With this article I’m going to cover the best 27.5 e-bike tires. I’m specifically going to cover tires meant for urban and light offroad use. If you meant to use these tires on your e-MTB there are better tires available.
Tires for e-bikes fall into two categories. Those for standard e-bikes and those for speed pedelecs. Since it doesn’t really matter how heavy a tire is, since the motor does all the heavy lifting, e-bike tires are heavier than your standard bike tire.
That extra weight is necessary to be able to withstand the extra stress e-bike tires need to endure. E-bikes are much heavier, put much more load in general on the tire, especially when braking. This means e-bike tires pack more rubber, are more puncture-resistant and have reinforced sidewalls.
So with that out of the, let’s see what’s made it on my list of the very best 27.5 e-bike tires
Continental Kryptotal Fr
The Continental Kryptotal Fr is part of the German brand’s new trail, enduro, and downhill lineup of premium tires.
There are a number of tires for these disciplines and the Kryptotal Fr is meant as a front tire. With three different casings you can choose your weight and puncture protection, with more protection and weight as you move into the direction of downhill.
This tire outshines the competition with its casing, with the downhill version offering a 6-ply casing, or a 4-ply with dual breaker. This is something I’ve never seen on a mountain bike tire and makes for a near-indestructible tire.
To ensure it doesn’t feel like you’re riding with wooden tires, the plies tapers off to the side. With the downhill from 6 to 4, and both enduro and trail version from 3 to 2.
Furthermore the trail and enduro version have reinforced sidewalls, and I guess Continental decided 4 plies was enough for the downhill version.
The tread pattern is similar for all three versions, and is characterized by a fairly densely populated center tread. It offers allround reliability.for a tire that’s meant to be ridden with its twin brother: the Kryptotal Re. This really is a tire designed for the front.
I know other brands, most notably Maxxis, dominate the professional scene, but on paper at least, this is one of the most impressive mountain bike tires I’ve ever seen.
- Great allround characteristics, newer compound pays dividends in suppleness. Otherworldly casing options with incredible puncture protection.
- Front tire only. Meant to go with the Kryptotal Re
Continental Kryptotal Re
The Continental Kryptotal Re is the rear wheel version of the Fr also coming in trail, enduro and downhill specific casings.
Those casings are the same, and you can read in the Fr section what I think of the casings, which are nothing short of astounding.
This tire comes in three different versions, so be sure to get the right one based on your preferred mountain bike discipline. You can obviously choose a soft downhill compound for an enduro racer, things are not set in stone.
The tread is optimized for both braking power and traction, and is really meant to be mounted in the rear.
- Great allround characteristics, newer compound pays dividends in suppleness. Otherworldly casing options with incredible puncture protection.
- Rear tire. Meant to go with the Kryptotal Fr
Continental Race King ProTection
The Continental Race King ProTection is an extremely light tire. In the weight department it means it outshines every comparable tire from every other brand by far. And it’s also the best XC tire in the rolling-resistance department.
I cannot stress enough that with respect to speed and acceleration, a light tire makes all the difference. And tires are also the most cost-effective way to reduce the overall weight of the bike.
Try reducing a couple of hundred grams of any other bike component and be ready to spend in the hundreds of dollars. Not so the case with tires. And on top of that the tire has the advanced ProTection puncture protection, with a composite breaker and a bead to bead sidewall protection polyamide fabric.
All that speed comes at a price, because traction is not this tire’s strength when compared to other mountain bike tires. And it’s the reason this tire performs best in dry conditions.
But when riding in those conditions getting up to speed and keeping it is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. It rightly deserves its name.
- One of the lightest mountain bike tire on the market, with excellent puncture protection. Geared towards speed in every way.
- None
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.
- Very fast allround trail tire, that's extremely puncture resistant.
- Not the trail tire with the most grip.
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 CONTACT Speed
Meant for the road the Continental Contact Speed is a slick tire in the true sense of the word. A minimalistic profile will turn your bike into a city slicker.
In the commuting and touring range from this German brand, it sits in the fastest category and is one of the most affordable options to obtain a fast-rolling tire.
It also has excellent puncture protection with Continental’s more than adequate SafetySystem breaker technology. Chances of flats are minimized.
- Affordable slick tire, with excellent puncture protection
- None
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.
- Superb allrounder with loads of sizing / compound combinations possible. Combines with Maxxis Minion DHR II for an excellent all-round trail setup.
- None
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.
- One of the best rear tires available, combines with Maxxis Minion DHF for an excellent all-round trail setup
- None
Maxxis Assegai
If you know mountain biking you know Greg Minnaar. And the Maxxis Assegai is said to be designed with his help. So what does that say about this tire?
Well, he’s a downhill champion, so expect monstrous level of grip and traction in a tire well-suited for the most aggressive trail riders among us. For such an aggressive tire, the profile is relatively rounded still, smoothing out transitions from straight to cornering, without that vague feeling you sometimes get in between.
