In this article I’m going to give you an overview of the best 26 inch e-bike tires.
With the explosion in popularity of e-bikes it was inevitable that tire manufacturers would come up with e-bike specific tires as well. And you could be wondering if this is all nonsense or not.
If you look at what makes an e-bike an e-bike you could argue it isn’t. First off, an e-bike is far heavier than your standard bike, and in general it goes much faster. So being able to handle all that weight mile after mile and stop in time if you need to create e-bike certified tires.
Weight does all sorts of nasty things to a tire. Higher rolling-resistance, more stress, increased wear, lowered suspension travel, bad alignment, etc. E-bike tires basically need to be as strong as possible, and as durable as possible, to handle all the strain they have to deal with.
There are two categories of 26 inch e-bike tires. Tires up to 25 km/h and 50 km/h, for standard e-bikes and speed pedelecs respectively. You can obviously use both, no matter what e-bike you’re riding. Stronger, more durable tires are simply more expensive.
So now you know a bit more about e-bike tires, let’s see which ones made it on my list of the best 26 inch e-bike tires.
Continental Cross King ProTection
The Continental Cross King ProTection is the newer version of a magnificent, lightweight cross-country racer.
ProTection replaces the RaceSport moniker. It’s a three- and four ply system underneath respectively the tread and sidewall, ensuring maximum puncture protection and shieldwall tearing.
This doesn’t take away from the fact that this tire is still one of the lightest in its category. A true racer.
David Arthur | Contributor – November 5, 2020
The low weight combined with the shallow tread design ensures this is a supremely rapid tyre right off the bat. Its tread pattern and rubber compound mean it works well when mounted on the front or rear, with reassuring levels of traction even when tackling technical trails.
- Maximum puncture protection in a lightweight cross-country racing tire.
- None
Continental Race King ProTection
The Continental Race King ProTection is an extremely light tire. In the weight department it means it outshines every comparable tire from every other brand by far. And it’s also the best XC tire in the rolling-resistance department.
I cannot stress enough that with respect to speed and acceleration, a light tire makes all the difference. And tires are also the most cost-effective way to reduce the overall weight of the bike.
Try reducing a couple of hundred grams of any other bike component and be ready to spend in the hundreds of dollars. Not so the case with tires. And on top of that the tire has the advanced ProTection puncture protection, with a composite breaker and a bead to bead sidewall protection polyamide fabric.
All that speed comes at a price, because traction is not this tire’s strength when compared to other mountain bike tires. And it’s the reason this tire performs best in dry conditions.
But when riding in those conditions getting up to speed and keeping it is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. It rightly deserves its name.
James | Site owner – May 30, 2023
The Race King ProTection is absolutely blisteringly fast! Doing some airstrip rides alongside my friend on his fixie with road tires really showed that even ‘large’ tires can be fast now! Heck, the amount of roadies I’ve passed while coasting downhill is downright satisfying. Seriously, it felt like a whole new bike in the speed department – at least concerning regular daily riding conditions (pavement, gravel, tarmac, cobble, etc).
- One of the lightest mountain bike tire on the market, with excellent puncture protection. Geared towards speed in every way.
- None
Continental Trail King ProTection
The aptly named Continental Trail King ProTection Apex is the German brand’s allround trail-tackling solution.
It performs exceptionally well in all sorts of conditions, and might only wafer a bit on the steepest of technical downhill sections. That means this tire is a very good and lightweight all mountain solution indeed.
It’s one of the faster tires on this list, well-suited for those among you who don’t shy away from a steep climb. The tread pattern provides high levels of traction and with even the 2.8 width version sitting at just over a kilo, which is about 20 percent lighter than its competitors.
The knobs are rather spaced-out from each other, which means this might not be the grippiest tire in the front. On the flip side, riding in wet conditions is marginally improved because it’ll shed mud better and won’t clog up that easily.
