Indeed, shoes make the man. So also, tires make the bike. A road bike and a good wheel set cannot be separated. Tires affect everything; speed, handling, safety and the performance of your road bike. Just like every other thing, with road bike tires, you get what you pay for.
Continental Grand Prix 4 Season Road Tire
Obviously, higher quality tires will be costly, and they last longer, are durable and perform exceptionally well. The sheer number of different road bike tire types available makes it difficult to know which one is best suited to your cycling.
Check out this top ten road bike tire review to know what you should look for when thinking of buying tires for your road bike. Learn, among other things, whether you should go for a rolling resistance or puncture protection tire or simply a time trial PR.
Image | Name | Our Rating's | Price |
  | Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Tire | ||
  | Schwinn Street Comfort Bike Tire with Kevlar | ||
  | Bell BMX Bike Tire | ||
  | Kenda K908 Pathfinder Wire Bead Bicycle Tire | ||
  | Vittoria Rubino Pro III Fold Tire |
Top 10 Best Road Bike Tires Reviews of 2021
1. Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Tire
Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Tire is an ultimate puncture protection tire. Continental GatorSkin is designed with a strong tread compound that is reliable for mega miles when hitting the off road. It also features a durable carbon black mixture for long hauls and a slick center for rolling smoothly on the tarmac.
The tire is designed to handle different terrains with the same high performance. The side wall is sturdy to protect from punctures when rolling through urban areas plagued with sharp objects. Its shoulder lugged center treads make it ride stably through marshy terrains.
Special Features Are
- 3/180 TPI carcass.
- Carbon black compound for durability.
- Duraskin anti-cut fabric.
- PolyXBreaker for puncture protection.
- Rolls stable through spike plagued and marshy terrains.
- Width varies: 23mm-32mm.
2. Schwinn Street Comfort Bike Tire with Kevlar
Schwinn Street comfort 26×1.95” road bike tire offers an opportunity to enjoy great riding performance in different terrains and varying riding conditions. Schwinn Street Comfort is a good choice for riding on bike paths, street roads and an array of difficult terrains.
It comes with a layer of Kevlar for strength, durability, and protection from damage and punctures. Carbon steel beads offer the much-needed flexibility when riding over sticks, rocks and such like objects.
It has a snipping tread pattern that is designed to enhance bite and traction to the road surface provides a comfortable, enjoyable riding experience.
Special Features Are
- 26” tire size for comfortable riding.
- Carbon wire beads for difficult terrains.
- Shallow knobs for flat/even terrains.
- Thick Kevlar layer for puncture protection.
3. Bell BMX Bike Tire
The Bell BMX tire is a durable, affordable option. They come in 12-1/2” and are designed to fit 1.77”-2.125” wide rim.
They are rugged and tough to handle difficult terrains with rocks and sticks. This makes them perfect for hitting the off road. The thick layer of Kevlar at the center makes them a durable and reliable choice. You can ride comfortably through areas littered with picking objects without worry of punctures.
This is a versatile puncture protection and rolling resistant bike tire. It is flexible and folds/unfolds easily without causing any damage. They ride perfectly on gravel as well.
Special Features Are
- 12-1/2” dimension for speeding.
- Folds and unfolds without damage .
- Thick Kevlar layer to reduce punctures.
- Fits 1.77” – 2.125”.
- Low rolling resistance.
4. Kenda K908 Pathfinder Wire Bead Bicycle Tire
This Kenda K908 pathfinder lets you enjoy a comfortable riding experience on street roads, bike paths, and varied road conditions. The silk center offers stability and the whole tire is sturdy and flexible to allow for long hauls.
It’s perfect for road bikes used to commute to and from work. Its 26” dimensions allow for comfortable riding, and it offers an impressive traction for great acceleration. The tire grips the road well and braking is almost instant.
Special Features Are
- Wire beaded for stability.
- 26” tire for aggressive and comfortable riding.
- Rolls quietly and smoothly on tarmac.
- Excellent performance on different road conditions.
- Fast center tread for assured traction.
5. Vittoria Rubino Pro III Fold Tire
The Rubino Pro III is an all-around tire that comes highly recommended for group rides, commuting, and professional road racing. It is low weight and comes in a 150 TPI nylon casing.
It extra light weight design makes it incapable of having a low rolling resistance (but its comfortable riding makes up for this). Its puncture protection system is highly effective and the whole tire rolls smoothly, quietly and comfortably.
Special Features Are
- 225g extra light weight.
- Long-life rubber compound.
- Effective flat tire resistance.
- Impressive impact resistance capability.
- High rolling resistance.
- Great performance in terms of wet grip.
- Scores high in aerodynamics.
- High mileage compound.
- Comfortable and stable.
- Medium priced.
