Mountain Bike Tires
Tyres change how a bike handles more than any other component of the same price. Width, tread and casing are the three decisions.
The buying advice on this page is retained from the original article. Its 2018 product picks have been removed — the links were dead and the models discontinued. Current model tables live on the brand pages.
A good MTB mud tire needs tons of grip, a design that easily sheds the slippery clay, and a high-puncture resistance for all types of aggressive terrains. But picking a great mountain bike mud tire is not easy as there are many options out there that promise the moon but fail to live up to that promise on the trail.
Our article is going to help you with making a decision by reviewing and ranking eight of the best mountain bike mud tires currently on the market. As for the criteria that we used to rank our choices, we decided to use a combination of popularity, grip, durability, and affordability.
What decides the choice
| Specification | What it changes | Options in use |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Wider means more grip and more rolling drag | 2.2–2.6″ typical |
| Diameter | Must match the wheel | 27.5″ · 29″ |
| Tread | Tall spaced knobs for mud; low knobs for speed | Fast-rolling · mixed · mud spike |
| Compound | Softer grips better and wears out sooner | Single · dual · triple compound |
| Casing | Puncture resistance traded against weight | Light · trail (EXO) · enduro · downhill |
| Tubeless | Allows lower pressure without pinch flats | Tubeless-ready · tubed |
| Position | Many treads are front- or rear-specific | Front · rear · either |