In this article I’m going to showcase a wide array of some of the best 29 inch gumwall tires.
Different mountain bike disciplines are represented on this list. From cross country to trail, and even enduro, and downhill. So be sure you pick the tire that’s right for how you’ll be using your mountain bike.
Then you’ll be able to find tan wall tires and true skin wall tires. Tan wall tires have painted sidewalls, but keep the added sidewall protection. Skin wall tires don’t, they’ve shed the black sidewall ply which shows the creme sidewall underneath it. They are more prone to damage, but much lighter in general.
Maxxis calls these skin wall tires “light tan” and Schwalbe calls them “transparent”. All WTB tan tires are true skinwalls with a focus on speed over protection. So that’s another thing to take into consideration when picking a tire. It’s not just a fancy color.
And with that out of the way, let’s head over to the list of the best 29 inch gumwall tires.
Maxxis Ardent
If you want more grip than the Ardent Race might offer, you’ll be looking for the Maxxis Ardent. It’s a crossover tire sitting somewhere in between a trail and a cross country one.
When you resize the knobs on the Ardent Race and make them bigger, you’ll trade in a bit of speed for more grip. And that’s what they did with the Maxxis Ardent.
And trading in speed has to be taken with a grain of salt, for this is still a very fast tire, which excels on dry, hardpack trails.
- More grip than the Ardent Race. Makes for a grippy combination with the Maxis Ikon.
- 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.
- 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
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.
- 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.
- One of the best rear tires available, combines with Maxxis Minion DHF for an excellent all-round trail setup
- None
Maxxis Rekon Race
The Maxxis Rekon Race is a perfect allround option to use as a 29 inch gravel tire.
Multiple widths are available from 2.25 up to 2.40 inches. In general the entire premium lineup of Maxxis are great tires, and I particularly like the Rekon Race.
The reason is that the tire provides lots of grip for true gravel riding in dry conditions. And if there’s one thing I love to do is moving through a forest at lightning speed.
Maxxis often makes heavier tires than the counterparts of either Continental or Schwalbe, but their EXO casing has proven over the years to be extremely reliable. And speed is great, but reliability is more important if you ask me.
And in the end weight isn’t the only factor that makes up a high-quality tire. And I firmly believe the 120 TPI versions are fantastic tires for your gravel setup.
- Great allround option, very durable
- None
Schwalbe Magic Mary
The Magic Mary is Schwalbe’s grippiest tire from their entire lineup. It performs both brilliantly as a downhill tire, but is just as effective for all-round trail riding in brutal conditions.
It has top-of-the-line traction combined with super fast rolling characteristics and a good feel for the trail at high speeds. If you want to be in the moment and experience flow going down sloppy slopes the Magic Mary delivers big time, with virtually zero cons.
Good braking power, allround riding characteristics in dry and wet conditions, this is Schwalbe’s top tire for all-mountain, enduro and downhill, no matter what the conditions are.
- Very grippy, go-to gravity tire, solid braking power, 4-season downhill tire
- Meant for downhill
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.
- Extremely fast front XC tire, super fast setup with the Schwalbe Racing Ralph
- none
Schwalbe Thunder Burt
Another fantastic option from Schwalbe, and on the more premium side, is the Schwalbe Thunder Burt. It’s a very lightweight XC tire with hardly any tread pattern in the center to speak of.
If you feel that you might be gravel oriented with your bike this is an excellent choice. The raised knobbies on the side will give you the confidence you’re looking for, while the extremely low weight of just 510 grams also means these mid-size tires are very fast.
- Lightweight, cross-country tire, gravel tire
- None
Schwalbe Wicked Will
The Schwalbe Wicked Will is one of the latest additions to the German tire manufacturer’s lineup. Its role is to be a sort of jack-of-all-trades mountain bike tire, which was the same with its older brother, the Nobby Nic.
To be able to fulfill this role, there are indeed many sizes, and casings to choose from. But you’ll be out of luck if you thought this tire will come in the classic 26 inch size, for also Schwalbe is following the industry trend of ditching 26 inch tire sizes from their premium lineup.
What I can appreciate is the fact that Schwalbe actually included a true skinwall version they call “transparent”. That means that looking at the tread pattern you can opt for a very grippy XC tire, or a more standard allround trail tire.
To further support the fact of its allround nature you have the ability to choose from 4 different casings, depending on your preferred type of trail. From the lightest Super Race, to the Super Ground, and most durable (and heaviest) Super Trail.
