The top 6 best 27.5 road tires

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In this article I’m going to give you some speedy solutions in a list of the best 27.5 road tires.

Traditionally road tires are 28 inches. But that very clear distinction between bicycles has become somewhat blurred, as all kinds of models have come into the market. Most notably the enormous rise of gravel and bikepacking bicycles. It’s this category and mountain bikes with 27.5 inch wheels that can be turned into very fast bikes indeed.

It’s unfortunate that tires I consider to be among the very best 28 inch road bike tires are not available in 27.5 inch versions, it is what it is. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some wonderful solutions that ride and look great on your bicycle. Slick and semi-slick gravel bike tires with great rolling resistance characteristics that are far more versatile than your average 28 inch road bike tire.

With widths ranging between 25 and 50 mm you can either go very fast or still very fast and a much more comfortable volume to take at anything but the biggest potholes you might encounter.

So without further ado, here are my top picks for the very best 27.5 road tires.

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.

Continental Grand Prix 5000

The Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a clincher tire and dubbed as the best allrounder in the field.

And on paper at least the numbers are very impressive. A 330 TPI tire (very supple) at a claimed weight of 200 grams for a 23 mm width version. It has the exact same Vectran breaker as the other ones on this list, so as far as puncture protection is concerned, this tire performs equally impressively.

And this tire comes in a tan wall version or transparent as Continental calls it. But if you want the lightest version of this tire, you’ll have to stick to black.

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.

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.

WTB ThickSlick

Of all the tires I’ve come across, none is as true to its name as the WTB ThickSlick.

The high-contrast white letters on the smooth carcass is one of the most distinctive designs for a black tire you can find. A tire with a non-existent tread pattern such as this one is obviously meant for riding on pavement and tarmac. And it does so admirably, with a reasonable enough weight and rolling-resistance.

It’s a very niche-oriented tire to turn your bike into something more. And one of the best-looking slick mountain bike tires ever to hit the market.

Specifications 27.5 road 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	link
WTB ThickSlick	27.5×1.95	50-584	713	Black	Black	DNA		folding		link
Continental Grand Prix 5000	650x28B	28-584	230	Black	Black	BlackChili	Vectran Breaker	tlr	220	link
Continental Grand Prix 5000	650x25B	25-584	210	Black	Black	BlackChili	Vectran Breaker	tlr	220	link
WTB Horizon	27.5×1.85	47-584	532	Black	Black	Dual DNA		tlr	60	link
WTB Horizon	27.5×1.85	47-584	515	Black	Tan	Dual DNA		tlr	60	link
WTB Horizon	27.5×1.85	47-584	571	Black	Black	Dual DNA		tlr	120	link
Continental CONTACT Speed	27.5×1.25	32-584	470	Black	Black		SafetySystem Breaker	tlr	3/180	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.