Everything You Need To Know About Mountain Bike Tyres
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the intricacies of mountain bike tires, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right tire for various riding conditions. It covers the basics of tire construction, including tread knobs, carcass, and bead, and explores how different tread patterns and rubber compounds impact performance. The discussion highlights the balance between grip and rolling speed, and the need for compromise in tire design. It also touches on the evolution of tire sizing and the benefits of tubless tires and tire inserts. Ultimately, the script guides viewers on choosing the perfect tire for their specific riding style and trail conditions, suggesting it as a cost-effective way to enhance their biking experience.
Takeaways
- 🔧 Tires are technologically complex and not just black, round, and knobbly; they require careful selection based on their tech features.
- 🌐 Tires are the only contact point between the bike and the terrain, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right tire for optimal performance.
- 🌀 The tire's tread knobs, carcass, and bead are the main components that contribute to its performance and durability.
- 🔍 Tread patterns and lug sizes significantly affect how a tire rides, with different patterns suited for various riding conditions like cross-country or downhill.
- ⚖️ There's a balance to be struck between tire grip and rolling resistance, often requiring compromises for optimal performance.
- 🔬 Tire designers use various techniques and materials, including rubber compounds and multi-compound strategies, to achieve desired tire characteristics.
- 📏 Tire sizing is crucial and involves not just width but also volume and profile, which can affect how a tire performs on different terrains.
- 🧵 The carcass, made of layered fabric, plays a vital role in the tire's ride characteristics, with TPI (threads per inch) being a measure of the fabric's fineness.
- 🛡️ Tire inserts can add strength and puncture resistance, or provide a cushioning effect in the event of impacts, enhancing the tire's performance and protection.
- 💡 The perfect tire is highly dependent on the rider's intended use, style, and specific bike setup, making personalized selection essential for the best experience.
- 🛍️ Choosing the right tire can be one of the fastest and most cost-effective upgrades for a bike, significantly enhancing the riding experience.
Q & A
What is the primary function of tire tread knobs or lugs?
-Tire tread knobs or lugs are the parts that stick up and out of the tire. They provide grip and traction, especially during braking, acceleration, and when turning or leaning the bike over.
What is the role of the carcass in a tire?
-The carcass is the flexible material underneath the rubber coating of a tire. It is made of fabric layers and provides the structural integrity and support for the tire.
Why is the bead of a tire important?
-The bead is the part of the tire that holds it onto the rim. It is crucial for ensuring that the tire stays in place and does not fall off during use.
How does the rubber compound in a tire affect its performance?
-The rubber compound in a tire, which includes various chemicals, determines its grip on different surfaces. A softer compound can provide more traction on slippery surfaces but may wear out quickly, while a harder compound lasts longer but might not grip as well on certain terrains.
What is the significance of tire sizing and how does it affect a bike's performance?
-Tire sizing, including width and volume, affects how a tire performs on a bike. Wider tires with more volume can offer better bump absorption and grip but may be heavier and slower rolling, while narrower tires can be lighter and roll faster but may offer less grip and comfort.
What is the purpose of the cuts and extra details on the tread lugs?
-The cuts and extra details on the tread lugs, known as sipes, allow the lug to move and flex, helping the tire find more grip on various surfaces.
What is the role of TPI (Threads Per Inch) in tire construction?
-TPI refers to the density of threads in the fabric layers of the tire's carcass. Higher TPI indicates finer threads, which were once thought to make better tires, but modern tires often use lower TPI for fewer layers and better suppleness.
What is the difference between a tubless and a clincher tire?
-A tubless tire does not require an inner tube and can be sealed with a sealant that plugs small holes. A clincher tire, also known as a traditional tire, uses an inner tube for air retention.
What are tire inserts and how do they enhance tire performance?
-Tire inserts are additional materials, such as fabric or plastic, that can be placed inside a tire to increase sidewall strength and resistance to cuts. Some inserts also serve as a barrier between the rim and the ground to absorb impacts and prevent flats.
How can the tread pattern of a tire influence its rolling speed and grip?
-A tread pattern with a continuous center section typically rolls faster but may have less grip, especially in braking. On the other hand, a tire with large tread lugs and knobs can provide more grip during braking and turning but may not roll as quickly.
Why is it important to choose the right tire for the type of riding you do?
