As someone who loves to soundtrack my rides, the Apple AirPods range is my choice as the best headphones for cycling. While they usually carry a premium price tag, Amazon's Prime Day sales have seen the latest Apple AirPods Pro 3 slashed by $70, dropping these top-tier earbuds to an incredible $179. That is their lowest ever price and smashes their 2025 launch price of $249.

Get the Apple AirPods Pro 3 right now for just $179 at Amazon.

Prime Day wraps up at midnight tonight, June 26th, and these AirPods deals with it, so grab them while you can. Below you'll find the details on AirPod Pro 3 and also the AirPod 4 with deal from Amazon US and UK.

Prime Day runs from June 23rd to June 26th. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 see a big jump forward over their predecessors, for cyclists the built-in heart rate sensing lets you track your heart rate and calories burned with up to 50 different workout types.

Apple also claims to have improved the sound quality with three-dimensional audio and a new acoustic architecture, which is claimed to deliver transformed bass, detailed clarity so you can hear every instrument and stunningly vivid vocals.

Having used both the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2, there is noticeable improvement in sound quality, but it's the heart rate tracking which is particularly useful for cyclists. Battery life remains much the same at around 7-8 hrs.

If you are already plugged into the Apple ecosystem, the instant, seamless pairing across your devices is a massive quality-of-life bonus too. That said, they are fully compatible with any standard Bluetooth device, meaning you can easily pair them directly to your bike computer for hassle-free heart rate tracking, audio cues and music on the fly.

Below you'll find the best Apple AirPods deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best cycling deals as they appear.

The soaring temperatures sweeping the UK may mean it's too hot to work up a sweat out on a ride; however, it's a great time to give your bike a deep clean. Water dries off rapidly in these conditions, so it's far less likely to hang around and corrode any componentry. I've been washing my bikes during the evening and may have liberally chucked the water around to keep myself cool during the process, too.

As well as a water supply, you'll of course need some decent cleaning equipment, so here's a seriously good Amazon Prime Day cycling deal on Muc-Off's 8-in-1 Bike Cleaning Kit.

Get 40% off the Muc-Off 8-in-1 Bike Cleaning Kit and pay just £29.99.

Shop all Amazon deals.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

This kit consists of Muc-Off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner, Muc-Off Bike Spray, a microcell sponge, soft washing brush, detailing brush, claw brush, two-prong brush, and a storage tub to keep it all in.

It's a comprehensive cleaning set that's got everything you need to reach all the nooks and crannies on your bike, whether you ride road, gravel, or MTB. If you don't have a decent lube already, I'd also recommend a bottle of the best bike chain lube. I clean and relube my chain every time I give my bike a thorough wash.

Muc-Off's Nano Tech Bike Cleaner is one of the best bike cleaners on the market and is excellent at shifting dirt and grime. Unlike generic cleaners, it won't damage your paintwork or harm delicate components.

The Muc-Off Bike Spray included with the 8-in-1 kit is a handy light lube for protecting certain components and metalwork. Be sure to keep it away from brake callipers, brake discs, or wheel rims (if you're running rim brakes), as getting lube on those vital components will seriously hinder their performance, and it's almost impossible to remove.

For lots more money-saving offers, see our Amazon Prime Day cycling deals main article and our live Prime Day bike deals blog. We'll be on the case, scouring the online retail giant for the best deals for cyclists until Amazon Prime Day ends at midnight this Friday.

Garmin is the leading brand when it comes to the best cycling watches, and one of its flagship GPS smartwatches, the Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), is currently discounted by $500 to just $499.99, from the usual $999.99.

Amazon Prime Day 2026 draws to an end tomorrow, and although it's not quite been the bargain bonanza of Black Friday, this Garmin deal is, without doubt, the standout deal so far.

Shop the Garmin Epix Pro Sapphire Edition discounted by $500 at Amazon.

This is the lowest price we've ever seen on the Epix Pro this year, with the previous best being $549.99 back in March, and with the generally hovering around the full RRP of $999.99, this is a significant saving for anyone looking for an Amazon smartwatch deal.

However, Amazon has this marked as a limited-time deal, and although Amazon doesn't actually say when it ends, we'd expect that to be at the end of the Prime Day sales.

Prime Day runs from June 23rd to June 26th. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

This Garmin Epix deal is only on the Pro Sapphire Edition (47mm) and comes in two colour choices: either Carbon Grey DLC Titanium w/ Black Band or Titanium with Whitestone Band.

The Epix has a long list of smartwatch features that are ideal for cycling and multi-sport use, too. It includes a stunning AMOLED display and a scratch-resistant sapphire lens with a titanium bezel, making it highly durable. The bright AMOLED display is also a cycling box ticker, and ensures all your on-the-go cycling stats are easy to read, along with that extensive battery life and multi-band GNSS technology for highly accurate navigation.

There's no solar charging on the Epix but the battery life is claimed at a huge 16 days, so even for forgetful chargers, it'll have your back.

Garmin is renowned for producing groundbreaking cycling tech, and the Garmin cycling range holds top spots in our best cycling tech buying advice, including the best GPS bike computers, plus the best power meters, smart lights with rearview radar, and of course, smartwatches.

Below you'll find the best Garmin Epix deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best cycling deals as they appear.

We're currently in the throes of a four-day Amazon Prime Day deal event, and this year, the behemoth retailer appears to have it in for bike computers.

Among our hunt for the best Prime Day cycling deals, we've already uncovered a host of Wahoo Elemnt computer deals in the UK, an incredible price on the Hammerhead Karoo 3, and even a deal on the iGPSport BiNavi, a budget contender to the big boys.

Now it's the turn of Garmin, whose Edge computers are hitting all-time-low prices thanks to Amazon, which actually seems to have it in for all Garmin tech, with radars, smartwatches and even power meter pedals getting the cut-price treatment.

The deals we've found cover six different models across all price brackets, from the navigation-friendly Edge Explore 2, through the 540, 550, 840 and 540, up to the bells-and-whistles Edge 1050.

Shop all Garmin cycling tech at Amazon.com.

The price war

If there's any good thing to come from the sheer size that Amazon has grown to, it's that when it runs a sale event like Prime Day, other retailers take notice and, as has happened here, they price match.

As you'll see in the prices listed above, many of the US retailers such as Jenson, Competitive Cyclist and REI have matched the Amazon price down to the cent. If you'd prefer to shop at any of the more cycling-specific retailers, you can do so without being forced to pay more.

In the UK, Balfe's Bikes has actually gone one step further and undercut the giant on a couple of the models.

If you're in the UK, have spoken to anyone in the UK, or watched any news pertaining to the UK this week, you'll be well aware that we're all hiding indoors away from the heat.

That giant fiery ball in the sky that we so long for throughout the other 11 months of the year has finally shown its face, and now we don't know how to cope. But naturally, like true Brits, we do what we can to muddle through.

Compared to the general population, there's a subsection of cyclists that, in my opinion, are pretty well equipped at staying cool when the mercury rises, and that's the indoor cycling crowd; Zwifters, TrainerRoaders, MyWhooshers, FulGazzers and the like. Our hobby literally entails finding ways to keep cool while we ride our bikes.

Over the years, I've had dozens of products, hacks and techniques pass across my desk to help in this aim. I've had various fans, core body temperature sensors, continuous misting devices, I've even had cycling kit with small pockets into which you can put ice packs. And I've learned techniques such as a wet towel draped around my neck and a damp cap on my head to help with evaporative cooling.

But of all those and more, there's one I'm using right now as I type this that is doing an excellent job of keeping me cool, and that's the Wahoo Kickr Headwind fan that I've had since 2019. And luck would have it, it's currently on sale among the Amazon Prime Day cycling deals with 15% off!

Get 15% off the Wahoo Kickr Headwind fan with next-day delivery at Amazon

What is the Kickr Headwind?

To put it simply, the Kickr Headwind is a fan, but to leave it at that would be to sell it miles short.

More specifically, it's a smart fan specifically designed for indoor cycling.

In that context, it can be connected to your workout to automatically adjust the wind speed between four levels based on your riding speed (in a virtual world, of course), your heart rate, or your power output.

But it can also be controlled manually between four wind speeds via buttons on the front of the fan itself, or you can select the speed as a percentage of max (meaning 100 different options) via the Wahoo smartphone app.

And speaking of the max, it can send wind across your room at up to 30mph. That's four times faster than the £600 Dyson AM07.

It delivers air in a fairly narrow direction of travel as it's designed to maximise coverage over the shape of a cyclist. But this means it's really good at moving air across a room from a distance, or in my current case, down my hallway and into my office.

Does it have any downsides?

It's worth noting that the Kickr Headwind isn't a silent fan by any means. It's quieter than the floor-standing industrial fan I also have at home, but louder than the higher-end Shark or Dyson fans.

It also won't oscillate like many of the aforementioned brands' models or those intended for generic at-home use.

Its fold-out rear feet let you adjust the angle, but only from a simple low- to high- angle. There's no finite angle adjustment, and I often find myself reaching for a few books to prop up the front or back legs to adjust the angle when I want to direct the airflow to a specific height.

Wahoo Kickr Headwind vs Elite Aria

I also have the Elite Aria indoor cycling fan at home, and on comparing the two against each other in today's conditions, it's clear which is the better unit.

The Aria does a similar job of cooling you in close quarters when riding a bike. And it's got a smaller footprint, so when cycling, I can actually put it on the desk next to my laptop, meaning it's usually less than three feet away from my face.

But it doesn't have the same total power or narrow field of airflow as the Kickr Headwind. This might seem like a good thing for moving air around the house more broadly in a heatwave, but I've found it simply means it moves less air in total, and circulates air around a smaller area when used in an open-plan space.

Whilst doing some snooping among the sales for our Prime Day cycling deals hub, I came across a bike computer on sale that I have been testing recently, and it might just be a bit of a game-changer thanks to its very competitive price and solid performance.

iGPSPORT is a Chinese brand whose profile gained traction this year when it began sponsoring WorldTour team Groupama-FDJ United.

I've been testing the brand's BiNavi model, which is one of its navigation-focused models, though I'd just call it an all-rounder with a lot of the same specs as the best bike computers that I am pitting it against.

Head straight to Amazon to buy the iGPSport BiNavi

Setup was easy, and so was the accompanying app. I also had no issue pairing my sensors, etc.

The BiNavi, specifically the 3.5" size screen version, is on sale in the UK and US, and what may draw your attention is its very competitive price point. Under £170 in the UK and just over $200 in the US.

Specs-wise, the unit weighs just over 100 grams, has a 3.5" colour touch screen, accompanying app, Strava, Komoot and TrainingPeaks integration, smartphone music control, Core sensor and smart light compatibility, IPX7 waterproof rating, the list goes on, but the point is it stands up against more expensive, better-known competition.

I've been surprised and impressed in testing. The BiNavi is performing strongly so far for the money, and could be a serious rival to more established brands.

The only negative so far for me is that the screen isn't quite as bright or vivid as something like Garmin Edge 550 or Hammerhead Karoo.

If you're considering a new computer and don't want to spend a premium, in my opinion, it's at least worth investigating. When was the last time you saw a unit like this at this price? Head below to see some images of my own test unit.

The best cycling glasses have come a long way, with the likes of the Oakley Vanguard smart glasses coming loaded with features that would be more at home in the best bike computers, with a price tag to match.

This example of smart tech in sunglasses will most likely be the future for sports sunglasses, but at $500, I'll happily pass on those for now.

For Amazon Prime Day, it's one of Oakley's most iconic sunglasses, the legendary Oakley Jawbreaker, that I’ve found with a massive discount. You can grab a pair of Jawbreaker sunglasses for $174.95; a huge 35% discount and a saving of $93.

Get Oakley Jawbreaker Sunglasses with $93 off at Amazon.

This is one of the lowest prices I've ever seen on these Oakley sunglasses, beating the previous best from Black Friday last year. At this price, there is no better time to grab a pair of what are iconic models, that have been worn by the equally iconic Mark Cavendish throughout the majority of his career.

They might not help you sprint as well as the Manx Missile, but they look very cool, and that's what's made the Oakley Jawbreaker stand the test of time as one of the best cycling sunglasses ever made.

Below I've listed the details and prices of the best Oakley Jawbreaker deals on Amazon, plus our current best overall choice, the Oakley Encoders, and just in case you feel like breaking the bank, the Oakley Meta Vanguard.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

Below you'll find the best Oakley deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best cycling deals as they appear.

In the crowded best bike computer market, the leading devices that dominate our tried-and-tested buying advice are from Garmin and Wahoo.

The Amazon Prime Day sales are live, and you can now pick up serious discounts across the latest Wahoo Elemnt bike computer range. The Bolt, Roam, and Ace all have reductions for Prime Day of up to 18% off.

It makes them attractive purchases if you're upgrading from a budget cycling computer, or even delving into the bike computer market for the first time.

Shop the Wahoo Elemnt Bike Computer Range with up to $85 off for Amazon Prime Day.

The Cyclingnews tech experts have put nearly every bike computer through rigorous testing, and our recommendation as the best overall is the Garmin Edge 1050. However, for us, Wahoo and its Elemnt range are serious challengers to that Garmin crown.

Below I've listed the details and prices of these Wahoo deals, and a handy comparison table with key features to help you choose the right device for you.

And talking of cycling deals, with three days still to go, our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker is the place to find all the best deals as we find them.

Below you'll find the best Wahoo Elemnt deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best deals as they appear.

The rise of mini electric pumps means it could well be game over for the dear old conventional mini pump. These tiny, portable devices are easier to carry while you ride and do away with having to pump like a maniac to reach your desired tyre pressure when you get a flat.

I started using the Cycplus AS2 mini electric pump last year, and since then, my selection of standard mini pumps have been gathering dust in my garage.

There are a number of mini electric pumps on the market these days. While some are cheaper than the AS2, it's a model that's never let me down and has saved many rides from deflating disasters. Now you can pick one up for less than $50 or £50.

US – save $21.57 on the Cycplus AS2 and pay just $48.42.

UK – get a £20.74 saving on the Cycplus AS2 and pay just £49.25.

Shop all Amazon deals.

Measuring just 4.6 x 2.8 x 6.4cm (1.8 x 1.1 x 2.5in), the AS2 easily fits in the palm of your hand. At just 97g (3.4oz), it won't weigh down your jersey pocket or riding pack, and I've even stuck mine in a trouser pocket on casual rides and commutes.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

To use the AS2, I usually connect the unit directly to a valve stem. It does come with an inflation hose though, which comes in handy if the space between your wheel spokes is on the tight side.

The maximum pressure the AS2 can provide is 100psi, which is impressive for a tiny unit. In my testing, it took the AS2 just 60 seconds to inflate a 700c tyre to 50psi. It also has far less vibration than some of its competitors, so it's easier to hold in place while you inflate. It's not overly loud while it operates either.

Recharging the pump's internal battery takes around 20 minutes. A full charge should be enough for two 700x25c inflations, but I'd recommend recharging the AS2 after every use. The pump comes with a silicone sleeve, a splash-proof pouch, and a USB-C charging cable.

For lots more money-saving offers, see our Amazon Prime Day cycling deals main article and our live Prime Day bike deals blog. We'll be on the case, scouring the online retail giant for the best deals for cyclists until Amazon Prime Day ends at midnight this Friday.

It's fair to say we love the Magicshine SEEMEE300; this incredible rear light has had many highlighted deals, and for good reason, it's pretty much all you could ask for in a rear bike light.

It may have been superseded by its more costly and brighter SEEMEE400 sibling, but Amazon Prime Day is here, and once again, the four-day shopping extravaganza has brought another outstanding deal on one of the best rear bike lights we've ever tested.

Right now you can get the Magicshine SEEMEE300 for just $41.99, not quite the lowest it's ever been, but we won't quibble over the $2 difference; it's still a bargain buy.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

With a whopping 200 hours the SEEMEE300 ha the best battery life of any rear light on the market. Even the SEEMEE400 can't match it at 107 hours of runtime, it does have extra lumens to power, so it makes sense that it would struggle to keep up with the 300.

SEEMEE300 is also super bright with two rear facing LEDs that have a maximum 300-lumen output, and you guessed it the 400 has... 400-lumen of output. The unique feature of both is the downward-facing LED light, and its a game changing highlight, and illuminates a large cone of light below you and gives 360 degrees of effective visibility.

The list of smart features it has in its arsenal include auto-dim which dims the light to suit the ambient lighting conditions and prolongs the battery life, and the motion sensor acts as a brake light, something that is really useful if you're a regular commuter riding in traffic.

This Amazon Prime Day deal makes the Magicshine SEEMEE300 incredibly good value for money, when compared to the SEEMEE400, and we reckon it's an absolute steal.

The Continental GP5000 S TR, in our opinion, is the gold standard when it comes to the best road bike tyres. It holds the title of best all-round tyre and best tubeless tyre in our buying advice, with an almost flawless 4.5-star review.

As a blisteringly quick, surefooted and smooth tyre with impressive durability, the Continental GP5000 S TR's credentials usually mean it has a hefty and rarely discounted price tag.

However, with Amazon Prime Day officially here, I've found big discounts on GP5000 tyres, which see them hit the lowest price since Black Friday last year, with a nice $35 off a pair at Amazon US.

Head straight to the Amazon Prime Day deals here:

USA: 17% off two Continental GP5000 S TR $199.90 $165.17 at Amazon

UK: 38% off two Continental GP5000 S TR £169.90 £105.90 at Merlin Cycles

For UK shoppers, Merlin Cycles has a whopping 38% off, so if you haven't tried this Tour de France stage-winning rubber that has also been the choice of the all-conquering Tadej Pogačar, then I'd suggest there is no better time to grab a pair.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

Continental says the Grand Prix 5000 S TR sets the standard in road tubeless-ready tyre technology. The brand also claims it's the lightest, fastest version to date and comes with increased puncture protection. The carcass of the Grand Prix 5000S TR features a robust construction that is designed to be impervious to damage and penetration from foreign objects.

The Cyclingnews tech team has tested nearly every road bike tyre on the market, and Continental GP5000 S TR is our overall recommendation. Real-world testing is also backed up by our industry-leading Labs series testing at the Silverstone pedalling efficiency lab, which proved that the Continental GP5000 S TR consistently outperformed its road tyre rivals, and pretty much confirmed all the Continental claims.

There's also the small matter of the pro stamp of approval, and the GP5000 S TR has the joint title for the most stage wins in the Tour de France, used by more teams in the race than any other.

In our Continental GP5000 S TR review, our only real gripes, which stopped them getting the perfect score, were the price (so this discount covers that) and fitting. They can be a little hard to mount, so be prepared for a potential fight when fitting. The best tyre levers will help here, and with the money saved, you can invest in my weapon of choice, the Monkey Tyre Lever by Tru-Tension.

A couple of months ago, Factor unveiled a collaboration with every teenage boy's dream car brand, Bugatti.

If social media is anything to go by, the bright blue Factor One derivative was clearly a hit. Based around the brand's wide-forked aero bike, it featured an even more unusual fork design, high-end components throughout, and a set of never-before-seen wheels.

Those wheels, which showed a Black Inc logo and the number 62 - denoting their depth - were similar to the brand's existing 62 at first glance, but on closer inspection, housed some significant upgrades.

• Follow our Prime Day 2026 Live Blog for all the best deals on bike gear
• Head to our Prime Day Cycling Deals roundup for our editors' picks on the best deals.

They were laced with deep-bladed carbon spokes, an interesting carbon fibre hub flange, and a massive plain weave carbon fibre rim wall finish that put me in mind of an old-school Felt bike, or a chess board for that matter.

As it transpires, they are to be known as the Black Inc Hyper 62, and are today being made official as a new, even more premium level of Black Inc's deep-section aero wheels.

According to the brand, they are not just another deep-section wheel, but "a wheel with greater ownership over the elements that define performance."

That obviously sounds like marketing talk 101, but I include it because the underlying meaning behind it points to a detailed approach. Factor's - well, Black Inc's - engineers focused on the architecture of the spokes, the rim, the integrity of how the two were bonded together and how the spokes bond with the hub, the aerodynamics, the stiffness, and of course how they rode, to find improvements across the entire wheel.

The outcome is a 1298g wheelset at 62mm deep, with a 23mm internal diameter and a hooked bead.

Stiff, light, aero, pick three - just don't ask for cheap

Factor says the Hyper 62 wheels are designed to find a new sweetspot between low weight and deep rims, where ride character and lateral stiffness weren't compromised in the pursuit of weight and aero targets.

To achieve this, among other things, the brand developed its own proprietary carbon spokes rather than relying on existing third-party suppliers used by competitors. This allowed it to control the spokes' shape, layup, stiffness and strength, which all contribute to the ride quality offered by the wheels, and allowed the brand to design the wheels as a whole system, rather than designing the rims and hubs to work with predetermined spokes.

The spokes are then bonded into the hubs using another proprietary component in the form of the hub flange. This is deeper than you'll find on most wheels, adding strength to the system and, according to Factor, distributing the load more evenly, in turn allowing an equivalent performance with lower mass.

The third proprietary feature is found at the other end of the spokes, and the hidden threaded tips, which are integrated into the rim to aid aerodynamic performance.

And elsewhere, the rims themselves, while 62mm deep like the existing Black Inc 62 wheels, feature a TexTreme outer layer, which is what creates that checkerboard finish. This is more than a style choice, though. Factor says it offers extra stiffness to the rim wall, ensuring structural integrity under load with a lower overall mass.

All these novel approaches and proprietary solutions come at a cost, though, and so it will be little surprise that the retail price is almost as lofty as the promises that Black Inc is making about them.

Before taxes, you'll need to find €3,699 or $3,899 if you want to own a pair. With VAT added in, the wheels will fetch a cool €4,599. Though they do come with a limited lifetime warranty, which should offer at least a little bit of peace of mind.

Welcome, dear cyclists, to Cyclingnews' live report covering the 2026 Amazon Prime Day four-day sale. If you like bikes like we like bikes, you're in the right place, as we'll be here all week, hunting through the sales to find cycling-related discounts, from tech to components, kit and more.

Head over to our big roundup of the best Amazon Prime Day cycling deals to see a full recap of everything we've found so far.

By we, I mean Josh and Tom from the Cyclingnews tech team. The best deals we find will be shared here, but I can't promise we won't also include the odd joke, meme, or cycling tech tip... and maybe a tangential Tour de France prediction or two.

The sale continues through the week and ends on Friday June 26th, so you have a few days to take advantage of thousands of items that are on sale or discounted for the event, but like all sale items, they could go out of stock at any moment.

Quick Prime Day bike deals USA

• Amazon USA - Today's best Prime Day deals on bike gear
• Up to 29% off Garmin Edge computers
• $70 off AirPods Pro 3
• 30% off Apple Watches

Quick Prime Day bike deals UK

• Amazon UK - Today's best Prime Day cycling deals
• 40% off Muc-Off bike cleaning kit
• £39 off Garmin Edge Explore 2
• £69 off Wahoo Kickr Core 2

Deals from beyond Amazon

Amazon Prime Day might be where you'll find the most deals this week, but it's not the only place to find cycling deals. Here are a few other great places to shop if you're after discounted bike tech.

• Decathlon: Save on Van Rysel bikes, Garmin computers and more
• Sigma Sports: Huge deals on road bikes in midsummer sale
• Mike's Bikes: Save on Fizik, Specialized, Giro and more
• Competitive Cyclist: Deals on Cervelo, Pinarello and 3T bikes
• REI: Deals on Cannondale, Camelbak and loads more

Editors picks of the best deals so far (USA)

Editors picks of the best deals so far (UK)

Good morning deal hunters.

Josh here, gearing up for a spicy hot day here in the UK, where temperatures are set to climb to the mid-30s (mid-90s for our US readers).

