In this article I’m going to give you an expansive list of the best 27.5 XC tires.
Cross country has to be one of my favorite mountain bike disciplines, because I love climbing, a leftover from my days doing road bike sessions in France. Sure, a good bike will aid you in going uphill, but in the end it’s you that has to do the work, and I like the simplicity of the premise. And obviously after all that hard work, getting down fast is your reward.
A good XC tire enables you to have enough traction going uphill and enough grip going back down, while maintaining sufficient speed in between on straighter sections. Or a cross country tire is simply lightweight and speedy for quick runs on hardpack and fire roads. Not everyone is training for their next XC race day.
The tires on this list are the very best along those lines I just laid out, displaying high levels of grip and cornering confidence, and traction and braking power, in lightweight packages.
Since some tires are better in a certain category than others, it’s not uncommon to put different tires on your bike, front and back. Though you get way fine with buying pairs of any of these tires.
Anyway, enough talk, let’s head over to my top picks for the best 27.5 XC tires.
Continental Cross King ProTection
The Continental Cross King ProTection is the newer version of a magnificent, lightweight cross-country racer.
ProTection replaces the RaceSport moniker. It’s a three- and four ply system underneath respectively the tread and sidewall, ensuring maximum puncture protection and shieldwall tearing.
This doesn’t take away from the fact that this tire is still one of the lightest in its category. A true racer.
David Arthur | Contributor – November 5, 2020
The low weight combined with the shallow tread design ensures this is a supremely rapid tyre right off the bat. Its tread pattern and rubber compound mean it works well when mounted on the front or rear, with reassuring levels of traction even when tackling technical trails.
- Maximum puncture protection in a lightweight cross-country racing tire.
- None
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.
James | Site owner – May 30, 2023
The Race King ProTection is absolutely blisteringly fast! Doing some airstrip rides alongside my friend on his fixie with road tires really showed that even ‘large’ tires can be fast now! Heck, the amount of roadies I’ve passed while coasting downhill is downright satisfying. Seriously, it felt like a whole new bike in the speed department – at least concerning regular daily riding conditions (pavement, gravel, tarmac, cobble, etc).
- One of the lightest mountain bike tire on the market, with excellent puncture protection. Geared towards speed in every way.
- None
Maxxis Ardent Race
The Maxxis Ardent Race is a great option to mount as a very grippy dual XC setup, an aggressive XC front tire, or a lightweight, fast-rolling trail tire.
The triple compound provides a fast-rolling center with softer and grippier side knobs for added traction and cornering confidence.
In dry conditions the traction will prove to be outstanding. In wet conditions the small close-knit knobs can get packed with mud. So you’ll need to resort to a different tire if you want to ride year round without swapping tires.
David Rome | Contributor – November 19, 2013
At 696g (26 x 2.2), the Ardent Race is no loop circuit race day tyre, but its weight is extremely competitive for a trail worthy tyre. It’s perfect for use front and rear on a summer trail bike, or the front tyre of a cross-country speedster to give greater cornering control, or as a rear tyre on a burlier enduro race bike.
- A highly versatile grippy XC, or aggressive, lightweight trail tire.
- None
Maxxis Crossmark II
The Maxxis Crossmark II is fast-rolling, dry condition, XC or gravel tire with the shallow center knobs and minimal side knobs.
It’s designed for speed on dry hardpack when going in a straight line, with the most minimal tread pattern you can find within this mountain bike category.
The hard-wearing 60 TPI dual casing and EXO reinforced sidewalls make it an excellent companion for long gravel and/or touring rides as well. Especially if you want to have the flexibility to veer off the beaten path yet still ride with confidence.
David Arthur | Contributor – November 20, 2020
Even though the Crossmark II is fairly quick rolling, it’s still not as rapid as a Bontrager XR2 or Schwalbe Racing Ralph.
The 771g weight is also on the high side for an XC race tyre, but if you’re trail riding and want a fast rolling rear option with the security of the EXO casing, the Crossmark II might well suit you. It also proved easy to set up tubeless on my DT Swiss XR1501 control wheels.
- Fast-rolling, and versatile tire, Maxxis' build quality with EXO protection.
- None
Maxxis Ikon
The absolute cross-country king in Maxxis’ lineup. The Maxxis Ikon has near perfect all-round tire characteristics, which makes it an excellent option for diverse road and trail conditions. Though it’s categorized obviously as an XC tire, it’ll also perform superior for bikepackers and gravel riders.
That being said, this is a racing tire, which means it’s light. But the reliable EXO compound, also used for harsher enduro racing, also means you’ll enjoy this tire for many miles.
As with any tire with this type of tread, it’ll perform well in dry conditions. The 26 inch version has both a 2.35 and 2.2 inch width option. You can run this tire both front and back, and might opt for the wider version in the front for some added grip. Especially if you expect some portions of your ride to be particularly rough.
It’s undeniable that the top-of-the-line products of Maxxis are superior to many if not all of their competitors. And the Maxxis Ikon shows it, with a perfect blend of weight, speed, grip, and protection.
Jeff Barber | Editor in Chief – January 23, 2014
I think a better description for the Ikon (and one that Maxxis even uses themselves) is “all-rounder.” The knobs are long enough and spaced far enough apart to give good bite in the straights and the corners. I’ve experienced excellent results in both wet and dry conditions, and find myself able to push the envelope a bit more in the turns on these tires compared to others I’ve tested.