-Choosing the right tire is crucial for optimal performance and safety. The right tire can provide better grip, roll faster, and be more suitable for specific terrains and conditions, enhancing the riding experience and reducing the risk of punctures or tire damage.
Outlines
🔍 Tire Technology Overview
This paragraph delves into the intricacies of tire construction and technology. It explains the basic components of a tire, including the tread knobs or lugs, the carcass made of fabric and rubber coating, and the bead. The importance of tire selection is emphasized, as it is the only contact point with the terrain. The variety in tire design is highlighted, with options ranging from flat bar gravel to cross-country racing and downhill biking. The paragraph also touches on the performance benefits of lighter and faster-rolling tires, and the need for optimization based on trail conditions and e-bike compatibility.
🏗️ Tire Design Compromises and Features
The second paragraph discusses the challenges faced by tire designers in balancing grip, rolling resistance, and durability. It explains how different forces like braking and acceleration affect tire design. The paragraph introduces the concept of multicompound tires, which use varying rubber compounds for different sections of the tire to enhance performance. It also covers the use of materials like graphene to improve tire longevity. The importance of tread patterns and lug design is explored, including how they affect grip and performance in various conditions.
📏 Tire Sizing and Carcass Construction
This paragraph focuses on the complexities of tire sizing, including the European Tire and Rim Technical Organization (ETRO) standards. It explains how tire width affects volume and the tire's profile, which in turn influences ride characteristics. The concept of TPI (threads per inch) is introduced, discussing how the density of threads in the fabric layers affects tire performance. The paragraph also covers the importance of the carcass, the layers of fabric beneath the rubber, and how different TPI values can impact the tire's suppleness and air retention.
🚴♂️ Tailoring Tires to Riding Style and Conditions
The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of selecting the right tires based on individual riding styles and conditions. It provides examples of different types of tires suitable for cross-country and enduro riding, highlighting their specific features like tread patterns, compound materials, and carcass strength. The paragraph also discusses the benefits of tire inserts for added protection against cuts and the role of the bead in securing the tire to the rim. It concludes by encouraging riders to research and choose tires that best match their riding needs for an enhanced biking experience.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Tire Tech
💡Tread Knobs or Lugs
💡Carcass
💡Bead
💡Rubber Compound
💡Multicompound Tires
💡Tread Pattern
💡Sizing
💡Carcass Layers
💡Tubless
💡Tire Inserts
Highlights
Tires have a lot of technology involved, contrary to the common perception of them being just black, round, and knobbly.
Tires are the only contact point with the terrain, making them crucial for performance and safety.
The basic components of a tire include tread knobs, carcass, and bead, each with specific functions.
Variations in tread pattern, rubber compound, and carcass construction can significantly affect tire performance.
Different mountain biking disciplines require different tire characteristics, from flat bar gravel to aggressive downhill.
Lighter and faster-rolling tires can enhance bike performance and make cycling more enjoyable.
Finding the right tire prevents punctures, rim damage, and unnecessary tire wear, saving money in the long run.
Tire designers must balance various forces like braking, acceleration, and side loads for optimal tire performance.
Compromises in tire design often involve trade-offs between traction, rolling resistance, and durability.
Tread lugs have multiple roles, including providing grip during turns and on off-camber sections.
Rubber compounds in tires can vary from super soft for grip to hard for longevity, affecting performance on different terrains.
Multicompound tires offer a combination of different rubber compounds for enhanced performance in various conditions.
Tread patterns and lug sizes are crucial for grip, braking, and rolling resistance, with various designs for different terrains.
Cypes, a technique for modifying tread lugs for better grip, originated from a need for traction in slippery conditions.
Tire sizing involves width and volume, which affects how a tire rolls and its interaction with the rim.
The carcass, made of layered fabric, influences the tire's ride characteristics and strength.
TPI, or threads per inch, refers to the fineness of the threads in the tire's fabric and affects its suppleness.
Tubless tires require a compatible rim and may need sealant to ensure a secure fit and prevent punctures.
Tire inserts can enhance strength, protect against cuts, or provide a barrier between the rim and impacts.
Choosing the right tire for your riding style and terrain can greatly improve your cycling experience.
