What Are BMX Tires?

A solid pair of tires is crucial for enjoying your BMX. The right tires will boost your confidence and help you grow as a rider, regardless of your discipline. In the freestyle environment, tires come in a vast array of colors and designs, making them a fantastic way to personalize your setup and stand out.

The pressure you should apply to tires varies by model. Therefore, always check the recommended PSI for your tires, usually found in the product description or on the tire's sidewall.

BMX tires can be either foldable or non-foldable. Foldable tires are lightweight and often crafted from super-strong Kevlar material, though they tend to be more expensive than non-foldable tires.

What Is Special About BMX Tires?

Besides being smaller, BMX tires differ from other bike tires in several ways. They are generally wider than road bike tires to offer better grip and cushioning.

The main distinction between freestyle and race BMX tires is that race tires are designed to be light and narrow with a blocky tread pattern optimized for dirt tracks. In contrast, freestyle tires are smoother to maximize grip on hard surfaces.

What BMX Tires Should I Get?

When selecting BMX tires, consider the diameter, width, and tread pattern. BMX wheel diameters typically range from 12 to 29 inches, with 20-inch BMX tires being the most common.

Freestyle BMX tires are known for their thickness, usually ranging from 1 to 2.5 inches, with around 2 inches being the most common. This offers a tire with excellent balance and control. Race tires are generally thinner to minimize weight and reduce rolling resistance.

Tread patterns vary from model to model, so choose based on your discipline. High-profile tread patterns offer more grip on dirt tracks, gravel roads, and forest paths, while low-profile patterns reduce rolling resistance on asphalt and concrete, still providing enough grip for stunts.

If you've acquired new tires but are unsure how to install them, check out our quick video on How to Install BMX Tires and Inner Tubes.