In this article I’m going to cover the best 27.5 inch hybrid bike tires.
The term hybrid within the bicycle industry originated in the 90’s, when there was an explosion of different bike types on the back of the mountain bike craze. Hybrid bikes back then were bikes meant for active leisure and resembled road or city bikes with flat bars and mountain bike groupsets.
The tires sat between normal commuter and what was dubbed as mountain bike tires back in the day. The same applies today, with hybrid tires trying to find the sweet spot between a traditional commuter tire and the offroad nature of mountain bike tires.
The cycling industry has come a long way in three decades, and the tires as well. So you can still find classic and affordable tires to turn your bike into a versatile commuter. But there are a number of race-worthy premium tires to go fast no matter what road conditions you find yourself on.
Another thing is that many standard commuter tires are being offered in plus sizes, and offer so much puncture protection that your bike can be used for gravel riding on hardpack without any issue.
Gravel riding has kind of taken over the role of what used to be called hybrid bikes: bikes meant to go fast but be much more versatile than road bikes.
Whatever you choose, you’ll be able to find the perfect tire in this list of the best 27.5 inch hybrid bike tires.
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.
Shaun Audane | Technical writer – July 11, 2017
Although there are faster tyres around, the weight penalty and more pronounced rolling resistance isn’t going to be apparent on a heavily laden expedition bike, tandem, or off-road on an adventure type build for that matter. The 35mm section is noticeably quicker, much easier to mount, and my choice if you wanted a super-dependable four-seasons road-biased tyre.
- Extremely puncture-resistant
- Heavy
Continental CONTACT Urban
The Continental CONTACT Urban is, as its name implies, a slick tire meant for urban commuting.
It’s one of the fastest tires for urban applications, and has a certificate for it to be mounted on speed pedelecs up to a speed of 50 km/h. It has the performance-oriented PureGrip compound, which is a step below their race compound BlackChili used for mountain bike tires.
A strong nylon breaker sits underneath the center tread and serves as a lightweight, flexible, yet very puncture-resistant protective layer.
Jarno Bierman | Tire tester – March 4, 2022
I’m impressed by the performance of the Contact Urban, especially when considering its friendly price. It’s one of the fastest rolling touring bike tires, offers excellent tread puncture resistance, and is simply the best performing tire in our wet grip test. The main weakness can be found in the sidewalls as they aren’t really up to touring bike standards.
- Very fast, lightweight, yet puncture-resistant slick tire
- For those who prefer speed over durability
Continental Double Fighter III
The Continental Double Fighter III is an affordable semi-slick tire. With lots of sizing options you can turn any mountain bike into an urban commuter, or a road bike into one with a beefier tire setup.
It doesn’t pack any tire technology to speak of, hence should be used for dry conditions on tarmac.
- Affordable all-round semi-slick for dry conditions
- Doesn't excel in any category
Continental Terra Trail ProTection
If summer gravel riding is one of your favorite pastimes the Continental Terra Trail will prove to be a more than adequate companion.
It’s a typical allround gravel tire that scores well with respect to puncture protection, grip, and weight. But stay away from muddy trails, for the tread will clog up quickly and with it any grip you might be looking for.
That’s fine so long as muddy rides are not your forte, and even if it was, you’d rather stay dry. The tire excels on dry hardpack, gravel, and fire roads.
Matt Gersib | 2014 Gravel World Champion – May 18, 2020
It’s amazing how good gravel tires are today, and these new Continental tires are great examples of the progress gravel tires have made. They’re not much heavier than a road tire, yet are true 40c treaded tires that can confidently be ridden in nearly any gravel conditions. In their element, they’re fast, predictable and durable. And while clearly not mountain bike tires, the Terra Trail and Terra Speed won’t hold you back on routes that include sections of smooth singletrack either.
- Solid gravel allrounder
- None
Schwalbe G-One Allround
The allround in the Schwalbe G-One Allround refers just as much to its application as to its tread pattern.
