The top 7 best 26 inch MTB trail tires for 2023

Table of Contents

In this article I’m going to give you what I feel to be the best 26 inch MTB trail tires money can buy.

I’ve written a lot of articles about bicycle tires and this was one of the first. This version includes a number of important updates. One of them is that I’ve made the selection more true to trail riding. This meant I’ve removed the Maxxis Ikon, which is a fantastic tire, but too XC for my taste.

New additions are the Continental’s Trail- and Mountain King. The German brand has proven itself and these two tires are worthy additions to the list. And I’ve chosen to let the Schwalbe Nobby Nic be accompanied by the Hans Dampf, to create an extremely grippy all-condition setup

The fantastic Maxxis DHR and DHF still wear the crown as probably the most dependable trail setup. And of course, as a bike restorer, I’ve added the Panaracer Smoke and Dart combination as well.

The tires with the exception of the Smoke and Dart, range from a 2.3 inch to a 2.5 inch width. So depending on your riding style, and the type of trails you ride in terms of complexity, you can vary in tire widths.

Continental Mountain King ProTection

The Continental Mountain King ProTection is a very lightweight, very fast, and very grippy tire.

Just as the Trail King it comes with the BlackChili compound and ProTection multi-ply casings. That means the tires are a bit harder than their competitors, fast-rolling on dry trails, and very durable in general, with superb puncture protection and durability characteristics.

The Mountain King has better mud and dirt shedding features in the tread pattern than the Trail King. It means you can either choose for a dual setup for aggressive riding, or put the Mountain King in the front with the Trail King in the back.

Continental Trail King ProTection Apex

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.

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.

WTB Trail Boss 2.25

The WTB Trail Boss 2.25 is a great, premium allround trail tire with fast-rolling XC characteristics. Its densely packed knobs are a good option for fast riding in dry conditions.

As it should be, the tread pattern offers enough grip in normal conditions, and is on the faster side of the mountain bike spectrum. So it’s either a solid dual setup in dry conditions for aggressive XC and trail riding, or mounted in the rear for a faster-rolling, lightweight enduro option.

A great all-round option for people who prefer fast and relatively straight.

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.

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.

Specifications 26 inch MTB trail tires

Name	Size	ETRTO	Weight (gr)	Tread color	Sidewall color	Compound	Puncture protection	Tire bead	TPI	Buy at Amazon
Panaracer Dart	26×2.10	54-559	620	Black	Tan		ASB	foldable		link
Panaracer Smoke	26×2.10	54-559	620	Black	Tan		ASB	foldable		link
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex	26×2.40	60-559	875	Black	Black	BlackChili	ProTection Apex casing	tlr	3/180	link
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex	26×2.20	55-559	735	Black	Black	BlackChili	ProTection Apex casing	tlr	3/180	link
Continental Mountain King ProTection	26×2.30	58-559	675	Black	Black	BlackChili	ProTection casing	tlr	3/180	link
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
WTB Trail Boss 2.25	26×2.25	54-559	865	Black	Black	DNA		foldable		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.