you
lots of durability, even if you have to ride some pavement to
the trailhead. Continental offers the tire in 29″, 27.5″ and 26″
versions with Conti’s ProTection sidewall technology, which
helps to avoid punctures when things get aggressive and
rough.

C. Schwalbe Nobby Nic, 27.5 x 2.60 $115

The Schwalbe Nobby Nic tire has been around for many years. Recently the company added a plus-size version, which allows you to run a Nobby Nic in several different compounds and widths on almost any rim. The very pronounced side knobs provide a lot of support for hard cornering, while the middle square-shaped knobs maintain traction on the climbs and during braking. The tire is available in both wire and folding-bead options. The 27.5 x 2.60 model is tubeless-easy with Snakeskin sidewalls for extra puncture protection. If you have come to love the Nobby Nic, rest assured, there is a size for you.

D. IRC Serac XC, 29 x 2.1 $60

The Serac is one of IRC’s new mountain bike tire offerings. With the tire’s closely spaced and ramped knobs, it rolls well on hardpack and offers great traction thanks to the chevron knob shape. The tire is available in 27.5″, 29″ and 26″ sizes. At 2.1″ wide for the 29er and a 2.25″ width for a 27.5″, these are great for any time you have to ride
paths or road on the way to the trailhead. The tires are also tubeless-ready if you’re using a UST rim and sealant.