This tire sits just below a true mud tire, so all of that traction will come at a premium, and the price you pay is of course a slow, and heavy tire in those times when you don’t need as much grip. When choosing tires you have to compromise, and when the going gets tough this is the tire you want to be riding.
- Very grippy tire, meant for bad conditions
- Meant for downhill
Maxxis Dissector
The Maxxis Dissector is a true enduro and downhill tire, depending on which casing and/or compound you choose.
There’s quite a bit of difference in width and weight between a more trail-oriented dual compound version versus the MaxxGrip compound version with downhill casing, so make sure you check the tire specs well before deciding to buy one of these.
In terms of puncture protection, you can say very little about the Maxxis tire except that in general they perform way above average with high-quality casings and additional EXO sidewall protection or EXO+ reinforcement.
The tread pattern of this will probably not be for everyone, with a distinct on/off feel due to the spacing between the center and side knobs. It does make for a fast-rolling tire which is particularly grippy when thrown around in the corners, so I believe the term “exciting” would be in order for this tire.
It’s up to you if you like excitement more than, let’s say, the straight line confidence the DHF or DHR gives you, which is like Maxxis’ benchmark tires.
- Fast-rolling enduro and downhill tire for dry and loose conditions. Distinctive "exciting" floaty transition feel when cornering.
- None
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.
- Solid trail and enduro tire, preferably up front.
- None
Schwalbe Hurricane
I also decided to include the Schwalbe Hurricane in this list. It’s a shame they don’t sell them in skinwall versions as well. But the tire packs a solid combination of a flat centerline and side knobs.
The side knobs means the tire is more versatile than the average slick, opening up the possibility to take your bike offroad and away from the beaten path.
If you want to keep a MTB look for your tires without sacrificing too much speed on the road, this is the perfect tire for you. Especially if you like the occasional trail as well because of the added grip.
- Great all-round gravel and light XC tire, with an affordable quality.
- 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.
Specifications 27.5 e-bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental CONTACT Speed | 27.5×2.00 | 50-584 | 700 | Black | Black | SafetySystem Breaker | tlr | 3/180 | ||
Schwalbe Hurricane | 27.5×2.00 | 50-584 | 610 | Black | Black | ADDIX | Performance | wired | ||
Schwalbe Hurricane | 27.5×2.40 | 62-584 | 885 | Black | Black Reflex | ADDIX | RaceGuard / Double Defense | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 27.5×2.10 | 54-584 | 1200 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | |||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 27.5×2.10 | 54-584 | 1200 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | |||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 1270 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | |||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 1270 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | |||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 880 | Black | Light Tan | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.50 | 63-584 | 1005 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.50 | 63-584 | 945 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.50 | 63-584 | 956 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 1010 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 965 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 925 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 800 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 805 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.40 | 61-584 | 900 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.40 | 61-586 | 940 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.40 | 61-587 | 1126 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 910 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 1065 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Continental CONTACT Speed | 27.5×1.25 | 32-584 | 470 | Black | Black | SafetySystem Breaker | tlr | 3/180 | ||
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 27.5×2.20 | 55-584 | 775 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 915 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 27.5×2.60 | 65-584 | 955 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 27.5×2.80 | 70-584 | 1015 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Maxxis Assegai | 27.5×2.50 | 65-584 | 1005 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Assegai | 27.5×2.50 | 65-584 | 1090 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Assegai | 27.5×2.50 | 65-584 | 1049 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxGrip | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Assegai | 27.5×2.60 | 65-584 | 1002 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis High Roller II | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 845 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis High Roller II | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 1065 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis High Roller II | 27.5×2.40WT | 61-584 | 915 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis High Roller II | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 965 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis High Roller II | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 915 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | ||
Continental Race King ProTection | 27.5×2.20 | 55-584 | 560 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | foldable | ||
Continental CONTACT Plus | 27.5×1 1/2 | 42-584 | 990 | Black | Black | SafetyPlus Breaker | 3/180 | |||
Continental Kryptotal Fr | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 1000 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Trail casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Kryptotal Fr | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 1080 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Enduro casing | tlr | 3/330 | |
Continental Kryptotal Fr | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 1220 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Downhill casing | tlr | 6/660 | |
Continental Kryptotal Re | 27.5×2.60 | 65-584 | 1100 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Trail casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Kryptotal Re | 27.5×2.60 | 65-584 | 1220 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Enduro casing | tlr | 3/330 | |
Continental Kryptotal Re | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 1000 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Trail casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Kryptotal Re | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 1080 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Enduro casing | tlr | 3/330 | |
Continental Kryptotal Re | 27.5×2.40 | 60-584 | 1220 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Downhill casing | tlr | 6/660 | |
Maxxis Dissector | 27.5×2.40WT | 61-584 | 878 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | |||
Maxxis Dissector | 27.5×2.40WT | 61-584 | 889 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | |||
Maxxis Dissector | 27.5×2.40WT | 61-584 | 951 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | |||
Maxxis Dissector | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 1119 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | |||
Maxxis Dissector | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 1048 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | |||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 1196 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 1081 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 1110 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | ||
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 1081 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr |
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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