Given most of our American friends will still be snoozing, I'll kick the day off with some deals for our UK readers.

This obviously isn't much of a bike tech deal, but I genuinely can't get over how good it is, and I have a good reason for including it.

If you own a bike, you'll have undoubtedly worried about it being stolen at some point, and the Blink camera system is a good way to arm your home against thieves. It's no substitute for an alarm system, of course, but it's a good way to add low-cost surveillance to the mix.

I've used the Blink cameras for years to do things like keep an eye on the dogs while I'm out. I bought the doorbell last year and haven't had a single issue with them. I won't buy this one, since I don't need another doorbell, but I'll definitely be adding some of the outdoor cameras now they're at this price.

Next up, one of the best heart rate monitors on the market...

Next up, something that treads the line between sport and lifestyle... the Apple Watch.

A couple of years ago, Apple added bike functionlity to its app, meaning the optical heart rate sensors and GPS can now be used to track your rides, and you can pair your power meter to it to capture your watts too. It won't match the functionality of the best bike computers for serious cyclists, but as I often find when wearing mine, it's really useful for tracking short rides into the office or on days where I realise I forgot to charge my computer.

There are three on offer here. The Series 11, the SE3, and the Ultra 3.

Wahoo Kickr Core 2

I know nobody wants to think about indoor training right now, given the temperatures are soaring this week.

But if you want to continue your riding when the current heatwave abates and the inevitable rain returns, you can't go wrong with the Kickr Core 2, and this is the best price I've ever seen it.

Up to 33% off Apple AirPods 4

Since we're on a roll with tech, here are two deals found in the early sale, but that are definitely worth repeating.

If you don't want to spend big on wireless earbuds though, I'd thoroughly recommend the J Lab Go Air Pop.

At a retail price of £25, they punch well above their weight in terms of sound quality and functionality.

And they're currently 40% off, bringing them down to under £15.

40% off Muc-Off Bike Cleaning kit

I'm notoriously lazy when it comes to cleaning my bike, but one thing that has helped make me do it more often is ensuring that when I'm done, I keep everything together in one place, in a bucket that lives by the garage door. Upon returning home, I just need to grab the bucket and I know that everything I need is there.

That's what you get with this Muc Off kit; a small bucket, the Nano Tech wash, and a bunch of brushes and sponges to ensure you're not washing your disc rotors with the same brush you used on your cassette.

Hot weather Hydration hack

Training or competing in the heat?

Styrkr claims its SLT07 hydration tabs are the highest single-serving hydration tabs on the market. I used them when I rode the Marmotte in France last summer, a ride that took over nine hours in 30-degree temperatures.

Drop a tab into water and drink: a half in mild conditions and a whole one in the heat. There's 1000mg of sodium, 100mg of potassium, 25mg of magnesium, and 15mg of calcium per tab.

There's 15% off in the UK right now for a tube of 12 tabs.

A Prime Day event wouldn't be complete without a Cateye Orb bar end plug light deal. They have 38% off right now.

Replace your bar end plugs with these lights, they use two CR2032 batteries each, and have multiple modes, helping you look wider from behind to riders and motorists in the dark.

Fed up with mini pumps at the side of the road?

The Cycplus AS2 electronic mini bike pump is 31% off right now, and we think the unit is as cheap as it has ever been on Amazon.

We have been impressed with this unit ourselves; without a pressure gauge, it's more of a get-out-of-jail tool, but it sure packs a punch!

As the earth's rotation continues and the sun rises in the eastern states of the USA, I'm going to spend a bit of time on the .com version of Amazon and see what deals have sprung up on that side of the pond.

A few deals that are guaranteed to be popular include the Garmin Edge range, of which many are discounted, the best of which I'll roundup below.

20% off HoverAir drone cameras

Ever wondered how all those Instagram influencers get drone shots of their riding, despite seemingly being a one-man band without budget for a film crew? Wonder no more, and enter: HoverAir.

These little drones fold up small enough to put into your jersey pocket. And upon flying, they can follow you either from in front or behind to capture your ride.

There are a few different models. The expensive X1 ProMax offers 8K footage and 42km/h flying speed. The more affordbale X1 flies at 25km/h, offering 1080p footage.

While we're on the subject of cameras, here are a few more deals that caught our eyes here at CN.

USA DEAL: UP TO 28% OFF APPLE AIRPODS

To keep us on tech for a moment, I've already covered the UK deals for Apple's AirPods, but there are discounts for our American readers too.

It's been a spicy-hot day here at CN headquarters, and although the live ticker's update cadence has slowed as the day has rolled on, that doesn't mean we've not been hard at work.

Instead, we've been compiling a roundup of hot-weather cycling tips for our UK readers who are on the first day of a week-long heat wave.

We've also found a cracking deal on the Magicshine Seemee 300 rear bike light, as well as a smaller deal on the newer Seemee 400.

We're going to wrap up the live there, though. We'll be back tomorrow with more of the same!

Good morning folks and welcome back to the Amazon Prime Day cycling deals live report, where our tech team are busy ferreting through the sales to find the best discounts for cyclists.

Today is day two of the four-day sale, and if you're wondering whether better deals will appear today, the answer is... it's complicated.

Multi-day deal events like Black Friday or Prime Day tend to follow a usual pattern.

Day one: The biggest headline deals launch immediately, and most of these stick around until the end of the sale.

Day two: Amazon introduces a handful of new deals and a new cohort of Lightning Deals (which tend to last 6, 12 or 24 hours), and products that are discounted but maybe aren't selling in as big a quantity as needed will be cut to an even cheaper price.

Day three: More of the same from day two, but the best deals tend to start selling out at this point.

Day four: Even more deals are often added to the mix as brands - and Amazon itself - tries to finish on a high.

So if you're wondering whether to hold off your purchase or buy to avoid missing out, our advice is:

If you're browsing, comparing options, or hoping for additional categories to go on sale, but aren't completely sure about which product you want to buy within the category you're shopping (or the price you're seeing), hold off to see if more products appear on day four.

If you'd be disappointed to miss out on a deal you're seeing today if it sold out tomorrow, you should buy it today.

Wahoo Elemnt Roam 2

I'll kick us off with a deal that is new to me this morning, and that's the Wahoo Elemnt Roam 2.

It's now superseded by the Roam 3, which is a big step up in functionality if you can afford the price jump (it has touchscreen, bigger screen, bigger battery, and faster processing).

But if not, the Roam 2 is still decent on all fronts, with a clear map and an easy-to-use operating system.

Wahoo Elemnt Roam 3

With that last deal said, it'd be remiss of me not to also include the Wahoo Elemnt Roam 3, which as mentioned, is a big step up in performance.

Wahoo Elemnt Bolt 3

And to keep us in the Wahoo ecosystem for a minute, if you don't need the bigger screen of the Roam units, then the new Bolt offers the best of both worlds.

Electric Pumps galore for UK shoppers

A tech innovation that has really boomed in popularity in recent years in cycling is the electric pump.

It's not something I - Josh - have really followed. If I'm out riding, I'm more than happy with my Silca mini pump, not least because it offered an infinite number of tyre inflations (perhaps capped by my own energy reserves).

If I'm racing, I don't want to carry an electric pump, and will instead have a Co2 inflator.

And if I'm home, I'll use a track pump (I don't yet have a workshop compressor, though that would be preferred).

But despite my luddite approach to this new tech, I may be in the minority, and I can appreciate that simply pressing a button to inflate your tyres is much easier than pumping by hand.

That is all to say, they're popular, and this Prime Day there are loads of them on offer.

Having consulted my colleagues for their opinions, here's a roundup of recommendations for you to sink your teeth into:

Topeak Joe Blow floor pump

Here at Cyclingnews we have dozens of bike pumps pass through the office each year, and one we always revert back to using is the JoeBlow from Topeak. It just works consistently well, grips nicely on all valves, and the pressure gauge is generally nice and accurate. It's conveniently good at propping open the door to our store room too.

Silca Tattico

On the subject of pumps we use, the Silca Tattico has been my personal go-to for around four years and it's still as good as the day I bought it.

That's all for today folks - we're wrapping up the live report and calling it a day.

But before we go and sun ourselves in the British heatwave, a suggestion that you all take a look at our Cycplus mini electric pump deal which went live this afternoon, and the roundup of new Wahoo Elemnt computers, where there's up to 18% off the Bolt, Roam and Ace computers across the UK and USA.

We'll be back with more tomorrow.

Amazon Prime Day is officially upon us, and the four-day shopping extravaganza is with us until Friday.

As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day Cycling deals page will be the place to find all the best deals as we find them.

The best cycling tech is a mainstay for all Prime Day sales, and one early deal we've spotted is on one of the best bike computers – the Hammerhead Karoo.

Get the Hammerhead Karoo 3 for just £301.49 at Amazon.

Amazon dropped the price to a best-of-the-year £303.49 earlier this week, and has now gone a small amount cheaper at £301.49!

This is a rare reduction on a top-rated cycling device that our testers have rated across all the iterations of the SRAM-owned Karoo cycling computer, and makes this deal well worth snapping up.

Like all the best cycling deals, this Hammerhead discount is only available while stocks last.

In our Hammerhead Karoo review, we rated it with an almost-perfect 4.5-star rating, and Cyclingnews' tester Tom Wieckowski reckoned at the time of testing that it was a worthy contender for the throne as the best cycling computer.

Tom highlighted that the Karoo "brought an awful lot to the table" and built on the class-leading touchscreen and resolution that the previous model was well-known for. The Karoo might not match up to our best overall choice, the Garmin Edge 1050, but it's not far behind. Especially when you consider the Garmin device will cost you at full price £680. Although the Edge 1050 is discounted on Amazon by 7% to £633.32.

The Karoo can hold its own easily against the market-leading Garmin, and has and Tom highlighted the smartphone-like user experience of the Karoo, and its touchscreen at the time of review was the best in a cycling computer. It's fair to say that Garmin and Wahoo offerings now have on-par touchscreen performance, but at this price, the Karoo is a very appealing purchase.

Size-wise, the Karoo screen is a high-definition 3.2-inches, the Edge 1050 measures 3.5-inches, and the resolution is the same at 480 x 800 pixels. However, with its liquid crystal display and 1,000 nits of peak brightness, the Garmin Edge 1050 just edges the comparison, but at a cost.

Battery life is claimed to be 15 hours on normal usage, and the Edge 1050 is 20 hours, again on normal usage.

This deal is Amazon UK only, and I've not found any significant discounts on the highlighted deal at Amazon US. Below, I have included our handy price checker, which will show the best prices on Karoo Hammerhead bike computers from other retailers, relevant to your location and territory.

The best MTB trail tyres provide confidence-inspiring grip and durability without having so much traction and weight that pedalling uphill becomes a real chore. Trail tyres sit between bombproof gravity tyres, and XC tyres that prioritise speed.

When choosing the best MTB trail tyres, it's important to first establish a priority. If you want to save weight, there are lighter-weight options with thinner casings and lower-profile knobs, but if you want grip, a softer compound and more aggressively shaped lugs are usually preferable. With most things, there are trade-offs, as a lightweight trail tyre won’t offer a lot of protection when slamming through rock gardens.

The type of rider you are also matters. If you’ve got a slim build or are highly skilled, you can ride lighter-weight tyres with a thinner casing. If you’re a bigger rider, or you ride an e-MTB, we’d recommend a heavier tyre with a thicker sidewall. Increased weight, be it from rider or bike, will heighten the risk of pinch flats, or tyre burps if you're running tubeless (which we'd definitely recommend).

Whatever kind of mountain bike trail rider you are, our team of expert testers have put an extensive number of tyres through their paces and come up with our pick of the best MTB trail tyres you can buy.

For further help on choosing the right tyres for you, jump to the bottom of the article for our advice section.

Best MTB trail tyres

Best MTB trail tyre overall

The Maxxis Minion DHF was a game-changer when it first appeared, and it has continued to dominate the trail and hardcore front tyre market ever since. With its massive side knobs, it has great directional control and cornering grip, but still rolls faster than you’d expect. It’s really a front-only tyre (designed to be paired with the DHF II), but some riders like to run one at both ends. There are several casing and rubber compound options, but the sweet spot for trail riding is the 3C MaxxTerra with the Exo+ casing.

Exo+ is light reinforcement with an extra layer of reinforced material that runs bead to bead. It has a mesh-type structure that, according to Maxxis, improves tread puncture protection by 27 percent, sidewall durability by 51 percent, and pinch-flat resistance by 28 percent.

The 3C compound uses a hard base layer, which creates a solid foundation and stability to the tyre, there’s a medium center section for quick rolling and enhanced wear and soft low-rebound rubber edge lugs for the ultimate cornering grip. This custom compound does ramp up the cost, but in our tests, we found the Minion DHF was predictable and tenacious and, with its open tread and impressive wet weather performance, we could easily keep it on our bike all year round.

Our reviewer Guy Kesteven enthused: "If I had to pick a single (cost-no-object) tyre for every situation, it would be this one… It tips in really smoothly and predictably. Once you’re into the lean, you can also load it up aggressively on pretty much every surface from slippery gravel to winter slop and wet woods."

For more info, see our full Maxxis Minion DHF review.

Best aggro MTB trail tyre

If you want something with a bit more bite and traction than the Minion DHF, the also excellent Assegai is a brilliant choice. The flip side of that extra front wheel confidence is that it's a little slower, though.

It was developed by downhill racer Greg Minnaar, so naturally, it’s available with a reinforced DoubleDown casing, but the lighter Exo+ version is a better option for trail riding. The 2.6in tyre gets an extra layer of lightweight reinforced nylon called Silkshield. It adds weight, but the nylon has a sort of lattice work construction that adds casing stability (you can run lower pressure without the tyre folding), thorn-type puncture protection and pinch-flat resistance, which is really handy if you’re riding in the desert or rocky terrain.

Like most of the Maxxis flagship tyres, the Assegai comes with either MaxxTerra (medium) or MaxxGrip (soft) triple rubber compounds. What you’re looking at here is a hard, stable rubber base, a quick-rolling centre section, and then a soft rubber on the edge for grip. MaxxGrip tyres don’t keep their sharp edge for long, but a good call is to run a MaxxGrip up front with the harder-wearing MaxxTerra on the rear.

For trail use, we found the Assegai is one of the best all-rounders. It can handle hardpack and loose conditions as well as wet rocks and roots. Its open tread spacing means it even works in deep mud. You can easily ride this tyre throughout the year.

Our reviewer Paul Burwell reported: "Grip levels are superb with the softer MaxxGrip tyre – it feels so surefooted and never does anything unexpected. It’s really consistent at all lean angles, even chopping and changing lines through tight singletrack. It’s a real confidence tyre that lets you push the envelope without having to pay the consequences."

Find out more in our Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ review.

Best lightweight MTB trail tyre

Depending on your riding, the Kenda Hellkat Pro is available in three different casing structures – ATC, AEC, and AGC. The middle letter stands for trail, enduro, and gravity respectively and from a structural point of view, the gravity casing has an aramid strip under the tread with an Apex chafer to resist pinch flats. The light enduro tyre eliminates this chafer, and the trail tyre gets thinner plies, a more resilient 120tpi casing, and an all-in weight of 902g, making it one of the lightest trail tyres in this category.

The Hellkat Pro uses Kenda’s ‘dual tread’ construction, which means the centre tread uses a firmer rubber and the edge lugs are softer rubber. We measured the hardness at around 55a, which is only medium/soft, but the company claims the rubber also has low-rebound properties, so on the trails there’s plenty of grip. The HellKat Pro doesn’t do anything weird – we found it’s stable, confidence-inspiring and predictable.

The tread has a flat profile and relatively open motocross-style tread with some deep lugs, which creates excellent bite and mud-shedding but also has a good turn of speed on the flats. Overall, a great tyre for all conditions, even those nasty ones in the middle of winter.

Our reviewer Paul Burwell summed up: "It has good grip and braking traction, rolls surprisingly quickly and the moto-x style tread works in most conditions. A summer tyre you could easily run over the winter."

For more, head over to our full Kenda Hellkat Pro ATC review.

Best front MTB trail tyre for grip

When WTB first launched the Verdict, it offered a mud version with deeper side knobs, but the standard tyre worked so well in the gloop (and elsewhere) that the mud tyre was gradually phased out.

The High Grip (triple compound) WTB Verdict is an absolute monster. It hooks up where others falter, and in all conditions too. This light version gets the company’s SG2 puncture protection, a double-ply 60Tpi casing that does add weight but still ensures the tyre has a supple and responsive ride feel. The Verdict can be fitted to either wheel but excels as a front-only tyre offering incredible hold on hardpack, loam or slippery mud.

Like most WTB tyres, the Verdict is tubeless-ready, but we found it can be tricky to seat on certain rim brands. It's only offered in a single 2.5in width, so you may struggle with clearance on some frames and suspension forks, especially if you run a mudguard.

At 1,150g for the 29x2.5in sizes, it’s not a lightweight trail tyre, but the trade-off is an awesome amount of grip, excellent pinch-flat resistance, and an impressive wear rate. It’s criminal how underrated this tyre is. In fact, back to back this with the tougher WTB Judge on the rear and you’re going to be unstoppable.

Our tester Paul Burwell noted: "The Verdict TCS Light High Grip never feels nervous, no matter what surface you’re riding on and, with its impressive wet weather performance, it’s a tyre you can easily run year-round."

Check out our full WTB Verdict TCS Light High Grip review.

Best front MTB trail tyre for control

The Butcher T9 Grid Trail uses Specialized’s latest blend of Gripton rubber. It’s comparable in terms of durometer to the softest compounds from other tyre manufacturers, but Specialized claims it has a lower rebound, so has better damping ability. On the trail, it's noticeable that it doesn't get pinged around so much, so you don’t have to work as hard keeping the bike under control, especially riding across rock or dry roots.

To resist flats in those situations, the 60tpi triple-ply Grid Trail casing has an extra floating protective layer that runs the full width of the tyre tread. This doesn’t really add that much weight – the Butcher is one of the lightest trail tyres tested – but it does add some stability, allowing you to run slightly lower pressures without the tyre tucking or folding under load. The lug layout is similar to the Maxxis DHR II, but they’re slightly deeper profile, so offer a little bit more bite in loam and the wet. The Butcher T9 works really well riding at slower speeds where you have to pick your way down, but it also has a good turn of speed for those long dirt road sections.

In our tests, we found the damping effect was obvious straight away. There was none of the very pressure-sensitive jarrings on really rough or sudden impacts and it didn’t crumple or fold suddenly if we dropped pressures low.

Our tester Guy Kesteven also found that: "Ripping them round the concrete hard bucket berms and rutted flat corners of the recent tundra weather on our test trails didn’t reveal any vices, just vast amounts of snarling grip."

Best front MTB trail tyre for winter

If you're after a tyre that will give you grip in the worst of wet mud, then look no further than the Specialized Hillbilly. The tyre uses the same excellent Gripton T9 60TPI compound as the Specialized Butcher.

The centre/shoulder tread pattern is very different though, following the classic ‘square studs with plenty of space around them’ format of most good soft condition tyres. The Hillbilly runs alternating pairs of knobs close together for a slight paddle effect, and the knob tops are siped (slotted) to help them to reshape and spread under load.

Weight is average for a modern 2.4in ‘trail tyre’ at 1,074g, but at 59mm across, they’re actually closer to 2.3 than 2.4in wide. There’s also a Gravity Grid version, but that takes weight beyond 1,300g, which is a hefty pedalling punishment for bombproof survival.

We found the grip and control levels are well up for extreme riding. Our tester Guy Kesteven said, "While they don’t ‘lean outwards’ to grab carving/off-camber traction automatically, the side knobs are well-supported enough to deliver the traction as soon as you tip the bars into the turn. The tread cleans super quickly even in clay conditions and when they do start to slide, it’s a very predictable, normally saveable push, rather than a sudden snap-out and dump-you situation."

Prices for the Hillbilly and the rest of Specialized's tyre range are extremely competitive, which makes them an even better choice.

For more info, check out our full Specialized Hillbilly tyre review.

Best rear MTB trail tyre overall

The Maxxis Minion DHR II was initially launched as a rear-only tyre, but it turns out to be a balanced all-rounder with an impressive performance on most surfaces – weathered hardpack, deep loam, and even sticky mud. There are front tyres with more bite in this guide, but on the rear, we've found the DHR II is peerless. In our tests, it did everything with assured confidence and felt stable even on loose or slippery off-camber. Rolling speed is a notch below some (choose the Dissector if you need that extra MPH), but braking traction is up there with the very best, especially if you up the size to a 2.5 or 2.6in.

It also comes with three casing options (Exo, Exo+, DD) allowing you to tune the weight and protection levels of both wheels to the terrain. For example, if you’re at the bike park or sessioning downhill trails on a long-travel trail bike, fit an Exo+ or DD on the rear, Exo on the front – it’s what bike manufacturers do. It can be a little draggy in the bigger sizes and with the DD casing, but it’s a solid tyre that won’t let you down.

Our reviewer Paul Burwell, reported: "The wide, open, block tread is utterly reliable whatever the conditions. Literally from loose, kitty litter trail centre surfaces in summer to dirty Welsh woods in winter, you can go super heavy on the brakes and slam lean angles knowing that a DHR II will let you get away with more than almost any other tyre."

See our full Maxxis Minion DHR II review for more.

Best rear MTB trail tyre for speed

There are more aggressive trail tyres in this buyer's guide, and while it can be run up front, the Maxxis Dissector we've found it works best on the rear if you want to add a bit of urgency to your ride. It doesn’t have the deepest lugs, so braking traction can be lacking in wet and slippery conditions as the shallow spaces clog up, but the flatter profile and smaller 2.4in size mean on hardpack or dirt roads it accelerates quickly and carries that speed for ages. The oversized side knobs and 3C MaxxTerra compound also allowed the tyre to hold a tight line on loose off-camber trails and if it did break away when we'd been too heavy on the anchors, it did so in a predictable manner.

If you ride hard and end up slamming into roots or catching stumps, you will want a bit more protection on the rear end and the Dissector does come with the Exo+ reinforced casing. This adds some stability to the tyre but also boosts puncture protection, both snakebite and thorn type. It would be nice to see a DD or gravity option, but with the focus on speed, this is the perfect foil to the Assegai or Minion DHF up front.

Our reviewer Guy Kesteven summed up: "Dissector boosts rolling speed and response, but still feels damped and anchored with great ‘grip to slip’ bandwidth for control surfers."

For deeper analysis, see our full Maxxis Dissector tyre review.

Best rear MTB trail tyre for grip

If you like to take risks or find yourself on a few downhill trails, the WTB Judge with the tough dual-ply casing and high-grip Tritec rubber has got your back. As the name suggests, the Tritec is a triple compound rubber, which consists of a hard base, medium rubber in the centre, and soft edge knobs. The tyre is also heavily reinforced, but that’s not at the expense of too much weight – the Judge is similar to the WTB Verdict.

It's no slouch either – in our tests, when the trail opened up, it picked up speed and carried that speed really well for a tyre this chunky. Lean into a turn or cross rut some off-camber and the tyre is predictable, surefooted, and confidence-inspiring. There are some burly centre bars and good depth to the side knobs, so we found braking traction was very good, and when it did give way, it was predictable, so we didn't end up face down in the dirt.

We have struggled to fit some WTB tyres tubeless; they take a bit of work to get the beads to seat, but they hold air better than most. The Judge only comes in a 2.4in width, but it’s a great tyre for crossover trail/enduro/e-MTB use.

Our reviewer Jim Bland concluded: "The competitive price, premium grip properties and high levels of protection make it a strong contender if you’re a gravity rider on the hunt for a year-round rear tyre that grips like stink and won’t flinch when you give it hell."

Check out the full WTB Judge review for more.

