The top 5 best 26 inch enduro tires for 2023

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It’s becoming harder and harder to find a solid pair of 26 inch enduro tires. But many mountain bikers, myself included, feel there’s nothing wrong with their older-style mountain bikes. So if you enjoy aggressive trail-riding with smaller wheels and you’re looking for a pair of high-quality enduro tires, this article is for you.

When your average allround trail tire just won’t cut it, it’s time to step up your game and opt for enduro tires. With bigger knobs, and a greater ability to clear mud, they not only offer you the grip you’re looking for, they also extend your season when trail conditions become wet and muddy.

Another characteristic of enduro tires is that they come in wide tire widths. This means you can run a lower pressure, which in turn increases your traction and grip. So Let’s see what the 26 inch enduro tires for your mountain bike are.

WTB Vigilante 2.3

The WTB Vigilante 2.3 is a premium trail and enduro contender for people who don’t mind spending a bit of cash.

For a pretty sum you get an incredibly durable tire for aggressive trail and enduro riding. The tire favors a front setup with widely spaced knobs that easily clear mud. That wide spacing and high side knobs does mean you feel the transition from straight to hard cornering, which is something to get used to.

A compound containing 3 separate rubbers offer superb grip in a heavy casing, which is especially noticeable going uphill. The tire excels in fast descents which are not too technical, because the grip, weight, and durability means it rumbles over anything in your path.

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.

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.

Maxxis Aggressor

The Maxxis Aggressor is a solid trail and enduro option, providing both grip and traction in a fast-rolling package.

Its low center knobs prefer fast-riding in dry conditions, and well paired in the rear with another tire up front, the tire performs fantastic both uphill and downhill.

For wet and muddy conditions or for highly technical trails other tires with bigger spaced out knobs perform better.

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.

Specifications 26 inch enduro tires

Name	Size	ETRTO	Weight (gr)	Tread color	Sidewall color	Compound	Puncture protection	Tire bead	TPI	Buy at Amazon
Maxxis Minion DHF	26×2.50WT	55-559	860	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra		foldable	60	link
Maxxis Minion DHF	26×2.30	58-559	840	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra		tlr	60	link
Maxxis Minion DHF	26×2.50WT	63-559	905	Black	Black	Dual	EXO	tlr	60	link
Maxxis Minion DHR II	26×2.30	58-559	780	Black	Black	Dual	EXO	tlr	60	link
Maxxis Minion DHR II	26×2.40WT	61-559	865	Black	Black	Dual	EXO	tlr	60	link
Maxxis Minion DHR II	26×2.40WT	61-559	865	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra	EXO	tlr	60	link
Continental Race King ProTection	27.5×2.20	55-584	560	Black	Black	BlackChili	ProTection casing	foldable		link
WTB Vigilante 2.3	26×2.30	57-559	893	Black	Black	TriTec Single		foldable		link
Maxxis Aggressor	26×2.30	58-559	886	Black	Black	Dual		tlr	60	link

Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.

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