In this list I’m going to focus on providing you with the very best 650b commuter tires.
It seems like in the last couple of years the innovation with respect to bicycle tires has exploded. In part this is because the last decade has seen the introduction of different wheel sizes, and the gravel riding cycling category.
The latter especially has caused a plethora of high performance tires that are perfectly suited for the ambitious commuter who will not settle for your average wired tire. In this article I’ve focused on a range of more traditional, but very high-quality and durable commuter tires. And I’ve thrown in a smattering of gravel tires that are well suited on pavement and tarmac because of their slick or semi-slick nature.
Since research has indicated the benefits of wider tires significantly outweigh those of slimmer versions, the overall width lies between 40 and 50 millimeters. But the list contains entries below 40 mm as well.
So let’s see what I’ve got in store for you with my top picks for the best 650b commuter tires.
Continental CONTACT Speed
Meant for the road the Continental Contact Speed is a slick tire in the true sense of the word. A minimalistic profile will turn your bike into a city slicker.
In the commuting and touring range from this German brand, it sits in the fastest category and is one of the most affordable options to obtain a fast-rolling tire.
It also has excellent puncture protection with Continental’s more than adequate SafetySystem breaker technology. Chances of flats are minimized.
- Affordable slick tire, with excellent puncture protection
- None
Continental Grand Prix 5000
The Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a clincher tire and dubbed as the best allrounder in the field.
And on paper at least the numbers are very impressive. A 330 TPI tire (very supple) at a claimed weight of 200 grams for a 23 mm width version. It has the exact same Vectran breaker as the other ones on this list, so as far as puncture protection is concerned, this tire performs equally impressively.
And this tire comes in a tan wall version or transparent as Continental calls it. But if you want the lightest version of this tire, you’ll have to stick to black.
- Best all-round road bike tire on the market, supple, light, good puncture protection, tan wall option available
- None
Maxxis DTR-1
The Maxxis DTR-1 is an affordable semi-slick 650b tire with a tread pattern for urban assaults.
The foldable version is reasonably light for its width of 47 millimeters, coming in at just over 500 grams.
It’s a no-fuss tire for people looking for a fast-rolling commuter option for their bike without having to dig too deep into their wallets.
- Affordable, great allround commuter, durable semi-slick
- None
Panaracer Pasela ProTite
Panaracer makes very nice mid-level priced tires. And they also offer some of the best-looking ones for retro builds. I choose the Panaracer Pasela ProTite over the normal Pasela, because it’s lighter, comes in a folding version and has better puncture protection.
The ProTite bead-to-bead protection covers is a tightly woven fabric covering the entire width of the tire, and sits in a mid-tier casing, offering a great combination of puncture protection, and low weight.
In general the Pasela ProTite are lightweight and true skin walls, that’ll look great on your bike.
- Fantastic all-round tire, very light, true skin wall tires. Go-to option for retro commuter builds.
- None
Schwalbe Big Ben
The Schwalbe Big Ben is the Big Apple’s brother, which means it’s even heavier. In fact, they’re almost the heaviest tires overall in this list. But on the flipside it does come in a number of brown colors other than black to accentuate your frame and make for a cool retro build. And it’s also reflected in a price which will hurt your wallet the least.
The Plus version is also probably the plushest ride here, but with almost a kilo per tire, don’t expect to be flying away when the light goes green.
- plush ride, extremely durable
- heavy
Schwalbe G-One Speed
If you’re a person who likes fast, plush rides on pavement and slightly coarse roads the Schwalbe G-One Speed is probably the best tire money can buy.
It’s an exceptional big volume road tire that’s light, nimble, and lets you rip down the road with a big grin on your face. It’s a step up in width from your average road tire, which means you get an incredibly supple and plush ride and loads of grip. Sure you have to sacrifice a bit in the rolling-resistance department when compared to a 25 millimeter road tire, but this tire is simply more fun to ride and much, much more comfortable.
And this tire doesn’t shy away from light gravel riding as well, broadening the range of application beyond very fast commuting.
- Extremely fast-rolling tire, great option for both gravel and commuting
- 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.
WTB Byway
WTB has been at the forefront of providing high-quality gravel tires and the WTB Byway is another great example of why the brand reigns supreme in that department.
The slick center line ensures this minimal gravel tire is fast when going in a straight line. But the pronounced side knobbies allow for enough confidence in dry summer conditions when riding hardpack and dirt roads.
Even a great tire such as this one has its limits, and the minimal tread pattern won’t fare well in wet and muddy conditions. Also grip on steep inclines with loose gravel might be less optimal because of its semi-slick nature. But to be fair that’s not the intended purpose of this tire.
So if your average ride includes pavement and gravel and speed is at the top of your list, this is a gorgeous option to choose.
- Fantastic semi-slick gravel option
- None
WTB Groov-E
The WTP Groov-E was designed for e-bikes, which is reflected in the weight of 970 grams.
The reason it’s on this list is because with its 2.40 inch width and weight, it will offer an extremely plush ride. Not everybody is looking for speed, and if comfort sits high on your list, this tire might be the one for you.
- E-bike compatible, very wide, plush ride quality
- Heavy
WTB Horizon
The WTB Horizon is a gorgeous and supple 650b slick tire, available in both black and true tan-wall options.
The 47 millimeter width tire comes in both a single ply 60 TPI and a more supple 120 TPI version. The center tread has no pattern whatsoever and is flanked by dual herringbone patterns to provide a modicum of traction when riding anything else but smooth tarmac and pavement.
It’s fully tubeless compatible and the round tire ranging between 515 and 571 grams for the various versions will make a plush ride indeed for any type of light gravel riding or urban commuting.
- One of the best slicks for gravel riding, plush ride quality
- None
WTB ThickSlick
Of all the tires I’ve come across, none is as true to its name as the WTB ThickSlick.
The high-contrast white letters on the smooth carcass is one of the most distinctive designs for a black tire you can find. A tire with a non-existent tread pattern such as this one is obviously meant for riding on pavement and tarmac. And it does so admirably, with a reasonable enough weight and rolling-resistance.
It’s a very niche-oriented tire to turn your bike into something more. And one of the best-looking slick mountain bike tires ever to hit the market.
- True slick with no tread pattern. Unique-looking tire
- Meant for urban riding only
Specifications 650b commuter tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental CONTACT Speed | 27.5×2.00 | 50-584 | 700 | Black | Black | SafetySystem Breaker | tlr | 3/180 | ||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 27.5×2.10 | 54-584 | 1200 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | |||
Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB | 27.5×2.25 | 57-584 | 1270 | Black | Black | ADDIX | wired | |||
WTB Groov-E | 27.5×2.40 | 62-584 | 970 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | |||
WTB ThickSlick | 27.5×1.95 | 50-584 | 713 | Black | Black | DNA | folding | |||
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 650x28B | 28-584 | 230 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | tlr | 220 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 650x25B | 25-584 | 210 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | tlr | 220 | |
WTB Horizon | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 532 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | 60 | ||
WTB Horizon | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 515 | Black | Tan | Dual DNA | tlr | 60 | ||
WTB Horizon | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 571 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | 120 | ||
Maxxis DTR-1 | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 505 | Black | Black | Dual | foldable | 60 | ||
WTB Byway | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 564 | Black | Black | Dual DNA | tlr | |||
WTB Byway | 27.5×1.85 | 47-584 | 535 | Black | Tan | Dual DNA | 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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