Transcripts
tires are tires aren't they they're just
black round a little bit knobbly well I
mean no no they're not there's loads of
tech that goes into them and getting
nerdy about them is a really good thing
because tires are your only contact
Point well hopefully your only contact
point so we're going to walk you through
what you need to look for in all the
Tire
Tech okay before we go too deep we're
just going to run through the basics of
a tire so I guess the main thing is
we've got tread knobs or lugs these are
the bits that stick up and out of the
tire they're sitting on a carcass so
that's the flexible material it's made
of a fabric underneath the rubber
coating and then the final bit of the
puzzle is the bead okay there's not much
variation on a bead but in terms of
casing and in terms of tread pattern and
in terms of rubber compend there's
almost Limitless options and they can
help you fine-tune the perfect Tire it
can be a bit of a bamboozling option but
we're going to run through all the tech
although many tires look similar in
terms of their black round and have
sticky knobs the sole differences in the
tread pattern and tread shaping and the
size of those lugs makes a really big
difference to how the tire rides and
mountain biking is really broad we've
got almost flat bar gravel stuff with
cross country and we've got cross
country racing and then we've got the
other side where we're doing huge Hooks
and amazing downhills so we've got this
really broad spectrum and because bikes
even ebikes are human powerered if we
can make the tire a little bit lighter
and if we can make the tire roll a
little bit quicker it means that we can
get more performance and we can have a
more fun day out because we're going to
be less tax by dragging around really
big rubber so optimizing your tires for
the trails and conditions that you're
going to ride is awesome we're going to
dive in to work out which tires will
suit you
[Music]
best why do I care so much about you
finding the perfect Tire well running
the wrong Tire whether it's a
CrossCountry Tire you doing sort of
Burly skills Loops or Burly downhill
well you'll puncture your tire you could
lose lose that tire and wreck it you
could ruin a rim conversely if you're
doing bigger days out and you're hunting
The Horizon and you're dragging around a
really big Burly tire that's got lots of
grip but it's too much Tire well it's
just going to be a drag so finding the
right tire can be better for you better
for your bike and if you're not trashing
tires better for your wallet too
[Music]
Tire designers have got lots of factors
to manage and design around and well
lots of tools to do it with but it's
really tricky because we've got lots of
forces going through the tire where
we've got braking we've got acceleration
we've got side loads which we'll dive
into in more depth later but effectively
to get all of those we want a big chunky
Tire now conversely if we want a tire
that's really fast rolling well we kind
of don't want all of that grip now to
make a tire that's really grippy and
bites well and can turn well oh you know
what it's not that difficult and
conversy to make a tire that rolls
really quickly and is really lightweight
also it's not that difficult now trying
to pair those two things together and
making a really grippy and fast rolling
Tire now that's where it gets really
challenging so like in life sometimes
with tires we need to make compromises
and those compromises might be traction
and they might be rolling
resistance we've already covered Dum
terms and now we're going to dive really
deep and break them all down so you
don't have to have a tech brain down
knobs tread lugs I mean they're fairly
obvious feature of a tire but have you
ever wonder what they do well they've
got lots of different jobs and leading
edges so rotation is key in TI Tech
because when it's ramped this side
that's going to help smooth out the
pedaling stroke this back Edge is where
the braking force is so that's really
important and these edges here are the
working edges this is the bit that's
going to bite in and provide the G
these are the side knobs so when you
lean the bike over in a turn or if
you're scrabbling for grip on an off
camber that's where the traction is
going to come from the rubber okay it's
not just natural rubber it's actually a
rubber compound with lots of other
chemicals in there some of the rubber
compounds that tires use will be super
soft and these can be really really
grippy and they help conform the tire
and the the tread lug to the terrain so
if you're riding on really hard but
slippy Rock then a soft compound can
bite in and get more traction and grip
conversely if these tread lugs are
really tall and soft compound well they
can be wobbly and actually on hard
surfaces they can squirm also if it's a
softer compound in general they're going
to wear really quickly which can get
expensive so other side of the fence
with a really hard compound okay well
the hard compound is going to last a lot
longer it might not grip as much on some
terrain so if it's hard and Rocky you
might struggle for these tread lugs to
move around and get that grip but but if
it's soft and if it's lomy they can
Spike through now quite a few brands do
multicompound tires and what that means
is you're going to have different rubber
compounds across the tire often you'll
get a harder Tire section in the in the
center so that provides more stability
and more bite and then you'll get much
