Tyres

Tyres and tubes are purchases that you are going to make most frequently as a cyclist. Your choice of tyre can affect the performance of your bike significantly.

Tyres wear out and tubes puncture - fact - these are probably the items that you will replace most frequently on your bike. However tyre technology has developed massively and with the introduction of Kevlar into the weave of tyre carcasses the durability of tyres has increased without affecting the suppleness, a more expensive tyre that uses more technologically advanced materials will last you longer.

The type of riding you are doing will affect your tyre choice and if you are serious racer or off-road rider it is likely that you will need an assortment of tyres to meet the demands of different conditions.

Road

Road tyres are split into two types - Clincher and Tubular. Tubular tyres used to be used extensively by racers, and glued to the rim with no need for an inner tube. Howerver, clincher tyres - those that hook onto the rim and have an inner tube - have now become so advanced that these are the norm for road use. Different compounds can change the characteristics of the tyre.

ATB Slick

If you use a mountain bike or hybrid but stick mainly to the tarmac it is worth swapping your knobblies for slicks. Slick tyres roll faster enabling you to go faster for less effort.

ATB Off-Road

Mountain bike tyres are constantly evolving with different tread compounds, patterns and widths to give you maximum control in every kind of terrain. Selecting the right tyre for the conditions is a skill and choosing the wrong tyre can have you wheel spinning helplessly or eating dirt.

Hybrid

If you use your bike for urban riding a wide slick with maximum puncture resistance is all you really need.

Touring

If you are going to be on the road for extended periods of time the last thing you want is to be constantly fixing punctures. Touring tyres come in for a lot of abuse, not just the mileage, but the extra weight they have to carry too. Look out for broad tyres that offer good puncture resistance but are still lightweight and roll nicely.