In this article we’re going to cover one of my favorite subjects: speed. More specifically, I’m going to give you my top picks for the fastest 29 inch MTB tires.
I started out my cycling career on a road bike. And with road bikes tire speed is pretty simple, or so I thought. My general thought strategy was that a 21 mm tire inflated to the point of bursting would do the trick.
That’s not true, and not even close when considering mountain bike tires. A high tire pressure would catapult you off the bike when hitting the first bump, and mountain biking is much more dynamic than road cycling.
The fastest MTB tires are found in the XC discipline, categorized by low weight for acceleration, smaller knobbies for lower rolling-resistance, and smaller widths so as not to have a large footprint to hold you back. These tires also offer harder compounds to decrease rolling resistance.
So that’s the category I’m going to be focusing my attention on. With that out of the way, here’s my overview of the fastest 29 inch MTB 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 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
Maxxis Pace
The Maxxis Pace is a cross country tire with the most minimal tread pattern in Maxxis’ XC lineup.
It’s an excellent tire if you want to keep the MTB nature of your bike, being able to ride comfortably and confidently on surfaces other than flat tarmac. The tire has excellent rolling-resistance characteristics which makes it perfectly suitable for urban riding, while the minimalistic knobbies still provide enough bite for hardpack and gravel riding in dry conditions.
And with a 2.1 inch width the tires don’t feel out of place on your 29er. Furthermore it displays other features of a full-blown mountain bike tire, with it being tubeless compatible and having Maxxis EXO puncture resistance in a relatively lightweight package of 650 grams.
Rachel Sokal | Technical writer – May 9, 2017
For XC race-orientated tyres, both the Pace and Race TT have been solid and predictable performers. And with the EXO reinforcement, they’ve remained stable at lower pressures and so far (touch wood…) haven’t delivered me any sliced sidewalls. The tread and sidewalls are also showing little sign of wear despite some high mileage and ham-fisted use over the test period, which is a nice change from some of the more delicate race tyres on the market.
- Semi-slick XC-oriented tire, use front or rear
- Not the grippiest
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.
Gerow | Product reviewer – December 10, 2020
Another element of note from that ride and successive trail romps is that the EXO casings are an ideal match for an XC tire like the Maxxis Rekon Race. While I wouldn’t mount this casing on any gravity bike, no matter what the tread, it’s the perfect thickness and support for a tire with these intentions. With the low braking grip on these tires most riders won’t ride steep and gnarly trails fast enough to need a thicker casing, and the thinner sidewalls give the tire a nice and natural rebound sensation without flopping over in fast corners.
- Great allround option, very durable
- None
Kenda Booster Pro
The Kenda Booster Pro is the only 26 inch XC tire on this list that comes in a 2.4 inch width.
It’s unfortunate I don’t have the weight and rolling resistance numbers for that version of the tire.
The knobs are extremely densely packed with 6 in a row, so you know the tire is meant for speed and will lose its grip very fast in wet conditions.
It looks very similar to the Continental Race King RaceSport with its arrowhead like tread pattern, making it ideal for cross country and dirt jumping.
Joe Mackey | Contributor – August 2, 2021
The Boosters are one of the faster tires I’ve used on a gravel bike. While these are some of the best all-around gravel tires I’ve ridden, they did show some feathering on the knobs pretty early on. A large part of this is due to the softer compound, which I would take over less traction any day. All that to say, if you’re shopping for the highest mileage tire possible, this probably won’t be the best option. Overall the Booster Pro is a solid all-rounder with confident traction and support that I would run on just about any style of gravel.
- Durable and lightweight XC and dirt jumping tire
- None
Specifications fastest 29 inch MTB tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Maxxis Ardent Race | 29×2.20 | 56-622 | 767 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxSpeed | EXO | tlr | 120 |
Maxxis Pace | 29×2.10 | 53-622 | 650 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.25 | 57-622 | 691 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 120 |
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.35 | 60-622 | 805 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 |
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.35 | 60-622 | 762 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 120 |
Maxxis Rekon Race | 29×2.40 | 61-622 | 759 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 120 |
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 Booster Pro | 29×2.60 | 66-622 | 681 | Black | Black | Single | TR | 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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