softer side lugs so when you're on those
off camber sections and you're trying to
fight for grip or you loading the tire
in a turn you'll have lots of
deformation of the tire tread lug to get
more grip it's horses for courses in
terms of whether one is better than the
other but there's lots of options out
there some of the brands are using
graphine in their tires to Aid all the
properties so you can almost get a
softer tire but it lasts a lot longer
but there's lots to nerd out about but
that's just a general theme tread
patters there's a lot to talk about with
tread patters and there's some
generalizations that we can skim over
and there's a lot of crossover with sort
of like lug height and knob height and
tread pans but they are two different
things so so with a tread pan if you've
got a center section that's almost
continuous it's most likely going to
roll really quickly it might struggle
for a inline braking it might struggle a
little bit for grip but often these
Treads have got lots of biting edges cu
the the lug size is smaller so they'll
grip really well in the right conditions
and by right conditions I mean where
it's drier and that sort of mud or lone
can get released cuz often tightly
packed tires can pack up really quickly
conversely if you've got a tire with
really big tread lugs and big knobs it
doesn't offer necessarily more grip it
doesn't offer necessarily any more
puncture protection because these lugs
are any bigger but what it can do is
provide lots of grip under braking lots
of grip in turns because these tread
lugs again in the right conditions can
bite into the loone and bite into those
turns so study the tires look at what
they're doing some tires like this one
I've got a general sort of Center
section and then you've got a lean out
to the to the shoulder so sometimes
there can be a little bit of a
transition if you're midc corner with
that Gap in Treads some tires will have
a nice transition lug just in here to
help as you lean the bike over if you're
not super confident just to put it onto
the shoulder and rail it around they'll
have this extra knob which will help you
just find the shoulder and I guess the
other key thing was all these tread
patterns you can really feel the
difference and you get really good
feedback on the trail from what these
knobs and lugs are doing and we've got
more on that in a little bit now we're
going to going to dive into some more
real deep nerdy stuff we're going to
talk about cypes I often mispronounce it
but it's a bloke's name John cyp I kid
you not he developed it in well The
Story Goes either in a slaughter house
or he worked in somewhere where it was
cold and slippy and he invented this
really clever technique of modifying a
tread lug it was on his shoes
unfortunately the tires at the time were
solid tires so his idea was yeah before
its time anyway for us it's a really
useful tool well I say us for the tire
designers what is it you ask okay well
on the tread log you may have noticed
all these little cuts and extra little
details they're not just there for
fashion no they do stuff and what they
do is they allow that tread lug to
actually move and find more grip because
they're all about those working edges
and by putting a small cut in it even if
it's very small just maybe half a mil or
or a mil deep it opens up that tread lug
to find more grip and flex in a certain
way so you might see race mechanics
actually modifying tires at races where
they're cutting into the tire either
like a cross cut or into the site that's
on a tire to open up even more I mean
it's not necessarily recommended because
you do risk the risk punctures but you
can get a lot more grip okay sizing I
mean this one is a huge topic there's
literally a European committee that
helps with Tire sizing it's called the
etto but we're not going to go that
nerdy essentially when we talk about
Tire sizing we talk about width which
it's useful but it's not the only thing
going on because as tires are well I
think it's toroidal but effectively it's
a donut as you increase the width it
effectively increases the volume too so
they get taller as well but not
necessarily uniform so sometimes that
profile can change and you can have a
square profile or a rounder profile and
yeah those tires are going to ride
really differently so you'll sit on your
tire you'll have a measurement it will
fit in your bike make sure you check the
other thing to be just mindful of is
that certain rims work with certain
sizes of tires so if you're putting on a
really really large Tire like a a 2.8
might not work on a really narrow rim
and obviously the opposite also works so
if you've got a relatively narrow Tire
maybe like a 2.1 or even a 2 in putting
that on a really wide rim isn't
necessarily a good thing carcass okay
you'll hear this term banded around
what's it mean what's it mean well it's
all about the layers of fabric that are
underneath the rubber I know fabric who
would have thought well it's really
important and the order in which these
are laid up and the layering and how
many layers there are and if there's any
inserts we'll go into those later make a
really big difference to the ride
characteristics of the tire as the
carcass is made of fabric you'll often
hear the term TPI which is threads per
inch and that's a reference of how fine
a thread is used in that the fabric
Plies that make up the tire now there
was this older logic that said that if
you had ultra fine almost Egyptian