How to choose the best MTB trail tyres

The best MTB trail tyre has to be the best of both worlds, borrowing features from the best XC tyres to make them quick-rolling but encompassing the aggressive knobs, grip, and thicker sidewall protection of an enduro or DH tyre.

Trail riders still need to cover the ground efficiently, so the tyre needs to accelerate quickly, carry speed through turns, and not be too fatiguing on long rides. On the other side of the coin, a trail tyre needs to have good grip and traction because modern trail riders are venturing into more technical terrain and riding at greater speed. There’s more risk involved, so you need a tyre that is more robust, has a beefier tread pattern, and a thicker casing. And, because trail riders load the tyre more aggressively in corners, the compound generally must be softer too.

For more on tyre tech, see our guide on everything you need to know to choose the best MTB tyres for your riding.

FAQs

How we test the best MTB trail tyres

All the tyres in our review list have been thoroughly put to the test on a wide range of trails, and in all weather conditions, from dusty bone-dry to wet winter mud.

We test them out over several months so we can get a proper feel for how they respond in varying conditions and review their durability. Among the qualities we assess are grip, stability, mud clogging, damping, rolling speed, weight, ease of setup, and durability.

Garmin launched its Edge 550 and 850 models in September 2025, replacing both the 540 and 840 units which had been in the range for some time

The 550 remains a non-touchscreen unit, though its screen was upgraded. This seems to have come at the expense of overall battery life, which has decreased, and which hasn’t been met with cheers in some quarters.

The Edge 550 retails at £379.99 / $399.99 / €449.99, building on the long-term popularity of the 520, 530 and 540 models that preceded it. It's less than a Hammerhead Karoo, and sits roughly in between, depending on your territory, the Wahoo Roam and Bolt. These brands make the best bike computers when shopping, though other players are gaining traction.

I’ve been riding with the 550 for close to 2,000 miles. I’ve used it for everything: bike launches in foreign countries, regular rides close to home, lots of training sessions, gravel, and road racing. I’ve used it long enough for any potential issues to surface.

If you're shopping for a computer, this review should help you decide if the 550 is right for you.

Design and aesthetics

Like the rest of the Garmin computer range, you receive the Edge 550 with a standard round out front handlebar mount, standard O-ring mount, charger cable, lanyard and documentation. Setup is very easy; you can use a QR code to connect your Garmin Connect app and set everything up quickly.

One of the biggest changes between the Edge 540 and 550 was the screen and user interface upgrade that the 550 received. The screen uses a liquid crystal screen display over the 540’s Transflective TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) screen; it’s also slightly larger and is very similar in looks to the flagship Edge 1050 model's glossy, sleek screen. Overall, it’s bright, crisp and easy to read thanks to the boosted pixel count.

Dimensions-wise, there isn’t much in it; the 540 measured up at 57.8 x 85.1 x 19.6 mm compared to the 550’s 54.6 x 92.2 x 16.8 mm. The 550 is also slightly heavier. I’ve included a photo comparing the size of a few different units below so you can see for yourself.

The sheer volume of features packed into lots of Garmin smart watches and bike computers is a major part of the brand's fitness calling card. The 550 is no different and is packed with features from downloadable training plans to gear ratio use analysis; you can read the whole list here. The Garmin Connect app also lets you do an awful lot of post-ride analysis and is easily one of the most comprehensive apps out there from the computer brands.

There is too much to list; bear this in mind if lots of features appeal to you. I said it in my Edge 1050 review, but if you are the kind of rider who wants to fully embrace every feature, try them all out and mess around regularly with your setups, the volume of features on offer from Garmin units should appeal.

Let's look at what changed between the 540 and 550 units. Lots of features remain, it’s not a total wholesale overhaul, and aside from the better screen, storage and processing, you will need to decide if the extras are enough for you.

The Edge 550 gains more internal storage over the 540, jumping up to 32GB from the 16GB the 540 had, so there's more space for routes. The 550 also has a faster processor to speed everything up.

The 550 has 5Hz GPS tracking capability in the enduro and downhill riding profiles to boost off-road accuracy, along with more MTB-specific support generally. There’s also smart fuelling and hydration updates, a timing gates feature to help you measure specific split times, real-time weather overlay, community hazard reporting for things like potholes and upgrades to the Garmin GroupRide feature.

A key buying decision for riders is whether to go for the 550 or 850, and the two are tied closely together. The 850 has a lot of the same features but gets a touchscreen as well as buttons, audible navigation prompts, a bell and the Garmin contactless payment function, as well as a bigger battery life.

On battery life, the 550 has decreased compared to the 540 on account of that nice new screen. Claimed battery life for the 540 was up to 26 hours, claimed life for the 550 (from Garmin) is up to 12 hours for demanding use, and up to 36 hours in battery saver mode.

Garmin has already published a list of software updates for the unit, and you can see what has been adjusted or amended on the brand's site. There has been a 0% brightness screen fix, for example; it’s an interesting list to go over.

Looks-wise, the Edge 550 is a great-looking unit. Its top and bottom edges are squared off and aren't as rounded as the 540; this somehow makes the unit look more modern for me.

The unit has seven buttons altogether. The main power button and up and down arrow navigation buttons are all on the left-hand side, the bottom centre has lap and stop star ride buttons sitting either side of the charging port, whilst the right-hand side has the select and scroll back buttons. All told, it's a very similar layout to the 540.

Performance

That upgraded screen is a key talking point, and it’s very nice, bright, glossy and crisp. I can’t really fault it and can comfortably use it on lower brightness levels, which aids battery life. At max brightness, it isn’t quite as bright as the Hammerhead Karoo, in my view, but I don’t think anyone will criticise the screen; it’s very nice.

The 550 user interface is easy enough to navigate; it's not my favourite out there, but it will be familiar if you are already a Garmin Edge user. You can end up deep into some menus and settings, and a fair bit of button clicking is needed, but overall, it's simple to learn the unit and find what you need.

If you are a 540 or existing Garmin user, everything will be familiar. If you are thinking of switching. Ride profiles are highly customisable; you can toggle the various Garmin pop-up screens off if they are all a bit overkill for you. I know some riders turn off the pothole alerts due to feeling too interrupted at times, for example. The unit will upload your sessions to Training Peaks if you are a trainer, and you can take advantage of the Garmin coaching sessions and plans if you so wish. The Climbing metric screens all still do their job as well.

When it comes to battery life, the Edge 550 battery does drain fairly quickly. On average, this year, I’m doing around eight hours of riding per week, and my longest weekly ride is about 3.5 hours. I'm never going to trouble it on a single ride, but whereas I can leave other computers for multiple weeks between charges, I’ve had to stay on my toes a little bit more with the Edge 550; I’ve come close to being caught out once or twice with a low battery after several rides.

Usage-wise, that’s riding with an HRM and power meter paired and displayed on every ride, and with a nice bright screen, or with it on auto brightness, you may as well ride with a nice bright display if the screen is capable of it and I assume this is the approach Garmin has taken with the device; you're getting a brighter, better screen, overall, battery life is just slightly lower.

Charging responsibility, of course, lies with the user; it’s no good slating a unit’s battery life if you forget to charge it before your long ride at the weekend. It’s not hard to plug a device in and ensure the battery is charged. If you're riding up to 15 hours a week, you're not going to suffer too much with slightly more regular charging. If you are doing big rides regularly, this may not be the perfect model for you, battery life-wise, and Garmin might possibly steer you toward the Edge 1040 solar.

I don’t love the 550’s buttons, and since this is a non-touchscreen model, you will be using them exclusively. I find them a little too small, and the click is a little too vague when they are pressed. It’s fine differences, they do their job, but when I’m in the middle of an interval and need to toggle screens because the climb screen has appeared (you can of course turn this off), snatching for that fairly small button when you are hurting is at times harder than I would like it to be. There's also just so much packed into the unit that I think a touchscreen, especially now that we are all so used to smartphones, would boost the user experience and make life easier.

This hits home when comparing them to the larger, textured buttons on the Hammerhead Karoo. I just find them more user-friendly and easy to work with on that unit.

My key navigational test with the 550 came when I completed a 200km gravel/road audax event in the winter. This route took in a wide range of terrain, and the route was completely unknown to me - a perfect test. Maps were all easy to follow, and everything worked as it should, but I found the zoomed-in map somewhat tricky to follow at times in things like tight woodland. Navigation is solid here, and if you are a Garmin user already, there won't be any surprises, but the Garmin mapping is still not my favourite, and I favour the Hammerhead and Wahoo maps for clarity and ease of navigation.

Value

You are looking at £379.99 / $399.99 / €449.99 for the Edge 550 at RRP if you want one, that's a chunk more than the Edge 540 when it launched.

Does this unit offer good value? Yes, and no.

It's hugely capable, as with all but the most basic Garmin units. I can't stress enough how much you can do with a unit and the Garmin Connect app; there's too much for me. The computer is super powerful, and plenty fast enough in use, that the new screen is also very nice.

However, I think we are very nearly into touchscreen money here, and if a unit in 2026 is going to be button only, they better be excellent buttons, and I can't call the 550 buttons excellent. This is a fairly big weak point in this unit's offering if you ask me, and I'd still rather save up the extra cash and buy a Karoo or 850 or even a 540 if I were spending my own money.

Verdict

The Garmin Edge 550 is a really solid computer that can do a hell of a lot. I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: modern bike computers are absolute powerhouses. The differences are finer between units these days, and computers are so good that generally, it's the nuanced points that determine model differences at times.

It's done everything I've needed it to do without issue, but I don't love it. The unit may get criticism in some quarters for the reduced battery life, which on paper is a negative, but if you don't consistently do 15-hour-plus rides, I can't see it causing many issues; just charge it.

My main issue is the buttons, the at times slightly more fiddly navigation that comes from them and the Garmin UI and their overall size and feel. With so much packed into the unit, navigation should be a joy, and I don't feel it is here, and for the price, I think it's the weak link in the 550's chain.

The 550 is a very good computer, but it isn't perfect. Are touch screens the way forward now that computers can do so much? I'll be very interested to see what comes next from Garmin in this product tier.

The Judge is aimed to provide aggressive gravity-focused riders with the maximum grip, no matter what the trail hallmarks, and just looking at the Judge’s aggressive and oversized tread pattern made us eager to search for the grip limit on our most demanding test tracks. It's also an option worth considering for trail MTB riders looking for maximum grip and rear wheel security.

Design

The Judge is available in WTB’s ‘Tough’ and 'Light' sidewall casing options. Essentially, it is a dual ply casing made up of two 60tpi layers. Our Tough test tyre topped the scales at a hefty 1381g (but lighter than WTB’s claimed 1427g).

The tread pattern is made up of seriously chunky side knobs, which are claimed to enthusiastically cut the dirt in every direction across a wide range of riding conditions. These are paired with centerline knob companions that alternate between long and wide with the aim of balancing rolling speed and braking traction. Interestingly, when inflated, the overall tyre shape looks more squared off than most, which in practice, with its rear-specific focus, makes total sense for the rear wheels' less profound lean angle during cornering when compared to the front. Measuring at 2.37’’ when inflated to 20psi on our 30mm rim brings the Judge acceptably in line with WTB’s claimed 2.4’’ width.

While the tyre was originally available in two compound options, ‘High Grip’ and ‘Fast Rolling’, only High Grip seems to be available now. The Judge utilises WTB’s ‘TriTec’ rubber technology. ‘TriTec’ is a blend of three rubber compounds made up of a firmer rubber across the base of the tyre which is said to stabilise the knobs and prevent any squirming under high load forces, on top of this is medium stiffness centre knobs which offer the desired rolling speed, traction and longevity balance, while slow rebounding and softer still side knobs are said to deliver reliable grip for g-force cornering.

Like most other WTB tyres, we also see TCS tubeless technology featured here. In practice, these tyres seem to take more effort to seat than most other brands of late. It’s the first tyre in while we haven’t managed to successfully seat with only a track pump. Other than the initial ‘pop on’ struggle, they always seem to remain reliable and hold pressure well throughout testing, though.

Performance

Let’s cut to the chase, if you’re looking for a tyre to maximise your all-day rolling efficiency, then this probably isn’t the best option for you. Within the first few pedal strokes, you’re hit with rolling speeds comparable to the most sticky compound, DH-rated tyre options. There’s no avoiding that the increased weight from a chunky construction and soft rubber blend means the Judge requires more effort to reach the trailhead; however, should you encounter any technical sections or steep pitches during the climb, it does a stellar job of cutting the dirt, finding purchase and propelling you forward.

Get it up to speed on the way down and the slow-rolling nature feels less apparent. The overall feel of the dual-ply casing is excellent, and when compared to older WTB tyres, the feel is more alive and less wooden as it conforms over trail features. During aggressive, hard-charging riding, the levels of protection on offer from WTB’s casing feels really reassuring and not once during testing did we experience a full tyre bottom out, even when experimenting with lower-than-normal tyre pressures. This makes the Judge a great option for hard-charging riders or racers who rank protection highly and don’t want the added complications of tyre inserts.

The meaningful side knobs provide maximum hold when leaned over, even in damp and loose loamy terrain, and the transition from upright to the cranked over ragged edge hits the progressive sweet spot, showing no signs of unclear traction. Braking remains effective and predictable with even North Yorkshire’s claggy clay clearing the tread swiftly. Essentially, the Judge never does anything weird and remains predictably reliable on every trail surface we placed in its path.

As a result, with all of the traits and features combined, we think the Judge in this configuration should really pair well with the best electric mountain bikes, whose riders like to ride hard. The ability to bite into soft trail surfaces means climbing characteristics are exceptional, it’s hyper grippy on the way down to and the high levels of protection and willingness to slow down will suit the heavier bike. So far, the Judge is showing no obvious signs of wear, so we expect it to last well too.

Verdict

The Judge may not release the right endorphins on the climbs, but the premium grip properties and high levels of protection make it a strong contender if you’re a gravity rider on the hunt for a year-round rear tyre that grips like stink and won’t flinch when you give it hell.

Apparently born from the dry and loose tyre desires of World Cup DH star Troy Brosnan, the Dissector plates up different elements from the Maxxis buffet to create a great tyre for those riders who feel a bit too gripped on the brand's Minion DHR II and Assegai. Originally designed as a rear, the Dissector works well on the front too, particularly in drier conditions and is one of the best MTB trail tyres around.

Construction

The WT (Wide Trail) carcass is proven Maxxis and while we tested the lightest single-ply Exo version, there’s a DH casing for Troy and friends, plus DD and Exo+ versions. Our 2.4in Exo test tyre rolled onto WTB and Hunt rims easily by hand, but still popped up for a secure fit with a track pump, and sizing is spot on at a fraction under 2.4in from knob to knob.

In terms of Maxxis comparison, the ramped, alternating centre tread sits somewhere between Rekon and DHR II with a significant gap to the Rekon/Aggressor shoulder strip. There’s a choice of a dual compound or triple compound MaxTerra on the Exo and Exo+ tyres, while the DD and 2 Ply DH are MaxxGrip.

Performance

Maxxis is the generally accepted performance benchmark for aggro and trail tyres and the Dissector sits very neatly into that crossover point. It’s lighter than Minion DHF and DHR in a similar size and the ramped tread rolls faster too - especially compared to the DHR so it adds immediate pep to pedalling.

While there is a momentary breath catch as you cross the centre to shoulder gap that original High Roller and High Roller II users will definitely recognise. Make the leap of traction faith though and cornering grip is decent with a controllably lazy fade into drift rather than a dramatic snap out. That soon makes chasing the sideways slip through every corner an addictive pastime, particularly as you’ll get to those corners a bit sooner and faster than you were expecting. That means it’s a great match to well planted, low slung bikes and riders who like to play with the edge of control at every opportunity. That’s on the 2.4 too, so while we’ve not tried them yet, our experience on other 2.6in Maxxis suggests they’ll be properly sideways happy.

Braking is very stable if you get carried away though and while it can’t match the ‘who put a coil fork/shock on my bike?’ damping feel of Hutchinson’s class-leading carcass, it definitely feels more planted and secure than Rekon, Forekaster or Aggressor. Obviously Exo+, DD and DH versions will add increasing amounts of surefooted, slam proofed feel as you move towards and then well past the kilo.

Verdict

If you’re riding around on Maxxis DHF, Assegai or DHR II tyres and wishing you were going a bit quicker, or want a bit more confidence than your Rekon or Forekaster tyres are providing, then here’s your answer. The Dissector boosts rolling speed and response, but still feels damped and anchored with great ‘grip to slip’ bandwidth for control surfers.

Awesome aggressive grip, zero sketchy habits and a ton of well-judged carcass and compound options mean you’ll see a Maxxis Minion DHR II fitted to more new and well-used mountain bikes than any other MTB rear tyre. It works well up front in a lot of situations too. So what are the details that make it so good and where does it work best? Slightly binary behaviour and slower roll mean it might not be the Maxxis for everyone though, and price is always an investment, but it is definitely one of the best MTB trail tyres available.

Design

The original DHR was a great tyre, but the release of the Mk II version a few years back was when back wheel Cinders really crashed the rubber ball. The big centre blocks got a little bit of High Roller (another leading Maxxis tyre model) style ramping to make it look faster, which combined with the lean-loving L-shape and split square side blocks from its big brother, the Minion DHF. Big gaps and serious sipes (central slots to allow the top of the tread to deform to the trail loads) give it a caricature ‘Swamper’ look and make sure it clears filthy conditions as well as that suggests too.

Specifications

As well as a retread, Maxxis bulked up the carcass options of all their trail/enduro tyres at the same time. A light dual-ply DD casing and a ‘silkworm’ wrapped Exo+ casing filled the middle ground between the existing ultra-heavy DH and lightweight Exo. This created a perfect rear and front combo for riders who were hitting stuff harder and harder as bikes got longer, slacker and faster and possibly had ten kilos worth of battery and motor on board too.

Sizing options expanded to cover everything between XC and Plus, and 30mm and wider rims gained a specific 2.4in WT ‘Wide Trail’ version to restore the correct profile and pliability characteristics on a broad base.

Performance

Tyres start becoming favourites by being easy to fit, and while there are always some rims that seem to be a pain, Maxxis blow up without much stress or swearing on most rims we test. The slightly stiffer Exo+ and DD options also seem to inflate easier, although they can be more of a fight to fit at first. So overall, not the dreamiest to fit, but certainly not the worst either. Unlike a lot of tyres, they blow up exactly the size they should too.

Once on, the stress is pretty much gone. Presuming you got the right carcass weight for your riding (rarely kill a tyre = Exo, regular sidewall splitter = Exo+, regular rim dinger = DD, frame-breaking, shock-blowing animal = DH), your Minion will be a component you completely forget about. It’ll handle low pressures without burping, give a great balance of traction boosting compliance, but still stay supportive when you’re really throttling it through turns. It’s damped enough to add calm and control but doesn’t feel dead and even the heavily reinforced versions aren’t so stiff they’ll hammer your feet or blow bottles out of cages. Compared to similarly tough tyres at each level, it’s an acceptable weight too.

The wide, open, block tread is similarly utterly reliable whatever the conditions. Literally from loose, kitty litter trail centre surfaces in summer to dirty Welsh woods in winter, you can go super heavy on the brakes and slam lean angles knowing that a DHR II will let you get away with more than almost any other tyre. While the softer triple compounds start to round off pretty quickly, the well-supported knobs never rip off and while we have seen some warped carcasses, that’s a badge of hardcore honour, not an indictment on the casing.

The only downside is that even with the obvious ramping, those big blocks and gaps mean it’s almost a gear slower (sorry, without a Scandinavian rolling drum lab to play with that’s the best anecdotal metric I can give you) under power than a DHF and a gear and a bit slower than a Maxxis Dissector/Aggressor. A DHF is going to slide or slip more easily if you get heavy on the brakes or torque, though, and all-round Dissector/Aggressor grip isn’t even on the same page. The amount of sensibly progressive carcass options and sizing gives Maxxis an edge over the ranges from Schwalbe and WTB and makes Hutchinson, Michelin, Specialized, Bontrager, Vee etc. look very restricted in terms of choice.

Verdict

There are very few truly fit-and-forget tyres that excel in almost every situation. The Minion DHR might not flatter fitness, but it’s certainly a tyre I know I can always trust to have my back whatever the trail is doing. Crucially, the whole range means there'll be one I could recommend to any aggressive rider without worrying they’ll be nothing but ‘totally stoked’. Shopping around should get you a better deal on price too, and even the more basic dual compound options are better than most competition.

Specialized’s Butcher Grid Trail 2Bliss Ready T9 already ranks as one of the best mountain bike trail tyres available – especially if you’re in the UK and after a high grip bargain. The Hillbilly steps things up with even more traction for sloppier, softer conditions without losing hard surface control or dragging dramatically either.

Design and construction

While the name is similar to the previous generation Specialized tyres, the Grid Trail 2Bliss Ready carcass comes from a different manufacturer. It’s the same 60tpi layup used on the most recent Butcher tyre, though, and the same soft, slow rebound ‘Gripton’ T9 compound is used here on the Hillbilly as well.

The centre/shoulder tread pattern is very different, following the classic ‘square studs with plenty of space around them’ format of most good soft conditions tyres. Specialized run alternating pairs of knobs close for a slight paddle effect, and the knob tops are siped (slotted) to allow them to reshape and spread under load.

Shoulder knobs are slightly angled in for a directional emphasis with alternate lugs getting long supporting buttresses right down the sidewall. U-shaped sipes create a ‘block in block’ effect on every other knob too, but there’s no outward splay or projection over the carcass edge.

Weight is average for a modern 2.4in ‘trail tyre’ at 1074g but at 59mm across, they’re actually closer to 2.3 than 2.4in wide. There’s also a Gravity Grid version, but that takes weight beyond 1300g in pursuit of extreme punishment survival.

Performance

If you don’t like changing tubeless tyres because of the faff and mess involved, you’ll be relieved to hear Specialized 2Bliss setup is about as easy as it gets. Not so tight onto the rim that it’s a fight, but not so loose you’re worried about it ripping off in the first turn or peeling off if you get a blowout. It runs happily at teen pressures if you really want to suck the wheel onto the ground too, but obviously bear in mind that this is a trail tyre. If you’ve got a history of rubber-ruining rim abuse, you can pick the Gravity version.

Impacts aside, the grip and control levels are well up for extreme riding. The more open, lugged tread locks into dirty, wet, and loose conditions significantly better than a ramped or flatter/tighter tread. While they don’t ‘lean outwards’ to grab carving/off-camber traction automatically the side knobs are well-supported enough to deliver the traction as soon as you tip the bars into the turn. The tread cleans super quickly even in clay conditions and when they do start to slide, it’s a very predictable, normally saveable push, rather than a sudden snap-out and dump-you situation.

The T9 rubber and underlying carcass give excellent impact damping and micro-traction too. That reduces nerves when transitioning from slop to roots/rocks or the treacherous mess of ‘who knows what’s waiting under the leaves/around the next corner' that typifies a lot of UK and northern hemisphere riding for half the year. While there’s an audible and haptic rumble on the road and you’ll lose some ground in a roll-down test, they’re certainly not so slow you’ll go home early or stop one run short on a session. If anything their ability to keep you upright where most trail tires won’t mean you’re likely to get more riding in and you’ll certainly be going faster on descents and tech sections too.

The fact they make adequate forks feel great and great forks feel amazing adds to their already excellent value in the UK at least and while they’ll shred fast if run on summer rocks, in their natural habitat wear is proving totally reasonable. We’ve had no ripped knob or unraveling/twisting carcass weirdness from our long-term Butcher tires either.

Verdict

Specialized’s Hillbilly T9 tires are a great choice if you want significant extra grip in the slop and soft conditions. The Grid Trail versions are really well-damped on harder surfaces and not a total pain to pedal either. In the UK at least they’re an absolute bargain as well.

