The 15 Best Mountain Bike Road Tires in 2022

Check out the best mountain bike road tires for 2021. Is it easy in finding a good one? It took me a lot of research and analysis before coming up with this product review list. Read on to find out more.

What is a cost-efficient upgrade on your mountain bike? That’s right, getting a new set of mountain bike (MTB) tires is the best solution to make an excellent upgrade for the functionality and aesthetics of your mountain bike.

Getting the right tire bikes is important because it helps in the traction of your mountain bike on dry or wet surfaces. Likewise, there are plenty of factors you need to consider before buying new MTB tires.

For your convenience, I have done the market research and product analysis for you. Likewise, I have included a simple buying guide talking about the essentials you need to look for remarkable MTB tires.

Let’s start!

All Road Tires for Mountain Bike – Comparison Chart

Road tires can replace mountain bike tires to ride on the road because it’s much lighter and thinner than wide and large mountain bike tires. The best road tires for mountain bikes are constructed with synthetic rubber or natural rubber with carbon black and wire with most air pressure range from 40- 85 psi. The thickness is around 23mm to 32mm.

The table below acts as a summary of top 15 best road tires for mountain bikes with some attributes to compare:

Top 15 Best Mountain Bike Road Tires Reviews in 2022

Great! Now, let us proceed towards reviewing the best brands and types of mountain bike road tires for 2021. Hop on! So you can find the right bike tires that match your needs and budget.

Best for Overall: Street Fit 360 Bike Tires

Product specs

Key features

• Wire Beads for enhanced durability and balanced tread wear
• Smooth and quiet touring for paved surfaces
• Reasonable price

This MTB road tire provides an exceptional mix performance for off-road and paved road touring. When trailing on the off-road surface, it exudes decent traction and biting grip on dry or wet grounds. Meanwhile, when riding on pavements, you won’t hear swarming bees like sound which is evident for pure off-road MTB tires.

Best for Slick Road Tires: Maxxis Hookworm 29” Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Reinforced sidewalls for better cornering
• Symmetrical and curved tread patterns for a quiet and smooth touring on paved roads

These road MTB tires have a width of 2.5” which still fits for a mountain bike that is ideal for a 2.3” tire. This slick road tire is like a beast on the road, with very little rolling resistance needed to overcome to move and speed up. This attribute is highly contributed to its curved-shape tread pattern that is symmetrical on both sides. Overall, this is the second-best option to have for your MTB.

Best for Hybrid Ride: Kenda Road+Trail Bike Tires

Product specs

Key features

• Symmetrical tread patterns for balanced handling and water traction
• Wired rubber beads for enhanced durability
• Reliable dual function for off-road and on-road surfaces

This bike tire has an even tread pattern and wider central pattern which is great for paved road surfaces. Nonetheless, the rugged treads on the sides help in off-road touring and cornering.

Stability is not a question because of the wider width of its central rib. Moreover, it has a wired bead rubber compound which enhances even tread wear and long life of this bike tire.

Best for Smooth Road Performance: WTB Slick Bike Tires

Product specs

Key features

• Diagonal tread patterns and channels
• Symmetrical tread design
• Wide central rib and sturdy sidewall

This slick bicycle tire for mountain bikes has a wide central rib which does most of its traction for paved road surfaces. Unlike the traditional off-road tires, this one is very quiet in its touring performance. Meanwhile, cornering and water traction is still good for this slick MTB tires.

Best for Road High-Performance: Michelin Wild Run’r Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Slick bike tire
• Smooth central rib pattern
• Durable sidewall for balanced cornering and water traction

Michelin is one of the top brands when it comes to tires. This slick bike tire can be used for your mountain bikes which can greatly lift its on-road touring performance. The even and less aggressive tread designs of this bike tire proved great in reducing rolling resistance. With that, you can easily move and accelerate your ride at very minimal pedaling.

Moreover, it is very quiet and water traction is never a problem with this high-performance slick bike tire from Michelin.

Best for Quiet Ride: Schwalbe Big Ben Bike Tires

Product specs

Key features

• Compatible with fast-moving E-bicycles
• Quieter ride than the normal off-road bike tires
• Durable tread compound

You can expect a smooth and quiet ride from this MTB tire because of its even tread designs and its wide central rib pattern. The central rib contributes greatly to the handling, dry traction, and smoother ride on road surfaces.

The water channels on the side contribute to the excellent hydroplaning resistance of this bike tire. Moreover, there will be fewer chances of getting a flat tire because of its dual Nylon fiber construction underneath its rubber material.

This bike tires can also be used for your E-bikes. It increases its traction power so your E-bike can run longer distances.