It’s a fantastic grippy tire meant for riding in dry conditions. It has a pattern rather than easily discernible knobbies, making this the fastest allround gravel tire of this list. That’s why it performs exceptionally well on tarmac as on gravel.
The Super Ground carcass is found on tires that need to perform well in various conditions, and offers great rolling-resistance, durability and weight characteristics. The ADDIX SpeedGrip compound obviously favors speed above traction.
The tread pattern, the compound and tire carcass, all of those components make this one helluva speedy gravel tire for dry conditions.
Jamie Williams | Technical writer – August 14, 2021
Having ridden on the G-One Allround for six weeks through a mix of heatwaves and localised flooding on tarmac, gravel and the odd XC trail, I’m impressed. For all the dry riding on all the various surfaces, they’re great – a little expensive, yes, but great.
- The best allround gravel tire from Schwalbe
- None
Schwalbe G-One Speed
If you’re a person who likes fast, plush rides on pavement and slightly coarse roads the Schwalbe G-One Speed is probably the best tire money can buy.
It’s an exceptional big volume road tire that’s light, nimble, and lets you rip down the road with a big grin on your face. It’s a step up in width from your average road tire, which means you get an incredibly supple and plush ride and loads of grip. Sure you have to sacrifice a bit in the rolling-resistance department when compared to a 25 millimeter road tire, but this tire is simply more fun to ride and much, much more comfortable.
And this tire doesn’t shy away from light gravel riding as well, broadening the range of application beyond very fast commuting.
Sebastian Vidal | Contributor – January 29, 2019
These tires are excellent and great and every other good word I can think of. The huge volume of the 38mm wide tires means that I (an admittedly smaller rider) can flirt with 20psi if I’m riding trails or bumpy stuff. On the road, I found them fast and comfortable around 45psi – as always your mileage will vary based on weight. These tires can truly handle anything you throw at them. They’re fast and supple and comfortable as hell on the road, fun if a little slip-ey on the trails, and perfectly at home on gravel.
- Extremely fast-rolling tire, great option for both gravel and commuting
- None
Panaracer GravelKing SS Plus (Tubed)
The tubed version of the Panaracer GravelKing SS Plus is a gorgeous plus sized gravel tire.
Fairly lightweight with excellent longevity and puncture protection, the black or tan-wall version are supple tires that will last you a long time.
Just as the slimmer version they offer minimal grip with an almost slick tread pattern adn extremely small side knobbies. It means that they are both excellent and fast-rolling road tires as well as light gravel and hardpack. The round profile of the tire with the minimal tread pattern ensures a plus ride in these conditions.
Iain Treloar | Contributor – May 31, 2023
A bit of a mixed bag, really. They’re a little narrowly focused for what I’m personally looking for in a gravel tyre, but if you’re mostly riding on well-made surfaces they may be just what you’re after.
If it’s a toss-up between these and the Gravel King Slick, I’d go for the SS for a bit of extra capability without too much downside. But for a lot of people and a lot of conditions, I think the Gravel King SK – and other tyres like it – is going to provide a more well-rounded experience.
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
Kenda Alluvium Pro
The Kenda Alluvium Pro is a great summer gravel bike tire for dry conditions with just enough bite to tackle rougher conditions, should you encounter them.
A traditional-looking gravel tire has a rather smooth center tread and raised side knobbies. Such a design ensures a low rolling-resistance when going straight, but increased cornering confidence when you find yourself on rougher and twistier roads. The Alluvium pro has such a design and as such is a great allround option, that performs well enough when you start to demand more from your bike.
With its single ply casing it shouldn’t be the most puncture resistant when compared to its heavier brother the Kenda Flintridge Pro, but really rough and or wet and muddy conditions is not where you should take this tire anyway.