The WTB Verdict TCS Light High Grip does what it says on the tin. Any Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) mountain bike tyre tagged with a TCS label is tubeless-ready. High Grip means it’s built using the company’s super-soft, Tritec triple-compound, and the ‘Light’ casing is double-ply 60Tpi with SG2 puncture protection.

The WTB Verdict can be fitted to either wheel but excels as a front-only tyre offering and is incredible hold on hardpack, loam or slippery mud. The Verdict TCS Light High Grip is packing a little extra weight compared to other light tyres in our best mountain bike trail tyres test, and it can be a little punishing, but this is a real confidence tyre, one you can push hard without it biting back.

Design and specifications

For solid clearance and predictable traction, the Verdict TCS Light High Grip employs a 2x2 centre tread. It essentially repeats the same knob shape, which is siped to increase the footprint but also chamfered on the leading edge to reduce rolling resistance. The knob depth is similar to a Maxxis Assegai, but the tread is more channelled, so the tyre offers excellent clearance and mud shedding allowing those lugs to bite even in poor conditions.

The knob profile is also replicated on the shoulder, but these are some of the deepest knobs I’ve seen and, while that would normally create some unwanted flex during hard cornering efforts, this tyre just has incredible hold. You can get up on that edge in a banked turn without the tyre doing anything weird or vague.

Like in boxing, WTB splits its range into weight categories, but don’t go thinking this Light casing isn’t going to pack a punch. The Verdict TCS Light High Grip features a 60Tpi single play casing but with SG2 protection. This is an additional nylon layer to increase pinch flat protection without adding excess weight. WTB builds a bit of texture onto the sidewall for added abrasion resistance, and that extra meat means you can run slightly lower pressure to enhance traction, while still retaining adequate sidewall stiffness and cornering stability.

The Verdict TCS Light High Grip is only offered in a single 2.5in width, but those deep edge lugs do come up to size, so you may struggle slightly with winter clearance on some suspension forks, especially if you run a mudguard.

Although the Verdict is TCS tubeless-ready, I found it can be tricky to get the bead to seat on some rim brands. I got it to go eventually, but it would often need a bit of bead lubrication and a tubeless booster pump to get it to snap into place, plus a little bit of air topping up down the line.

Performance

One of the reasons this is such a good cornering tyre is the High Grip rubber compound. It’s actually WTB’s Tritec triple compound, utilising a firm base with a medium/soft skin down the centre and a super soft edge. I measured the latter at around 50a using a durometer, but it’s also incredibly low rebound. Some soft tyres can still feel loose and unpredictable on hard surfaces, but the Verdict TCS Light High Grip feels incredibly sure-footed. It doesn’t skate around under hard loading or when you’re snapping the front of the bike into a loose turn – you don’t have to fight for the grip, it just feels solid.

It's not the quickest rolling tyre in our test, which is one of the reasons we recommend this for front-only use, but it’s a great choice for harder riding, gravity use and e-bike fitment. I’ve smashed this tyre through some pretty rocky terrain, and it’s emerged unscathed – that extra rubber on the sidewall really does a good job at protecting the tyre from abrasion. The ride feel is impressive too, helped by that low rebound rubber compound. The Verdict TCS Light High Grip never feels nervous, no matter what surface you’re riding on and, with its impressive wet weather performance, it’s a tyre you can easily run year-round.

Verdict

At 1150g for the 29x2.5in size, the WTB Verdict is not a lightweight trail tyre, but the trade-off is an illicit amount of traction, excellent pinch-flat resistance and an impressive wear rate. Hook this up with a WTB Judge Tough High Grip on the rear and you’re going to be unstoppable.

The HellKat Pro ATC is Kenda’s top-tier trail tyre, but there are two bigger siblings for gravity and enduro use. All three tyres get the same moto-x style tread, which was developed for the DH World Cup stage by the Kenda-sponsored UR Team race team, but the protection levels have been reduced and the weight cut for trail riding. This ATC version features a thinner, more resilient and lighter 120tpi casing and a dual-layer rubber compound. It comes fully tubeless-ready and is available in 27.5 and 29er sizes and two widths.

Does this make for one of the best MTB trail tyres around? Well, keep reading to find out.

Design

The three different casing structures Kenda offers are ATC, AEC and AGC. The middle letter represents the application – hence trail, enduro and gravity respectively. From a purely structural point of view, the gravity casing has an Aramid strip under the tread with an apex chafer to resist pinch flats. The light enduro tyre eliminates this chafer and the trail tyre gets some thinner nylon plies, a more resilient 120tpi casing and a weight of 902g, making it one of the lightest trail tyres in the category.

If the tread was an eight-a-side football [aka soccer] formation, it’d be 3-2-2 with a tightly spaced row of wingers. All the knobs are either siped (they have little slits in the surface) or have shallow depressions, which help them deform and spread out, enhancing traction. To add further braking stability, two of the centre lugs are co-joined and they’re also slightly lower profile than the edge lugs, so don’t flex as hard.

The tread has some pretty open channels, so clearance in mud is impressive, but there are a couple of sections where the casing is a little unprotected, so you may need to ride light in the rock gardens. I’ve not had any issues with punctures (thorn or pinch flat), but I have been running this tyre tubeless. Configuring the tyre was straightforward – the bead seated first time and the tyre didn’t require any additional air during the first outing.

Performance

Kenda employs a dual-layer rubber compound in the HellKat Pro ATC. Unlike the multi-layered compound used in the Maxxis Minion DHF 3C and Michelin Force Am2 tyres, the HellKat Pro just has hard centre knobs and a soft edge. The centre knobs wear better, accelerate quicker and offer better braking traction, while the soft edges obviously stop you coming unstuck when getting sideways in a corner. The soft rubber isn’t quite as soft as claimed though – I measured the hardness at around 55a. While this is only medium/soft, it is low-rebound, so on hardpacked trails it gives a nicely damped feel. As a front tyre, the HellKat Pro doesn’t have any bad habits; it’s stable, confidence inspiring and predictable.

On the rear it also belts along at a good lick, so if you want to get a couple of safety cranks in before a jump or to get the extra percent on the crest of a climb, this tyre isn’t going to hold you back. The only real fly in the ointment is the rear end would slip out occasionally on wet roots and didn’t quite have the same tenacity as Maxxis DHR II or WTB Judge when winching up a slippery climb. A good call if you ride hard or you’re 'are friends electric’ is to fit the AEC enduro version. You’re only looking at 100g increase, but you can easily run lower pressures with the thicker casing to enhance the grip.

There’s an obvious reason to buy the HellKat Pro ATC as it’s a lot cheaper than either the Maxxis and WTB tyres, but it matches them when it comes to performance. It doesn’t quite have the massive edge knobs of a Minion DHR II, but you can still stuff it into a turn and come out all smiles. It also covers the ground quickly and efficiently, and if the conditions are not too extreme, you could easily run this tyre all year round, saving you money and setup hassle.

Verdict

In ATC guise, the Kenda HellKat Pro is one of the lighter trail tyres on the market, so may not suit harder riding or e-bike use. It has good grip and braking traction, rolls surprisingly quickly and the moto-x style tread works in most conditions. A summer tyre you could easily run over the winter.

The original Maxxis Assegai, featured in our best mountain bike tyres round-up, was developed by DH racer Greg Minnaar, so naturally it’s available with a reinforced Double Down casing, but there are lighter Exo and Exo+ versions now available for trail riding.

The very best (and most expensive) models use the Maxxis 3C compound which is available in MaxxTerra or MaxxGrip flavours – the latter is the softer overall and the one I’d choose for the front, with the quicker rolling MaxxTerra on the rear. I’d also consider the reinforced EXO+ out back too, but with a regular EXO casing up front, but then there are so many options that you can mix and match the level of grip and reinforcement based on your ride style or the weight of the bike you’re riding.

Design and specifications

One of the prerequisites of any Maxxis trail tyre is the deep edge lugs, and the Assegai has these in spades. These big block knobs offer a predictable shoulder when stuffing the bike into a loose turn or skating down slippery off-camber.

To complement this lateral fortification, the Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ features a 3 x 2 centre tread of interlocking knobs. These are heavily chamfered for quick rolling and three are siped to create extra traction – a siped knob will splay out slightly under load creating a larger footprint on the trail. The two smaller transition knobs are not siped but they do create a sort of semi-edge and fill in this area. As a result, the tread is a little congested and in really deep mud it can struggle for purchase, but it does clear surprisingly quickly.

The Assegai is available with Maxxis EXO or EXO+ puncture protection options. Both models have medium-duty puncture protection built into the sidewall, but the EXO+ gets an extra butyl (synthetic elastomer) insert wrapped around the bead area to help protect the tyre from pinch flats and also prevent rim damage. It adds a few grams but it’s a key reinforcement to the rear tyre for e-bike and gravity use.

All Maxxis tyres are tubeless ready (TR) and I’ve found they’re some of the easiest to seat. They always go on first time and you can often inflate them and get the bead to snap into place just using a regular track pump, no matter what rim brand they’re fitted to.

This tyre is also a Wide Trail (WT), which means it’s optimised for 35mm inner width rims, adding a little more sidewall depth.

Performance

The Assegai comes in a 3C (triple) compound with either MaxxTerra (medium) or MaxxGrip (soft) option. Both tyres use a hard base rubber for stability, but with a quick rolling centre strip and then a soft rubber on the edge for grip. The MaxxGrip is super tacky, but it does show wear relatively quickly if you’re riding on dry dusty terrain, which is why I’d run the harder-wearing MaxxTerra compound on the rear and keep the MaxxGrip for the front. That way you are not literally burning rubber, which at this price is costly.

Grip levels are superb with the softer MaxxGrip tyre – it feels so surefooted and never does anything unexpected. It’s really consistent at all lean angles, even chopping and changing lines through tight singletrack. You can roost the front into a turn or lean in gradually, it works both ways. It’s a real confidence tyre that lets you push the envelope without having to pay the consequences.

It’s consistent across a range of terrain – I’ve ridden on every sort of surface from wet rocks to dusty hardpack and, apart from deep clag, it always finds grip. You can easily ride this tyre throughout the year and it works pretty good on the rear – it’s not quite as quick rolling as the Maxxis Dissector or DHR II, but it still has a good turn of speed. When cross-rutting, the traction is solid and there’s plenty of grip when winching up steep ascents.

Verdict

The Assegai is a fantastic tyre for use all year round in pretty much any condition you care to name. The only real fly in the ointment is the relatively high price, but then you are buying one of the most controlled and confidence-inspiring MTB trail/gravity tyres on the market.

The Maxxis Minion DHF MTB tyre was a game-changer when it first appeared and it’s continued to dominate the trail and hardcore front tyre market for well over a decade. A faster roll than you’d expect for the great directional and cornering grip it gives means it works both ends too. Add a wide range of carcass and compound options and if I had to pick a single (cost-no-object) tyre for every situation, it would be this one. Which is why I rate the Minion DHF as one of the best MTB trail tyres available, and it's also a great gravity option.

Design

The key to the Minion DHF’s easier roll compared to its DHR II sibling is the slightly elongated, ramped knobs, which means smaller gaps. The alternate split pair are deeply cloven front to rear too, effectively creating four smaller blade blocks that also give extra directional bite. The way those blocks can splay also partially closes what could otherwise be a grip gap over to the alternate split block and L-shaped side knobs that fan out from the shoulders. It's a side pattern so good it was moved across onto the DHR II to give the same aggressive cornering bite front and rear.

Specifications

As the DHF (and DHR II) have been around so long, they’re one of the few current top-performance tyres still available in 26in for retro riders. Maxxis has rolled out a DHF for every trend since though (including a 27.5 x 2.8in ‘Plus’ tyre), so you’re covered for almost every bike fit. The company even created a whole new WT (Wide Trail) carcass lay-up for its 2.4 and 2.6in widths, so that they shaped up correctly on rims 30mm or wider internally.

Maxxis has also expanded its casing offerings in terms of reinforcement level. The lightest option is the Exo, which is fine for XC/old school trail use; Exo+ adds a full protective wrap against cut, puncture and impact punctures for more aggressive trail/enduro use; DD is a lightweight double-ply for hardcore enduro or e-bike use; and then there are super heavyweight DH tyres if your riding is all about radical gravity runs. In contrast to many brands where performance sweet spots fall awkwardly between light and heavy-duty options, weights and ride characteristics are on point for every level too. It’s the same story with rubber compounds. The top triple compound (3C) tyres offer a MaxxTerra all-rounder mix and a super sticky, ultra grippy MaxxGrip option over a hard base for predictable behaviour and extended lifespan. If you want a relative bargain though, the basic Dual Compound tyres are a great split between cornering grip and decent rolling speed/wear life on a tough but not too heavy carcass for much less cost.

Performance

I'm lucky enough to spend most of my time on the 3C MaxxTerra version in Exo or Exo+ spec, because that comes as standard on a huge amount of test bikes. It’s also an excellent ‘context’ tyre to fit to any bike or wheel that I'm testing independently, purely because it’s basically entirely vice-free. It’s easy enough to fit to most rims and, while it’s not the simplest sealing tyre, I rarely have to abandon the floor pump in favour of a compressor to get the job done. Once inflated, it holds pressure and shape well and it’s close enough to the listed size not to make me grumble. Even the Exo version can be run at teen pressures without buckling and folding if you shunt a corner or grab a fistful of brake too hard, while the Exo+, DD and DH increase incrementally in stability and stoutness. Ride feel is appropriate for each weight/use category with a float/damping profile that flatters suspension and frame feel. As you’d hope, the WT casings are a particularly good match to currently ubiquitous 30mm internal rims, avoiding the over-stiff, numb feel that’s apparent in some other ‘stretched’ tyres.

While it looks like the centre-to-shoulder tread gap might trigger a ‘leap of faith’ lurch like the old Maxxis High Roller tyre, the DHF actually tips in really smoothly and predictably. Once you’re into the lean, you can also load it up aggressively on pretty much every surface from slippery gravel to winter slop and wet woods. There’s enough space to mean they clear mud pretty quickly, too so clogging is rarely an issue.

The longer tread blocks also mean the DHF rolls noticeably faster than the DHR II and we know a lot of people who actually run a DHF both ends for a faster, but still hard cornering combo. They are more likely to skid or slip on the back than a DHR, but no less than most other trail tyres.

While the heavier-duty DD and DH carcasses are the ones to go for if you habitually hammer tyres and wheels, the Exo and Exo + are comparatively tough in terms of pointy object and pinch punctures. They don’t rip knobs or tear sidewalls easily either, so most Minions are bald before they get binned rather than being stabbed or slashed to death. Check fresh tyres before fitting though as Maxxis does have occasional issues with warped or twisted tyres.

Verdict

Faster rolling than a DHR II, but no less grippy in turns, the Maxxis Minion DHF is still my favourite hardcore all-rounder on either end of the bike. It comes in a wide range of casing and compound options to suit all riding situations, and once you’ve found the blend that works for you, it's a fit-and-forget tyre for all reasons and seasons. Shop around for a deal, and the pricing might not be such a sting either.

Search the internet and you will find plenty of information about road and gravel bike saddle setup, but far less specifically about doing it on a mountain bike. Although the average mountain biker won’t spend as much time in the saddle, given the extremes in gradients, variations in terrain, and dynamic nature of mountain bikes and riding, saddle setup is arguably far more involved than the static pedalling optimised position of drop bar bikes.

I’m not going to go deep into how to choose the right MTB saddle or the intricate science of bike fitting. Instead, this is a guide on how you can experiment with your current setup, gain a better understanding of the effects of saddle position, and maybe find a more comfortable mountain bike saddle position. So let's dig into it.

Let's start with the saddle

Saddles are a personal preference and what works best for one person won't necessarily suit someone else. The type of riding you do will affect the saddle you choose too so there is a fair bit of consideration when choosing the best MTB saddle. All the options can be a bit bamboozling if you aren’t sure what you want or don’t have access to loads of saddles to try out.

If you don’t want to change your saddle, there is loads of scope to experiment with your current setup to find a more comfortable position. Unless your saddle is causing you specific discomfort, I would recommend experimenting with your existing setup first, as even small adjustments to saddle height and angle can often have dramatic effects on comfort.

If you are choosing a new saddle, there are a few things to consider. Step one is determining what size of saddle you need. Most saddles, specifically those aimed at the pedal-lier end of mountain biking, will be available in at least a couple of different widths. These widths correlate to your sit bones, so it’s worth measuring those to get the right size. Some bike shops will have machines to do this, or you could pay a bike fitter for a saddle fitting. However, it's easy to get a rough sit bone measurement at home to get a ballpark guide to your required saddle width.

Unfortunately, from here, you are kinda on your own. Some people like long-nosed saddles, others prefer short ones, there are flat or curvy profiles, and more padding can be both more or less comfortable depending on the rider or riding. There are no right answers.

You also get discipline-specific saddles as well. Cross-country and trail saddles are focused on pedalling dynamics and are very similar, if not the same, as road or gravel saddles. Enduro saddles will be similar as well, but usually feature a burlier construction and some extra padding. Downhill saddles aren’t really meant to be sat on, instead, the shape is designed to aid bike control. E-MTB-specific saddles are interesting as they often feature a raised tail to help hold the rider in position when climbing super steep gradients.

It's worth noting that bigger bike shops may have demo saddles for you to try before you buy, so it's worth asking whether you can give one a test before you commit with your cash.

It’s not just about having the right saddle

Choosing the right saddle is important, but arguably, the setup of a saddle is more essential. Different saddles have different shapes which can affect how you fit them onto your bike. The type of riding you do will also influence the position, as will the geometry of your bike. This is where things start getting a bit confusing.

Saddles can be adjusted horizontally using the length of the saddle rails, while most seatposts give loads of angle adjustment. Even minor adjustments can have some significant effects on how comfortable you are on the bike. It's not just your bum either, changes to saddle position can also affect the back, shoulder, wrist, hand, knees, and feet too. What makes saddle adjustment so complex is that any adjustment has a cause-and-effect relationship, so you have to be meticulous and patient when making any changes.

Your saddle position is in direct relation to the position of your pedals, which means a saddle and saddle position that works on one bike may not directly translate to another. Seat angle, crank length, and suspension sag all affect your saddle position. For example, you will often see riders on bikes with slack effective seat tube angles (effective seat tube angle is the angle of the seat tube when the suspension is at its sag point) with their saddles pushed forward on the rails. This is because the saddle is effectively further back towards the rear axle. By pushing a saddle forward, riders are biasing seated weight towards the front which will reduce front wheel lift on climbs, although manufacturers are combating this with ever steeper seat tube angles on modern bikes.

Seat angle is set by the seatpost's saddle clamp and is usually positioned close to flat. That said, there are a few reasons why a rider may want to add a little more tilt. Gravity riders will often set their saddles with positive tilt (saddle nose pointing up) as it puts the saddle in a better position when descending. Conversely, riders who do a lot of steep climbing use more negative tilt for a more comfortable position on long climbs. Saddle shape will also determine angle, with some favouring more positive or negative angling.

Getting a basic saddle setup

The trick to finding the optimal saddle position is being able to self-diagnose problems and make specific changes to target any issues. Similar to suspension setup, adjustments are likely to be quite small, so if you make loads of changes at once, then it will be very hard to determine what the effects are. What makes it even harder is that, unlike suspension, there are no clicks, dials, or numbers for you to reference, although some saddles and seatposts will have guide markings, which can be a massive help when it comes to testing.

Again, I want to iterate that I am not a bike fitter and the below is only intended to help you get a better understanding of how to get a basic setup up your bike. With the below process, you should be able to get a ballpark saddle setup yourself, but if you want to be more specific, then you’re best speaking to a professional bike fitter.

The first step is setting the saddle up in a neutral position. I recommend trying to set the top of the saddle as flat as possible and the seatpost positioned in the centre of the rails. On curvier saddles, setting the angle can be a little more tricky as it's not clear which bit needs to be flat. Sometimes it is a case of taking a level measurement with a spirit level from the rear to the nose of the saddle while others will have a specific section that should be level. Manufacturers sometimes provide setup guides which are always worth consulting.

Once you have your saddle fitted, you will want to set your saddle height. It surprises me how often I see people with their saddle at the wrong height as despite being an in-depth subject all of its own, it's a simple process to get a good ballpark. For a basic initial setup, I recommend using the heel method as it is the easiest and generally fosters a decent result.

To do this, sit on your bike with your riding gear on while leaning against a wall. Place your heel on the pedal and spin your cranks so it's at its furthest away point from the saddle. It’s worth noting that this won’t be the 6 o’clock crank position due to your effective seat tube angle, the slacker the effective seat tube angle, the more rotated forwards the longest extension point will be. Adjust your saddle height so that at peak leg extension with your heel on the pedal your knee is almost locked out. Once you have set your saddle height you should now have a nice bend in your knee when your feet are level on the pedals in your normal riding position.

Experimenting with saddle setup

From here is a case of diagnosing any issues that may need to be addressed, with the most common being any pain, numbness, or instability when pedalling.

While numbness and pain may seem like the most important to address, instability or rocking while pedalling should be a priority. If you find that your hips are rocking from side to side while pedalling, this is a sign your saddle is too high. A saddle that is too high can be the cause of many other issues and even dropping the saddle by 5mm can take off a huge amount of pressure and alleviate knee, back, and hip pain or saddle sores. It’s not just undercarriage and joint problems, even symptoms like tingly hands and toes can be caused by restricted blood flow caused by a high saddle and fixed with a minor height adjustment. Lower saddle height isn’t a solution for all cycling ailments, but it's a great place to start.

If tweaking your saddle height hasn’t sorted you out, then it's a case of experimenting with other adjustments. Here are some common issues and adjustments that could fix them:

It's worth noting after each adjustment, assuming you don’t experience excessive discomfort, you should do at least a couple of decent rides to let yourself readjust as changes may feel a little off at first.

A mountain bike saddle has one important job, providing a comfortable place to sit while riding. However, finding the best MTB saddle for you can be a tricky process.

Personal preference and body shape will directly impact a saddle's comfort and performance. A perfect fit will give miles of comfortable pedalling, while even a little discomfort can quickly ruin a ride.

If you tend to find stock saddles uncomfortable, a narrower saddle could be the solution. A number of the saddles here are available in various widths. It's worth trying before you buy though, or measuring your sit bones to find out what width is best for you.

We've tested loads of mountain bike saddles and selected the very best for this guide. Our top choice is the SDG Bel Air v3.0 Lux-Alloy, while our pick for comfort is the Specialized Power Expert.

If you are confused about cutouts or pondering about padding, skip to the bottom for everything you need to know when choosing the best MTB saddle. Alternatively, see our article on saddle setup to find the perfect saddle position.

Best mountain bike saddles

Best mountain bike saddle overall

The SDG Bel Air saddle has been a classic since the original mid-'90s versions. The obvious change in the third-generation Bel Air is that it’s a lot flatter. That doesn’t mean the top profile has lost its subtly raised rear S-bend profile, but it’s nowhere near as deep underneath. If you get the measuring tape out, it’s also a bit shorter than before, but there’s still enough shuffling room without falling off the front compared to the latest stub-nosed setups. Its balance of sit-bone support and easy movement worked well for all our testers.

In terms of construction, the one-piece ATMOS ‘sonic-welded’ cover still gets protective corner bumpers, which is pretty rare these days. It’s really easy to clean, and in Guy Kesteven's testing, it survived several months of hard riding and several crashes without a scratch. The thin layer of EVA foam gives firm support over the flexible base, and the rails have a particularly narrow stance at the rear with flexible ‘free float’ anchors which we found increased mobility and helped reduce ‘bottoming out’ impacts.

Check out our full review of the SDG Bel Air V3.0 Lux-Alloy saddle.