Best for Reinforced Puncture Resistance: Continental Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Rugged peripheral tread designs
• Wider central rib block
• Durable rubber compound reinforced with Nylon fiber

This MTB bike tire has a more aggressive tread design on the sides but a wider central rib pattern. The overall impact is better traction on both paved and rough terrains. The central rib does more traction and balances on paved road surfaces, minimizing noise in every turn.

The rugged tread patterns on the sides provide better traction on wet and off-road surfaces. The wider gaps on each tread block enable self-cleaning action as well for this bike tire.

Likewise, the enhanced rubber compound of this bike tires provides its impressionable resistance against sharp objects and punctures.

Best for All-Around Road Tire: Panaracer Touring Road Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Tread patterns ideal for urban and rugged terrains
• Rubber material reinforced with steel beads underneath
• Excellent traction and grip on wet and dry surfaces

Whether you go for an urban or countryside ride, this bike tire from Panaracer is truly worthwhile for its all-around functionality. Its V-shaped tread designs help increase hydroplaning resistance, enabling efficient grip on wet surfaces.

You can guarantee a smooth and quiet ride from these bike tires because of its multiple side patterns which cut down rolling noise in every turn. Likewise, it aids in stable and accurate cornering.

Best for Durable Rubber: Serra’s Drifter Bike Tires

Product specs

Key features

• Dual Density Technology for a more solid rubber compound
• Tread patterns are inverted so that rolling friction is reduced
• Lower risks for flat tires

Among all MTB tires, this one has the best rubber material because of its Dual Density Technology. Typically, a hard rubber material helps reduce rolling friction, whereas, a soft rubber compound improves biting action on every surface.

The tread patterns of this bike tire are symmetrical and not that rugged for extreme off-road touring. The alternate C-tread blocks provide better hydroplaning resistance on wet surfaces.

Best for Efficient Handling: Pirelli PZero Road Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• 127 TPI rubber casing
• Rubber compound incorporated with Silica particles
• Symmetrical and smooth tread patterns

The central rib pattern of this tire is wide enough to ensure smooth and balanced handling on paved road surfaces. The tread designs are symmetrical and less aggressive to minimize noise and friction.

The incorporated Silica particles increase its traction and biting grip on road surfaces. Aside from its sturdy rubber compound, the steel belts underneath provide more balanced tread wear.

Best for Paved trails: Schwalbe Hurricane Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Symmetrical tread designs
• Solid sidewalls
• Durable rubber compound with Silica beads

The central rib of this mountain bike tires is wide enough to promote balanced handling on both paved and off-road surfaces. Its sidewall has rugged tread blocks that enable accurate cornering while increasing tread life.

The V-shaped tread pattern on both sides of the central rib increases hydroplaning resistance. The smaller tread blocks served as stone ejectors for a self-cleaning action. Moreover, it runs smoother and lesser noise on paved surfaces.

Best for Hybrid Bikes: Sunlite K847 MTB Road Tires

Product specs

Key features

• Larger tread blocks on the sides
• The smooth and wide central rib
• Reinforced rubber material with wide steel belts underneath

This MTB tire has an exceptional feature that can fully function both on and off-road terrains. It has a smooth central rib which ensures a reduction of its rolling friction. The downward V-pattern redirects water out from the central rib to ensure a good grip on wet surfaces.

There are multiple lateral sipes on the sidewall to minimize the noise in every turn. It is an exceptional MTB rubber tire that has reputable hybrid functionalities for off-road and paved surfaces. Overall, I find it a good tire for your mountain and E-bicycles.

Best for Mountain Bike Trails: Goodyear Bead Mountain Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Hybrid features for an all-out off and on-road touring
• Durable rubber component with Silica granules for increased grip
• Uniform tread pattern

This MTB tire from Goodyear has a uniform tread pattern. It has multiple raised tread blocks that effectively bite on the ground. Never fear for a noisy ride because the several tread blocks are capable enough to cut down noise during its revolution.

The gaps in between each raised blocks contribute to the hydroplaning resistance of the tire. This, in turn, provides reliable wet traction both on paved and rugged terrains.

Best for Indoor Cycling: Tacx Road Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Strong rubber material with Silica particles
• Side reflection

The smooth pattern of this bike tire is impressionably useful in giving you the best smooth and fast ride on the road. Its rubber material has enough Silica to increase its grip and biting action, thus, no worries about slipping or skidding.

Because of the smooth tread patterns, it is only very useful for on-road surfaces and very less likely for rugged and off-road surfaces. You can surely travel longer distances on paved roads because it has low rolling resistance, thus, you can speed up quickly without straining your feet and legs.

Best for Front Tire: Michelin Wild Racer Bike Tire

Product specs

Key features

• Self-cleaning action
• Elevated tread blocks
• Finer tread designs on the central rib

This MTB tire can still be used or paved road surfaces but it will be slightly noisy because of its elevated tread blocks. Overall, its tread pattern is great for muddy and off-road terrains. It can sufficiently tract dry and wet grounds because of its larger tread blocks and deeper grooves.