Pat Donahue | Senior Mountain Bike Editor – September 18, 2019
The Continental Trail King ProTection Apex is a serviceable, easy-riding, tire that works best on hardpack or loam. This tire can play as a front or a rear tire, although we recommend running it in the rear if you encounter loose conditions frequently. The Trail King works well but can’t hold up against the top contenders in any of the performance metrics. This is not to say it is a bad tire. In fact, we think it fared surprisingly well on the trail, and it could be a viable option for the right rider in the right conditions.
- Very fast allround trail tire, that's extremely puncture resistant.
- Not the trail tire with the most grip.
Continental CONTACT Plus
The Continental CONTACT Plus is another great allround commuting tire from the German brand.
It sets itself apart from the other tires in the lineup because of a cut resistant casing, besides the puncture-resistant belt and reinforced sidewalls.
The tire sacrifices a low weight in favor of basically never running a flat, and does so perfectly. It’s flat center tread pattern means it’s a great long-lasting-durable commuter option.
Shaun Audane | Technical writer – July 11, 2017
Although there are faster tyres around, the weight penalty and more pronounced rolling resistance isn’t going to be apparent on a heavily laden expedition bike, tandem, or off-road on an adventure type build for that matter. The 35mm section is noticeably quicker, much easier to mount, and my choice if you wanted a super-dependable four-seasons road-biased tyre.
- Extremely puncture-resistant
- Heavy
Continental CONTACT Speed
Meant for the road the Continental Contact Speed is a slick tire in the true sense of the word. A minimalistic profile will turn your bike into a city slicker.
In the commuting and touring range from this German brand, it sits in the fastest category and is one of the most affordable options to obtain a fast-rolling tire.
It also has excellent puncture protection with Continental’s more than adequate SafetySystem breaker technology. Chances of flats are minimized.
Shaun Audane | Technical writer – June 30, 2020
For me at least, the Contact Speeds strike an excellent balance between speed, comfort and puncture resistance – in that order. The wide range of sizes is another big draw and I’d even do a bit of weekend/lightweight touring with them. If these are your priorities, there’s little to touch them. However, if you put reliability and durability over everything else, there are plenty of options for similar money and, indeed, less.
- Affordable slick tire, with excellent puncture protection
- None
Continental CONTACT Travel
The Continental CONTACT Travel is the most durable, most puncture-resistant touring tire in Continental’s lineup.
A composite breaker underneath the center tread made from kevlar-reinforced nylon is combined with a bead-to-bead polyamide fabric to reinforce the sidewalls as well.
Meant for pavement, hardpack and gravel, commuting, touring, bikepacking, and anything your bike could basically take you apart from technical trail riding.
This protection comes at the price of both weight and speed, but you shouldn’t buy this tire if you’re looking for a tire which excels in those aspects. If you’re looking for a 4-season, long-lasting tire, which is highly versatile, look no further.
- Great 4-season tire. Highly versatile, from commuting to gravel, bikepacking and touring. Maximum durability, with maximum protection.
- None
Continental RIDE Tour
The Continental RIDE Tour is a fantastic all-round tire meant for urban commuting. It’s a 4-season option for those people who want to ride their bike year round, and be assured of riding with the most effective puncture-protection for a commuting tire.
As an allrounder it shows characteristics of durability and puncture-proofness. With both reinforced sidewalls and a puncture-resistant belt underneath the center tread. The belt differs from the more road-bike oriented, and lighter breaker, offering extremely effective protection against everything you might encounter on the road.
An unbroken center tread means it’s reasonably fast in a straight line, and it offers a tread pattern to support riding in the rain.
With all that added material and rubber, you should pick this tire for its long-lasting lifespan.
- Ultra-durable, great allround, 4-season option for urban riding and commuting. The best puncture-protection from Continental for a wider commuting tire.
- None
Maxxis High Roller II
The Maxxis High Roller II is a solid option, both front and back, in loose and dry condition riding.
If you don’t have that much climbing to do, you might opt for a dual High Roller setup. But for any non-competitive riders. However, the DHR II plus High Roller front and back respectively, is a more forgiving, allround setup.
But as far as downhill goes, the High Roller’s spaced out knobs proved a perfect amount of bite in loose conditions.
