In this article I’m going to give the very best 650b trail tires.
When it comes to trail tires I’m looking for those tires that offer premium characteristics of grip, traction, cornering control, speed and puncture protection. And the tires on this list score well in all of those departments, with individual tires favoring one feature more than the other. When you want the ultimate in puncture protection, it always means adding some weight for example.
I’ve also added tires that move into the direction of light trail riding or cross country. They are very good on their own or offer a great combination with another tire on this list if you want to make use of the benefits that riding a different set of tires offers you. For example, you could ride a lighter less aggressive tire in the back, where grip is less important, while still enjoying the benefit of reduced weight or increased traction.
Enough talk, let’s head over to my picks for the best 650b trail tires.
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
Schwalbe Nobby Nic
The Schwalbe Nobby Nic is the best all-round trail tire from the German manufacturer. If there’s a tire that could rival the dominance of the Maxxis DHR and DHF and its omnipresence on the trail, it’s this one.
It’s tread pattern provides loads of grip and traction. Its allround nature means it’s just as good in the front as it is in the back. And it’s also often seen as a grippy front tire for aggressive XC riding, with a faster and lighter tire in the back.
You can go up to a size 2.35 if you want to and it’s also the only tire that comes in a 26 inch tan version. So if you’re looking for a solid all-round setup, meant for every conceivable condition, dry and wet, hardpack and forest trail, and you want to ride a tan version, this is the tire for you.
- High quality fit-and-forget all-round trail option. Loads of sizing / compound combinations possible. Can be used both front and rear for trail riding, or front for XC.
- 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.
- Fantastic rear XC tire. Low weight, and super fast. Combine with Racking Ray, Rocket Ron, or Nobby Nic for a grippier setup.
- None
WTB Vigilante 2.5/2.6/2.8
The WTB Vigilante 2.5/2.6/2.8 is a solid contender to many of the premium offerings from other high-quality brands.
Obviously there are a number of tire widths to choose from, depending on your personal preference when it comes to grip. What this tire has got going for it is that’s prefers grip and handling over weight. The rather widely spaced and high soft knobbies do very well in keeping your bike connected to the trail, ensuring high levels of confidence in hard cornering.
WTB offers this tire in their TriTec compound, which basically means that the casing consists of three layers, with each layer having a different firmness. The harder durometer is reserved for the center, reducing the risk of punctures and making the tire faster in a straight line. This gradual increase in softness from center to side sounds great on paper, and indeed works exceptionally well on the trail. It makes for a really grippy and reliable tire in corners and reasonably fast on the straights with adequate levels of puncture protection.
I tend to disagree that this tire works as well in the rear as it does in the front when it comes to braking and traction. The widely spaced tread pattern without those distinctive horizontal rows simply isn’t the best setup to support those two rear tire characteristics. On the other hand, if you like a loose feel and don’t mind the occasional drift, this tire actually enhances such a way of riding.
In the end the WTB Vigilante rightly deserves its spot on this list with grippy and fun riding characteristics that’ll suit a great number of riders.
- Great all-round rear trail tire, good level of puncture protection
- None
Specifications 650b trail tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | ||
WTB Vigilante 2.5/2.6/2.8 | 27.5×2.50 | 60-584 | 1092 | Black | Black | TriTec Single | tlr | 60 | ||
WTB Vigilante 2.5/2.6/2.8 | 27.5×2.50 | 60-584 | 1174 | Black | Black | TriTec Dual | tlr | 60 | ||
WTB Vigilante 2.5/2.6/2.8 | 27.5×2.60 | 65-584 | 1340 | Black | Black | TriTec Dual | tlr | 60 | ||
Schwalbe Big Betty | 27.5X2.40 | 62-584 | 1300 | Black | Black | ADDIX Ultra Soft | tlr | |||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 880 | Black | Light Tan | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 60 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.50 | 63-584 | 1005 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.50 | 63-584 | 945 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.50 | 63-584 | 956 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 1010 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 965 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHF | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 925 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 800 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.30 | 58-584 | 805 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.40 | 61-584 | 900 | Black | Black | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.40 | 61-586 | 940 | Black | Tan | Dual | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.40 | 61-587 | 1126 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 910 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO+ | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Minion DHR II | 27.5×2.60 | 66-584 | 1065 | Black | Black | 3C MaxxTerra | EXO | tlr | 60 | |
Maxxis Forekaster | 27.5X2.35 | 60-584 | 690 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis Forekaster | 27.5X2.60 | 66-584 | 820 | Black | Black | Dual | tlr | 60 |
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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