In this article I’m going to give you an overview of the best 26 inch mountain bike tires on Amazon.
I’ve written a lot of articles on the topic of tires in general, mountain bike tires more specifically, and 26 inch mountain bike tires in particular. So I know that 26 inch mountain bike tires cover an extremely broad spectrum.
You’ve got urban or commuter tires. Slick tires, tires for XC, trail, enduro, and downhill. Tires for touring, bikepacking, and gravel. And even 26 inch tires for fat bikes or to ride on ice and snow. And I’ve literally researched hundreds of different tires through the years.
Here I’m not going to cover exotic tires. I’m going to cover a number of tires ranging from very affordable to more premium. And they range from tires which will enable you to turn your MTB into a speedy commuter or into a trailworthy mountain bike.
So let’s see what made it on my list of the very best 26 inch mountain bike tires on Amazon.
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 Ikon
The absolute cross-country king in Maxxis’ lineup. The Maxxis Ikon has near perfect all-round tire characteristics, which makes it an excellent option for diverse road and trail conditions. Though it’s categorized obviously as an XC tire, it’ll also perform superior for bikepackers and gravel riders.
That being said, this is a racing tire, which means it’s light. But the reliable EXO compound, also used for harsher enduro racing, also means you’ll enjoy this tire for many miles.
As with any tire with this type of tread, it’ll perform well in dry conditions. The 26 inch version has both a 2.35 and 2.2 inch width option. You can run this tire both front and back, and might opt for the wider version in the front for some added grip. Especially if you expect some portions of your ride to be particularly rough.
It’s undeniable that the top-of-the-line products of Maxxis are superior to many if not all of their competitors. And the Maxxis Ikon shows it, with a perfect blend of weight, speed, grip, and protection.
Jeff Barber | Editor in Chief – January 23, 2014
I think a better description for the Ikon (and one that Maxxis even uses themselves) is “all-rounder.” The knobs are long enough and spaced far enough apart to give good bite in the straights and the corners. I’ve experienced excellent results in both wet and dry conditions, and find myself able to push the envelope a bit more in the turns on these tires compared to others I’ve tested.
- The cross-country king. Highly versatile tire which excels in XC, bikepacking, and gravel, lightweight. Can be used front and rear. Pair with Ardent Race in the front for ultra-fast yet grippy XC setup. Tan options available
- None
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 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.
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.
WTB ThickSlick
Of all the tires I’ve come across, none is as true to its name as the WTB ThickSlick.
The high-contrast white letters on the smooth carcass is one of the most distinctive designs for a black tire you can find. A tire with a non-existent tread pattern such as this one is obviously meant for riding on pavement and tarmac. And it does so admirably, with a reasonable enough weight and rolling-resistance.
It’s a very niche-oriented tire to turn your bike into something more. And one of the best-looking slick mountain bike tires ever to hit the market.
Dave Henly | Site Owner – March 6, 2017
For urban riding and as a road training tire, the ThinSlicks are perfect. If you want to ride gravel on a road bike, these might work ok, but you’ll be pushing them to their limit. And if you want to do a lot of touring, you can either go with these bad boys or the Gatorskins. The Gatorskins might be more comfortable over long straight stretches.
- True slick with no tread pattern. Unique-looking tire
- Meant for urban riding only
Specifications 26 inch mountain bike tires on Amazon
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maxxis Ikon | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 676 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Maxxis Ikon | 26×2.35 | 60-559 | 742 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | 120 |
WTB ThickSlick | 26×2.00 | 50-559 | 620 | Black | Black | DNA | folding | ||
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 Ikon | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 592 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Ikon | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 657 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | 120 |
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 | |
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 |
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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