What Are BMX Tyres?

A solid pair of tyres is key to having fun on your BMX. The right pair of tyres 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, tyres come in a huge variety of colours and designs, meaning that they are a great way to customise your setup and stand out from the crowd.

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

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

What Is Special About BMX Tyres?

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

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

What BMX Tyres Should I Get?

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

Freestyle BMX tyres 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 tyre with great balance and control. Race tyres are typically thinner to minimise 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 practise. 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 tyres but are not sure how to get them onto your wheels, then check out our quick video on How to Install BMX Tyres and Inner Tubes.