The type of tyres you use on your bike depends on its usage. Mountain bikes can be ridden on many different terrains and for different activities. You need different skills as well as different tyres for many of these. If you pick the right mountain bike tyres they will help your riding and make it safer.

Tyres either come with a standard inner tube to keep them inflated or they are tubeless, so the question to answer is which one do you go for?

Most tubeless tyres have a tough sidewall that locks into a sealed-bed rim. This kind of tyres are hardy enough for rough terrain so they are good for downhill riding but they are expensive.

The advantage of an airtight seal and a low=pressure, stable performance i has to be weighed up against the high cost. Also you need a clean tyre and rim to fit them, and a large pump to inflate them.

If a tyre has to be replaced on a trail clean conditions are usually unavailable. Even with a CO2 cartridge pump you’ll probably have to use an inner tube to get you home, where you can the repair the tyre. Although large holes can mean the tyre has to be written off, even though small holes can often be fixed.

Tubeless tyres are heavier as well, so if you need to get quick start times and riding speeds go for a lighter tyre. Tyres with inner tubes are lighter and offer more flexibility. They are also available in more treads and design styles, so getting the right tyre might be easier.

You can now get kits to convert a conventional tyre with an inner tube to a tubeless tyre. These combine a latex-based filling liquid and a rubber rim strip to seal the inside of the tyre and rim. You will probably have to top off the filler now and then, but the cost is still much less than a standard thick wall tubeless tyre.

You will still get most of the benefits of a tubeless tyre but with a much wider choice of treads and rims, and with only the cost of the kit and latex-based filler to pay for. They are lighter as well, but you might still get the same repair issues while on a trail.

Whatever tyre you go for it is vital to replace them regularly. A blow out can cause injury and cost competitions. With the right selection and maintenance your tyres will make a huge difference to your riding.

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