Choosing the Best Tires For Your Mountain Bikes
A major feature of any mountain bike is the selection of tires that either comes standard on the vehicle or is part of a custom arrangement. Since they provide the necessary traction on the surface being traveled, it is important to make sure that the rubber is able to grip each surface properly. Experienced riders look for any number of features in their tires, and these include good traction, superior strength, and light weight.
Most of these enthusiasts also have many different sets of tires to be able to adapt to any type of terrain that will be ridden on. For a novice though, the choice is more difficult because he hasn’t had the multiple opportunities to ride under difficult conditions or rough terrain. So the question is “How can the right tire be picked out from the multitude of choices that are currently available from the myriad of manufacturers that are offering this commodity?” It is certainly not easy to answer, and since parts are not cheap by any means, this is an important decision to make.
The first thing to consider is the construction of the tire itself, since this can mean significant savings on weight — an important feature on any mountain bike. A Kevlar or folding tire might be the best choice for beginners, because it has significantly less weight than the conventional non-folding tire commonly seen on bikes of this type. Because the cost is not much more for this type of tire, it is money well spent and worth the extra investment.
Next up for consideration are the type of terrains that will be ridden and the tread pattern that will best match up with this locale. There is a best match for any riding surface, and this will provide the best traction and therefore the best experience. For instance, something more solid will indicate a tire that is narrow and smooth. This will ensure that traction is adequate enough, and speed will be faster as well. A similar surface that also has a variety of rocks will call for a tire that is wider and smoother in order to effectively grip the road. The width will probably be greater than a 2.0. A knobby tire is the choice when the terrain is very loosely packed and has a number of impediments. Since traction will be at a premium with this type of surface, it is imperative to have a real rough tread in order to grip this trail properly.
There are also different considerations for both the front and rear tires of the bike. A narrow tire is the perfect option for a muddy terrain, since it will effectively plow through the slippery surface without leaving much of a footprint. It will get down to the bottom of the slop and gain some needed traction, making pedaling the bike a whole lot easier.
Another type of selection involves the all terrain tire because there are just so many options to choose from in this area. Almost all of the major producers of bike tires make a model that will be conducive to riding under almost any condition.
There are some considerations however, and the main one is the body size of the primary rider of the bike. A person of more mass will want to select a wider tire to distribute the load more evenly.
The best places to purchase new tires are through a respected bike shop, from the classified ads on a website that specializes in mountain biking accessories, or through a dedicated Webpage that offers these items.
There is no perfect plan to obtain the proper bike tires for a mountain bike, but if these guidelines are followed, the chances of success are increased. A visit to a local bike shop can also provide more information as to the right selection for a bike. Friends interested in this activity can also be an invaluable source of information, as can any of the major online forums that talk about this sport. The key is obtaining the right information, since armed with this data, it is much easier to pick out the right tire and make that ride a lot more enjoyable.