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How to choose the best road bike tyres

What types of road bike tyres are there?

Clincher bike tires with tubes

These tyres are very common, easy to set up and easy to maintain. Tyres mount on hooked rims and use an inner tube to hold pressure.

Shop road clincher tyres with tubes

Tubeless bike tyres

Tubeless tyres continue to grow in popularity. These are mounted on tubeless-compatible rims and filled with sealant that seals small cuts and punctures to limit flats. Tubeless is a great option for wider road tyres run at lower pressures for extra comfort. 

Shop road tubeless tyres

Top three road bike tyre considerations

Bike tyre clearance

Wider road tyres absorb more road chatter and grip better. Riders need to make sure these tyres fit inside your frame. On the front fork and rear triangle, there should be at least 5 mm of clearance between the tyre and the frame. 

Road conditions

Road tires are getting wider — and for good reason. Where 23mm was once the standard, 28mm is now the go-to for most riders. Wider 700x28mm tires smooth out pavement, boost grip, and add confidence across changing road conditions.

If your routes include rough pavement, choose a tire with built-in puncture protection. Features like sub-tread breaker belts and reinforced, cut-resistant sidewalls add durability to help fight flats.

Road bike tyre pressures

Wider road tyres only provide benefits when kept at the correct pressures. Consult your local bike shop or use an online tyre pressure calculator that takes into account the bike and rider weight, tyre and wheel size, and riding surface.

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