Jason Judy | Contributor – May 13, 2021
I would without question recommend the Alluviums for someone looking for a fast rolling semi-slick type tire or someone who just wants a superb riding tire for normal gravel roads. These tires would without question be at home at events like Rock Cobbler, Unbound, SBT GRVL, or Gravel Mob to name a few. In fact, they survived Rock Cobbler and LA Tourist race for me.
- Affordable gravel allrounder
- None
Maxxis Pace
The Maxxis Pace is a cross country tire with the most minimal tread pattern in Maxxis’ XC lineup.
It’s an excellent tire if you want to keep the MTB nature of your bike, being able to ride comfortably and confidently on surfaces other than flat tarmac. The tire has excellent rolling-resistance characteristics which makes it perfectly suitable for urban riding, while the minimalistic knobbies still provide enough bite for hardpack and gravel riding in dry conditions.
And with a 2.1 inch width the tires don’t feel out of place on your 29er. Furthermore it displays other features of a full-blown mountain bike tire, with it being tubeless compatible and having Maxxis EXO puncture resistance in a relatively lightweight package of 650 grams.
Rachel Sokal | Technical writer – May 9, 2017
For XC race-orientated tyres, both the Pace and Race TT have been solid and predictable performers. And with the EXO reinforcement, they’ve remained stable at lower pressures and so far (touch wood…) haven’t delivered me any sliced sidewalls. The tread and sidewalls are also showing little sign of wear despite some high mileage and ham-fisted use over the test period, which is a nice change from some of the more delicate race tyres on the market.
- Semi-slick XC-oriented tire, use front or rear
- Not the grippiest
Maxxis Recepter
The Maxxis Recepter is a great-looking option for people looking into 650b slick tires with gravel characteristics.
Just as with the Continental Speed King it has hardly any tread pattern to speak of, but has small side knobbies for added grip when cornering.
It’s a lightweight performance tire sitting at 485 grams for a 1.85 width version.
The Recepter also comes with Maxxis’ tried-and-true EXO protection, which is hardly a luxury when taking your bike on rougher roads.
It means that this tire is a perfect companion for fast-riding on dirt roads and hardpack.
Caley Fretz | Contributor – May 31, 2023
The breadth of tire options we now have for gravel riding is fantastic, but as that breadth has increased so have we seen tires begin to truly specialize. The Receptor is one of those. If you ride your gravel bike on surfaces that are neither wet nor particularly loose, you’ll love them. The sidewall protection is phenomenal, the weight is good, rolling resistance is superb, and they seat tubeless easily on most rims. Just don’t take them outside their comfort zone for too long.
- Semi-slick tire, very light
- None
WTB Byway
WTB has been at the forefront of providing high-quality gravel tires and the WTB Byway is another great example of why the brand reigns supreme in that department.
The slick center line ensures this minimal gravel tire is fast when going in a straight line. But the pronounced side knobbies allow for enough confidence in dry summer conditions when riding hardpack and dirt roads.
Even a great tire such as this one has its limits, and the minimal tread pattern won’t fare well in wet and muddy conditions. Also grip on steep inclines with loose gravel might be less optimal because of its semi-slick nature. But to be fair that’s not the intended purpose of this tire.
So if your average ride includes pavement and gravel and speed is at the top of your list, this is a gorgeous option to choose.
Will Jones | Technical writer – September 14, 2022
My advice would be that if you are primarily riding country back lanes with occasional forays into the woods then these are a safe, but not hugely inspiring bet. If this is the case you’ll probably want to run them at higher pressures, at which point you may as well opt for the cheaper but less supple 60TPI option anyway and save yourself a wedge of cash. If you want a more gravelly option on the cheap then look to the Kimberlite, or for a pretty similar price I’d go for the Teravail Washburns: You’ll have a better time.
- Fantastic semi-slick gravel option
- None
WTB Horizon
The WTB Horizon is a gorgeous and supple 650b slick tire, available in both black and true tan-wall options.
The 47 millimeter width tire comes in both a single ply 60 TPI and a more supple 120 TPI version. The center tread has no pattern whatsoever and is flanked by dual herringbone patterns to provide a modicum of traction when riding anything else but smooth tarmac and pavement.
