What Are BMX Tires?

A solid pair of tires is key to having fun on your BMX. The right pair of tires will give you the confidence to help you develop and evolve as a rider independently of the discipline you are into. In the freestyle milieu, tires come in a huge variety of colors and designs, meaning that they are a great way to customize your setup and stand out from the crowd.

The amount of pressure you should put in tires depends on the individual model. Therefore, be sure to check out the suggested PSI number for your tires. This is generally found in a product description or on the side of the tire.

BMX tires can either be foldable or non-foldable. Foldable tires are lightweight and often made of super-strong Kevlar material, however are usually more expensive than non-foldable tires.

What Is Special About BMX Tires?

Along with being smaller, there are several other differences between BMX tires and other types of bike tires. They are generally wider than tires for road bikes to provide better grip and cushioning.

The main difference between freestyle and race BMX tires is that race tires are made to be light, narrow with a blocky tread pattern that is optimized for dirt track. This is in contrast to freestyle tires, which are designed to be smoother to maximize your grip on hard surfaces.

What BMX Tires Should I Get?

When choosing BMX tires you should consider the diameter, width and tread pattern. BMX wheel diameters are typically between 12 and 29 inches, however, 20-inch BMX tires are the most common.

Freestyle BMX tires are known for being thick and usually have a width of between 1 and 2.5 inches, with a width of around 2 inches being the most common. This will give you a tire with great balance and control. Race tires are typically thinner to minimize weight and to reduce rolling resistance.

When it comes to tread patterns, these vary from model to model, and you should decide based on the discipline you practice. A high profile tread pattern offers more grip on dirt tracks, gravel roads and forest paths, while low profile patterns provide less rolling resistance on asphalt and concrete, while still providing enough grip to launch some stunts.

If you have got hold of some new tires but are not sure how to get them onto your wheels, then check out our quick video on How to Install BMX Tires and Inner Tubes.