BMX Tyre Buying Guide
The best BMX tyres!
Buying tyres for your BMX bike can be tricky with the slew of tyres that are available on the market. Thickness, compound, folding or non-folding are a few points that should be considered before picking the right tyres for your ride. To make things a little more clear, we have outlined a few things to consider when buying a tyre.
Step
01.
Tyre Width & Weight
Freestyle Bmx tyres come in a variety of sizes depending on what style of riding you do. The width or thickness of your tyre refers to the diameter of your tread. Most freestyle bikes will come with a fatter 2.2"-2.4" diameter tyre. The larger diameter helps with traction and balance on your bike. Skinnier 2.1"-2.2" tyres would be more popular for trail riding or BMX racing however, this is freestyle so it's up to you! Tyres will also vary in weight...
Fatter Street Tyres
Fatter tyre treads have developed over the years and these days there are heaps of options to choose from. Fatter tyres have become popular in the street scene!
Wider Base , More Balance
When there is more rubber on the ground your balance point will grow. Eclat feature both low pressure and high pressure options.
Skinnier Tyres
There are still several brands that make thinner tyres. Skinnier BMX tyres are generally used for more trail, skatepark and BMX racing. S&m bikes have been making rubber for BMX for over a decade and have a huge selection of popular tyres!
Step
02.
Folding or Non-Folding
Non-Folding or beaded tyres is the traditional style of tyre. The “bead” of the tyre refers to the wire that sits on either side and joins to the rim. This style of tyre is generally easier to fit but due to the materials used they weigh more than a folding tyre. Folding doesn’t have this wire and therefore is able to be “folded”. Other than weight, folding tyres are generally thinner and better suited for more ramp/park style riding, whereas non-folding tyres are...
Non Folding
Non-folding tyres are generally heavier however feature thicker material that will ultimately hold up for longer than the folding option.
Folding
Folding tyres are generally lighter in weight and feature kevlar to aid in the durability of the tread. These Odyssey Aitkens are a remake of the popular Aitken in a folding option!
Is folding for you?
With hundreds of tyres on the market, it really comes down to what you want. Tyres aren't going to teach you how to spin better or jump higher but they will make a difference to how you feel rolling on your bike so the right fit is important!
Step
03.
Price
Tyres come in all sorts of colours, rubber compounds, sizes and of course price. Tyres can start as low as $23.95 for your basic run of the mill entry-level tyre. These will be beaded tyres that will keep you riding without breaking the bank! At the other end of the spectrum, some pro levels of tyres can cost as much as $84.99, however, these tyres will last you longer, feature better rubber compounds and can be folding or non-folding. Most folding tyres...
Under $40
Entry-level BMX tyres under $40 dollars will usually be wire beaded, these Salt BMX Burn tyres feature a thicker side wall to help with pinch flats at lower PSI.
$40-$70
Bmx tyres here are usually a higher quality rubber and feature better technology and come in a variety of sizes.
$70 and over
Cult Vans waffle tyres would have to be our most popular tyre and for good reason! When you reach the upper end of the price spectrum the availability of colours, treads and better quality rubber compounds will increase.
