The top 7 best 27.5 plus size tires for 2023

Table of Contents

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Specifications 27.5 plus size tires

Name	Size	ETRTO	Weight (gr)	Tread color	Sidewall color	Compound	Puncture protection	Tire bead	TPI	Buy at Amazon
Kenda Regolith Pro	27.5×2.80	70-584	829	Black	Black	Dual	TR	tlr	120	link
Continental Trail King ProTection Apex	27.5×2.80	70-584	1015	Black	Black	BlackChili	ProTection Apex casing	tlr	3/180	link
Vittoria Martello	27.5×2.80	70-584	1230	Black	Black	4C Graphene		tubeless	120	link
Maxxis High Roller II	27.5×2.80	71-584	915	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra		tlr	120	link
Maxxis Minion DHF	27.5×2.80	71-584	1196	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra	EXO+	tlr	120	link
Maxxis Minion DHF	27.5×2.80	71-584	1081	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra		tlr	120	link
Maxxis Rekon	27.5×2.80	71-584	1014	Black	Black	Dual		foldable		link
Maxxis Rekon	27.5×2.80	71-584	961	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra		foldable		link
Maxxis Minion DHR II	27.5×2.80	71-584	1110	Black	Black	Dual	EXO	tlr		link
Maxxis Minion DHR II	27.5×2.80	71-584	1081	Black	Black	3C MaxxTerra	EXO	tlr		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.