It’s fully tubeless compatible and the round tire ranging between 515 and 571 grams for the various versions will make a plush ride indeed for any type of light gravel riding or urban commuting.
Jayson | Site Owner – April 19, 2017
The Horizon is a great choice for a rider who commutes a few miles / kilometres in order to reach their local gravel road(s). Not exactly designed for high-speed cornering with its lack of tread blocks on the sides, the Horizon still does well enough on just about every dirt and gravel road surface imaginable. However, as stated earlier, it isn’t a tyre I’d consider for the flinty rigours of an event like Dirty Kanza.
- One of the best slicks for gravel riding, plush ride quality
- None
WTB Resolute
The WTB Resolute is an allround all-weather all-season gravel bike tire, or so WTB claims.
And this claim does make sense, with WTB basically applying a baseline of solid gravel tire characteristics into this product offering.
It’s both a lightweight tire which enhances acceleration. And it sits in between slick tires and the aggressive tread pattern of the WTB Sendero, ensuring good grip and traction in all kinds of conditions, while going in a straight line or in corners, going uphill or downhill.
So does that make the WTB Resolute one of the best all-rounders in the gravel department. The answer is a resolute yes, pun intended.
Guitar Ted | Technical reviewer – August 18, 2017
For those bicycles the Resolute will fit in, this tire does rank among the best tires I could recommend. I would choose this tire for my riding over anything I’ve yet been able to try out because of its abilities on hard packed and paved surfaces while still being excellent in sand, looser dirt, and gravel. Sure, there are better specialist tires. If I were primarily interested in shredding dirt, I’d go with a Maxxis Ravager, for instance, but my riding takes me over a varied palette of surfaces which requires a tire to perform admirably over all of them. The Resolute has been that tire for me.
- Fantastic allround 4 season option, one of the best gravel tires on the market
- None
Specifications 27.5 inch hybrid bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WTB Horizon | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 532 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | 60 | |
WTB Horizon | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 515 | Black | Tan | Dual DNA | tlr | 60 | |
WTB Horizon | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 571 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis Recepter | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 484 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 120 | |
WTB Byway | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 564 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | ||
WTB Byway | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 535 | Black | Tan | Dual DNA | tlr | ||
WTB Resolute | 27.5×1.65 | 42-584 | 440 | Black | Tan | Dual DNA | tlr | 60 | |
Continental Terra Trail | 27.5×1.60 | 40-584 | 430 | Black | Cream | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | 3/180 |
Continental Terra Trail | 27.5×1.90 | 47-584 | 460 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | 3/180 |
Schwalbe G-One Allround | 27.5×1.50 | 40-584 | 450 | Black | Black | ADDIX SpeedGrip | Super Ground | tubeless | |
Schwalbe G-One Allround | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 650 | Black | Black | ADDIX SpeedGrip | Super Ground | tubeless | |
Kenda Alluvium Pro | 27.5×1.80 | 45-584 | 514 | Black | Black | Single | tlr | 120 | |
Continental CONTACT Plus | 27.5×1 1/2 | 42-584 | 990 | Black | Black | SafetyPlus Breaker | 3/180 | ||
Continental Double Fighter III | 27.5×2.00 | 50-584 | 860 | Black | Black | Sport | wired | ||
Continental CONTACT Urban | 27.5×2.20 | 55-584 | 690 | Black | Black Reflex | PureGrip | SafetyPro Breaker | wired | |
Continental CONTACT Urban | 27.5×2.00 | 50-584 | 615 | Black | Black Reflex | PureGrip | SafetyPro Breaker | wired | |
Continental CONTACT Urban | 27.5×1.60 | 42-584 | 515 | Black | Black Reflex | PureGrip | SafetyPro Breaker | wired | |
Maxxis Pace | 27.5×2.10 | 53-584 | 620 | Black | Black | Dual | 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.
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