In this article I’m going to cover what I believe would constitute a proper list of the best 29 inch hybrid bike tires.
Traditionally (I mean ’90s) a hybrid tire either meant a bigger volume road bike tire, or a city bike tire with small knobbies. That’s very different from today where the type of bikes available has exploded beyond comprehension.
29 inches is the same as a 700C with respect to rim diameter. The only difference is that 29 inch is used for tires above 2 inch width, and 700C for tires below 2 inch. That’s basically the distinction between cross-country or XC tires, and gravel tires.
So the big question when it comes to picking 29 inch hybrid tires is whether or not they’re going to be used on a mountain bike or gravel bike. This is important when it comes to tire clearance.
Because it says 29 inch, I’m going to assume you’re looking for tires with a width of 2 inch or larger. And, because it’s called hybrid, I looked into XC, touring, and bikepacking, since those tires are the most versatile for urban and light gravel use.
So let’s see what’s made it on my list of the best 29 inch hybrid bike tires.
Maxxis Grifter
It’s funny that depending on the size, 20 vs 29 inch, the Maxxis Grifter falls into the category of either BMX or urban commuter tire.
Whatever size you pick it’s a very strong tire indeed. It offers the Silkshield bead-to-bead puncture protection and sidewall reinforcement.
Its BMX nature makes this a fast-rolling, relatively lightweight tire. And it comes in plus sizes as well for a very plush and comfortable ride.
- Strong, well-reinforced tire, fast-rolling, and reasonably lightweight
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Hookworm
The Maxxis Hookworm is a durable urban road bike tire meant to last for many miles as a trustworthy commuting companion.
It’s a large volume, round, and heavy wired tire that smooths out small bumps and road buzz once it has gathered momentum. It’s definitely not a race tire.
It has one of the weirder looking tread patterns I’ve seen on a tire, which makes it fall into the semi-slick category since there are no knobbies whatsoever. The swirling patterns probably do well siphoning water away to the outside in wet conditions.
At 26 x 2.5 inches make sure you’ve got enough frame clearance to be able to actually run these big tires.
I’ve run these types of heavy round tires and can say they offer an incredible plush and comfortable feel, and once you get going are fast enough for quick urban assaults.
- long lasting slick mile-cruncher, wide tire
- Heavy wired tire, might not fit every frame
Schwalbe Hurricane
I also decided to include the Schwalbe Hurricane in this list. It’s a shame they don’t sell them in skinwall versions as well. But the tire packs a solid combination of a flat centerline and side knobs.
The side knobs means the tire is more versatile than the average slick, opening up the possibility to take your bike offroad and away from the beaten path.
If you want to keep a MTB look for your tires without sacrificing too much speed on the road, this is the perfect tire for you. Especially if you like the occasional trail as well because of the added grip.
- Great all-round gravel and light XC tire, with an affordable quality.
- None
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB
The Schwalbe Marathon is the ultimate allrounder in the tire department and one of the best-selling tires on the market. So the German brand decided to make a MTB-specific version of this tire: the Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB.
Although it looks like a knobby tire, if you look close enough you can see that the center tread will let you run smoothly across pavement. And just like the standard Marathon is meant for commuting and touring, the same goes for this one.
It’s a heavy tire when compared to some of the XC racers. But the biggest plus for hauling all that extra weight is that in terms of puncture protection, this tire has no equal. The reason is pretty simple. Schwalbe stuffed a 5mm strip underneath the center tread, made from highly puncture resistant rubber. And as simple as that sounds, it’s extremely effective in preventing punctures.
So for those of you who want the risk of flats nearing zero, this is the tire for you.
- Mile cruncher, unparalleled puncture protection
- Heavy, meant for commuting, touring, and bikepacking.
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.
- 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.
- One of the lightest mountain bike tire on the market, with excellent puncture protection. Geared towards speed in every way.
- None
Kenda Kwick Nine
The Kenda Kwick Nine is an e-bike certified commuter tire of both reasonable weight and price.
It offers a K-Shield puncture belt of 3mm underneath the center tread, which will do a solid job of preventing you from running a flat.
Being e-bike certified also means it adheres to standards of greater durability, sidewall strength, and braking power, necessary when dealing with a heavier bike.
A great allrounder for any big-wheeled commuter.
- Great allround, e-bike certified commuter tire, with solid puncture protection.
- None
WTB Slick
The WTB Slick is, especially when compared to other tires in the WTB lineup, a reasonably affordable semi-slick tire.
It has a lot in common with the very popular WTB ThickSlick, except for its tread pattern. Because it actually has one, whereas the ThickSlick doesn’t.
So if you really want to use this tire as a commuter tire, and plan on also using it on wet road conditions, it’s safer without compromising on speed versus the ThickSlick.
That being said, there are tires which I feel score (much) higher in both durability and puncture protection (looking at you Schwalbe Marathon MTB).
- Semi-slick
- No added puncture protection
Specifications 29 inch hybrid bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental Cross King ProTection | 29×2.30 | 58-622 | 755 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | ||
Continental Cross King ProTection | 29×2.20 | 55-622 | 630 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | tlr | ||
Continental Race King ProTection | 29×2.20 | 55-622 | 595 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection casing | foldable | ||
Kenda Kwick Nine | 29×2.20 | 56-622 | 964 | Black | Black | SRC | KS | wired | ||
Kenda Kwick Nine | 29×2.00 | 52-622 | 889 | Black | Black | SRC | KS | wired | ||
Maxxis Crossmark II | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 780 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Grifter | 29×2.00 | 52-622 | 911 | Black | Black | Dual | wired | |||
Maxxis Grifter | 29×2.50 | 60-622 | 1090 | Black | Black | Dual | wired | |||
Maxxis Hookworm | 29×2.50 | 63-622 | 1230 | Black | Black | Single | wired | 60 | ||
Maxxis Ikon | 29×2.20 | 57-662 | 685 | Black | Light Tan | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Ikon | 29×2.35 | 60-622 | 830 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | 120 | |
Schwalbe Hurricane | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 740 | Black | Black Reflex | ADDIX | Performance | wired | ||
Schwalbe Hurricane | 29×2.40 | 62-622 | 940 | Black | Black Reflex | ADDIX | RaceGuard / Double Defense | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 29×2.10 | 52-622 | 1275 | Black | Black | ADDIX | SmartGuard | wired | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 29×2.10 | 52-622 | 1350 | Black | Black | ADDIX | SmartGuard | wired | ||
WTB Slick | 29×2.20 | 54-622 | 979 | Black | Black | DNA | wired |
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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