Best mountain bike saddle for comfort

The Expert sits third in Specialized's Power range, above the Power Comp, (lighter but made with less durable materials), and below the Power Pro with Mirror (titanium rails and sophisticated 3D-printed cushioning), and the S-Works Power with Mirror (lighter, with carbon rails and shell and 3D-printed padding).

One of the saddle's key components is its lightweight hollow titanium rails, which are relatively rare at this price point. Even though at 230g, the overall saddle weight isn’t particularly low, the lighter rails allow the Power Expert to offset a decent level of cushioning without affecting the overall weight. The titanium also helps reduce vibrations through the saddle too. A cavernous central cutaway combines with a stubby, truncated nose, intending to ease pressure on your tender parts and making it ideal for long days out pedalling.

The Power Expert is definitely a comfortable saddle, as Sean Fishpool found out when he put it to the test. He noted that the "cushioning is firm enough to feel purposeful, but thick and compliant enough to be a genuine all-day companion, even when you’re shuttling between tarmac and rough ground. The short nose and the relatively narrow tip give a gloriously free-spinning, unencumbered feeling for your legs."

If you’re after a secure, comfortable all-day saddle, the Specialized Power Expert should be on your shortlist.

For info, check out our full review of the Specialized Power Expert saddle.

Best mountain bike saddle for women

Perhaps better known for its take on the best mountain bike tyres, WTB also does some great value saddles. The Koda was originally designed as a female-specific saddle with input from marathon MTB racer Rebecca Rusch, although it turned out to be popular with guys too. It comes in a Medium or Wide widths and a three different rail options – we tested the Cromoly version.

The standout feature of the Koda is its nose design. In our testing, we found the nose is wide enough so that you can comfortably sit on the front of the saddle on steep climbs, while also being short enough that it didn't get caught on our shorts. If you're not a fan of wearing MTB bibs with padding, we found the gel insert enhanced HLX padding to still be very comfortable.

After putting the miles in on the Koda, Guy Kesteven found the "slight raised rear, curved nose naturally puts you in the sweet spot too, with the same ‘just right’ grip from the perforated microfibre cover."

Best mountain bike saddle for XC

This is a true cross-country racer’s saddle, which saves the grams but you won’t be punished by their absence. Although the X-LR Superflow’s shape is discreet, that does not mean it lacks features.

The seat surface is upholstered in Fibra-Tex to give the saddle a durable finish and reinforced edges. Below that surface, the padding has two different levels which Selle Italia calls Dual Density, and is chosen to improve comfort.

Though the cushioning is thin and firm, we found it's surprisingly protective when combined with the little bit of natural flex in the carbon-infused shell underneath it, and it does have the magic feeling of being super purposeful and direct when you put the power down.

The real delight for our tester, Sean Fishpool, was the freedom of movement. He found the narrow front section gave plenty of room for unhindered pedalling, and the curved sides and relatively smooth materials made it super-easy to let the bike move under us when we needed to.

Check out our full review of the Selle Italia X-LR Ti316 Superflow saddle.

Best mountain bike saddle for gravity

The Spank Spike features a minimalist design meant for downhill and enduro racing, which means the saddle will stay out of your way when you're sending it at full speed. It's not the most lightweight saddle, but it's still pretty respectable considering it is ready to take on gravity duties.

The contact points and impact zones have been reinforced and optimised to stand up to aggressive riding. The surface finish of the saddle has a grippy texture to help maintain rider position on technical steep climbs, but we didn't find it so abrasive that it limited manoeuvrability and comfort. The broadness of the front section gave a stable grip for the legs when out of the saddle, and tester Sean found it a comfortable enough perch when riding further forward than normal while tackling steep climbs, too.

There are multiple colour options, including a Geoff Gulevich signature colourway, and the price of this saddle won't break the bank either.

For more, see our full Spank Spike 160 saddle review.

Best mountain bike saddle for narrow sit bones

The German company is a leading grip and saddle brand with designs that prioritise comfort. The SM series covers a wide range of saddles, which all come in two widths (144 and 156mm) for different-sized sit bones, along with male and female-specific options.

The standard SM saddle comes in three models at different price points with different construction and finishes – Sport, Comp, and Pro. It's also available in e-bike-specific, touring, enduro, and downhill versions.

I tested the 144mm SM Comp saddle, and the reduced width is a great match for my narrower sit bones. It's also proved to be a durable option after a year of regular use.

The orthopaedic foam is supportive and comfortable and hasn't shifted over time, while the microfiber surface has a hardy finish that is weather- and scuff-resistant.

A flatter design provides more freedom of movement to put down the power when riding in any position, and flanked sides reduce friction when pedalling.

How to choose the best mountain bike saddles

How we test mountain bike saddles

We test out saddles over several months, putting them through their paces on long, rough mountain adventures, fast trail blasts, and everything in between. We rate them according to comfort, maneuverability, robustness, firmness, weight, and durability.

Back to the top.

A saddle that suits your needs perfectly is one of the holy grails of cycling. That makes getting a saddle that complements your rear end one of the most important upgrades you can make. It can be the difference between enjoyable, comfortable rides and a very painful posterior, especially on long days in the saddle.

In an ideal world, it is best to try a new saddle before buying it. However, it's highly unlikely your local bike shop will have every option out there and even less chance they'll allow you the luxury of "trying before buying", even if they have a lenient return policy. So, where do you start?

One of the most important things you can do to aid you in your saddle search is to measure your sit bones, as that will enable you to look for a saddle that is the correct width. But, what are my sit bones, you ask? And how do I measure them? Read on to find out.

What are sit bones?

So firstly, if you don't know, the clue is in the name, but your sit bones, or to give them the correct medical name, the Ischial Tuberosity, is the V-shaped bone at the bottom of the pelvis that makes contact with a surface when you sit down. If you’ve ever sat on a hard seat for a long time, you’re no doubt familiar with this pokey bone and the discomfort you can get.

Bike saddles are designed to provide optimal support to the sit bones for maximum rider comfort. Too narrow and the sit bones are unsupported, causing the rider undue muscle and tissue stress. Too wide and the sit bones can rest awkwardly on the edge of the centre channel, where saddles offer little to no padding.

How to measure sit bone width using cardboard

This is both the most low-tech and the most accurate at-home method. Grab a flat piece of corrugated cardboard and place it on a flat surface. Sit down on the cardboard, and settle in so your sit bones make an indentation. You can even pull up on the chair to press your butt and sit bones into the surface.

Stand up and use a pen to circle the indentations. Mark the approximate centres with a plus sign, and use a ruler to get the distance between the centre marks. Make sure your clothing isn’t giving a false result; for example, jeans rivets poking the cardboard instead of your sit bones. A firm chair works best, so don’t bother trying to do this test on the couch. If you’re not sure if you did the test right, grab a fresh piece of cardboard and do it again just to make sure.

The cardboard sit bone test works similarly to the high-tech, pressure-sensitive devices saddle brands have at their disposal, so the results are generally quite accurate.

How do I use my sit bone width to find the right saddle fit?

Every brand provides slightly different information when it comes to saddle width. Some offer a range of sit bone widths for each size, while others simply give the overall width of the saddle. In most cases, your saddle should be wider than your sit bone width by 15 to 20mm. This will ensure you’re not right on the edges of the saddle, where your sit bones will be poorly supported.

If after purchase, you find that a saddle is uncomfortable even though it’s the right size, check to make sure you have the saddle positioned appropriately. For example, if it is installed too far back away from the bars, your sit bones could be resting closer to the nose of the saddle where it narrows. The saddle angle can cause similar problems if the tilt causes you to slide toward the front or back of the saddle and away from the widest spot where sit bones are supposed to rest.

Having done the test myself on two of my saddles, it was an interesting result. My Syncros gravel saddle shows a slightly narrow fit, while my Scott mountain bike saddle is wider with an almost perfect fit. Although there are only a few millimetres in it, and both saddles seemed fine to me when I rode, it was definitely worth checking and I've fine-tuned my saddle position as a result. It also means when I come to upgrade, I have the ideal saddle width in mind.

The SDG Bel Air has been one of the best mountain bike saddles since the original mid-'90s versions, which introduced the concept of funky camo, cowskin and other novelty covers. The current iteration keeps a similar overall profile, but is underlined with the latest construction tech to boost the comfort even further creating a fantastic feeling, if slightly weighty, saddle. Although you only get a hint of funkiness with the alloy-railed version.

The third-generation SDG Bel Air is a lot flatter than previously. That doesn’t mean the top profile has lost its subtly raised rear S-bend profile, but it’s nowhere near as deep underneath. If you get the measuring tape out, it’s also a bit shorter than before, but there’s still enough shuffling room without falling off the front compared to the latest stub nosed setups.

The shell drops under the snout to give the deepest padding when you’re on the rivet, and the top is flattened off for easy, effective seat-angle shifting. A ‘Peri-Canal’ groove runs from front to rear, with an ‘undercut’ pressure-relieving hole hidden in the center of the nylon and glass base to protect your plumbing. The rear of the saddle kicks up in the center to keep you anchored when you’re churning a serious gear, but drops away quickly over rounded flanks for a balance of sit bone support and easy movement that worked for everyone who tried it. If you’ve been finding seated salvation in a flatter, wider 150mm+ seat, this likely won’t include you.

In terms of construction, the one-piece ATMOS ‘sonic welded’ cover still gets protective corner bumpers, which is pretty rare these days. It’s really easy to clean, and it’s survived several months of hard riding and several crashes without a scratch. The rails are polished raw where they stick out from under the nose.

The thin layer of EVA foam gives firm support over the flexible base, and the rails have a particularly narrow stance at the rear with flexible ‘free float’ anchors increasing mobility and helping reduce ‘bottoming out’ impacts. This all sets up a seat that was universally loved by the wide range of riders who’ve been using our Pace RC295 host bike, but it’s shock shrugging enough that it’ll work really well on a hardtail too.

Verdict

The latest material tech and smart profiling mean SDG’s classic saddle gets even comfier and lighter. The V3 range starts with the basic ‘steel’ railed option, but with a claimed weight of 318g, it’s definitely worth upgrading to the Lux-Alloy tested here or even the carbon railed (181g) versions if you’re worried about grams.

Specialized's mission to relieve saddle discomfort reaches a peak in the Power range. A cavernous central cutaway combines with a stubby, truncated nose, with the intention of easing pressure on your tender parts and allowing for an all-day aggressive riding position. Specialized pitches it as a road- and off-road suitable model, so let’s take a look at how that translates to off-road riding and how it measures up to the best mountain bike saddles.

Design and aesthetics

The Power Expert sits third in the Power range, above the cheaper Power Comp, (lighter but made with less durable materials), and below the Power Pro Elaston, (similar weight but with a stiffer all-carbon shell and more sophisticated cushioning), and the S-Works Power, (71g lighter, with carbon rails and shell and less padding).

One of its key ingredients is lightweight hollow titanium rails, which are relatively rare at this price point. Even though at 230g, the overall saddle weight isn’t particularly low, you could argue that the lighter rails allow the Power Expert to offset a decent level of cushioning without affecting the overall weight. (Specialized describes it as ‘level 2’ medium density cushioning). The titanium also helps reduce vibrations through the saddle too.

Performance

The Power Expert is definitely a comfortable saddle, no doubt about that. The cushioning is firm enough to feel purposeful, but thick and compliant enough to be a genuine all-day companion, even when you’re shuttling between tarmac and rough ground. The short nose and the relatively narrow tip give a gloriously free-spinning, unencumbered feeling for your legs.

Whether it would work for you as an off-road saddle depends partly on how much you like to shift position as you ride, and partly on how much you like to steer with your thighs when you’re out of the saddle on your gravel bike. It also depends on whether you like to get into a low riding position (and whether this causes you saddle discomfort).

Even though I’d cheerfully leave it on my bike if this was a stock saddle, the Power Expert’s strengths didn’t play to my own needs.

I do like to shift around as I ride, especially on trails, and the flattish profile, probably combined with the upward tilt towards the rear of the saddle, means that the Power Expert wants to keep you in one ‘right’ position. Some riders love this, and on-road or off, the uptick at the rear means you have a really secure base to power against, especially on grinding hills or sprints.

When riding gravel I don’t tend to get into the drops, apart from on the odd hairy descent, and I do like to steer with my thighs. If you’re like me, you might want to consider the Specialized Power Arc instead, which is a near cousin of the Power Expert. It shares a lot of the construction and the undercarriage-friendly cutout, but with more rounded sides for ease of movement, and a longer nose.

And speaking of variants, while Specialized describes the Power Expert as unisex, if you’re a female rider who is looking for the best women’s MTB saddle, you might consider the women-specific MIMIC version of the Power Expert it’s very similar but with a more female-friendly cutaway.

Verdict

If you’d like a secure, comfortable all-day gravel saddle – especially if you like to get low on your bike – the Specialized Power Expert should be on your shortlist. If you don’t want quite such a planted feeling consider one of its near relations such as the Power Arc.

Selle Italia’s X-LR SuperFlow saddles take the classic profile of its SLR and Flite saddles and give it a pure off-road focus, with scuff bumpers, a great shape, and a practical combination of cover materials to bring it in line with the best mountain bike saddles. Its curved profile and light padding won’t be for everyone, but for some riders it will be a fast and liberating ride. Here we’re reviewing the Ti316 model, which sits in the middle of the X-LR range.

Design and aesthetics 

The X-LR is an elegant perch, the rear wings cutting away quickly to a narrow front section and a significantly down-curved tip. The large centre cutout and the highly curved cross-section reflect its intent: it’s a minimalist saddle designed for a more aggressive, forward-tilted riding position, or for riders with a naturally forward-rotated pelvis.

The X-LR Ti316 sits on titanium rails, attached to a carbon and nylon undershell for stiffness and light weight. The cushioning is thin and firm, covered with a taut, hand-stretched cover.

The rear two-thirds of the cover is matt and moderately grippy, the front third with the sloping tip is deliberately shiny and smooth, to make it easier to get back into position when you’ve been off the saddle. Softer padding in the front section also helps the remounts.

Plastic side bumpers extend beyond the cushioning at the widest points, to protect the saddle in a crash or when it’s leaning against a rough wall. Every scrap of material on the X-LR seems to have earned its place, and there’s nothing there that doesn’t need to be.

The colour options are equally minimal, it’s black or black.

The X-LR comes in two widths. More significantly for your wallet and the weight of your bike, it also comes in three chassis materials: manganese 224g (the cheapest); titanium (tested), 176g; and carbon, 138g (the most expensive). Both the ti and carbon models have their own shock-absorbing qualities over the base version and have more durable Fibra-Tek covers.

Performance 

A narrow, curved, lightly padded saddle like the X-LR is a great advert for the benefits of getting a saddle that fits. Whereas it could have been incredibly uncomfortable, for me, my weight carried through my sit bones onto the curved edges in the right place, and the cutout was just right, even when perched slightly forward in the saddle for climbs.

Though the cushioning is thin and firm, it’s surprisingly protective when combined with the little bit of natural flex in the carbon-infused shell underneath it, and it does have the magic feeling of being super purposeful and direct when you put the power down.

The real delight was the freedom of movement. The narrow front section (36mm, compared with 47mm on the Spank Spike 160, for example) gives plenty of room for unhindered pedaling, and the curved sides and relatively smooth materials make it super-easy to let the bike move under you when you need to. That curved, shiny nose also helps maneuverability.

Verdict

Saddles are an immensely personal preference, but if you have the budget, we have no problem in suggesting the X-LR TI316. For cross-country riders in particular, it’s a great combination of lightweight, manoeuvrable form and surprising protection. Some riders would only use it for racing, few would find it ideal for long, rough, rocky days, but for others, it’s a great, fast, all-around option.

Spank wanted to make a race saddle for enduro and DH racers that was also comfortable enough for all-day training. For slower rides on the relentlessly rough ground, you might wish you had more cushioning, but otherwise, it’s a purposeful, manoeuvrable offering when compared to the best mountain bike saddles.

Design and aesthetics 

The Spike 160 is a relatively broad and flat saddle. The most race-oriented perch in the brand's four-saddle range, it has lean, low-profile cushioning that gives it a fast aesthetic. It has a generously sized pressure-relieving groove along almost the full length, which is wide and 6mm deep.

Its profile is flat front-to-back and side-to-side, so you very much feel you’re sitting ‘on’ it, with a broad taper at the rear edges which gives you side support when you’re wiggling to the side, without getting in your way. The covering is matte synthetic rubber, with light ridges for extra grip at the back and a smooth shape around the nose to help stop shorts snagging.

The Spike 160 comes in one width - effectively a medium - and the plastic underside comes in six colour options - our review sample is grey.

Reflecting its mid-range price point, the Spike 160 sits on hollow cromoly rails and a plastic base. The sides of the saddle are designed to have a little flex in them for comfort, though this is pretty subtle.

The whole saddle is constructed using a process called co-moulding, in which the skin, then the padding, then the base are put into a mould and compressed together with heat. The idea is that this gives the padding more durability versus compressing it by stretching the skin across it. Certainly, the skin and the cushioning are taut and look and feel like one uniform piece.

Performance 

Out on the trail, the Spike 160 combines a sense of robustness and security with a definite speed-oriented leanness.

You won’t forget that the cushioning is on the firm, purposeful side - firm enough to feel efficient and remind you that you’re on the trail to perform, but not so firm that you couldn’t stay out all day if you wanted to.

But it’s an easy saddle to live with, and an easy one to stay in the right position in. The cover is grippy but not too grippy, the centre groove comfortable - for my shape at least - and the broadness of the front section gives a stable grip for the legs when you’re out of the saddle. It's a comfortable enough perch when you’re riding further forward than normal while tackling steep climbs, too.

Interestingly, there was a little more propensity to snag shorts than the other saddles in our current crop, despite the ‘anti-snag’ edges. Maybe that was because of the shallow top section and slight lip between the skin and the base, but either way, it wasn’t a deal-breaker.

Verdict

Cross-country riders would look elsewhere since they’d expect a lighter weight for this amount of cushioning, and maybe wouldn’t need the breadth through the front end of the saddle. But for its intended gravity audience, the Spike 160 is a lean and efficient perch for a rider who wants to go fast.

Spank also offers a crash replacement discount for the first two years of ownership, which is a bonus considering saddles are vulnerable to damage when a bike is tumbling down a trail.

The best XC tyres always used to be superlight, skimpy and somewhat sketchy in terms of protection and grip, so they accelerated and rolled super fast. But increasingly tough and technical World Cup cross-country courses mean the latest XC tyres have become more robust, bigger, and more controlled.

Some riders still prioritise maximum speed with minimum weight though, and once you start factoring in different riding conditions, the waters of which tyres to pick can get muddied still further.

That’s why we’ve brought two very different tyre experts together: Pure XC and South African stage racer, Aaron Borrill, and ultra-experienced tester, Guy Kesteven, who's been racing in every kind of British weather since the 1980s. Using the combined knowledge of these two experts, we've brought you a truly global perspective of the best XC tyres for every condition.

If you're new to cross-country riding or MTB in general and want to know more about how to choose your ideal speed-hungry tyre yourself, then we’ve got a tech FAQ at the end of this guide.

For more MTB tyre tech, see our article on everything you need to know to choose the best tyres for your riding. Or if perhaps you're here because you're an MTB-curious gravel rider, we also have a guide on the best gravel tyres.

Best XC tyres

Best classic XC tyre

The Vittoria Barzo is an absolute classic, particularly if you ride in dry, loose conditions and like to run high pressures. Aaron has spent thousands of miles training and racing with this tyre, including the technically demanding Absa Cape Epic in 2016 and 2017.

The tread pattern is burlier than some of the other options listed here, which means it digs into loose or even somewhat sloppy conditions better than most and clears OK as well. The hard, fast rolling Graphene compound still provides sterling straight-line speed, and the high-energy carcass feels fast too. If you want to run it as a rear, it works well, although many racers prefer using a Vittoria XC pairing of a Barzo up front with a Mezcal at the back.

The 120tpi nylon casing is strong, Aaron, our marathon tester, commented: "While there are lighter, perhaps somewhat livelier options available, the Vittoria Barzo is exceptional in all conditions, the only tyre I trust based on the thousands of trouble-free miles I've spent using them."

If you're looking to use the Barzo in rocky, rooty, or wet conditions, such as typical UK riding, Guy would definitely recommend opting for the Race Formulation upgrade (like the Mezcal we've listed below). It's much grippier and holds its shape far better at lower pressures than the standard harder compound. That said, Schwalbe's Rocket Ron is a more sure-footed option in slippery conditions.

For further info, see our full Vittoria Barzo tyre review.

Best budget and superlight XC tyre

If you're looking for one of the fastest and lightest XC tyres around, look no further than the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak. At 595g per tyre (29 x 2.20), it's the only option on this list that dips below the 600g threshold. Somehow, it still doesn't suffer from any hiccups in terms of protection, and we've used it for years with no dramas.

The relatively aggressive Gripton T5/T7 tread pattern rolls much faster than it looks – which makes it the go-to tyre for Specialized's trade teams at races such as the Absa Cape Epic and looser or wetter World Cup XC rounds. That makes it a great default fit for the front wheel and a great option for the rear in wetter / looser conditions.

Minimal weight means it's up the climbs or out of slow turns that the S-Works Fast Traks really give you the edge though. Accelerating and punching up steep kickers as though someone as slipped an SL e-MTB motor into your bike. The supple casing gives great ride feel and trail feedback, boosting compliance, traction and ride comfort. Like Schwalbe's Super Race, it also seems to help the S-Works tyres dodge impact and scuff damage better than a stiffer tyre. If you do want more physical protection though, the Fast Trak also comes in Control and Grid Trail versions, which work great for tougher, technical courses or 'downcountry' riding.

Not only is Specialized's XC tyre range one of the best performing fast rubber families, but it's also the most aggressively priced. Depending on your territory, that can mean they come in at a significantly lower cost than the priciest tyres here, making them an unbeatable bargain for cross-country cost-effectiveness.

For a deeper look at this tyre, head over to our full Specialized S-Works Fast Trak T5/T7 review.

Best XC tyre for all-conditions

If you're used to using a sketchy semi-slick for speed, the rapidity of Schwalbe's Rocket Ron will genuinely shock you. That makes it one of our favourite fit-and-forget year-round, all-condition speed options. The Rocket Ron has comparatively tall, angular tread knobs from the centre right over to the shoulder. That means it can pull trail tyre-style grip out of loose and sloppy situations far more reliably than other race tyres.

As a result, there's some rumble and growl on hard/road surfaces, but somehow that tread still rolls really well off-road and that's where Schwalbe's carcass tech really shines too. Choose the super supple, Super Race option and you'll get a tyre that glides and flows through rough sections without stalling or choking. It also finds extra grip where stiffer tyres slide and stutter. It performs predictably through a wide range of pressures too, so if you need to drop it into teen PSI numbers for max traction, it won't feel too drunk or floppy.

While it's got minimal physical protection, the Super Race carcass is supple enough to dodge the pinch puncture and rock scuff damage on the trail. Super Race only comes in the fastest, slipperiest AddixSpeed compound, so choose Super Ground in Addix SpeedGrip which adds an extra level of traction. Super Ground also adds more puncture and scuff protection without increasing weight. Alternatively, if you want a slightly faster Schwalbe front tyre for dry/loose/intermediate conditions, then check out the Racing Ray.

Inevitably, there are some downsides. That includes the usual Schwalbe premium price and the larger knobs will also wear down their cutting edges faster than a slick tyre. On the plus side, it's available in a huge range of sizes from 16in upwards. While the 750g weight will seem heavy compared to skinnier tyres, it's on par for the latest generation of larger-volume race rubber we've tested.

