Trekking bike tyres

The trekking tyre is an all-rounder for long everyday journeys – i.e. it is perfect for cyclists who make a longer commute to work and occasionally cycle through the city. At first glance, this is not a bicycle tyre that is required to meet extreme requirements or deliver a particularly high level of performance. Everyday riders, in particular, place a great deal of strain on their bikes, without any regard for the consequences. When you have to cycle over tarmac on the way to work, occasionally over gravel, and then back onto smooth ground – and this is the pattern every day – your tyres will really be placed under a lot of strain. What's more, trekking tyres are no specialists – they perform well when set a variety of different tasks. This type of tyre is occasionally also referred to as a crossbike tyre. The lines here are somewhat blurred.

Requirements for trekking tyres

For recreational cyclists, ride comfort and puncture protection are generally the most important features. Of course, they also appreciate a good ride sensation and some commuters value high speed, however, as a general rule, the focus is on the functionality of the tyre. A grippy tread, solid roll resistance, and reliable puncture protection are essential. No-one wants to be late for work or for a get-together with friends on account of a flat tyre.

When selecting the right trekking tyre, the main surface on which you are going to cycle should definitely be kept at the back of your mind. Depending on the distances you will cover, you may wish to favour a wider or a slightly narrower tyre, while the tread can also be selected in keeping with the terrain. With changing terrain, a pronounced tread is to be favoured, while a smooth contact surface is preferable on hard roads.

In short: your own requirements will determine which bike tyre is the right one for you. The more specific your requirements, the better you will be able to narrow down the selection of thousands of tyres to just a handful of suitable candidates.

Criteria when selecting the suitable tyre:

• Intended use
• Substrate / Road surface
• Riding habits

Popular all-rounder trekking bike tyres

The trekking tyres from Schwalbe ("Marathon") are the most-sold tyres in Europe – even after more than 30 years, they enjoy great popularity in everyday use. So much so, that the series has been continuously expanded with additional models, with improvements targeting the issue of puncture protection in particular. The Continental "Contact", the MAXXIS "Tires Max Gypsi" and the Michelin "Protek Cross Max" are also particularly popular within this segment. All manufacturers tend to have various different trekking tyre models within their product ranges, which are then subdivided according to their properties.