We selected tires in the 2.3 to 2.6-inch width range. As tires continue to trend wider, so too are the tires in our test. We now have several models in the 2.5" and 2.6" widths that are becoming much more common in the current mountain bike tire market. We mounted tires to 30mm internal diameter wheels. We feel this rim size to be very representative of current wheel selection without falling into the narrow or overly wide end of the spectrum. Sidewall Protection The Maxxis Assegai is a gravity-oriented tire from Maxxis that was designed in collaboration with World Cup DH racing legend Greg Minaar. It is available in numerous casings, including DH, EXO, and EXO+. It is one of the best cornering tires our testers have ever used. Despite its square profile, it rolls easily into corners and hooks up and grips in all conditions thanks to the tall row of burly side knobs. It also provides heaps of braking traction, providing some of the best control you could ask for. It was originally only available in the DH casing which was super heavy, but now its versatility has been expanded to the rest of the market with the lighter options. We've tested this tire on both the front and rear of the bike, and it performs outrageously well in both locations.

Unfortunately, this isn't the most aggressive tire available. If you often find yourself riding in loose or wet conditions, consider another model in the fleet. While the medium-height tread is efficient and capable for most situations, there are better options for braking traction when the terrain gets super loose. Still, the Aggressor is the most versatile rear tire. Apex takes the ProTection carcass and adds a teardrop section elastomer strip from the bead to the tread edge to increase tire damping and reduce the chance of snakebite rim punctures at low pressures. The Trail King delivers decent pedal traction. We found this to be a fast-rolling tire on the front and the rear. Often, the fast-rolling tires tend to have less pedal traction since there is presumably a less aggressive center tread on the tire. The Trail King once again delivered better-than-expected performance. I'm sure on more predominant downhill rides this works much better, or on the front may be good(I'm a bit worried about how much the front end will rise with it), but if you're pedaling with it on the rear...get ready for a workout to get any speed!Although we were very pleased with most aspects of the Butcher Grid Trail T9's performance, it is not the fastest-rolling tire available in the market. The 29" x 2.6" size we tested weighs a bit on the heavy side, at 1,123 grams, and the tread's aggressiveness, open spacing, and grippy rubber contribute to some rolling resistance. This is no worse than most comparable mountain bike tires and is a trade-off for the tire's excellent traction and super smooth ride. Moreover, this budget-friendly tire is an outstanding choice for front and rear applications for trail and all-mountain riders. There's a different bead geometry and a smaller bead diameter as well. Continental's Apex insert goes from just above the bead to halfway up the sidewall. This stiffens the sidewall and creates a cushion to help prevent pinch flats. At first I didn't have much thought on the tire...went through a trail section with loads of technical areas and pinch climbs, so speed isn't a big concern, more just keeping traction and upright.

The ProTection Apex casing is noteworthy as one of the highest thread count casings in this genre of large, knobby tires.It has four layers of 240 tpi material under the tread, and three layers of 180 tpi material in the sidewalls. Fair price (for trail casing), offered in multiple casings for different uses, good braking tractionWe struggled to get the trail casing of the Kryptotal Fr and its counterpart (the Kryptotal Re) to seat; as a result, we might not recommend it to those who have more of a convenience-reigns, Laissez-faire approach to bike maintenance. It's possible your local shop might even curse getting these inflated. Other than what might be chalked up to a singular incident of difficult installation, we have little to complain about with this burly front tread. Likewise, the Michelin Wild Enduro Front is a top performer in the corners. One look at the Wild Enduro Front, and you can see why. This tire has super tall and aggressive shoulder lugs that bite into nearly any trail surface. Wet, loose, loam, this tire rips into the soil. You can lean as hard as you want into this tire, and the casing is supportive. Similarly, we found the new Michelin Wild AM2 to rip through the bends. This tire relies on its aggressive tread pattern to do most of the work, with well-supported shoulder lugs and a supportive yet supple Gravity Shield casing. Before the rubber hits the dirt, you'll be laying out some coin for said rubber — make the most of it. We're dealing with a product category here that is prone to specialization, so if you're looking for something other than an all-arounder, make sure to read up on our award winners for tires that do specific jobs well.

Only having these a week I've been able to log 18 asphalt miles and 84 trail miles. Central Texas (Austin / San Antonio)Until this latest set of 27.5 tires that seem smaller I would have told you I’ll be riding TKs as long as they are built, but I’m not as stoked about the square profile. I’m not buying new rims to make ’em work so I’ll probably try a different tire on my 27.5 bike once these wear out.