See our Schwalbe Rocket Ron tyre review for more detail.

Best XC tyre for speed

Continental's Dubnital is the successor to the Race King, which was arguably the fastest XC tyre for outright speed on the market. The downside of all that rapidity was minimal cornering and shoulder grip. The rounded carcass tipped into turns easily, but slipped out easily too. It also bounced and scuffed off rocks and roots rather than gripping predictably.

The Dubnital brings comparable rolling speeds to its predecessor and is as fast off-road as anything else out there (some rivals are faster on road, though). But unlike many of the tyres designed for outright speed, the Dubnital handles confidently and corners predictably even in treacherously wet trail conditions. Flexi knobs on the outside of the tread mean the tyres can drift rather than grip when cornering really aggressively, though.

It comes in Race or Trail casings and Rapid or Grip compounds. As you'd expect, the fastest combo is the Race Rapid, with the Trail Grip giving the most protection and confidence. Weight-wise, our 29x2.2in Race Rapid tyres came in at 621g each. The Trail option only adds 20g, so if you're unsure casing-wise, there's not much in it either way.

The Dubnital has a 330 TPI, single-ply carcass with a fairly shallow tread split into three sections. Stiffer central knobs, an intermediate transition tread, and then more flexible shoulder knobs on the outside of the tyre. It feels supple on the trail and just as fast as it's proved itself to be.

For more, see our full Continental Dubnital review.

Best XC tyre for dry, rocky conditions

Despite lacking the aggressive tread patterns of some of the XC tyres listed here, the Maxxis Aspen EXO is easily one of the most complete tyres on the market, built to deliver a balanced combination of speed and control. Lean into the first corner and the tyres bite with aggression, allowing you to push harder as you begin threading each corner together, thanks to the pronounced shoulder knobs.

Coming back to the tread pattern, the Aspens cope well in loose and wet conditions, too. They can withstand trail blow after trail blow if you're more of an aggressive rider who prefers hammering over obstacles as opposed to scything through them. As a result, Maxxis has used its EXO sidewall protection to promote confidence through rocky singletrack, and it works.

The strong sidewalls also allow you to dial in lower pressures, which unlocks even more assurance. To find the right balance requires some fettling, as tyre pressures are a personal choice. That said, once you strike that balance, you won't be disappointed. The Maxxis Aspen EXOs are easily the most underrated tyre on the market, and they shouldn't be because they're actually one of the best.

Our XC stage racer, Aaron, said: "There's a reason the Maxxis Aspen EXO is used by the world's best cross-country mountain bikers – they're fast and super-reliable."

For more information, see our full Maxxis Aspen EXO tyre review.

Best rear XC tyre for mixed conditions

Racing Ralph has been around as a name in the Schwalbe line up for decades, but it got a total overhaul a couple of years ago. That's added more grip and versatility while still keeping it a super fast, sweet riding tyre. While it's traditionally been used as a rear tyre in cross-country and marathon racing, it can also be used at the front in the right conditions now, too.

Ralph used to be a diamond tread semi-slick, but now it's grown short, closely spaced paddles across the centre to give much better grip in loose or soft conditions. That means you can pull the brakes and press the pedals a lot harder before it lets go and reshaped side knobs let you carry that speed through corners too. It does make the tyre more likely to clog in clay-style mud, though and it's not as fast as a slick tread like Schwalbe's new Rick XC or proven Thunder Burt options. The AddixSpeed rubber compound is a great balance of easy speed and decent wear without skating around and scaring you as soon as things get damp, too.

While tread and compound are great, the Super Race carcass is Schwalbe's real secret weapon. The ultra-supple construction means rolling resistance and speed sustain are outstanding. During back-to-back testing by Guy, it consistently outran less treaded tyres in roll-downs on smooth surfaces and left them for dead when things got rooty, rocky and rough. Despite nothing more than a thin anti-puncture strip under the tread, the supple construction helps it dodge damage compared to stiffer, reinforced tyres.

Even without any real reinforcement, it's relatively heavy, which inevitably cuts into instant acceleration. Schwalbe tyres also come at a premium price too.

For more, check out our full Schwalbe Racing Ralph review.

Best high volume, high velocity XC tyre

Pirelli's entry into the XC scene is a tough, grippy, great feeling, high volume tyre that's already seen World Cup and World Championship XC success with Evie Richards.

The tyres we reviewed are the Team Editions, distinguishable by Pirelli's signature bright yellow lettering on the sidewall. They also feature the brand's reinforced ProWALL casing for added protection against flats and tears. In terms of the tread, Pirelli has chosen a fast-rolling centre-tread pattern that mimics a lot of classic speed tyres like Hutchinson's Python and WTB's Nanoraptor. It morphs into wider shoulder lugs for impressive cornering grip.

As Aaron reported in his test: "Flick it into a corner and the tyre bites hard – you can feel them gripping, sometimes even hear the shoulder lugs as they fight for traction — which allows you to push harder and faster." That's a trait that's been used to great effect by Richards who wins a lot of her races by blasting the most technical descents flat out. A lot of that extra trust comes from the SmartGrip rubber, which is soft for an XC tyre and the damped, shock-absorbing nature of the ProWALL casing.

However, the rubber used is a single compound rather than being harder in the centre like most XC and trail tyres, so Scorpion doesn't roll as fast as it looks. The calm and controlled character of the tyres also makes them feel slower than a more lively, springy carcass. Despite a 120tpi, the XC RCs are not particularly light either, tipping the scales at 748g per tyre, which dulls acceleration. It does let you run lower pressures though, increasing the control and anchored feel of the tyre even further. Testing by Guy proved it's tough and controlled enough to handle seriously tech and tyre-traumatic environments like the brutally rocky Lake District in the UK, so it works as a fast downcountry option too.

In his review, Aaron also concluded: "The Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 tyres prove wider doesn’t necessarily have to be slower. The traction and control benefits afforded by running lower pressures – something that has even greater potential on wider rims – far outweighs the benefits of lighter tyres."

Find our more in our full Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 review.

Best XC tyre for dry/loose conditions

Vittoria's Mezcal has always been a super popular tyre, especially in areas where trail conditions are dry, dusty and loose. It's springy, skippy feel also makes it a favourite or riders who like to run higher, harder pressures. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then stick to the smaller sizes and you'll be as much of a super fan as Aaron was during testing: "As a long-time user of the Vittoria Mezcal and having raced on them in myriad countries, the way they perform never ceases to amaze me."

If there's one tyre brand that divides our XC test team though, it's Vittoria. Guy Kesteven found the older versions too slippery and skittery to feel confident on wet rocks and roots and didn't like the way they could suddenly fold and stumble if you dropped pressures low.

However, the latest Race Formulation version of the Mezcal has a new silicon-infused rubber compound and an all-new tougher, 2.4in wide carcass. Guy has been testing them for months and come away impressed as they're a lot more predictable at lower pressures. The new rubber recipe means they grip in a similar way to most other XC tyres, but the longevity of tread and construction seems even better. Unlike most '2.4in' tyres they actually blow up close to that rather than being much narrower. That does increase their weight in line with other larger volume new generation tyres, but what you lose on the scales you gain in confidence on challenging terrain.

Overall, a great update of a popular classic for more aggressive riders and courses, but still primarily a dry and loose conditions tyre rather than a wet weather winner.

For more info, check out our full Vittoria Mezcal tyre review.

How to choose the best XC tyres

While XC tyres increasingly share a lot of tech and trends with the best mountain bike tyres, there are still significant differences when it comes to race rubber. These include the rubber compound itself, durability, puncture protection, tread pattern, tyre width and tyre size.

We've covered the basics here and then covered other popular inquiries in the Q&A afterwards.

29inch wheels

29er wheels caught on first with XC riders when they realized the larger diameter meant a smoother, faster roll that literally outweighed the increased mass and slower acceleration. Now all XC race bikes, except some extra small-sized options, come with 29er wheels front and rear as standard.

Tread pattern

Big pointy knobs are great for grip but bad for rolling efficiency. That's why many of the fastest XC race tyres are what's called a semi-slick design. This uses minimal tread in the middle for a quiet, rapid roll with bigger shoulder knobs that add bite and grip when leaned into a turn.

The closer the spacing between knobs, the better they roll too. This is why you'll see some tyres like Hutchinson's Skeleton, Schwalbe's Racing Ray, Pirelli's Scorpion, Specialized's Fast Trak and others using an alternating tread that forms an almost continuous ridge down the centre of the tyre.

Rubber compounds

Harder compounds roll faster but give less grip and wear out faster. That's why a lot of designs use a dual compound with hard rubber in the centre for speed and durability and soft shoulders for cornering grip. Every brand has different recipes which they keep as closely guarded secrets, but a lot of new tyres are now coming with silicon-infused compounds. This tech comes from motorsport racing and is designed to increase wet weather grip and durability.

Carcass

XC tyres always used to have the lightest, thinnest possible construction to keep weight to a minimum for best possible acceleration. That's still the case with tyres like the Specialized S-Works range and narrower versions of other tyres here.

As courses have got tougher, though, the old wisdom that "to finish first, first you have to finish" means tyres have got a lot tougher too. That makes them more stable at low pressures, especially if the design includes reinforcement around the side wall.

Protection

As well as tougher construction in general, race tyres often come with some extra protection built in. That ranges from a thin strip of anti-puncture tape under the tread to a full reinforcing wrap from one edge of the tyre to the other.

Weight

Bigger, tougher tyres with more reinforcement are inevitably heavier, however. That means only one tyre here – the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak – weighs under 600g, and most weigh over 700g. That might not seem like a big difference, but even 100g between tyres means a lot more wheel inertia to overcome. As a result, your bike will feel slower when accelerating and climbing, particularly from lower speeds. Tougher, more controlled tyres can keep hold of speed much better through technical sections and turns, which is why most racers now run 2.4in wide options. They're still a lot faster and more responsive than trail tyres anyway – which now often weigh over a kilo each.

Price

Top quality XC tyres can cost as much as $100 / £80 / €100. Cheaper versions tend to be heavier and less grippy as they use less expensive materials in the carcass and rubber. That does extend tread life and rolling speed on road though, so they can be a good choice for bikepacking.

Specialized has also reduced its already aggressive pricing to super low levels recently too, making their XC tyre range absolute bargains if you want high speed without high spend.

Best XC tyres FAQs

How we test the best XC tyres

We've thoroughly tested all the tyres in this guide, putting them through some of the toughest mountain bike races in the world, in all weather conditions. We've been particularly assessing them for rolling speed, grip, puncture protection, weight and ease of fitting.

If outright speed is the name of the game, few tyres deliver like the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak T5/T7. As Specialized's best XC tyre, they utilise a Gripton T5/T7 compound, which the American brand also claims offers puncture protection, too. Despite the super low weight of 594g and thin sidewalls, the S-Works Fast Traks are well poised and deliver amazing feel and feedback on the trail thanks to the super-sticky T7 side compound and fast-rolling T5 centre tread.

We tested them in a variety of settings ranging from cross-country laps and open gravel roads to trickier and gnarlier trails.

Design

Visually, the S-Works Fast Trak has a very distinct look, something that helps it stand out among the rabble of other XC tyre options. The branding is fairly low-key, but Specialized makes no bones about its S-Works intentions, the latter taking on a red colour treatment. The 120 TPI 'S-Works' casing is designed to be super-lightweight and it is — 594g to be precise – but this does also mean it offers less puncture protection than its rivals.

The Fast Trak is what Specialized refers to as its mixed-condition XC race tyre boasting a T5/T7 dual compound. The 'T' indicates the damping rate of the rubber – the higher the number, the slower the rubber rebounds, and, as a result, the Fast Traks use T7 on the shoulder and T5 down the middle. The alternating diagonal centre line tread combines with closer-spaced intermediate and lower shoulder tread for increased traction and speed.

Performance

The Fast Traks are full of feel and communication, but you can't run the tyre pressures too low as the thin sidewalls do have a tendency to fold over or crumble under lateral cornering force. This lack of sidewall reinforcement is a concern for those who race competitively — XCO and marathon included — so you'll need to run higher-than-normal pressures for peace of mind. During my testing, I ran the pressures at 24-26psi front/rear (at 62kg) and this seemed to do the trick in terms of balancing control with speed. That said, there was some tyre bounce over choppier trails.

In terms of speed, the S-Works Fast Traks really show their mettle up the climbs and along rolling terrain – an attribute that allows you to accelerate and punch up steep kickers with absolute ease. Grip is in abundance, too, despite the tyre's somewhat narrow width (it's only available in 2.2in) and small tread blocks, the trail speed is up there with the Vittoria Mezcal and Bontrager XR2 Team Issue.

Even with slightly higher pressures, I still felt the need to nurse the tyres over rockier and rooty sections of trail for fear of piercing those delicate sidewalls.

Verdict

The Specialized S-Works Fast Trak T5/T7 is a really good tyre at a great price. It's light, fast, and supple, but the former comes at the expense of puncture protection – which is a big deal for the average rider. Nobody wants to flat during a race, which brings me to their intended use: racing. This is not a training tyre and should only be used in racing scenarios where keeping weight to a minimum and going as fast as possible is the chief concern.

On those grounds alone, the S-Works Fast Traks are hard to beat, but as a dedicated, all-round tyre capable of being used as both a training and racing option, you're better off with the Vittoria Mezcal or Bontrager XR2 Team Issue.

Maxxis is the most widely employed tyre on the mountain bike scene, spanning all disciplines ranging from downhill to enduro and cross-country. The tyre pictured here is the Taiwanese-based company's best XC tyre, the Maxxis Aspen EXO, which has been designed to roll with ease as well as grip like a limpet.

Ten-time XCO World Champion Nino Schurter swears by the reliability and performance-infused tyre compound. But just how good is it in real-world scenarios and, better yet, can it cope on the trails all-year round?

Design

The Maxxis Aspen is available in one casing structure only, EXO – a cut- and abrasion-resistant material. While it's not as durable as the brand's other casings, it's still pretty impressive at staving off punctures and the like while remaining as light as possible. The Aspen comes in three sizes (26-, 27.5- and 29-inch), three widths (2.1-, 2.25- and 2.40in), and two casings (60 and 120tpi).

The tyres pictured here are the 2.25in/120tpi model. Despite lacking the aggressive tread patterns of some of the other tyres listed in our best XC tyres guide, the pronounced shoulder knobs are ideally placed to deliver confident cornering, while the shallower center tread has been employed to foster flat-out speed. Of course, this does present a small trade-off when it comes to wet-weather performance. The tread pattern has a tendency to clog up, which means less grip in muddier conditions.

Performance

At 653g per tyre, the Maxxis Aspen EXO is one of the lightest options in the segment and you can feel it when the trail points upwards. This, in combination with the semi-aggressive tread pattern, helps get the power down at the rear – even on looser terrain types. Of course, this largely depends on conditions and the Aspens perform best in dry and loose conditions. In terms of lateral adhesion, the speed at which the Aspens corner is impressive. Lean into the first corner and the tyres bite with vigour, allowing you to push harder thanks to the pronounced shoulder knobs. I found the cornering precision quite surprising given the tread pattern, but the stickiness comes down to the shoulder knobs which deform under load as they dig into the trail surface.

In terms of durability, the Aspens can withstand trail blow after trail blow, which is a boon for aggressive riders who prefer hammering over obstacles as opposed to scything through them. As a result, the EXO sidewall protection – as mentioned above – promotes confidence through rocky singletrack. The strong sidewalls also allow for lower pressures, which unlocks even more assurance and cornering speed.

Verdict

There's a reason the Maxxis Aspen EXO is used by the world's best cross-country mountain bikers – they're fast and super-reliable. Despite lacking the pure, aggressive grip patterns of some rivals, the Aspens deliver enough bite to complement their outright speed. If that's not enough, the 120tpi/EXO casing provides the assurance to push harder without the worry of sidewall damage and punctures.

As far as the best XC tyres are concerned, Schwalbe’s reputation is difficult to dispute, having successfully dominated the Absa Cape Epic with Team Bulls for years under the leadership of five-time winner, Karl Platt.

The Racing Ralph Performance Line TwinSkin tyres pictured here might not be as light as the Evolution Line SnakeSkin-equipped version, but they still possess the same basic tyre architecture and tread pattern. While the Racing Ralph has traditionally been used as a rear tyre in cross-country and marathon racing, it can be used at the front when conditions permit. I spent time using it in front/rear configuration and came away mighty impressed by its behaviour and handling characteristics.

 Design and specification

In terms of design, Schwalbe’s unmistakable brand identity is hard to ignore. The silver Schwalbe logo takes up prominent real estate on the sidewall, while the Racing Ralph wordmark balances things out on the other end – it’s all very premium in look and feel. While it lacks the red or blue colour-coded circumference stripes of the Evolution Line (an attribute that denotes the Addix compound), it still cuts a distinctive facade.

It’s designed for cross-country racing, featuring a low-profile tread pattern down the centre and more prominent shoulder lugs on the sides. The Performance Line tyres pictured here weigh in at 770g a piece, which isn’t as light as you’d expect but the upshot is a super-strong casing and sidewall.

 Performance

As previously mentioned, it’s become popular for cross-country riders to use the Racing Ralph at the rear in combination with a Nobby Nic or Racing Ray up front. While this is a somewhat tried-and-tested configuration, the Racing Ralph is perfectly at home marshaling traction at the front. The low-profile tread pattern has been designed to improve rolling resistance and acceleration, and the shoulder lugs are perfectly placed to foster high grip levels in the corners. The impressive sidewall protection – dubbed TwinSkin TLR – adds assurance for when things get gnarly, but also allows lower pressures to further improve ride pliancy and traction.

The Racing Ralph is most at home in dry conditions, as its tread has been designed to deform around the obstacles. For a relatively light tyre, the Racing Ralphs were adept at dismissing the fast and semi-technical trails of Minley Manor with ease. There’s a suppleness to the casing that helps foster trust and communication from the front, while the paddle-like lugs help boost rear-end traction up the climbs.

Verdict 

With perhaps the exception of the Vittoria Barzo, the Schwalbe Racing Ralph is the most at home in all weather conditions and terrain types. Despite the toughness of the carcass, it's still prone to the odd puncture when riding aggressively, so caution should be taken if that’s your style. That said, it is an extremely reliable tyre and seldom disappoints – which is one of the reasons it’s praised by so many riders and testers around the world. It’s supple, communicative, fast, and grippy and will suit any rider, regardless of your skillset.

The Vittoria Barzo has a solid reputation among mountain bikers owing to attributes such as its reliability, speed and front-end assurance. While some pair it with a Mezcal at the rear, using it at both ends is the safest bet you can make – both as a racer and weekend rider. I've spent thousands of miles training and racing with this tyre and have never been let down. In fact, the Vittoria Barzos were faultless during the times I raced the technically demanding Absa Cape Epic.

The tread pattern is burlier than some of the other options in the best XC tyre space, but the Barzo still provides sterling straight-line speed. It's also got pretty decent clearing channels, so can perform well regardless of the weather and terrain — even in muddy conditions.

Design

Like the Vittoria Mezcal, the Barzo is also available in three distinct sidewall colours: tan, plain black and anthracite. Some markets, such as South Africa, also get it with a special Cape Cobra compound for enhanced puncture protection. It gets Vittoria's proven 120tpi nylon casing and can be had in the choice of TLR, TNT (pictured here), and rigid bead casings, complete with Graphene 4C compound. A Race Formulation four-compound version is also available, which boosts grip in wet, slippery conditions and is the best option if you're looking to run lower pressures.

Tyre widths are pretty comprehensive. The 29-inch version comes in widths of 2.1, 2.25, 2.35 and 2.60in, and Vittoria still caters to those who ride 26- and 27.5-inch wheels. Designed for ‘technical XC’, the Barzo features a centre tread with an alternating ridge design and progressive sipe angles to help bolster traction, while moto-style lugs comprise the shoulder section in a V-formation for cornering grip.

With a relatively open tread pattern, it clears mud with aplomb, but it's still a low-profile tyre, and you'll quickly find the limits of adhesion in dry and dusty terrain - conditions where the tyre is most at home.

Performance

The beauty of the Barzo's compound and tread pattern is its ability to excel in almost all conditions. For a fully lugged tyre, it rolls with the eagerness of a semi-slick, while still providing braking and cornering traction. It's also got pretty decent clearing channels, so performs well in muddy conditions, but it's in dry and loose conditions – hardpack trails in particular – where it really excels.

The evenly spread, siped tread does a sterling job in keeping you upright and allowing you to push harder through corners. Grip levels are predictable, so there are never any trust issues with the front end, and the tread pattern also makes for a great companion at the rear.

The bonus with this particular tyre comes in the form of exceptional sidewall protection. I'm yet to puncture using a Barzo and have probably done upwards of 6,000 miles in various guises – impressive for a 700g tyre.

Verdict

The Vittoria Barzo is one of the most complete XC tyres on the market. It's fast, grippy, and reliable and is very resistant to wear, meaning it will last you ages. As far as protection goes, the 120tpi nylon casing is supple but strong enough to ensure the sidewalls are well looked after, which provides the peace of mind satisfaction all mountain bikers crave. While there are lighter, perhaps somewhat livelier options available, the Vittoria Barzo is exceptional in all but the slipperiest conditions and is the only tyre I trust based on the thousands of trouble-free miles I've spent using them.

Few mountain bike tyre makers possess a portfolio as complete as Vittoria. The Italian company produces some of the most versatile and high-performing rubber options on the market, including the renowned Barzo, Mazza, and the Syerra downcountry tyre. And while the Barzo is often seen as the go-to – read best XC tyre – choice for many cross-country and marathon riders, the Mezcal is fast becoming as popular and for very good reason.

The tread pattern is purposely designed and similar to that of the Maxxis Aspen in that the centre section is packed with low-rolling tread and bookended by sharper, more pronounced shoulder knobs. It's a beautiful tyre, too – the tanwalls present a stylish alternative to the glut of dark-coloured models that comprise the best XC tyre space. I've been using this specific tyre for years, such is its brilliance on the dirt.

To refresh my opinion, I decided to re-test them on the loose and dusty trails of Minley Manor in the UK for a 12-hour mountain bike race.

Design

In terms of visual clout, there aren't many cross-country tyres out there that can compete on an aesthetic level with the Vittoria Mezcal. The tyre pictured here is the tanwall with a reversed-out logo treatment. It looks fantastic and provides another level of contrast to complement your mountain bike. They are also available in plain black and anthracite.

Available with the choice of TLR (pictured here), TNT, and rigid bead 120tpi nylon casings, the Mezcal benefits from Vittoria's proprietary Graphene-enhanced 4C compound. Weights vary from tyre to tyre, but the 29 x 2.1 version tips the scales at just 640g per unit – the 2.25 version we tested weighed just 682g per tyre. While sizing spans 26-, 27.5- and 29-inch, the latter is only available in widths of 2.1, 2.25 and 2.35in, which is plenty wide for modern cross-country racing.

The tread pattern is pretty densely packed with low-profile knobs in the middle and more pronounced lugs along the shoulders, which makes for an appreciably fast-rolling tyre, but the downside to this layout is the less-than-ideal mud clearance, but more on that later. The lugs are siped, which helps them spread out to foster better traction.

Performance

I put a pair of Vittoria Mezcals to the test on the dusty trails of Minley Manor in Camberley, Surrey at the Torq in your Sleep 12-hour MTB race and came away mightily impressed by the assurance and amazing levels of control they provided. The tread pattern, while low-profile and not very aggressive, managed to dismiss the dry and dusty course with relative ease. Even maintaining speed and traction on many of the off-camber and rooty corners, which I always find difficult to navigate. While there was nothing too alarming in terms of putting the sidewall protection to the test, I have used these tyres before on a couple of stage races back in South Africa and can vouch for their ability to handle the hostile, rocky, and thorny terrain.

