Hello.

I Need to change my tires and I am researching the best tread pattern. I have a mountain bike. I used to have knobby off-road tires, that came with the bike. They're so old, the tube is poking out of them and I need to change it.

I would like to take this as an opportunity to make my bike faster: get tires with less rolling resistance. I ride a lot of pavement. But it is still a mountain bike and I want to be able to use it as such. I do not want to put pure slicks on it. I am looking for tires that can do both road and off-road.

MY research thus far suggest what I want is fairy tale. Still, perhaps something might fit my requirements if I make some compromises. First of all, off-road trails are diverse... apparently. There's hardpack, gravel, loose, dirt, soft soil and mud. And more, probably. Mud appears to require too much specialization for any compromise to be possible. So which tires are best for low rolling resistance pavement and grip on gravel, dirt, sandy trails, soft soil etc.? That is really what I am looking for most: fast on pavement, low roilling resistance for pavement, as low as possible, and a bare minimum of grip of off-road. As high as it can go (the difficulty of the terrain I mean): if mud is not possible than a minimum of grip on gravel.

I am looking at tires with tiny knobs, packed densely together. That's the best option I've found thus far. But I can't understand whether or not it
s better to go with a uniform tire or a tire that has one model of tread in the middle and another on the sides. Should I get a tire with connected knobs in the middle? Or a semi-slick, with the central part of the tire smooth, or smooth-ish, and knobby sides? In tires with a combination of patterns, do the patterns actually work together? Does the smooth one work on road and the sides work on off-road? I am asking when pressure is high and for use in a straight line (cornering isn't my biggest concern): I prefer to keep a single pressure for all my trips, even if that means further compromises. So if the tire is inflated fully, will I end up only riding on the smooth ridge/middle even on gravel? If I get something with gigantic knobs on the sides, will it offer grip on mud? Does grip even matter for mud? Seems to me mud is more problematic because it accumulates on the wheel as opposed to it causing the back wheel to spin pointlessly in place due to low grip.

Thank you

No tires that are good for anything else work well in mud, so IMO best to go with an all around tire.. geared toward what terrain you ride the most. You didn't say what size tire you need. But for all around with a fair amount on pavement/hard pack check out the Maxxis Ikon. It comes in 26in 27.5in and 29in.. Maxxis Ikon XC MTB Tyre | Chain Reaction Cycles


I ride very little pavement and I use the Maxxis Ardent.


the table top is supposed to be good for both dirt and pavement and inexpensive. https://www.jensonusa.com/Dirt-Tires/...-PCKG?cs=Black I have not used it, but Schwalbe are a good brand.

I have these on my MTB at the moment for use towing the baby trailer around and riding roads in the winter (just haven't gotten around to getting my off road tires back on). They are great on the pavement but you can let some pressure out and they will grip light trails perfectly fine. Kenda Kross Plus Front/Rear Slick XC Tire, 26 x 1.95"

edit: this might be a good option as well, same basic design Kenda K908 Pathfinder 26" x 1.95" Komfort Tire Blackwall

I agree that you can get tires that are good for most surfaces except mud.
If you get mud-capable tires (with deep knobs), they'll be hard work on pavement.
Or, you get lower-profile knobs and a light casing, which will have enough grip for dirt and still roll fast on pavement, but will suck in the mud.

Schwalbe Thunder Burts are excellent hardpack tires, and very lightweight. They're my favorite "all-surface" tire. If you order them from Europe, you'll still pay much less than US (even including the shipping).