cotton fine 290 TPI it made a better
Tire some of that logic's not quite
right and actually more and more more
modern tires including XC ones are using
bigger burlier threads in that fabric
even 60tpi which was once dubbed to sort
of not very good and and low rate has
now been re realized as well actually
quite good because you don't need as
many layers and it's the air that holds
the tire up and creates it supplely not
how many tpri you've got we've talked
about Treads we've talked about carcass
now probably the most important thing on
your tire well at least to hold on to
the rim is the bead this is simply the
interface between the carcass and your
Rim tubless well early iterations of
tubless well they didn't need any
tubless sealant so you just popped it on
the rim bit of a struggle and you
inflated it and off you went and it was
great but it was all a dedicated system
and it was all designed to work together
now it's slightly grer and we've got
tubless ready rims we've got tubless
ready tires we've got tlr this or tlr
that there's lots of different terms now
in general check with the manufacturers
of both the tire and the rim if they are
compatible and in most cases you'll need
to run sealant which is a good thing
because the sealant will plug loads of
holes that you don't even notice are
there but you do need to make sure that
the bead is correct so the tire doesn't
fall off Tire inserts this covers well
it now covers two things it used to
cover just either additional Fabric or
maybe a plastic insert in the sidewall
those plastic and fabric inserts on the
sidewalls were there to boost strength
and resistance to cuts and slashes on
sidewalls the other inserts that we're
talking about are green foamy things
they're not always green but effectively
they're an insert that creates a barrier
or a bottom at bumper between your rim
and the hard object that you've just hit
at warp speed they can be really good
we've done quite a few videos on them so
look for the link
[Music]
here if you've got a lightweight full
suspension or a hard tail that you're
looking to do Horizon hunting maybe a
bit of marathon racing or flat bar
gravel stuff this is a really good
example of a good cross Country Tire
okay this one is a 2.1 but you can get
it in a 235 as well so it's pretty high
volume for a cross country Tire it's
also got this near continuous Center
section of tread and that means that on
harder surfaces it will roll really well
now for the kind of loose bits of Trail
DET tritis over hard pack it's got all
these gripping edges so it should offer
for the size of the tire quite a lot of
grip for climbing and descending so if
you're looking to hunt that Horizon and
go far and fast a lightweight Tire like
this is a great option Horizon hunting
not your bag big into the uro the Nar
the hook well something like this is a
really good example of what to look for
so what have we got well we've clearly
got much bigger tread lugs we've got a
much bigger profile of Tire as well so
this one is a 2.4 but you can get tires
into 2.6 as well and that's good because
you've got more volume and more bump
absorption you might be able to run them
at lower pressure this one's got a
reinforced carcass as well so that will
help support you at those lower
pressures and guard against rock slashes
or or any cuts and nicks in terms of the
tread compound we've got these really
big lugs that bite in and provide lots
of grip so if you're looking for an
Enduro Tire or sort of a big day out
Tire or you're going to go to a bike
park a bigger gnarlier tire like this is
a great option so what makes the perfect
Tire well all depends on where you're
riding and what style of riding you're
doing and how you ride so good example
is with this trail bike this is a neuron
from Canyon and it's one of their trail
bikes so we've got 144 and we've got 130
travel on the the back end so it's
fairly light and it kind of goes
everywhere but for me in my riding style
I wanted a fair bit of grip up front so
I've gone with a fairly chunky Trail
tire so in between an injo tire and a
classic Cross Country Tire we've got the
bigger lugs but a slightly lighter
casing and on the back again I've gone
for a trail tire so the tread pattern is
quite low profile so we should make it
quick and we've got lots of ramped edges
so it should roll quickly but there's
enough shoulder and there's enough
carcass strength in there that I
shouldn't get a flat on the first big
Huck that I do obviously it's a trail
bike so I'm not going to be going wild
one extra bonus point to mention is that
with a tire up front with lots of grip
that can be really great because you
actually have more weight on the back so
when you're pedaling and rolling having
a smoother treaded tire on the back can
give you the impression of smoother
rolling all the way through even when on
the downhills you've got a chunky Tire
up front with more grip so there's a lot
to talk about with tires and we only
skim the surfice you can get really
nerdy about tires I'm going to say
boring to be fair because there's just
so much right cut to the chase tailoring
your tires to where you ride and what
bike you're riding can make an awesome
difference to your bike it's probably
the fastest cheapest upgrade that you
can make to your bike so do some maths
do some learning do some science find
out which tires going to suit your
riding and get out and ride with the
best tires for your ride
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