I think the Nobby Nic is the most-used trail tire where I’m from, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot of Wicked Wills as time moves one, because this tire is just as good and deserves the moniker fit-and-forget just as easy.
- Fantastic all-rounder, with many options to choose from to suit riding styles from aggressive XC to trail riding.
- None
Vittoria Mezcal
Another cross-country crossover well-suited for bikepacking is the Vittoria Mezcal. The single 2.1 inch width version available for 26 inch tires, has a very low-profile tread pattern to improve rolling-resistance.
The 620 grams for a single tire is very light. And it’s this tire that has been on several cross-country championship bikes. So as far as speed is concerned, it’s extremely fast.
But for bikepacking you’ll need much more than speed. You want longevity and durability. Vittoria Mezcal uses their proprietary graphene enhanced 4C compound. It prevents the knobs from squirming on the hardpack, which in turn increases speed and durability.
The Mezcal is most at home on hardpack, but does perform well on other surface types. But like all of the other tires mentioned here, you will run into issues when encountering mud. The knobs are simply bunched too much together.
The Vittoria Mezcal makes for a fast and durable dual setup.
- Lightweight XC tire, can also be used for bikepacking and gravel, fast
- Sacrifices a bit of grip for speed, not good mud
WTB Trail Boss 2.25
The WTB Trail Boss 2.25 is a great, premium allround trail tire with fast-rolling XC characteristics. Its densely packed knobs are a good option for fast riding in dry conditions.
As it should be, the tread pattern offers enough grip in normal conditions, and is on the faster side of the mountain bike spectrum. So it’s either a solid dual setup in dry conditions for aggressive XC and trail riding, or mounted in the rear for a faster-rolling, lightweight enduro option.
A great all-round option for people who prefer fast and relatively straight.
- Fast-rolling, grippy tire for aggressive XC and trail riding.
- Might be too light for some in rough conditions
WTB Vigilante 2.3
The WTB Vigilante 2.3 is a premium trail and enduro contender for people who don’t mind spending a bit of cash.
For a pretty sum you get an incredibly durable tire for aggressive trail and enduro riding. The tire favors a front setup with widely spaced knobs that easily clear mud. That wide spacing and high side knobs does mean you feel the transition from straight to hard cornering, which is something to get used to.
A compound containing 3 separate rubbers offer superb grip in a heavy casing, which is especially noticeable going uphill. The tire excels in fast descents which are not too technical, because the grip, weight, and durability means it rumbles over anything in your path.
- Going fast and straight on not too technical terrain. Extremely durable.
- You feel tire transition in hard corners
Specifications 29 inch gumwall tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maxxis Ikon | 29×2.20 | 57-662 | 685 | Black | Light Tan | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Schwalbe Racing Ray | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 680 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Speed | Super Race | tlr | ||
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 691 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.35 | 60-622 | 805 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.40 | 61-622 | 803 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Schwalbe Thunder Burt | 29×2.10 | 54-622 | 545 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Speed | tlr | |||
Schwalbe Thunder Burt | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 645 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Speed | Super Race | tlr | ||
Schwalbe Thunder Burt | 29×2.35 | 60-622 | 730 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Speed | Super Race | tlr | ||
Vittoria Mezcal | 29×2.10 | 54-622 | 640 | Black | Tan | 4C Graphene | XC Race TLR | tlr | ||
Vittoria Mezcal | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 690 | Black | Tan | 4C Graphene | XC Race TLR | tlr | ||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 29×2.50WT | 64-622 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 978 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.40WT | 61-622 | 988 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 983 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
WTB Vigilante 2.3 | 29×2.30 | 57-622 | 955 | Black | Tan | TriTec Single | foldable | |||
WTB Trail Boss 2.25 | 29×2.25 | 54-622 | 909 | Black | Tan | TriTec Dual DNA | Light/Fast Rolling / SG2 | tlr | ||
Schwalbe Magic Mary | 29×2.60 | 65-622 | 1220 | Black | Bronze | ADDIX Soft | tlr | |||
Schwalbe Wicked Will | 29×2.40 | 62-622 | 820 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX SpeedGrip | Super Race | TLE | ||
Schwalbe Wicked Will | 29×2.40 | 62-622 | 845 | Black | Bronze | ADDIX SpeedGrip | Super Ground | TLE | ||
Maxxis Ardent | 29×2.40 | 61-622 | 925 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
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.
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