In this article I’m going to cover the best 26 inch plus tires on the market. I can remember when plus tires hit the market and became all the rage.
Coming in a width of 2.8 and 3 inches, they seem to offer a lot of benefits over regular narrower soft compound tires. Increased grip, both uphill and downhill. Speed across rough terrain. Braking power in general, and on tricky descents. There was a lot going for plus size tires.
Its popularity does seem to have died down a bit, and with it the number of tire options you’ll be able to find. Especially concerning 26 inch plus tires. Already the tire market is winding down the options available for 26 inch, with some manufacturers not making them at all anymore.
But if you’re looking for that delicate balance of large volume in a 26 inch package you’re at the right place. Here’s the overview of the best 26 inch plus tires.
Maxxis Rekon
The Maxxis Rekon is a lightweight trail tire, which is great for XC and trail riding in loose and hardpack conditions.
It’s basically the lighter version of the very popular DHF and DHR II tires, which are more trail, enduro, and downhill oriented. Tightly packed knobbies give it a low rolling-resistance and there’s an immense assortment of sizes and compounds to choose from.
From small widths and hard compounds for pure XC racing to softer, grippier compounds in a wider tire for more trail-oriented duty. There’s a lot to choose from, which highlights the Rekon’s versatility. It’s also the go-to speedy option for a plus size tire setup, with a 2.8 inch width in both the 27.5 and 29 inch tire size.
Just as the Maxxis DHF and DHR II can be called one of the best fit-and-forget all-round trail tire, the same goes for the Rekon for XC and light trail riding.
Contributor | Product tester – September 26, 2022
With the new EXO+ casing so much tougher than previously (and for no significant weight penalty), the operating range of the Rekon becomes much wider. I’ve even had these tyres on a 25kg electric bike recently and they managed to remain puncture-free during testing, which wouldn’t have been likely on older EXO+ models.
Alongside the durability and plenty of pure speed, one of the best Rekon attributes (especially in the fatter 2.6in size that makes a lot of sense on the back of a hardtail mountain bike) is comfort and isolation from vibration and body-buzzing trail chatter. It does a better job than most rivals of dulling feedback.
- Fantastic grippy, aggressive XC and light trail tire, with loads of sizes and compounds to choose from.
- 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.
Jeff Barber | Editor in Chief – August 24, 2023
I’ve found the Maxxis Minion DHF truly serves as an all conditions tire, from loose to firm and from wet to dry. Obviously the compound makes a difference when it comes to hard surface traction, as does tire pressure. The Minions do a good job clearing mud and clay, and cut through sandy washes better than most.
Thinking back over hundreds of rides on the Minions DHF tires, I can’t recall a single pinch flat despite running “just” EXO/TR casings. Honestly most riders should be able to get away with a lighter casing on the DHFs since it is a front tire after all. That’s not to say I haven’t had punctures due to sharp objects, though no more or less than other tires.
- 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.
Jeremy Benson | Product reviewer – November 22, 2018
I’m a pretty big fan of this tire. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option for a rear tire for aggressive everyday trail riding. The combination of cornering confidence and pedaling and braking traction is hard to beat. There are faster rolling tires out there, but few that can dominate the trail like the DHR II. Mount this up as a rear tire with a Minion DHF up front and you’ve got our winning combination for aggressive trail riding.
- One of the best rear tires available, combines with Maxxis Minion DHF for an excellent all-round trail setup
- 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.
Dunbar Cycles | Contributor – August 8, 2011
I loved the improved predictability during cornering and was impressed by how well the tire performed in the sloppiest of conditions. The new High Roller II is a step away from a comprehensive dry tire, and a step towards a true all-conditions option that can be used in more settings. It slots in between the Minion, a dry tire, and the Wet Screams. The original High Roller was, and still is, a great tire. I’d still use the first generation High Roller, but the new version is an improvement in nearly every regard.
- Solid trail and enduro tire, preferably up front.
- None
Kenda Regolith Pro
The Kenda Regolith Pro is similar to Schwalbe’s Nobby Nic, and as such can be used in combination with the Booster Pro as a front tire.
It’s a very solid allround option, if you want to move your bike into the direction of becoming more sure footed on the trail.
Also coming in a 2.40 inch version it means you can have a low tire pressure, grippy combo to get you through the corners. And you have to worry less when the conditions become more wet and muddy.
Matt Miller | Managing editor – October 4, 2019
I didn’t suffer any punctures or tears of any kind with the Regolith, and the wear life looks great. The photos of the front tire in this article were taken after BCBR, with probably close to 300 miles of riding, if not more. I didn’t run the rear for as long, but the wear life seems similar.
Although the Regolith is billed as a quiver-killing tire that can handle multiple disciplines, I wouldn’t use it for everything. It feels like an aggressive trail tire, and one that can be run as a front in an aggressive-XC race, or as a rear in an enduro. It is however durable, capable, and a great all-around trail tire.
- Durable all round tire
- None
Continental Trail King ProTection
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.
Pat Donahue | Senior Mountain Bike Editor – September 18, 2019
The Continental Trail King ProTection Apex is a serviceable, easy-riding, tire that works best on hardpack or loam. This tire can play as a front or a rear tire, although we recommend running it in the rear if you encounter loose conditions frequently. The Trail King works well but can’t hold up against the top contenders in any of the performance metrics. This is not to say it is a bad tire. In fact, we think it fared surprisingly well on the trail, and it could be a viable option for the right rider in the right conditions.
- Very fast allround trail tire, that's extremely puncture resistant.
- Not the trail tire with the most grip.
Vittoria Martello
It’s strange to feel that the Vittoria Martello is as fast-rolling as it is. It definitely is not the lightest tire on this list, with already the 2.6 inch version at a respectable 1230 grams.
That might be because of Vittoria’s proprietary 4C compound, which reserves softer compounds for the edger, so the knobs can conform correctly to the trail and dig deep into softer soil, while harder compounds at the center maintain your rolling efficiency.
Either way, the Martello is a beast of a tire; durable and tough, letting you rip through trails in all kinds of conditions. In the end weight is just one component of the entire equation that makes up a high-quality tire. And with extremely high levels of grip, and more than enough speed to let you fly into the corners, this tire will keep you grinning for the entire duration of your ride.
Pat Donahue | Senior Mountain Bike Editor – Jan 13, 2020
The Vittoria Martello is a rock-solid tire that slays flow trails, hardpack, and moderate doses of looseness. The Martello delivered exceptional performance at a sensible weight. I tested this tire in the 2.6-inch width trail casing which is lighter than the gravity-focused Enduro and EMTB casing. On flow and light-moderate steep and chunky trails, this tire slays. Cornering bite is excellent and rolling speed is impressive for a fairly aggressive tread pattern.
I have concerns about performance in rocky or loose conditions as the sidewalls and casing are quite thin and could be prone to cutting. In addition, my 2.6-inch test tire only measured a mere 2.4XX-inches on our 30mm rim.
- Extremely durable, very grippy, great trail tire
- None
Specifications 27.5 plus size tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kenda Regolith Pro | 27.5×2.80 | 70-584 | 829 | Black | Black | Dual | TR | tlr | 120 |
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex | 27.5×2.80 | 70-584 | 1015 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 |
Vittoria Martello | 27.5×2.80 | 70-584 | 1230 | Black | Black | 4C Graphene | tubeless | 120 | |
Maxxis High Roller II | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 915 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | |
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 Rekon | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 1014 | Black | Black | Dual | foldable | ||
Maxxis Rekon | 27.5×2.80 | 71-584 | 961 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | foldable | ||
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 |
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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