Dunbar Cycles | Contributor – August 8, 2011
I loved the improved predictability during cornering and was impressed by how well the tire performed in the sloppiest of conditions. The new High Roller II is a step away from a comprehensive dry tire, and a step towards a true all-conditions option that can be used in more settings. It slots in between the Minion, a dry tire, and the Wet Screams. The original High Roller was, and still is, a great tire. I’d still use the first generation High Roller, but the new version is an improvement in nearly every regard.
- Solid trail and enduro tire, preferably up front.
- None
Maxxis Minion DHF
When you’re looking for a mountain bike tire it’s almost impossible not to have heard of the Maxxis Minion DHF. The reason being it’s like the ultimate fit-and-forget mountain bike tire on the market. That means that the tire is just about perfect for any local trail riding, to enduro and downhill races.
The tread pattern shows that this tire prefers to sit on your front wheel. You can opt to put another fan favorite, the Maxxis Minion DHR II, at the back. That tire has horizontally aligned knobbies for increased braking power.
Its popularity ensures there are many options to choose from, both with respect to size, as well as casing. And all of them offer either the EXO sidewall protection, or Double Down breaker. For those with a penchant for tan sidewalls, there are those as well.
On its own, or paired with the Minion DHR II, the Maxxis Minion DHF is such a no-brainer that it’s hard to not recommend it to anyone for all-round trail-riding and downhill.
Jeff Barber | Editor in Chief – August 24, 2023
I’ve found the Maxxis Minion DHF truly serves as an all conditions tire, from loose to firm and from wet to dry. Obviously the compound makes a difference when it comes to hard surface traction, as does tire pressure. The Minions do a good job clearing mud and clay, and cut through sandy washes better than most.
Thinking back over hundreds of rides on the Minions DHF tires, I can’t recall a single pinch flat despite running “just” EXO/TR casings. Honestly most riders should be able to get away with a lighter casing on the DHFs since it is a front tire after all. That’s not to say I haven’t had punctures due to sharp objects, though no more or less than other tires.
- Superb allrounder with loads of sizing / compound combinations possible. Combines with Maxxis Minion DHR II for an excellent all-round trail setup.
- None
Maxxis Minion DHR II
The “DH” in DHF and DHR stands for “downhill”. The “F” and “R” for “front” and “rear” respectively. The “downhill” in the name is a bit misleading, because the horizontal tread pattern of the DHR not only aids braking but also gives more traction when going uphill. Both tires have the same side knobs to maximize grip while cornering.
Maxxis intended these two tires to be used together as their go-to allround solution for trail riding. And these tires are in some many lists that it’s probably the best allround no-worries solution money can buy.
Together with the Minion DHF, the Maxxis Minion DHR II is a fantastic and confidence inspiring tire that will take your downhill rides to the next level.
Jeremy Benson | Product reviewer – November 22, 2018
I’m a pretty big fan of this tire. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option for a rear tire for aggressive everyday trail riding. The combination of cornering confidence and pedaling and braking traction is hard to beat. There are faster rolling tires out there, but few that can dominate the trail like the DHR II. Mount this up as a rear tire with a Minion DHF up front and you’ve got our winning combination for aggressive trail riding.
- One of the best rear tires available, combines with Maxxis Minion DHF for an excellent all-round trail setup
- None
Schwalbe Marathon
I’ve run multiple Schwalbe Marathons on various bikes in various sizes and I can’t remember ever running a flat.
To me, this original Schwalbe Marathon set the standard for a package of puncture-protection and durability. And it spawned an entire category of spin-offs for various other cycling disciplines.
I believe it’s one of the best-selling commuting tires because they do what they’re meant for, keep you riding. And they do so consistently.
Dan Joyce | Contributor – November 22, 2008
Today there seems to be a version of the Marathon to fill any of the numerous different niches, but the original still holds up well. The KevlarGuard belt offers good puncture resistance and the sidewalls are among the toughest around.
Good cornering grip and rolling performance belie the fact that it’s the heaviest of the touring tyres on test. In my experience this is a durable, good value touring tyre that does everything quite well.