Its rubber material is enhanced with a stronger compound with Silica granules for better biting action. It has a sturdy sidewall to avoid any puncture from sharp rocks on the sides. Overall, its tire shoulder promotes accurate cornering with a lesser chance of falling out.

Buying Guide: How to choose the Best Mountain Bike Road Tires?

So we are done talking about the top 15 best mountain bike tires 2021. Now, let us focus on the essentials which you need to look for when buying your new set of MTB tires. Each factor must be considered since it affects the performance of your mountain bike road tires.

The Kinds of MTB Tires

• Front Tires: We the front and rear tires for your mountain bikes, and this is the first classification. The front tires are responsible for the control and stability of maneuvers. This is the main reason why most customers would want their front tires to be thicker and tougher.
• Rear Tires: In contrast, the rear tires are responsible for the power of your mountain bike. It must have sufficient traction which helps in pushing your MTB forward and gaining more speed. Likewise, the rear tire must have lower rolling friction so that you won’t be stressed out in making it move faster. With that, MTB rear tires are typically narrower than the ones in front.

Do we go for tubeless or tube MTB tires?

Tubeless bike tires are the ones popular in the market today. It has no inner tubing and contains a liquid sealant inside which immediately seals off small holes on your tubeless tires. Here are some of the benefits and setbacks of a tubeless MTB tire.

Meanwhile, tube MTB tires are still used today, and like the tubeless types, it also has its respective pros and cons.

Rubber Material

The quality of rubber compound used in any MTB tires is important because it affects several features of the tire which include wear and tear, traction, hydroplaning resistance, rolling friction, and price.

For mountain bike road tires, an excellent choice will be going for those made of dual-compound rubber tires. It has a good blend of performance, price, and durability.

Tread Patterns

Determining the tread patterns of your MTB tires is critical towards its traction, rolling resistance, and balance. In general, there are two shapes for your tread designs, that is, round and square-shaped patterns.

If you plan to ride on smooth and plane surfaces, then getting a round-shaped tread pattern with closer spacing is ideal. Meanwhile, for off-road surfaces, you can go for the square-shaped patterns with wider spacing for better traction and grip on dry and wet surfaces.

MTB Tire Size

Generally, there are three main sizes to choose from for your MTB tires – 26”, 27.5”, and 29” in diameter. Bigger wheel size tends to cover more distances compared to others with smaller diameters. However, the latter proves to have better stability than MTB tires with wider diameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ section is added information regarding the common questions thrown by customers when they are shopping for MTB tires. I have supplied brief and sufficient answers to each question.

Can bicycle tires for the road be used for mountain bikes?

This is a yes. Even if your mountain bikes have larger wheel clusters, still a road bike tire can be used for it.

Is it fine to use mountain bikes for urban commuting?

Well, there are pros and cons of using a mountain bike for urban commuting. Some of the known benefits for using mountain bikes on paved surfaces include comfortable seat padding, exceptional traction for dry, wet, and light snow conditions, rugged and durable quality.

The minor setbacks of MB would include noisy ride and harder pedaling since the tread patterns are usually rugged which induces higher rolling resistance.

Why mountain bikes run slower on paved or off-road surfaces?

There are two main factors for this: (1) the heavier weight of the bike, and (2) staggered and aggressive tread patterns.

Which is better, a road bike or a mountain bike?

There is no straight answer to this because it all depends on your purpose of buying a bicycle. Each type has its respective pros and cons, which you need to consider. In general, a mountain bike has a better edge on versatility, whereas, a road bike is for street commuting convenience. The bottom line for choosing will be the purpose, budget, and convenience.

Are wider bike tires better than narrower ones?

It is not entirely true that switching to wider bike tires is totally beneficial. However, you can feel a good reduction in rolling resistance when you upgrade from a 23-mm to a 25-mm bicycle tire. This increased in performance can also be linked to the lesser contact area with a wider bicycle tire.

Can I put skinny tires on a mountain bike?

Yes, you can put the skinny road tires on a mountain bike, but you should consider the size for your rim and know that the narrow tires have drawbacks that are less shock absorbing.

My Top Pick

Finally, you are done reading through the entire article. Just a recap, the top pick for this article is Street Fit 360 Bike Tires. Its tread pattern is just right to ensure a smooth and quiet ride for both paved and tough terrains. Traction for dry and wet grounds is not a problem because of its deeper grooves and rubber-Silica compound.

I guess you now have enough details on what road tires to buy for your mountain bikes. Enjoy scanning again and choosing the best tires for your all-around touring experience.