Looking at Mountain Bike Tires

Oct 5th, 2009 | By coolbiking | Category: Bike Parts Accessories

By Doru I. P.

When looking at Mountain bike tires, it’s important to get an idea of what sort of terrain the mountain bike will be used on for most of its life. Many people who go out and buy a Mountain bike will probably never take it onto technical single-track or very challenging trails, and in that case the kind of tires that can be used will be slightly different than for those who really want to stretch a mountain bike out.

Generally, most bike tires these days come out of Asia, with several well-known factories in China doing much of the producing of these tires. Really good tires of super high quality and long-lasting characteristics tend to be produced at a few factories in Germany or in Europe in general. The Germans and the French have a long history of tire production, by the way.

Tires from China generally tend to be less costly
than those coming from the high cost factories in France or Germany, though most Chinese bike tires that are sporting what bike stores call “off brand” labels will not be as durable or long-lasting as tires that come from those German or French factories. Additionally, they might not be as versatile in their ability to handle different types of terrain.

Also, the lighter a tire needs to be
and this can be important when it comes to rolling weight — the more expensive it also tends to be. In cycling (no matter if it’s road or mountain bike), there is a saying that goes like this: “Speed costs. How fast do you want to go?” That saying just about says it all, so it’s lighter weight is important, then expect to pay a premium when it comes to mountain bike tires.
Also, look at the tread on a bike tire
to get a good idea of what it can handle in terms of being out on a trail or being driven around town on the pavement. Usually, the more knobby a tire is the more difficult the trail it can handle. However, that same tire will be more difficult and cause a cyclist to expend more energy ride around on pavement.

Mountain bike tires generally calm with mountain bike inner tubes,
though there are makers nowadays that specialize in tires that can be married up to a special rim that requires no inner tube in order to inflate. These are similar in nature to today’s automobiles and their own wheel and tire setups. The cost of such a set up, though, can make the cost of a mountain bike a bit more than most people would like to pay.

Never forget,
when going out on a ride on a mountain trail or some very difficult single-track, to take a long a small pump and a tire repair kit. One never knows the kind of terrain that will be presented to a mountain bike cyclist or what it could do to the mountain bike tires that are on the machine. A good motto is to always be prepared.

For the most part, standard mountain bikes can weigh upwards of 30 pounds. One way to shave some weight is by buying better quality, lighter tires. Just make sure to look at what the tire is made to do (i. E. Is it made for single-track mountain trails or for a combination of pavement and light-rail?), and where it’s made in order to get an idea of what it might cost.

Mountain Bike Suspension Parts & Maintenance
Mountain Bike Tire Types

–About–

By Doru I. P. – When looking at mountain bike tires, it’s important to get an idea of what sort of terrain the mountain bike will be used on for most of its life. Find out all you need to know on bike tires now on http://mtb-tires.com/

Source: Cool Biking Zone – Your source for great cycling, sports and fitness articles!

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