In this article I’m going to give an overview of the best 26 inch tan-wall MTB tires.
As the industry moved away from 26 inch as the default for MTB tires into 27.5 and 29 inch, the selection of tan-wall tires dwindled as well.
Today there are hardly any options available if you want to outfit your retro MTB with a solid pair of tan-wall tires.
Note: from a technical perspective there’s a difference between “tan-wall”, “gum-wall, and “skin-wall”. Skin-wall tires are tires with minimal rubber on the sides and visible treading, whereas tan-wall or gum-wall tires have painted sidewalls.
For this article I’m using the word “tan” liberally, meaning I also use them for tires which are actually skin-wall versions.
I also will not include tires with a tire width below 2 inches. Although skinny MTB tires were the standard for nineties cross-country and trail riding, riding bigger tires is simply better in terms of grip and handling.
Maxxis DTH
The Maxxis DTH is by far the tire I most often see on (retro) MTB builds, and for good reason. It’s a gorgeous-looking semi-slick tire that’s exceptionally fast because it’s meant for BMX, dirt-jumping, and pump tracks.
That means the tire has a racing pedigree, which brings both fast-rolling characteristics, and grip with it. It’s wrapped in a very lightweight package. And because of its intended usage on the race track, it also means the tire is great for gaining momentum quickly.
Maxxis is known for providing a wide range of high-quality tires, and with the added benefit of providing both a standard black and tan version, it’s no wonder many older mountain bikes get outfitted with a pair of these.
Sizes range from 2.15 up to 2.3 inches, which will make for a great-looking setup with a very plush road feel.
- Exceptionally fast racing tire. Tan options available. Fantastic tire for MTB builds, with excellent puncture protection.
- 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
Panaracer GravelKing SK (TLC)
The Panaracer Gravel King SK has become my favorite gravel tire on the market. In my mind there are two brands that stand out from the crowd, and those are american-made WTB and their Japanese counterpart Panaracer.
I’ve been a longtime fan of Panaracer. When the gravel-craze took hold of the bicycle industry, they created the tire that would serve as the de facto standard for gravel tires with the GravelKing SK. It has just the right weight, just the right tread pattern, just the right puncture protection, and all wrapped up in a beautiful package, both in black and tan-wall options.
Deservedly so, the Panaracer Gravel King SK is in my mind the true fit-and-forget, all-weather, all-season option for gravel aficionados. But will serve those bikepackers and hard-riding daily commuters just as well.
Katherine Moore | Contributor – November 17, 2021
As a ‘road plus’ or gravel tyre for riders who tend to stick to well-surfaced fire roads and tarmac, the GravelKing SK TLC could be a good-value option.
However, for those who like to stray further afield and come across more variable conditions, these are limited by both grip and puncture protection.
- Superb allround gravel tire, very lightweight, with excellent puncture protection, ride characteristics, and with japanese build quality.
- None
Panaracer Smoke
The Panaracer Smoke is a classic reissue of a very popular tire with the same name from the early nineties.
The tire comes in both a black and light tan wall option, with the latter being much more popular for obvious reasons.
The Panaracer Smoke is meant to be ridden with the Panaracer Dart. With the Smoke going on the rear wheel and the Dart on the front. This classic combination will serve you best if you go cross-country and light trail riding.
The Panaracer Smoke has the classic tread pattern of a rear tire, with horizontal knobbies for increased braking and traction. But it’s not uncommon to use them both front and back.
Seb Rogers | Contributor – May 19, 2008
Mud clearance isn’t great, there’s noticeable drag on hard surfaces, and some riders find the square profile has a tendency to break loose suddenly in corners, but for the most part these revived classics give the current crop of tyres a run for their money.
- The ultimate retro trail tire. Can be used both front and back.
- Single 2.1 inch size
Panaracer Dart
Both the Dart and Smoke come in a 2.1 inch width version, and being true to their vintage nature, are only meant for 26 inch wheels. 2.1 inch was considered downhill territory in the nineties.
I recommend it as the best option for purist vintage mountain bike restorers. And it so happens I’ve put both the Dart and Smoke on a 1994 Cannondale Super V.
The Panaracer Dart is a true skinwall tire, which was all the rage in the eighties and nineties. It means that the sidewall is thinner, because of a lack of black rubber used for the center tread. It means skinwall tires are lighter and more supple than their non-skinwall counterparts, but also more prone to punctures. And skinwall tend to dry out when exposed to UV light.
The Dart has elongated knobbies that follow the rotation of the wheel. These knobbies are meant to dig deep into the soil, giving you that front-wheel grip necessary for trail riding. For such a slim tire they perform pretty good on the trail.
Johan van Seijen | Senior Review Editor – December 7, 2021
Panaracer always makes very nice tires. I’ve bought a bunch of them and these Smoke and Dart are a very obvious choice for any retro build. They are a solid ride in dry conditions and will get you across the average trail.