- The cross-country king. Highly versatile tire which excels in XC, bikepacking, and gravel, lightweight. Can be used front and rear. Pair with Ardent Race in the front for ultra-fast yet grippy XC setup. Tan options available
- None
Schwalbe Racing Ralph
Schwalbe’s lineup consists of a number of highly specialized cross-country tires. The Schwalbe Racing Ralph being one of them.
As stated on the website, the Racing Ralph was designed for the rear. That’s because it has the shallowest center tread pattern, making it perfect for riding as fast as possible in dry conditions.
Although it’s meant for a combo setup with a grippier tire in the front, you could actually use it as a dual setup when bikepacking or gravel riding instead of pure XC racing.
If you want to ride as fast as possible, and maintain that speed when cornering, I suggest pairing it with a grippier front tire. You can opt for the Racing Ray, Rocket Ron, or Nobby Nic. With the Racing Ray offering the least amount of grip and the Nobby Nic the most. The Rocket Ron sits in between the three.
Jeff Barber | Editor in Chief – April 28, 2023
What really convinced me this is a very fast roller is how it translates into increased momentum on the descents. I noticed myself cruising past heavier riders who usually have the freewheel advantage over me on the downs, and I could coast farther than usual on familiar sections, delaying the need to spin the pedals again. I don’t know if it’s the tread pattern, or the tire carcass, or the compound — or all three — that make this a fast rolling tire, however I am confident that it is well above average in that department.
- Fantastic rear XC tire. Low weight, and super fast. Combine with Racking Ray, Rocket Ron, or Nobby Nic for a grippier setup.
- None
Schwalbe Racing Ray
Where the Schwalbe Racing Ralph was designed as a rear tire, the Schwalbe Racing Ray is meant for the front. It also means that one of the most obvious choices for a Schwalbe cross country setup would be the combination of the two.
And it seems that the combination works for a lot of people better than ever. with great braking power and traction in the back and great traction and grip in the front, even for wet conditions.
David Arthur | Contributor – October 23, 2020
The forward-pointing arrow-shaped and closely packed centre blocks ensure the Racing Ray is an extremely rapid tyre. It feels blistering quick compared to tyres with blockier tread patterns and when paired with a powerful driving rear tyre is a good setup for ultimate speed on a variety of courses.
It works well in most conditions with the Addix Speed compound delivering ample traction in the wet and dry, and a good predictably on slippery roots and rocks.
- Extremely fast front XC tire, super fast setup with the Schwalbe Racing Ralph
- none
Schwalbe Rocket Ron
Both the weight and tread pattern puts the Schwalbe Rocket Ron squarely into XC territory. The evenly spaced knobs mean you always hold contact with the ground ensuring a low rolling resistance.
They are small as well, which means you need to look for the Nobby Nic if you want a more allround and grippy trail tire. But if you want a bit more speed the 640 gr. for a 2.35 inch version you can run two of these.
You should be able to confidently do light trail riding in loose and wet conditions with these tires, and the XC-oriented tread pattern combined with either the Super Ground or Super Race compound will provide you with the speed you need.
It’s worthy to note that the Schwalbe Rocket Ron performs really well in the rolling resistance department, as do all Schwalbe tires. So it’s both light and fast.
Rachel Sokal | Technical writer – May 2, 2018
As well as a general improvement in durability, rolling resistance and grip, the new Addix compound from Schwalbe offers a much greater choice of characteristics to suit different riders and riding. The Speed compound is definitely that and gives the Rocket Ron vastly improved durability over the previous version. I did find front grip from the Speed a little lacking so would choose to run a grippier compound on the front and keep the faster rolling on the rear. While these tyres still aren’t cheap – sadly not many high end tyres are – the lower wear rate means that at least they won’t cost you as much in the long run to replace.
- great allround XC tire, perfect for gravel and bikepacking, very fast tire
- - None
Specifications 27.5 XC tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental Cross King Racesport | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 635 | Black | Black | BlackChili | RaceSport casing | tlr | |
Continental Cross King Racesport | 27.5×2.20 | 55-584 | 520 | Black | Black | BlackChili | RaceSport casing | tlr | |
Continental Race King Racesport | 27.5×2.20 | 55-584 | 490 | Black | Black | BlackChili | RaceSport casing | tubular | 3/180 |
Kenda Regolith Pro | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 849 | Black | Black | Dual | SCT | tlr | 120 |
Kenda Regolith Pro | 27.5×2.80 | 70-584 | 829 | Black | Black | Dual | TR | tlr | 120 |
Maxxis Ardent Race | 27.5×2.20 | 56-584 | 714 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis Ardent Race | 27.5×2.35 | 60-584 | 730 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Ardent Race | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 878 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | ||
Maxxis Crossmark II | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 735 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Ikon | 27.5×2.20 | 56-584 | 590 | Black | Light Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | |
Maxxis Ikon | 27.5×2.20 | 56-584 | 668 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | |
Maxxis Ikon | 27.5×2.20 | 56-584 | 630 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | |
Maxxis Ikon | 27.5×2.35 | 60-584 | 700 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | |
Schwalbe Racing Ralph | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 605 | Black | Black | ADDIX Speed | Super Ground | tlr | |
Schwalbe Racing Ralph | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 680 | Black | Black | ADDIX | Super Ground | tlr | |
Schwalbe Racing Ray | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 605 | Black | Black | ADDIX Speed | Super Ground | tlr | |
Schwalbe Racing Ray | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 680 | Black | Black | ADDIX | tlr | ||
Schwalbe Rocket Ron | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 600 | Black | Black | ADDIX Speed | Super Race | tlr | |
Schwalbe Rocket Ron | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 600 | Black | Black | ADDIX SpeedGrip | Super Ground | 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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