- The go-to touring and commuting tire, mile-cruncher.
- None
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB
The Schwalbe Marathon is the ultimate allrounder in the tire department and one of the best-selling tires on the market. So the German brand decided to make a MTB-specific version of this tire: the Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB.
Although it looks like a knobby tire, if you look close enough you can see that the center tread will let you run smoothly across pavement. And just like the standard Marathon is meant for commuting and touring, the same goes for this one.
It’s a heavy tire when compared to some of the XC racers. But the biggest plus for hauling all that extra weight is that in terms of puncture protection, this tire has no equal. The reason is pretty simple. Schwalbe stuffed a 5mm strip underneath the center tread, made from highly puncture resistant rubber. And as simple as that sounds, it’s extremely effective in preventing punctures.
So for those of you who want the risk of flats nearing zero, this is the tire for you.
Mike | Site Owner – March 15, 2017
Since I’ve made the jump to these large-and-in-charge tires (in my case, on a drop-bar adventure bike rather than a pure mountain bike) I’ve felt like I’m getting pretty close to the right balance of tradeoffs and advantages.
I’m not whizzing through my city streets en route to my favorite forest getaways, but I roll smoothly and comfortably enough out of town. Once I’m on the rough gravel-and-clay surface of the C&O Canal towpath outside my Washington, DC home, I really appreciate the limousine-like feel and peace of mind these tires offer.
- Mile cruncher, unparalleled puncture protection
- Heavy, meant for commuting, touring, and bikepacking.
Specifications 26 inch e-bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental CONTACT Speed | 26×2.00 | 50-559 | 665 | Black | Black Reflex | SafetySystem Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 26×2.40 | 60-559 | 875 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 |
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 735 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 26×2.50WT | 55-559 | 860 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | foldable | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 26×2.30 | 58-559 | 840 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 26×2.50WT | 63-559 | 905 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 26×2.30 | 58-559 | 780 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 26×2.40WT | 61-559 | 865 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 26×2.40WT | 61-559 | 865 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Continental CONTACT Speed | 26×1.60 | 42-559 | 665 | Black | Black Reflex | SafetySystem Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Continental Cross King ProTection | 26×2.30 | 58-559 | 675 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | |
Continental Cross King ProTection | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 565 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | |
Continental CONTACT Travel | 26×2.00 | 50-599 | 760 | Black | Black | DuraSkin / SafetySystem Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Continental CONTACT Travel | 26×1.75 | 47-599 | 670 | Black | Black | DuraSkin / SafetySystem Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Continental CONTACT Travel | 26×1.75 | 47-599 | 670 | Black | Black Reflex | DuraSkin / SafetySystem Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 26×2.10 | 54-559 | 1150 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 26×2.10 | 54-559 | 1150 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 26×2.25 | 57-559 | 1260 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 26×2.25 | 57-559 | 1260 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Continental Race King ProTection | 26×2.20 | 55×559 | 535 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | |
Continental CONTACT Plus | 26×1.75 | 42-559 | 1040 | Black | Black | SafetyPlus Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Schwalbe Marathon HS420 | 26×1.50 | 40-559 | 730 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon HS420 | 26×1.75 | 47-559 | 875 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon HS420 | 26×2.00 | 50-559 | 970 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | ||
Continental RIDE Tour | 26×1.75 | 47 – 559 | 780 | Black | Black | EXTRA PunctureBelt | wired | 3/190 | |
Maxxis High Roller II | 26×2.30 | 58-559 | 835 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis High Roller II | 26×2.30 | 58-559 | 846 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 |
Sources
Founder Restoration.bike
Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His cycling career has seen him at the starting line of classics such as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege. Realizing his racing capacity would fall short of what was needed he obtained a MS from the University of Amsterdam in engineering. His love for cycling changed into riding in an amateur capacity with his local cycling club TFC Weesp as a roadie and supporting MTB Noordwest as a mountain biker. He repairs, restores, and builds bicycles and shares his knowledge on YouTube, Facebook and this website.
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