In this article I’m going to give you what I feel to be the best 29 inch downhill tires you can buy.
When you’re flying down a hill you need to be able to rely on your tires more than in any other mountain biking discipline.
These tires represent the grippiest out there, with the most aggressive tread pattern ensuring you stick to the trail, no matter how fast you’re taking that corner.
Widely spaced center treads for quick shedding of mud and dirt, and raised knobs to bite into the trail are hallmarks of great downhill tires. Forward pointing knobs for front tires to enable maximum grip, and horizontal rows in the rear for braking power and traction.
Enough talk, here’s the list of the best 29 inch downhill tires.
Continental Der Baron Projekt ProTection Apex
The Continental Der Baron Projekt is a very aggressive mountain bike tire. Massive blocks sufficiently spaced ensure you have both maximum grip and maximum mud clearance, making this tire a solid enduro allrounder in both wet and dry conditions.
Even in the 2.4 inch width version, this tire weighs 890, which makes this tire a great option if you want to ride all year round, but you stay away from the trail in the worst of conditions.
The BlackChili compound from Continental is known for its great durability. So if you’re also looking for a tire that’ll last you a very long time, and save on cash that way, the Der Baron Projekt is a solid choice as well.
- Extremely lightweight gravity tire, durable
- Meant for downhill or enduro
Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex
When riding in dry conditions you might want to choose the Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex. This premium offering is faster than the more allround Der Baron in a number of respects.
Although at 1100 grams, this is a light tire, it is by no means meant to be a fast-rolling trail tire. The knobbies are spaced to wide for a low rolling resistance, something that matters less when going downhill. The horizontal rows of knobs make for some phenomenal braking power. So for those who want to go down at breakneck speeds this tire has your name written all over it.
- Fast, light, great braking power
- Meant for downhill, not the best tire in wet conditions
Kenda Hellkat Pro
The only 26 inch option left in Kenda’s lineup for all-round trail, enduro, and downhill purposes.
Unlike other brands like Maxxis, Schwalbe, and Continental, Kenda seems to be moving away from 26 inch tires for their premium lineup. Although an understandable move it’s still a shame. It means that for downhill you’ll have to settle for the Kenda Hellkat over the Kenda Pinner.
Nonetheless the Kenda Hellkat is an impressive offering which propels the brand back among its peers. The Maxxis DHFs and Schwalbe Magic Marys have been at the top of downhill lists for a very long time now, so it’s good to see Kenda taking a shot with this tire that has excellent traction and durability characteristics.
- Solid all-round trail tire
- 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 Assegai
If you know mountain biking you know Greg Minnaar. And the Maxxis Assegai is said to be designed with his help. So what does that say about this tire?
Well, he’s a downhill champion, so expect monstrous level of grip and traction in a tire well-suited for the most aggressive trail riders among us. For such an aggressive tire, the profile is relatively rounded still, smoothing out transitions from straight to cornering, without that vague feeling you sometimes get in between.
This tire sits just below a true mud tire, so all of that traction will come at a premium, and the price you pay is of course a slow, and heavy tire in those times when you don’t need as much grip. When choosing tires you have to compromise, and when the going gets tough this is the tire you want to be riding.
- Very grippy tire, meant for bad conditions
- Meant for downhill
Schwalbe Big Betty
The Schwalbe Big Betty is the go-to rear tire for the Schwalbe Magic Mary. Where the Magic Mary has proven to be among the top tires in terms of traction, when combined with the Big Betty you improve your overall braking power.
It has a horizontal tread pattern to do so, that’s sufficiently spaced to have sufficient clearing characteristics as well when you release the brakes again.
Of all the downhill combinations available on the market today, I can’t think of a single one that beats Schwalbe’s current offering of Magic Mary and Big Betty. It’s one of the heaviest sets of downhill-specific tires, that’ll provide you the ultimate in traction.
- Rear downhill tire, fantastic traction
- Meant for downhill
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
Specifications 29 inch downhill tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maxxis Minion DHF | 29×2.30 | 58-622 | 925 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 29×2.50WT | 63-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | ||
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 DHF | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 995 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 29×3.00 | 76-622 | 1110 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.30 | 58-622 | 825 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.30 | 58-622 | 1040 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | DD | tlr | 120 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.40WT | 61-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.40WT | 61-622 | 988 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.40WT | 61-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxGrip | DD | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 1035 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 983 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Continental Der Baron Projekt ProTection Apex | 29×2.40 | 60-622 | 990 | Black | Black | BlackChili | ProTection Apex casing | tlr | 3/180 | |
Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex | 29×2.40 | 60-622 | 1225 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Apex casing | tlr | 6/360 | |
Maxxis Assegai | 29×2.50WT | 64-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | |||
Maxxis Assegai | 29×2.50WT | 64-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | |||
Maxxis Assegai | 29×2.50WT | 64-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | |||
Maxxis Assegai | 29×2.50WT | 64-622 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | |||
Maxxis Assegai | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 1129 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Assegai | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 1087 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | ||
Schwalbe Big Betty | 29×2.40 | 62-622 | 1290 | Black | Black | ADDIX Soft | Super Gravity | tlr | ||
Schwalbe Big Betty | 29×2.60 | 65-622 | 1370 | Black | Black | ADDIX Soft | Super Gravity | tlr | ||
Schwalbe Big Betty | 29×2.60 | 65-622 | 1260 | Black | Black | ADDIX Soft | Super Trail | 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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