While many cross-country riders will use the Mezcal at the rear and a Barzo up front, I've always felt confident using a front/rear Mezcal combination. It all comes down to finding the right tyre pressure. The Mezcal rewards with speed and control, allowing you to really dig the wheel into every corner without the fear of washing out. The only real downside is when things get wet, as the tread pattern can clog up quickly, negatively impacting grip and control in the process.

As far as outright performance goes, there's not much in it between the Maxxis Aspen, Barzo, and Mezcal. All three are very good at dismissing dusty and dry conditions, but when it comes to outright speed, the Mezcal is at the top of the pile. The supple casing and low-rolling resistance, coupled with its lightweight properties, mean you're always connected to the trail, which boosts confidence and cornering speed.

Verdict

There's a lot to like here and the Vittoria Mezcal range has something for all types of cross-country riders. As far as weight goes, only the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak is lighter, but that brings its own set of compromises to the equation. You can't go wrong with the Mezcal – the brand's rich heritage and detailed understanding of creating tyres tailored to specific disciplines is the real kicker here.

As a long-time user of the Vittoria Mezcal and having raced on them in myriad countries, the way they perform never ceases to amaze me. Of course, I wouldn't use them in wet conditions, but they're not the worst performers in the mud either. If you're looking for a reliable tyre that prioritises speed, look no further than the Vittoria Mezcal. It's a brilliant tyre for cross-country and marathon riding.

Father's Day falls on Sunday, June 21 in the USA and the UK. If you're shopping for a cycling-themed present for the most important man in your life, then some of the best cycling tech is a sure-fire winner.

Garmin is the leading brand when it comes to the best cycling watches, and its flagship GPS smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 8, is currently discounted by $250 to just $849.99, from the usual $1,099.99.

Shop the Garmin Fenix 8 discounted by $250 at Garmin.

This is the lowest price we've ever seen on the Fenix 8, with the previous best Garmin Fenix 8 price, being $999.99 during the Amazon Prime Day sales this time last year.

Amazon Prime Day is also just around the corner, running from 23-26 June; however, the Fenix 8 is unlikely to drop any lower even then. So if you're feeling particularly generous this Father's Day or even contemplating an upgrade to your own cycling tech, this Garmin smartwatch deal is worth grabbing while you can.

This Garmin Fenix 8 deal is across the range of options and sizes (43, 47 and 51mm), all with that best-ever $250 off.

It includes the battery-extending solar-powered model, which for bikepacking adventures will provide up to 48 days of battery life with the Power Sapphire solar charging lens. The standard Fenix 8 battery is still impressive with a claimed up to 28 days of power.

Elsewhere, the list of features on the Fenix 8 include an internal speaker and microphone for voice control and messaging, which is a particularly appealing addition for cycling. The bright Amoled display is also a cycling box ticker, and ensures all your on-the-go cycling stats are easy to read, along with that extensive battery life and multi-band GNSS technology for highly accurate navigation.

Garmin is renowned for producing groundbreaking cycling tech, and the Garmin cycling range holds top spots in our best cycling tech buying advice, including the best GPS bike computers, plus the best power meters, smart lights with rearview radar, and of course, smartwatches.

The Father's Day Garmin Sale also has a few other reductions across Garmin cycling watches, including the Enduro 3, which has $150 off, down to $749.99. If you're looking for another tech option, then the Garmin Edge Explore 2 has a massive 40% off at Amazon, taking this highly rated cycling computer to a bargain price of $179.91.

These Garmin deals are US-based, but below our handy price checker will give you the best up-to-date pricing across its smartwatch range in your territory.

Modern bikes come loaded with rider aids and tech that allow us to ride faster than ever. However, without a doubt, one of the most important components of a bike are the tyres. Even if you have the fanciest drivetrains, the most sophisticated suspension, and the most powerful brakes, tyres are your sole connection to the ground, and if they aren’t up to the job or set up correctly, you'll be struggling on the trails.

If you're looking to upgrade your bike, opting for a set of the best MTB tyres is usually the best place to start. They will offer the best bang for your buck upgrade and can transform how a bike rides.

Choosing the right mountain bike tyres is a bit more complicated than just picking the grippiest-looking set off the shelf though. Most tyres are designed for specific types of riding or trail conditions, so it is important to do a little research to choose correctly. Here, I have broken down everything you need to know about tyres and tyre choice so you can easily choose the right tyres for your riding.

Choosing the right size tyre

Before we delve too deep into tyre tech, you need to choose a tyre that is the right size for your bike. There are a few factors that should be considered when choosing a tyre so you know it will fit.

Firstly, mountain bike wheel size, most modern mountain bikes will have either 29in or 27.5in (sometimes referred to as 650b) diameter wheels. It may also have a mixture of both (29 front and 27.5in rear) if it has a mullet, aka MX setup. Older mountain bikes and dirt jump bikes will most likely use 26in wheels, and some smaller kids' bikes will have 24in wheels.

While inches are the most common unit of measurement for MTB wheels and tyres, they may also refer to the ISO size, which is the inner bead diameter of the tyre, measured in millimetres. For reference, 29in tyres are ISO size 622, 27.5in are ISO size 584, and 26in are ISO size 559. This sizing will be correct for the majority of all MTBs. In the unlikely event that you’re reading this and have a very old and obscure bike that doesn't use the above sizing, I suggest you head over to Sheldon Brown's website for all the niche information on tyre sizing you will ever need.

Next, you will need to consider frame clearance, as this will determine the maximum possible tyre width. Almost all frame and fork manufacturers will state the maximum tyre clearance of their product. Alternatively, you can simply measure the gap between the fork legs, chainstays, and seatstays yourself. If you are measuring clearance yourself, remember to factor in mud clearance, the International Organisation of Standards (ISO 4210) quotes a minimum of 6mm between the shoulder of the tyre and frame.

Unfortunately, even with these measurements, tyre clearance can be a bit of a guessing game. Not only are there discrepancies between different brands' measurements (some tyres are narrower or wider than stated), but the rim you mount the tyre on can have a massive effect on the tyre shape. Essentially, a narrow rim will give the tyre a taller light bulb shape, while a wider rim gives the tyre a rounder, wider profile.

A rim’s effect on the shape of the tyre will affect the performance, so it is worth checking that your rim's internal width is suited to the size of the tyre you are planning on using. We are seeing 30mm inner rim diameters becoming the standard and it's generally accepted that any tyre between 2.35in and 2.8in will work well with this inner rim width. Cross-country bikes may have narrower rims, which will work better with narrower tyres (2.35in and below), and ‘plus’ (2.8 to 3.0in) tyres will need the support of a wider rim (35mm to 40mm). Rim width and corresponding tyre size aren’t an exact science, however, staying within recommended sizing will ensure your tyre performs properly and safely.

If in doubt, it's worth checking with your wheel or tyre manufacturer to see if they have recommended guidelines for their products. Here are some quick links for the main tyre brands and their tyre/rim width charts:

• Schwalbe
• Maxxis
• WTB
• Kenda

Understanding MTB tyre construction and characteristics

To understand how a tyre will perform, we need to dissect the tyre and talk about its construction, as this affects how a tyre will ride on the trails.

The tread has the most obvious effect on how a tyre’s performance. There are a wide variety of different tread patterns, but they all essentially aim to do the same thing, grip the ground when cornering, pedalling, and braking. Brands can use different tread patterns, shapes, and spacing to change how the tyre interacts with the trail surface. Manipulating tread shape can play a huge role in how a tyre performs – square edges offer more traction, while adding forward-facing chamfers increases rolling speed.

The tread can also be sipped – these are the cuts or grooves in the tread block allowing more deformation to the blocks and another edge for grip. Horizontal sipping will affect braking and acceleration grip, while vertical sipping improves cornering performance. Tread patterns are often direction-specific and can also be front and rear-specific (more on that later).

The tyre tread is made from a rubber compound which can also be used to change the ride characteristics and durability of a tyre. Softer compounds are grippier and rebound slower to reduce vibrations, but wear faster and have more rolling resistance. Harder compounds last longer and roll faster, but don’t have as much grip. Many brands will use a combination of compounds (usually referred to as dual or triple), layering softer rubber over hard to get better performance.

The casing or carcass of the tyre is the base structure of the tyre to which the tread is attached. The casing will be made up of single or multiple layers (sometimes referred to as plys) and may feature cut and abrasion-resistant inserts on the side walls and under the tread to protect against punctures.

The casing is measured in TPI (Threads Per Inch). Casings with lower TPI numbers will be more durable but heavier than higher TPI casings. High TPI casings are lighter and more supple, allowing them to conform to the terrain, but are more fragile. Dual-ply casings will use two layers to give a better balance between strength, suppleness, and vibration dampening.

A specific tyre may come in different widths as a tyre width can have a dramatic effect on how it performs. Increasing the width of a tyre also increases its footprint, overall diameter, and air volume. That means narrower tyres will roll faster on smooth terrain while larger tyres with bigger air volume will have more grip and float over rough terrain better.

None of these elements work in isolation and will have effects on other characteristics of the tyre. So while all these different parts of a tyre's construction are important, they must be considered as a system.

Tailoring tyres to your riding and the conditions

Tyres are often MTB discipline or terrain-specific and all the big manufacturers have a range of tyres to cater to every type of mountain biking, all you need to do is pick the right one. Well sort of, there is a lot of cross over and often manufacturers will have multiple different versions and price points of the same tyre, all with different characteristics. Let's break it down.

Unfortunately, it’s a little more complicated than just picking the best MTB as tyres fall into an “iron triangle”, aka a three-constraints scenario. These are grip, speed, and durability. Fast and grippy tyres will have thinner sidewalls and are more prone to punctures. Start beefing up those sidewalls though and the tyres will become heavier and feel numb and disconnected in corners. The extra rubber and protection to make a grippy, durable tyre adds a lot of weight and rolling resistance. Choosing the right model is about finding a compromise.

From discipline to discipline, tyres will have different tread patterns, compounds, and casing construction. Cross-country tyres will have a shallower tread designed to roll quickly and less puncture protection to keep weight to a minimum. Enduro, downhill, and e-MTB tyres prioritise grip and sidewall protection. Using large tread blocks and multilayered and reinforced sidewalls to protect against sharp rocks and race-ending punctures while giving more support on high-speed descents. Trail tyres sit in between the two, although a lot of trail models are becoming more heavy-duty as bikes become more capable and progressive.

The trail conditions you ride in will also play a major role in which tyre will perform the best. These are often broken down into the following tyre categories by manufacturers to make it easier:

• Mixed terrain - This usually indicates the do-everything tyre in the range, capable of performing well in a wide range of terrain and weather conditions.
• Loose - Rocky, gravelly, or sandy surfaces can shift around under the tyre and demands supportive, well-spaced knobs to search for solid ground under the loose stuff.
• Hardpack - Hard compacted dirt or slick rock in the dry. A low-profile tread or semi-slick with a soft compound is a good option as it increases the tyre contact with the surface and allows the rubber to do its work. Minimal tread severely limits loose surfaces and wet weather traction.
• Rocky - Rocky terrain has some crossover with loose and hardpack but usually indicates that a tyre has increased puncture protection against jagged edges.
• Mud - Deep mud, soft and very loose trail conditions. Mud tyres (or spikes) are usually reserved as race-only due to their very specific use case. They feature wide-spaced tall lugs and a narrow tyre width to dig into the soft surface and avoid getting clogged up. If the tread can't dig into the trail surface, they struggle for grip, making mud tyres lethal on rock slabs and hardpack sections. Back in the day, World Cup downhill mechanics used to cut the blocks on mud tyres shorter, since then some brands have released cut-spike-specific tyres that share the same wide spacing but with a more versatile tread block height.

The gradient of a trail will also play a role in choosing a tread pattern. Steeper trails demand more braking performance, so speccing a tyre with a broad soft tread pattern will help slow you down faster. On flatter trails, braking performance isn’t as demanding, however, without gravity pushing you down the hill, you will want to prioritise rolling speed.

As we previously mentioned, tread patterns can be front and rear-specific. The front and rear tyres perform very different tasks, with the front wheel handling cornering and the rear braking and acceleration. With that in mind, it makes sense to tailor the tread pattern accordingly, particularly with gravity-orientated tyres where grip is of the most importance. That doesn’t mean they can’t be run as a matching pair, Maxxis’ Minion DHF and Minion DHR II are the perfect examples of this. Using two DHFs or DHR IIs is a popular setup, with the front and rear DHR IIs proving to be a quick rolling cornering combo, while two DHFs are almost unbeatable on steep, fast terrain.

Mixing and matching different models of tyres is also a great way to tailor performance. Running a soft grippy tyre up front and a harder compound or lower profile tyre at the rear is a go-to for most rugged XC, downcountry, and trail riders as it helps enhance cornering grip without sacrificing too much rolling speed. On the other hand, e-MTBs and downhill bikes may run a thicker casing rear tyre with a thinner front enduro tyre to help save a little weight.

How much should you spend on tyres?

With tyres, you can absolutely buy speed. Better materials, more advanced rubber compounds, and improved manufacturing processes all add up to faster, grippier, and lighter tyres. That's not to say you should go out and spend all your money on tyres, as ultra-grippy models may be overkill for your type of riding and will usually wear out a lot faster as well.

As a general rule, for dry weather XC and trail riding, an endurance rubber or dual-compound tyre will have adequate grip and roll quickly. For wet weather or a more gravity-focused, softer rubber and triple compounds are the way to go. For full enduro and downhill, look at getting the stickiest rubber and most robust sidewalls.

For a good quality MTB tyre, prices range between $60 / £40 and $90 / £70.

Schwalbe’s Rocket Ron has been one of the best XC tyres for ages, particularly as the front wheel partner to Racing Ralph. While Racing Ray has now replaced it for drier conditions, Rocket Ron is still a brilliantly versatile high-velocity tyre for front or rear use all year round. That comes at a high price and relatively high weight, though, and we’d like to mix up the compound and carcass options more.

Design and build

With its mid-height, wide-spaced, angular blocks, the Rocket Ron tread looks more like a trail tyre than a typical XC design. The shoulder knobs are bigger and more angular than most too, with sipe slots on top to allow surface deformation.

The red stripe denotes the use of Schwalbe’s hardest, fastest Addix Speed compound. The stripe is also offset to the rider's left to make it easy to check whether it’s fitted the right way round.

I tested the Super Race carcass, which is the most supple construction option in the Schwalbe arsenal. It’s only got a thin strip of puncture protection under the crown of the tread and reinforcement right against the rim edge though. Despite that, it’s still slightly heavier than the Super Ground option, which has a full wrap of puncture protection and ‘Snake Skin’ carcass strengthening. That makes it one of the heavier XC tyres around in the 29 x 2.35in size I tested, but comparable with 2.4in tyres from Vittoria, Hutchinson, Pirelli and others.

Rocket Ron also comes in a cheaper ‘Performance’ version, as well as an unprecedented range of sizes, from 20in kids' size upwards.

Performance

Having worked my way through a ton of different XC and fast trail tyre options over a number of years, it takes a lot for one to make a significant impression. Where Ron wins though, is by matching Rocket level speed to impressively tenacious grip in a wide range of conditions. The block-shaped, mid-height tread gives sharper, better supporting working edges compared to tear drop and paddle-style treads. There’s way more to work with than really low-profile ‘semi-slick’ designs too. Even with the hardest of Schwalbe’s Addix compounds, grip in wet and slippery conditions is as good, if not better, than most other race rubber too.

The real surprise is while it growls and grumbles more than slicks or low-tread tyres on tar surfaces, subtle ramping means it still rolls OK on the road. Get it into the rough and that ultra-supple Super Race carcass really comes into its own. With no big sheets of protective material in the mix, it’s free to flow and flux over roots, rocks and ripples rather than getting bounced and stalled. That lets Rocket Ron keep pace with tyres that outroll it on Tarmac, and the rougher the terrain, the more that Schwalbe Super Race advantage becomes obvious.

As well as saving energy and maintaining momentum, that compliance also gives better traction, amplifying its mechanical grip even further. The carcass is still predictable at lower pressures too, rather than suddenly folding and flopping. Even at lower pressures, it still feels alive rather than sluggish, and while the weight dulls initial acceleration compared to superlight tyres, the overall vibe is definitely high velocity.

Another surprise from testing the Super Race carcass on Rocket Ron, Racing Ray and Racing Ralph for a couple of years, and Super Race Wicked Will for a couple of months, is how survivable it is. While there’s very little protection built in, the pliable character actually seems to dodge impact and scuff damage better than Super Ground tyres. The only issue I’ve had is premature sidewall wear if used with a broader, harder type of tyre insert, such as Cush Core, but that hasn’t caused any leaking. Better survivability increases value too, as does on-site event support at most major races in the UK at least, but it’s still an expensive tyre that’s not often discounted.

Verdict

Rocket Ron has been around for a while, but updated carcass and compound tech means it’s still ahead of the game in techier, more slippery situations. The fact it gives you a grip advantage without obviously compromising speed or survivability makes it a truly standout tyre. Especially as the original Maxxis Forekaster, which used to run it very close, was replaced by a heavier, slower version. That said, I think using the slightly softer Addix SpeedGrip compound in the Super Race, not just the Super Ground models, would flatter the talent of the tread pattern even more.

Now Nobby Nic has become a more aggressive tyre, I’d love to see Rocket Ron on a Super Trail carcass for fast general use too. That’s definitely greedy though, seeing as there are already so many versions of Ron available from tiny 16in to 2.8 plus sizes. That leaves only the price to really grumble about, but at least you’re buying a genuinely exceptional tyre rather than paying more for meh.

The Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 tyre boasts a 10 percent wider footprint than the Scorpion XC RC 2.2 but utilizes the same low and fast-rolling center block formation that transitions to wider shoulder lugs. The extra girth promises improved grip and cornering speed thanks to the ability to run super-low tyre pressure but this has done little to affect rolling performance.

The carcass construction takes on the same blueprint as the narrower XC RC tyres with a supple 120tpi casing and SmartGrip rubber compound. Like many of the best XC tyres, it can be had in two sidewall options: Lite MTB and ProWall. As the name suggests, the Lite foregoes any kind of protection to minimise weight and maximise speed, while the ProWall incorporates another layer of woven nylon at the sidewalls for extra protection against cuts and punctures. I tested the latter in various trail conditions to put the casing and tread to the test.

Design

The Pirelli Scorpion XC RC is available in one size only (29-inch) but two widths: 2.2- and 2.4in. The latter adds 50g over the lighter 2.2in tyre. On my scales, the 2.4in Scorpions weighed in at 748g a pop. The Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 are distinguishable by way of the yellow Pirelli and Scorpion wordmark logo on the sidewalls, which double up as a distinctive and aesthetically pleasing colour play – especially when looking at the somewhat duller options out there.

The Scorpion XC RC’s tread layout has been designed to work best in dry conditions and naturally excelled when put to the test at the loose and dusty Minley Manor trails. Since that race, I’ve used them in muddier conditions and have come away mighty impressed with their all-round ability. The tyre itself has been optimised to play best with internal rim widths of 30mm but still paired well with my Bontrager Kovee Elite 23mm carbon rims.

Performance

When it came to this particular tyre design, Pirelli called upon its decades worth of experience in motocross and rally to come up with the SmartGrip compound (now been updated to its Race XC compound with Race and Sport options – Ed). The result is a tyre that benefits from both puncture resistance and all-weather grip properties. As a result, the Scorpion XC RC is pretty adept at riding in varied conditions: dry, loose and wet terrain included. While most of my testing was relegated to dry and grippy trails – conditions best suited to the tread pattern – it managed just fine in the wet and didn't clog up entirely. This, however, is obviously dependent on just how sloppy things are, but in the mild, northern hemisphere colder season conditions, it will manage just fine in the mud.

The fast-rolling centre-tread pattern delivers exceptional straight-line speed. Even up steep, punchy climbs, the Pirellis deliver – thanks to the huge traction afforded by running lower tyre pressures. The wider shoulder lugs come into their own when things get more sinuous, delivering feelsome cornering grip. Flick it into a corner and the tyre bites hard – you can feel it gripping, sometimes even hear the shoulder lugs as they fight for traction – which allows you to push harder and faster.

In fact, for a tyre as wide and heavy as the Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4, they are as responsive as lighter rubber options such as the Vittoria Mezcal and Bontrager XR2 Team Issue.

Verdict

The Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 tyres prove that wider doesn’t necessarily have to be slower. The exceptional traction benefits afforded by running lower pressures – something that has even greater potential on wider rims – far outweigh the benefits of lighter tyres. At 748g a piece, it might not be the lightest or cheapest XC tyre on the market, but it is one of the most complete. If you’re looking to improve your cornering speed without sacrificing climbing efficiency, you can’t go wrong with the Pirelli Scorpion XC RC. That said, if the Team Edition 2.4 is too wide or heavy for your liking, the regular and lighter 2.2in version is a worthy alternative.

The best MTB grips are crucial to getting the most out of mountain bike riding. As one of the three key contact points a rider has with their mountain bike, MTB grips may seem like a relatively insignificant thing, but they're actually incredibly important.

Investing in a pair of the best mountain bike grips will not only improve riding performance and help you to hang on to your handlebars on plummeting descents, but they will also deliver superior hand-grip and comfort, reducing fatigue over longer rides.

Just like the best mountain bike saddles and shoes, everybody has their preference when it comes to the best MTB grips, and what suits someone who has small hands isn't going to be comfortable for those with big hands.

Our experts have tested how a range of the best MTB grips handle in both wet and dry conditions, assessing their texture, grip, size, price, and durability.

There is a lot of choice when it comes to grips, so if you're not quite sure what you're looking for, skip to the bottom of the page where we explain how to choose the best MTB grips for you.

Best MTB grip overall

The original DMR Deathgrips are some of the most popular grips around – and for good reason. A three-texture grip combo blends a ribbed mushroom-style inner section and a knurled pattern with a waffle section for maximum palm and fingertip traction. The result gives really comfortable contact points with a superbly tactile level of grip.

DMR says it has tweaked the Deathgrip2 grip pattern for "millimetre-perfect positioning", but comparing the grips it's hard to see the difference. What is noticeable is that the inner core is now slightly tapered to give a more secure fit, the lock-ring is slightly narrower, and the grips get a robust, injection-molded, integrated end cap.

Like the original, the Deathgrip2 comes in three compounds – Gum (the hardest at 25A), Soft (20A) and Race (15A) – all are available flanged or flangeless.

I've used various sets of the originals over the years and have also been testing the Soft, Thick Deathgrip2s. The changes to the original may be small but they're significant all the same. The tough end caps mean the new grips are much more robust and can withstand being scuffed or dropped without serious damage. Tapering the inner core means the grips need to be tapped with a soft-faced mallet to fit, but there's zero movement on the bars once in place.

Only the most extreme-weight counters will care, but the weight of the grips has increased by a few grams – presumably due to the tapered core and sturdier end caps. I weighed a pair of flanged Soft, Thick Deathgrip2s at 114g (V1s were 108g), and the same spec flangeless versions at 106g (V1s were 98g).

Best runner-up

To be honest, performance-wise, there's very little to choose between the ODI Reflex and our top model, the Deathgrip2. However, being slightly cheaper and coming in a wider number of options, the DMR model takes the best grip crown.

Our tester, Neal Hunt, was so impressed with the Reflexes that they are now his go-to grips. Some of the features that stood out the most were the overall comfort and the brand's claims of longevity, which is a tricky balance to get right.

Although they come in at the pricier end of grips in this guide, the Reflexes are top quality and truly offer genuine performance benefits for a fraction of the cost of upgrading elsewhere on your bike.

