Choosing the Right Tire Width for your Mountain Bike

As mountain biking progresses it seems like you need a degree in bikes to be able to figure out what combination of components you need to have on your bike to make it ride the way you want it to ride. The name of the game is to have fun rather than worrying about things like head tube angles, axle sizes, handlebar width and brake pad materials etc.

It's hard enough deciding what brand of tire you want to put on your bike because there are so many different tread patterns, weights and compounds to choose from. But even after you figure that out you still need to decide on what size will be best suited for your style or riding and the terrain you will be riding on. Should you go skinny or should you go fat tire style. Well it all depends on your riding style and the trails you like to ride.

Skinny tires offer less rolling resistance (although some will argue the other way), faster acceleration and lighter weight making it easier to go faster on smoother trails with less effort. Wider tires are better for going over rocks and taking corners thanks to their grippier sidewalls. Plus wider tires tend to be more knobby than skinny tires. If you ride in a lot of sandy conditions then wider tires will keep you more in control. If you are a downhill rider then you should know that wider is better. Also with the wider tires you can run less air pressure making grip around rocks rather than bounce over them. Lots of people will go with a wider front tire for handling and a skinnier rear tire for pedaling efficiency. Skinny tires also offer less wheel protection and don’t handle as well under braking but they do allow you to keep your speed up for longer periods of time.

Now when we say skinny and wide each may vary based on opinion. A skinny tire to us is around a 1.8 to a 2.25 width and made for cross country bikes and riding on nice hardpacked trails. For something like a trail or all mountain bike you would use something like a 2.3 or 2.4 wide tire to handle rougher rocky terrain. Then for the downhill people they tend to go with a 2.5 and higher. Of course you have the fat tire riders who use 3-4 inch and wider tires.

One thing to keep in mind is that the same size tire from one manufacturer to the next might not be exactly the same width so try and see them in person before buying them. Also keep in mind that the width of your wheels (internal rim width) will determine what size tire you can put on them otherwise they just won’t fit right. Stan’s No Tubes put out a helpful diagram on their website that shows what to look for when it comes to tire fit. They also have a chart that tells you what size tires to run on each type of wheel they sell.

Another thing to keep in mind is your weight because that will determine how much air pressure you need to have in your tires. A tire on a bike with a lightweight rider running 25 psi might feel fine but the same setup with a heavy rider may feel too soft and squirmy. Things like tire compound and if you are running inner tubes or going tubeless also make a difference.

Posted by Preston Mason