I don’t want to talk to you about tire pressure, not because tire pressure isn’t important, but because I’ve already talked about it so much. I’m just at a point where I’d rather discuss the thread-count of your sheets. Also, I don’t care about the thread-count of your sheets.
Having said that, a good set of tires is one of the lowest cost/highest benefit investments you can make for your bike.
The last decade has seen tires get wider and pressures drop. We’ve learned things about rolling resistance and comfort, and we’ve adapted, although I’d venture that a lot of folks have over-simplified the science and made the wrong adaptations. That’s fine. Their bikes roll. All good with me.
Another thing the last decade has produced is a veritable revolution in the quality of rubber going into tires. Casings have gotten grippier, more supple, all the good things, and the array of really nice feeling tires has exploded. That selection has actually gotten so vast and detailed that it can be hard to figure out what to choose.
Despite not wanting to talk about your tire pressure, I am interested in what tires you like. I have some go-tos, like the Schwalbe G-One, the WTB Nano Race and the Maxxis Minion, but I’m in danger of simple loyalty for the sake of there just being…so…many…options.
You can name a road, gravel, or mountain tire. You can name one of each. Heck, there are no rule here. You can name as many tires as you want, but try to give us the reasons you like each one.
Bonus Fact: The first known use of rubber was by the Olmecs of Mexico between 1000 and 500 BCE for the balls used in ceremonial games a lot like basketball.
I commute by bike pretty much year round. Schwalbe Marathons can’t be beat. Haven’t had a flat in a decade using them.
lots of rubber across all my bikes, but my favs are my every day-ers. Panaracer/Sim Works homage gumwall 43s.
Mainstays: Specialized Butcher Grid 29 2.6 T9 compound up front and Specialized Eliminator (or Butcher) Grid (or Gravity) 27.5 or 29 2.3 depending on the bike T7/T7-9/T9 compound out back. I run Huck Norris Sandwich tire liners on all wheels and rarely have a flat. Orange Seal sealant. My go-t0 pressures are 22-24 PSI rear and 20-22 PSI up front which are pretty low considering my weight and riding style. Occasionally some Maxxis tires come my way due to needing something fast or being out of town, but the Speshys are super predictable, durable and blow everything else away cost-wise.
One brand of tire that I really like, but hardly ever see any reviews of is Serfas. I have a pair of Drifters for one of my more pavement-oriented bikes and a pair of Sheriffs on a 90’s mountain bike rebuild. The Sheriffs roll pretty nicely on pavement, too. Both styles have all the ideal qualities you mentioned of suppleness, etc… in my view.
For over 15+ years I was a Vittoria guy. Mostly Corsa Controls due to the crap roads here in SLC. I segued to Conti 4 Seasons for a year before changing to clincher GP5k’s on all my bikes. I went wider (28) even on my 94 Stelvio and my A bike (Logic) No F words, grippy AF and don’t even think about them. I am running TPU tubes which is stepping away from 40+ years of butyl yet not interested in road tubeless. move. So far so good.
About 2012 I tried road tubeless and realised it was crap and hassle. That was just as The Science was starting about tyre pressure and as I dived into ‘cross. So for the last 10 years I’ve run Challenge tyres on road and cross with latex tubes. I briefly tried some Bonty tubeless and found they cut really easily compared to Challenge, that I rarely punctured.
MTB is only ever Maxxis. I am accused on having insufficient tyre for the riding I attempt, but I like to go fast, or at least feel like I am. Ikon’s have been a great summer tyre, I have a pair of Rekon Race which are gret when it is dusty dry, but are tricky with the slightest hint of rain and Wales is well known for rain. For the wet season (at least six months of the year) I run Shorty’s, I’m not gnarr enough to need enduro or DH tyres.
Maxxis is my go-to across the board. I really like the Crossmarks, Hi-Rollers and Agressors for MTB (some wider Crossmarks up to 2.8 would be good tho) and the Detonators are great for on-road with a variety of widths for commuting and roadie-ing.
The Bontrager XR range also gets an honerable mention for MTB.
Schwalbe Marathons on my Brompton haven’t flatted for many years.
Vittoria Terreno Dry.
33mm on my CX bike (measures 36mm on an inner rim width of 21mm). 38mm on my gravel bike (measures 40mm on an inner rim width of 25mm). Love the smooth-rolling centerline with some knobs on the side for turning.
The CX tires come off when it gets muddy (Donnelly BOS), but the gravel tires stay on pretty much all of the time. On gravel, my hot take is that tread pattern matters a lot less than tire width, tire pressure, and sidewall casing.