If you don’t mind the fact whether or not you ride skinwalls I would pick a wider tire if your frame and rims hold them. Though not a true skinwall tire, the 2.3″ Schwalbe Nobby Nic provides more grip while cornering.
- The ultimate retro trail tire. Best used with the Panaracer Smoke, with this one in the front.
- Single 2.1 inch size
Schwalbe Billy Bonkers
The Billy Bonkers is Schwalbe’s answer to the popularity of the Maxxis DTH for pumptrack and slopestyle. They also come in an extremely light 490 grams 26 inch version, making it the perfect tire for fast city flying, gravel and cross country riding.
The Billy Bonkers also comes in a tan-wall version, but you’ll have to stick with a 2.1 inch width, because that’s the only one in Schwalbe’s lineup. The German brand has made a racing tire, which also proves to be very fast and grippy.
It’s a tough choice to make between the two. One isn’t necessarily better than the other
Michael Stenning | Site Owner – March 1, 2021
The Billy Bonkers aren’t just for jumping and similar duties. They’re surprisingly quick and super compliant, so a good choice for those seeking a budget tyre that will bowl along the tarmac quite nicely and allow exploration and spirited detours. There are better choices for laden, mixed terrain touring but if you’re looking to experiment without blowing heaps of cash, the Billy Bonkers could be a winner.
- Very lightweight tire, with tan option available. Great grip, and rolling-resistance characteristics. Fantastic option for MTB builds.
- None
Schwalbe Fat Frank
The biggest appeal of the Schwalbe Fat Frank is that they come in a variety of great colors. Besides your standard black, you have beige, creme and tan options for both tread and sidewall. So if you’re looking to add some design flair to your ride you can get the Fat Frank with a brown tread pattern and creme sidewalls, or entirely creme.
This is not a racing tire as some of others, that are meant for slopestyle and pump track. That means it won’t be faster or lighter than those tires.
They come in a 2.35 inch width version besides the standard 2 inch. So if you can get over the weight of 975 grams per tire you’re in for both a colorful and plush ride.
- great for vintage MTB builds, multiple colors available
- heavy wired tire
Schwalbe Nobby Nic
The Schwalbe Nobby Nic is the best all-round trail tire from the German manufacturer. If there’s a tire that could rival the dominance of the Maxxis DHR and DHF and its omnipresence on the trail, it’s this one.
It’s tread pattern provides loads of grip and traction. Its allround nature means it’s just as good in the front as it is in the back. And it’s also often seen as a grippy front tire for aggressive XC riding, with a faster and lighter tire in the back.
You can go up to a size 2.35 if you want to and it’s also the only tire that comes in a 26 inch tan version. So if you’re looking for a solid all-round setup, meant for every conceivable condition, dry and wet, hardpack and forest trail, and you want to ride a tan version, this is the tire for you.
Drew Rohde | Editor in Chief – December 1, 2020
The Nobby Nic Super Ground tires opened my eyes in many ways as to what a lighter weight trail tire is capable of and what sort of ride advantages a lighter casing trail offers. We also saw the limitations of the SpeedGrip tread compound on certain types of terrain and obstacles. If you ride harder pack terrain, want a fast rolling tire that has a solid tread pattern, can climb, corner and brake well, these are certainly worth considering. The downside to this long lasting compound is that they won’t offer the confidence and traction on wet roots, loose terrain or angled and steep rock faces.
- High quality fit-and-forget all-round trail option. Loads of sizing / compound combinations possible. Can be used both front and rear for trail riding, or front for XC.
- None
Specifications 26 inch tan-wall MTB tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maxxis DTH | 26×2.15 | 52/54-559 | 620 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | foldable | 60 |
Maxxis DTH | 26×2.30 | 55/58-559 | 773 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | foldable | 60 |
Maxxis DTH | 26×2.30 | 55/58-559 | 859 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | wired | 60 |
Maxxis Ikon | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 676 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Panaracer Dart | 26×2.10 | 54-559 | 620 | Black | Tan | ASB | foldable | ||
Panaracer Smoke | 26×2.10 | 54-559 | 620 | Black | Tan | ASB | foldable | ||
Panaracer GravelKing SK Plus (TLC) | 26×2.10 | 54-559 | 610 | Black | Black | ZSG Natural | AX-Alpha / ProTite Shield Plus | tlr | |
Panaracer GravelKing SK Plus (TLC) | 26×2.10 | 54-559 | 610 | Black | Tan | ZSG Natural | AX-Alpha / ProTite Shield Plus | tlr |
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.
You might also like
The top 7 best 26 inch touring tires
With this blog I’ll share my top picks for the very best 26 inch touring tires. I use several of my older-style mountain bikes for something else than trail riding and there are a couple of solid opti
The top 9 best 26 inch dirt jumper tires
In this article I’m going to focus on the best 26 inch dirt jumper tires.
26 inch might seem obsolute to many mountain bikers, with everyone basically running either 27.5 or 29 inch tires. The same
The top 5 best 26 inch enduro tires
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 enj
The top 12 best 26 inch e-bike tires
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 spe