The main upper part of the grip uses raised cushioned ribbed lugs that sit under your hands, the lower section incorporates a knurled area designed to help improve finger grip, and, like the DMR Deathgrip2, there's a mushroom section near the brake lever for comfort. Neal was also impressed with ODI's proprietary grip compound that offers helpful levels of damping and a decent lifespan.

For more, read the full ODI Reflex grips review.

Best super-sticky

Another top performer that delivered the goods in the wet and cold, as well as easier riding conditions, are the Gusset S2 Extra Soft MTB grips.

Guy Kesteven has tested hundreds of grips, but he rates the Gusset S2 Extra Soft as a great choice for anyone looking for a high-grip, all-weather compound, and they also come with a budget-friendly price tag.

The soft compound gives the Gussets a brilliant, locked-in feel, but they're also likely to wear out more quickly than most rivals. Handily, sensible pricing makes replacing them easier to bear. Gusset also offers a Standard S2 option with a harder-wearing rubber but with all the same features – if you'd rather something with a longer lifespan.

Want more detail? Check out our Gusset S2 Extra Soft Compound grip review for all the info.

Best eco-friendly MTB grip

Peaty's Monarch grips come in two texture options – Mushroom and Knurl – but both of those designs are more sophisticated than the names suggest. Both have ribbed mushroom sections near the thumb and forefinger section for comfort, and raised strips on the underside for extra finger grip. There's also a Pro option made with a dual-rubber compound and a cut-away section designed to reduce trail vibrations.

The grips have an offset core, so there's more of the 20A rubber on the upper section and they come in Thick and Thin options. But rather than being the same thickness throughout, the Monarchs are tapered, getting thicker along their length towards the end plugs. The Thin grips are 30mm at their thinnest and 32mm at the plug, while the Thick are 32 and 34mm.

Eco-credentials-wise, the cores are made using 80% recycled ocean plastic and the packaging is almost all cardboard, the only exceptions are two metal rivets.

In terms of performance, the Monarchs are up there with the best grips in this guide. Guy Kesteven tested them and was extremely impressed. "There are load of different grip options available, but for me, the Peaty’s approach of trying everything and cherry-picking the best parts of each really works.

"The tapered, asymmetric design means even the Thin knurled grips give super clean and precise feedback in all weathers without being bruising. Alternatively, the semi-ushroom design adds noticeable comfort without diluting bar control or compromising confident grip. The compound seems a great balance of tactile and tough so far, the pricing is reasonable and Peaty’s deserves credit for thinking eco where they can."

For more, see our Peaty's Monarch grips review.

Best MTB grip for comfort

Our best grip for the comfort spot is the Dread Lock from ODI. Tester Neal Hunt found the simple shape and soft-feeling foam compound made for a very comfortable grip that's ideal for XC and long-distance riders.

Design-wise, Neal loved the simplicity, and the Dread Lock comes with a straightforward, smooth profile and a gently contoured surface, which differs greatly from its feature-laden sibling, the ODI Reflex grip.

Overall, Neal was pleasantly surprised by the ODI Dread Lock grip, and compared with other foam silicone grips he's tested, the Dread Locks didn't suffer from premature wear and fragility. He found that you lose a bit of feel, and trail feedback can be muted, but they last well and are far more comfortable and robust than a classic foam grip.

For more detail, check out our ODI Dread Lock grips review.

Best super-soft compound MTB grip

The PNW Loam MTB grips are made from the brand's ultra soft and tacky 25a compound called Duro 'Happy Camper', which tester Guy Kesteven noted gave him an exceptional grip and stuck to his hands (gloved or bare) extremely well in all conditions.

In general, the grips wore really well after several months of hard use, but the downside of ultra-soft compounds is that they are more prone to tears if you crash or clip a tree.

Guy also found the tapered sleeves helped fit the Loams into place easily and they were totally secure. There’s a slight flare against the clamp with a thin wavy grip pattern inboard, a broad central bar, and then a fatter zig-zag pattern on the outboard top.

When riding, the grips deliver loads of rich trail feedback. The ribbed tread and multiple chevrons feel relatively firm for a soft compound, but offer all the support you need to rally hard.

Best MTB grip for smaller hands

The AMS Berm grips have a narrow and tapered profile that is more suited to smaller-handed riders. Measuring at just 29.5mm at the lowest point, that grows to 33.9mm on the outside diameter.

On test, Graham Cottingham noted that the AMS Berm MTB grips delivered plenty of tactile trail to hand feedback. Graham confirmed the better suitability to smaller handed riders noting that the inside area of the grip felt quite narrow in comparison to his normal go to grips – the very similar ODI Elite Flow.

Other stand-out plus points were the single collar design, which has a built-in rubber bar end – that Graham liked as it meant he could lean his bike anywhere without worrying about scratching anything.

Graham marked down the AMS Berm grips as he felt they lacked the tackiness of some other grips for the gloveless rider and they gave little in the way of damping due to their thinner profile. However, if you have small hands, like a tapered shape, and want a very direct bar feel, the AMS Berm grips tick all the boxes.

You can check out Graham's full review on the AMS Berm MTB grips for all the details.

Best MTB grip for bigger hands

Lizard Skins Oury MTB grips feature a simple old-school block design pattern that means the Oury's are easy to grip, and with a 32mm diameter, are super comfortable for the larger-handed rider. The compound is soft, but not too squishy and when combined with the large pad design it also helps eliminate vibration, numbness and slipping with the big, deep and soft rubber lugs also giving exceptional grip comfort.

The simple design gives them an old-school look too, and Lizard Skins offers various customization options, allowing you to choose the bar end style, collar color, and even engrave a message. Better still, the old-school aesthetic suits everything from a rigid single-speed to a long-travel charger.

Best lightweight MTB grip

The ESI Chunky MTB grips weigh in at 60g, which makes them some of the lightest MTB grips around. They come from the Arizona-based ESI, who were the first brand to make silicone foam grips that have inspired copycat versions from most of the other grip makers.

The ESI is basically a lightweight silicone tube that offers plenty of trail vibration damping, durability, and heaps of purchase even in the worst riding conditions.

ESI makes the Chunky in a range of shapes and sizes, including the Extra Chunky with a wider diameter and an extra 20g of weight compared to the standard Chunky that we prefer. We liked the slightly ovalized form and the 32mm of padding seems to offer the right balance between damping, comfort, and bar control in a superbly lightweight package. XC riders rate them, and if shaving the grams is your thing, then the Chunky grips are well worth a look.

How to choose the best MTB grips

Grips vary in shape from perfectly round tubes to ovalized cylinders, and some even have supportive wings. Round grips seem to be more responsive, while broad flat surfaces help to spread pressure over a wider surface area and are more comfortable for some.

However regardless of which shape you opt for, there are varying measurements that you'll need to be aware of when buying some new MTB grips.

Diameter

Usually grip width is measured in diameter, and this tells you what size/thickness they'll have, which is useful to know if you have particularly big or small hands. It tends to range between 25-40mm, with most coming in around 30-32. The diameter width indicates the kind of performance you'll get from them as well. For example, thicker grips will provide a more plush, comfortable ride due to the enhanced vibration damping they'll likely provide. However, their larger size will also likely cause a bit more strain on your hands while gripping them, which could cause them to fatigue sooner. Narrower grips won't be so cushy, but they'll offer the best grip and control because they're essentially easier to get your hands around.

Length

As you might have guessed, this is the measurement for how long the MTB grips are, from end to end. They tend to range between 128-140mm in length, with 130-135mm being the average size. This is useful to know if you're swapping out some old grips but really like the current positioning of your brake levers and shifters. Measuring the length of the exposed handlebar (or previous grips) will tell you what you need to look for.

Frequently asked questions

How we test the best MTB grips

We ensure to run the grips we're testing for as long as possible (at least several months) in a range of riding conditions to see how they perform in different weather/temperature/trail scenarios. We've also run many of the best grips here to total destruction in long-term tests and on our personal bikes.

ODI has been a prominent player in the bike and moto grip industry for over 40 years. In fact, it was the first brand to introduce the lock-on grip, which has become a standard in the market. It's hard to imagine now, but before ODI's innovation in 1999, riders used all sorts of makeshift solutions like hairspray and metal wires to keep their grips from slipping. ODI's original lock-on grip was a true game changer, and bolt-on grips are now widely accepted as the norm in the best MTB grips.

The Dread Lock is the signature grip of old-school XC and marathon racing legend Tinker Juarez, who is still smashing out the miles in XC and ultra-distance events. For this riding style, many riders go for a foam silicone slide-on grip, such as the ESI Chunky. ODI’s version is designed to offer the same comfort and shock absorption properties but in a less fragile, easier-to-fit alternative.

Design and specifications

Like the rest of the ODI range, the Dread Lock uses their V2.1 single bolt inboard collar to attach to the bars. This is lighter and simpler than the original double version, and this design is used on the majority of quality grips out there. The end of the grip is a neatly molded TPE cap, which helps keep the grip's usable surface area high and protects the end of the bar from scrapes and crashes.

Design-wise, they are a simple-looking affair with a smooth profile and a gently contoured surface, which differs greatly from the feature-laden ODI Reflex grip we tested recently. It's an offset design, so there is more padding on the top section of the grip for improved vibration damping, with a thinner area underneath that features ergonomic finger cutouts. They use ODI’s AIRE compound, which is a foam that has similar properties to a foam silicone grip but is harder wearing while still being soft to the touch.

The Dread Lock comes in Blue, Grey, Red, Orange, Green, and the Rasta colour option which I had on test. There is only one size available, and they are 130mm long and 32mm in diameter.

Performance

I was pleasantly surprised by the ODI Dread Lock grip. I've used many sets of foam silicone grips in the past, which, although comfortable and light, have significant drawbacks, with wear and fragility on the trail being the two main issues the Dread Locks didn't suffer from. You lose a bit of feel, and trail feedback can be muted.

Generally, I prefer a narrower grip, but these didn't feel as big and bulky as I'd initially feared, partly due to them being offset so your fingers aren't stretching around the grip but also because the grip compresses a small amount when riding. For longer rides, I'll often go without gloves and found the Dread Locks to be excellent with minimal slipping and without leaving a horrible rubber feeling on your palm post-ride that can sometimes happen with soft compound grips.

The Dread Locks have a slight taper, going from higher on the outside edge down towards the brake lever, which I found comfortable. However, I couldn't get the cutouts on the grip's underside to line up in a way that suited my fingers. I'd prefer a smooth underside, but it wasn't a deal breaker as the cutouts are very shallow. The gently textured surface also felt great when riding gloveless in the wet, and while a slick grip can become slippy, thankfully, I had no such issues here.

Installation was as straightforward as you'd expect for a grip with a single clamp bolt, but make sure you use a good quality Allen key so you don't round the bolt head. A small L and R are also on the end of each grip to ensure you have them set up correctly.

Verdict

The ODI Dread Locks are great for long-distance and multi-day rides where comfort is key. The simple shape and soft-feeling foam compound make for a very comfortable setup. They are very well made, and although expensive, they have lasted well and are far more robust than a classic foam grip.

With over 40 years of experience, ODI has been in the grip game for a long time in both bike and moto, and was the first brand to launch the now standard lock-on grip back in 1999. Lock-on grips use a small Allen key fitting to bolt to your bars to ensure slip-free performance. As far as the best MTB grips go, bolt-on grips are now almost taken for granted, but the original ODI version was a true game-changer.

The brand's latest product combines the best features from a wide range of grips to create the Reflex. Like all ODI products, they are manufactured at its California HQ using high-quality, proprietary medical-grade rubber mixes to provide the ideal grip. ODI also has some eco-credentials: all the packaging is made using recycled plastic from the production process, and the longer-lasting high-grade elastomers used in the grip themselves last much longer, which helps keep down the amount that ends up in landfill.

Design and specification

The key aim with the Reflex is comfort, which ODI sets out to achieve with three different areas of the grip, all using its proprietary grip compound to offer superior damping properties and longevity.

The main upper part of the grip uses a raised section that sits under your hands, which ODI refers to as reactive padding. The lower section incorporates a wider ribbed area designed to help improve grip and lessen arm pump, which can be caused when you hold on too tightly to the bars. Lastly, a waffle section closest to the brake lever is reminiscent of an eighties BMX grip.

The idea is that it can offer the best of both worlds, plenty of cushioning and trail-taming comfort, but without the grip feeling too big or too soft, which can inhibit some trail feedback through the bars. I find that too large a grip can lead to discomfort in my fingers, especially on prolonged technical descents, but this is a personal preference.

ODI uses a single bolt collar to attach to the bars. This increases the usable grip space and leaves the bar with a nice soft end instead of a standard plastic or alloy bar end plug – ideal for preventing damage to van or garage walls when transporting or storing your bike.

The grips come in Black, Medium Blue, Grey, Army Green, Orange, Purple, Pink, Tan, and Red in two different sizes – the standard version at 33.5mm in diameter and the XL at 34.5mm. Both are 135mm in length.

Performance

I was keen to get these on my bike, as I thought they looked to offer a similar layout to my go-to, the DMR Deathgrip, which also uses a softer ribbed section close to the bar combined with a firmer section, and I was not disappointed. I had the standard 33.5mm diameter version on test in a fetching orange hue.

The waffle section closest to the brake lever is just the right size and offers a good compromise of having just enough squish without being vague feeling – as a full waffle grip can sometimes feel. The padded top section was firm and comfortable, and for me felt like it made a difference to the amount of arm pump I was getting. They also have a ribbed section on the underside which is said to offer more control on steeper descents. This isn't something I noticed particularly, but it could be beneficial on super-wet rides.

Installation was as straightforward as you'd expect for a grip with a single clamp bolt, although make sure you use a good quality Allen key to ensure you don't round the bolt head. There is also a small L and R on the end of each grip to ensure you have them set up correctly.

Verdict

I was very impressed with the ODI Reflex grips. They worked for me and improved the comfort of my trail bike, and they also have lived up to the claims of longevity, which is a tricky balance to get right. They are on the expensive side for a grip, but they are a quality item and offer genuine performance benefits for a fraction of the cost of other components. The fact that they come in a wide range of colours and the brand's use of recycled packaging materials only add to their appeal.

The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné (RIP), is always the traditional pre-Tour outing for brand new bikes. As always, ripened in the Grenoble sunshine, I have harvested a bumper crop of new machines to show you from trawling around team hotels before the race, and from the pits of stage one.

The biggest story of the week was of course the brand new Specialized Tarmac SL9, followed swiftly by the will-he-won't-he saga of whether Remco Evenepoel was going to make a surprise appearance, but we were also treated to new machines from Ridley, Orbea, Cube, and Van Rysel.

We've seen a lot of trends towards all-out aero machines in recent years, but now the pendulum seems to be slowly swinging back towards lightweight all-rounders. Now they can be made more or less as aerodynamic as their more chunky (and heavier) counterparts, but it's far from a ubiquitous theme.

Ridley's new machine appears to be a super lightweight climber, while Orbea had what was very much an aero bike on debut.

Let's dig into it and see what we can glean before the biggest race of the year is upon us.

UK-based, rider-designed brand Gusset has a loyal following among hardcore riders who want tough kit on a budget. It has packed all their favourite control features into this new S2 grip, and it’s one of the best MTB grips, for as long as it lasts.

While Gusset does double-clamped and push-on grips, this single inside collar design is the security/convenience/comfort sweet spot for most riders. The grip is also eccentric so you get more rubber under your palm for cushioning. The diamond ‘tread’ pattern is also bigger here to add some more damping. A smaller file pattern keeps the volume low where you need the most tactile feedback under your fingers, while your tips can hook into the ribs on the underside.

The thumb area also gets extra grip if you’re hauling up on the bars or trying to flip, and two radial ribs on the outside edges to stop your hands from sliding off the ends accidentally. The lack of an outside edge clamp means you can overhang comfortably if you want though.

You can get all the same features (as well as purple and green options) in the standard S2 grip, but we tested the Extra Soft version using a very tacky VEXK3 compound. That adds serious adhesion to the already high traction feel and it’s a real help if you’re a really aggressive rider and/or you just ride a lot in cold, wet, dirty conditions. The soft compound also makes up for the lack of shock-absorbing ribbing or depth over the full grip. Obviously, the super-soft rubber will wear more quickly as a result, but we’ve not torn or tired them out so far.

Verdict

Grips are a surprisingly personal component and there is a huge range available to choose from. The more aggressive riders in our test team got on really well with the shaping and design though, and while the Extra Soft compound won’t last as long as harder-wearing rivals, we’ll be getting the same again when they do wear out. Top value pricing means regular replacement won’t blow your budget either.

Cycling's governing body is doubling down on its insistence that gear ratios are the answer to safety in professional cycling. Following the meeting of the UCI Management Committee, the federation issued a press release on Friday, noting its intent to appeal a Belgian court's decision to block the UCI's gear restriction test.

"Recommended by SafeR, the maximum gear ratio test was intended to gather riders' views on the relevance of introducing gear ratio limitations in professional road cycling as a means of improving safety," the UCI stated in its press release.

"In light of the Brussels Court of Appeal's decision, and concerned by both the very low threshold applied by the BCA for imposing interim measures and the limited scope of the Court of Appeal's review in the appeal proceedings, the Management Committee confirmed the UCI's intention to lodge an appeal before the Belgian Court of Cassation [Belgium's Supreme Court -ed]."

Safety has been at the forefront of the UCI's agenda for the past five years, and a spate of record speeds in races like Paris-Roubaix led the federation to introduce a Maximum Gear Ratio Standard that was to be tested during the 2025 season.

The limit would rule out any gear ratios exceeding the equivalent of a 54-tooth chainring and 10-tooth cog, which would propel a rider 10.46 metres per pedal stroke.

However, SRAM pushed back against the rules, which would have forced them to mechanically disable its 10-tooth cog. SRAM is the only manufacturer of cassettes with 10-tooth cogs, and is disproportionately affected by the proposed UCI limits.

SRAM argued that there is no evidence that higher gear ratios correlate with an increased risk of crashing. Speeds are dependent not just on gear ratios, but on crank length, pedal revolutions per minute and tyre width/wheel size.

The company claimed in their suit that the rules cause them reputational damage and potential civil liability, loss of retailer and OEM support, erosion of global market share, and 'up to a decade of reinvestment to recover'.

"Although the UCI refers to the Maximum Gearing Protocol as a 'test', its implementation has already caused tangible harm," the company said in a statement last September. "SRAM's gearing has been publicly labelled as non-compliant, creating reputational damage, market confusion, team and athlete anxiety, and potential legal exposure."

In October, 2025, the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) sided with SRAM and blocked the UCI's plan for a gear restriction test at the Tour of Guangxi. Following a lengthy exchange of writs, a public hearing was held in April where the Brussels Markets Court upheld the BCA's decision. The case was finalised on May 21, with the UCI being ordered to pay nominal fees to the BCA, among others.

The UCI has already set aside €300,000 from the safety initiative SafeR's budget to fight the case, despite several SRAM-sponsored teams being obliged to contribute to the SafeR budget.

Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, running from June 23 to June 26. As always, there will be plenty of cycling deals landing for all your essentials like chain lube, the best road bike tyres, and of course cycling tech.

However, one Prime Day deal that has dropped early is on the Garmin Edge Explore 2, discounted by an incredible 40% to just $179.91. That's the lowest ever price we've ever seen and a $120 saving on the Amazon price.

Grab the Garmin Edge Explore 2 with 40% off at Amazon.

We already rate Garmin devices as some of the best bike computers on the market, and its flagship Edge 1050 device holds the top spot in our buying guide; as you'd expect, it comes with a flagship price tag. The Explore 2 has many similar features to its sibling, and even at full price, it takes our title as the best budget cycling computer.

It makes this deal well worth snapping up, and like all the best cycling deals, this Garmin discount is only available while stocks last. I also think, seeing that it's also its lowest-ever price, it's unlikely to go any cheaper come the actual Amazon Prime Day sales.

In our Garmin Edge Explore 2 review, we rated it with an almost-perfect 4.5-star rating, and Cyclingnews' tester Andy Turner reckoned it was a brilliant exploration bike computer, with its impressive navigation features being many of the review highlights.

The mapping system also shows road names, and hazard warnings such as busy roads or tight bends, which are highlighted on route mode or just when riding without a preloaded route. This extends to even highlighting potholes, which for the urban commuter makes the device very appealing.

The Explore 2 is a fairly large device measuring 3 inches (76 mm), just slightly smaller than the Edge 1050. Battery life therefore is important and is a claimed 16 hours on normal usage, and 24 with battery saver mode, and on par with the majority of non-solar powered devices.

Other features include bike alarm, incident detection, easy auto setup with your phone and Garmin Connect, and some Garmin-specific social features. It has all the usual connection capacities with ANT+, Bluetooth, and Wifi connection, and will connect with smartphones for notifications, and has 16GB of storage which can easily store maps and workout data.

This deal is Amazon US only, and I've not found any significant discounts on the highlighted deal at Amazon UK, with only a smallish 11% off. Below I have included our handy price checker, and that will show the best prices on the Edge Explore 2 from other retailers, relevant to your location and territory.

Specialized set tongues wagging this week with the release of the new Crux 5 gravel bike, but it seems the brand could have another new bike in development.

An image shared on the Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe team photographer's Instagram page, now deleted and first spotted by our friends at Bikeradar, shows images from a team time trial session in Spain where a mystery black road machine was racked up on a team car.

There is only one image to go off, but could this model be a prototype of a new Tarmac? The current Tarmac SL8 launched at the Glasgow World Championships in 2023, and rumours of the new SL9 have been circling for some time; this bike looks different enough to make us suspect it could be a new bike.

It's hard to see everything from the image, but the bike on the team car appears to have a different, deeper, wider fork crown and headtube area, as well as a clearly different seat tube that's profiled more tightly around the rear wheel.

The bike also had what seems to be quite a bulky rear light fitted, perhaps a radar/camera unit, or a new piece of tech from Specialized.

Specialized provided Cyclingnews with a statement regarding the unknown road machine, saying, "Specialized relies on feedback from professional athletes in both developing and testing advanced pre-production products in real-world applications.

"With this top-level feedback, some of these design elements and products eventually show up in future retail product offerings. We call this Project Black.“

Tour preperations are underway

The team were time-trial training in Granada, Spain. Surely preparation ahead of the Tour de France Stage 1 team time trial, which takes place in Barcelona.

A few team riders' time trial handlebars were fitted with some kind of sensor, possibly to measure real-world CDA or similar. Some riders' wheels also appeared to have some kind of tape over part of the Roval logo, possibly tying into this testing.

It seems plausible that a new Specialized road bike is at least in development; we tend to see a lot of new bikes and equipment at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (previously the Criterium du Dauphine) ahead of the Tour.

Both races are fast approaching; we will be keeping an eye out for any new developments from Specialized in the run-up and during them.

UK-based cycling distributor Saddleback has reportedly gone into administration, with all jobs at the company at risk.

According to a report by The Business Desk, the company has "filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators" two months after Cannondale left the company to return to a direct-to-dealer model.

Two sources inside Saddleback, which was founded in 2004, have stated to Cyclingnews that the company has gone into administration, with all staff made redundant as a result.

Staff were told the news on Friday, with The Times reporting that 42 people will lose their jobs as a result.

The Business Desk reports that the company expected to "move close to EBITDA break-even" after partnering with Cannondale. Saddleback had made pre-tax losses of £1.7m and £1.6m in the previous two years.

The loss of Cannondale in March is the company's second major loss of the year, with ENVE also departing in February after a 15-year partnership.

Cannondale's departure is said to have had a major effect on the company, which left Saddleback "exposed on the infrastructure and headcount it had taken on to support both brands", according to The Business Desk.

Saddleback, self-described as "the UK home of elite performance products", had also been distributing several other notable brands, including Castelli, Chris King, Rudy Project, Sidi, and Sportful.