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 other than trail riding and there are a couple of solid options for those who want to use their bikes for many miles.
Personally I feel that puncture-resistance and durability should be at the forefront of a tire which falls in the “touring” category. Being able to ride with confidence across less-than-ideal roads without having to worry about your tires holding out is what a great touring tire is all about.
It does mean that touring tires are heavier than their race counterparts, but that’s a necessary tradeoff if you want to get the most miles out of your tire setup. I’ve chosen tires which have a proven track record as mile-crunchers and offer the best protection the market has to offer.
So with that out of the way. Let’s head over to my list of the best 26 inch touring tires.
Schwalbe Marathon HS420
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.
- 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.
- Mile cruncher, unparalleled puncture protection
- Heavy, meant for commuting, touring, and bikepacking.
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
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.
- Extremely puncture-resistant
- Heavy
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.
- Maximum puncture protection in a lightweight cross-country racing tire.
- 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.
- Superb allround gravel tire, very lightweight, with excellent puncture protection, ride characteristics, and with japanese build quality.
- None
Panaracer RiBMo
At 26 x 2 inches and 560 grams the Panaracer RibMo is among the lightest tires for its size on this list. Its minimal tread pattern moves it into the direction of being a slick tire, perfect for fast urban commuting.
The Panaracer RiBMo uses their proprietary ProTite technology, which is an extra puncture-resistant layer which runs the entire length and width of the tire. And they offer a more durable, commuter-friendly compound.
The conclusion is this tire will make your bike feel fast and nimble for many many miles at a reasonable enough price.
- Ultra-light slick tire, affordable, durable, and supple, japanese build quality
- None
Specifications 26 inch touring tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panaracer RiBMo | 26×2.00 | 48-559 | 560 | Black | Black | Mile Cruncher | foldable | |||
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 | |||
Continental CONTACT Plus | 26×1.75 | 42-559 | 1040 | Black | Black | SafetyPlus Breaker | wired | 3/180 | ||
Panaracer RiBMo | 26×1.50 | 37-559 | 460 | Black | Black | Mile Cruncher | foldable | |||
Panaracer RiBMo | 26×1.25 | 32-559 | 350 | Black | Black | Mile Cruncher | foldable | |||
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 |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
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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