6. Continental Tour Ride Urban Bicycle Tire
When riding conditions are unpredictable, the Continental tour ride tires are the best choice you can go for. They are perfect for touring and you can certainly rely on them when getting around town or commuting to work.
It features a slick center tread for quick, easy rolling. When not in the straights, the tire has ample firm tread on its shoulders for perfect cornering traction. It also features a sturdy protection belt at the center to ward off punctures. It’s great for group riding.
Special Features Are
- 700c, 28”.
- Trusted puncture protection technology.
- Reliable cornering traction.
- Easy rolling in the straight.
- Rubber compound for long life.
- High mileage compound.
- ISO: 42-584.
7. Schwalbe Marathon GG RLX Wire Bead Tire
The Marathon road bike tire is high quality and durable archetypical touring tire. It features a green guard which is a highly elastic 3mm thick Indian rubber placed at its center or puncture protection.
The tire also has an anti-aging construct that is durable and can withstand the typical cracks to the side wall caused by overloading while on low tire pressure.
The tire is e-bike approved and can roll up to 50km/h.
Special Features Are
- 3mm thick layer.
- 27 x 1-1/4 inch tire original size.
- Features anti-aging compound.
- Low rolling resistance.
- Treads on center and shoulder increase traction.
- Excellent grip on wet, off-road and winter conditions.
- Lightweight.
- Puncture protection design.
8. Continental Grand Prix 4 Season Road Tire
The Grand Prix 4 season is a top-level road bike tire designed for the professional cyclist in road races. It offers exceptional wet condition and winter performance. It features impressive technologies like DuraSkin bead to bead for cut resistance and 2 extra layers Vectran Breakers for enhanced puncture protection.
Anti-tear Duraskin fabric makes the Grand Prix 4 season capable of holding up under the most extreme conditions. It is highly reliable and guarantees near-zero tire related problems.
The tire is durable and features a special wear resistant carbon black compound for excellent mileage performance. It offers great adhesion to wet road conditions and rolls exceptionally well in temperate conditions.
Special Features Are
- Excellent mileage performance.
- Duraskin anti-tear compound.
- 2 layers Vectran Breakers for puncture protection.
- Durable material.
- Low rolling resistance.
- Foldable and flexible type.
9. Kenda K838 Slick Wire Bead Bicycle Tire
This is another durable and affordable high-quality road bike tire from your trusted tire manufacturer; Kenda Rubber industrial. Kenda K838 Slick Wire Bead is a slick MTB trial and hybrid road bike tire that comes in 26 x 1.95 inches.
The tread design is inspired by motorcycle tire trading system to achieve high traction and low rolling resistance. It is a perfect choice for commuting and club riding road bike cycling.
The tire has a durable design with wire beads firmly holding it to shape. It features directional grooves that channel water to the outer edge of the tire. And the whole tire is light weight.
Special Features Are
- 26 x 1.95 inches Kenda tire.
- Low rolling resistance.
- High traction.
- Rolls well on street roads.
- Trial type/ hybrid tire for road bikes.
- Durable tire.
10. Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Home Trainer Fold Tire
The Vittoria Pro is a must have road bike trainer type tire for the professional cyclist. It lets you hit the road during the off-season and save your good racing rubber for the road track. They are specially designed with a long-life compound for durability and dependability.
This compound dissipates heat faster and better than the normal tire hence minimizing on trainer drone during indoor riding.
This is a unique tire that features top Vittoria engineering ingenuity.
It is specially designed for the particularly demanding load expected when training; occurring during skidding or cycling and braking while roller drums are still revolving.
Special Features Are
- 26” Hybrid tire.
- Ideal for tube trainer.
- Good for roller trainer.
- Long-life compound for durability.
Things To Consider Before Buying Bike Tire
The sheer numbers of different road bike tire types available make it difficult to choose the best-suited tire for your riding. However, with a little information and given a few best options to choose from, you are bale to know what you should look for when buying road bike tires. Here are a few things you need to consider before buying:
Type of Tire
Are you looking for best value? All-weather tires? Best tubeless tires? An all-rounder tire? Road race tires? Touring tires? Best for gravel tires? Or, Puncture resistance tires? Also, if you’re looking for the inner tubes for your garden tractor or lawn mower check here to get the best.
Seasons
Summer brings good weather and good roads. Choose between speeding or protection tires. On the other hand, winter is associated with bad gritty harsh roads. Larger chunkier tires with low pressure are perfect for this weather.
Also, if it’s racing season, you’ll need a road race tire. Off-season calls for trainers that can withstand the rigors of cycle training.
Terrain
Road racers worry less about sharp debris on their path as compared to computers. These two will need different types of tires.
Durability
Here you consider the quality of material, nature of trends and whether there are any reinforcing compounds to make the tire durable.
Price
The price of a tire tells a lot about the technology of the rubber, the weight of the tire and quality of the construction.
