I’ve received many questions about which BMX tires to pick.
Thus, I created the ultimate collection covering all riding styles – street, park and trail.
In general, you can’t go wrong with any modern tire available on the market.
Why?
Because they’re high-quality.
This post covers:
- Best BMX Tires
- How To Pick The Best BMX Tires?
- How To Make Your BMX Tires Last Longer
- FAQ About BMX Tires
However, it’s important not to pick a trail- or park-specific tire and then mainly ride street. It’ll wear out quicker and cause you more flats.
But if you kinda like riding everything, a more street-focused tire with micro knurling will work for you.
Grippy? Squeaky? Fast? Sorted!
Best BMX Tires
1. BSD Donnasqueak Tire
I’m adding Alex Donnachie‘s BSD Donnasqueck tire first because this is going to be my next tire.
I’ve seen so many pros ride it (including Garrett Reynolds!), so I absolutely need to give it a shot.
Alex worked on this one with a low-profile tire in mind that squeaks and holds high PSI.
A smooth center for going fast and a side pattern for not slipping in corners and wallrides.
Can’t wait!
Weight: 23.9oz.
Price: $32.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS2. Cult X Vans Tires
After reviewing BMX tires and checking what’s hot, The Cult X Vans waffle tire is one of the most popular out there.
The tire comes in endless color variations including my favorite, black 🙂 . (But the camo ones look really rad!)
The waffle pattern makes this tire all-around, for street, park and trail riding.
Weight: 26.1oz.
Price: $30.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS3. BSD Donnastreet
With the popularity of the Donnasqueak tire, Alex and BSD also released the Donnastreet tire.
This one has a slimmer profile and grippy sides, keeping you in place in all kinds of situations without slipping.
The highly durable rubber is the same as they use for the Donnasqueak tire.
Available in two sizes and multiple colors.
Weight: 23.9oz.
Price: $32.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS4. Odyssey BROC
Odyssey’s Broc Raiford signature tire is another one that will keep you riding street and parks comfortably. (But some even use it for trails and have no issues.)
It features a dial thread (with micro knurling) for Broc’s riding needs while maintaining a sleek look.
Plus, the Odyssey’s R-Grip rubber compound will keep you rolling for a long time.
Weight: 25.6oz.
Price: $34.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS5. Odyssey Path Pro Tire
The Odyssey Path Pro tire is available for a very long time, and riders from all around the world still enjoy rocking it.
Why?
Because it’s so well-made and isn’t really style-of-riding-specific. You can use Path Pro for everything! Rail rides, grinds, transitions, etc.
Weight: 26.7oz.
Price: $30.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS6. Demolition Momentum
Demolition wanted to create one of the lightest available BMX tires on the market, coming out with Momentum.
Weighing at 19oz., Momentum is still ready for 110 PSI and the rectangle pattern grips like hell. Available in 2.2″ and 2.35″.
Weight: 19oz.
Price: $25.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS7. Saltplus Sting Tire
Saltplus’s Sting tire is one of the more affordable ones on the market. But what’s even better, it uses high-quality rubber for great grips and epic durability.
Many shredders say that Sting’s grip is really good even after it wears.
The tire is available in multiple color options and suits all-terrain pretty well. However, I wouldn’t recommend it if you mainly ride trails.
Weight: 24.3oz.
Price: $21.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS8. S&M Mainline Tire
If you like to ride identical tires but slim at the rear and thick at the front then S&M‘s Mainline tire has you covered. It’s available in 2.1″ and 2.4″.
It’s a mid-weight tire with high pressure that’s more trail-oriented but works for parks, too.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for street. For this, opt for S&M’s Speedball (below).
Weight: 27oz.
Price: $24.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS9. S&M Speedball Tire
Here’s the S&M street-focused tire I was talking about earlier – Speedball.
What’s cool about Speedball is its extra protection that works really well if you run low pressure.
Moreover, the smooth center prevents rolling resistance – more speed.
And if you pay close attention, you can notice the S/M logo for the shoulder thread.
So. Cool.
Weight: 26oz.
Price: $29.95 (may vary)
GET YOURS10. Cinema Williams Tire
For all the Nathan Williams fans out there, I wanted to include his signature Cinema tire that comes at a whopping 2.5″.
Personally, I haven’t ridden such a wide tire yet, 2.4″ max, but am very intrigued.
If you’re into technical riding and especially rail rides, well, Cinema Williams tire is your ideal companion.
Weight: 23.8oz.
Price: $29.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS11. Animal GLH
The Animal GLH tire is the one that I currently ride and am riding it for 10+ years.
I extensively tested the 2.1″ and the 2.3″. The wider fits my riding better but both are insanely high-quality and long-lasting.
The GLH tire is street-approved, however, you can comfortably ride it in parks and even trails.
BEST!
Weight: 26.2oz.
Price: $27.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS12. Shadow Serpent Tire
Shadow’s Serpent tire is probably the most good-looking tires currently available.
The speedy and responsive pattern makes you go faster when riding parks and ramps.
I don’t recommend running this one on the streets because it doesn’t have the extra protection that a street-first tire has.
Weight: 19.2oz.
Price: $35.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS13. Primo V-Monster
Primo V-Monster tire is around for a very long time. It is made to be lightweight but sticky with a knurled pattern throughout.
It’s an ideal BMX tire for street riding, but the great pattern makes it rideable on other terrains, too. The sidewalls are also extra tough, making the tire last much longer.
You can get it in various color choices, but, as always, my favorite are the black one.
Weight: 25.5oz.
Price: $31.00 (may vary)
GET YOURS14. Sunday Current Tire
Sunday is known for their innovative products and the Decore tire is one of them.
It’s an extremely strong and durable but, at the same time, light tire that took them a lot of testing and trying to realize.
It has a very neat pattern that’ll make your bike look even better!
Weight: 25.93oz.
Price: $30.99 (may vary)
GET YOURS15. Primo Churchill Tire
Stevie Churchill’s signature Primo tire is one of the fatest (2.45″) that you can get on the market today.
Your riding will be fast and grippy with its directional tread pattern (and micro knurling).
Note: If you want an even fatter one, then Brandon Begin’s signature Merritt Phantom tire is for you.
Weight: 25.4oz.
Price: $34.00 (may vary)
GET YOURS16. Fly Fuego Tire
After going through available BMX tires, Devon Smillie‘s signature Fly Fuego definitely grabbed my attention.
Even though it has a smooth surface, Fuego has everything a modern street rider would want out of a tire.
Tough sidewall, extra tear-resistant layer and goes all the way up to 120 PSI.
Fun fact: Devon rides 30 PSI.
And it’s not the widest but also not the narrowest (2.3″).
Weight: 29.9oz.
Price: $39.95 (may vary)
GET YOURSHow To Pick The Best BMX Tires?
Because every style of riding usually requires different sizes of tires and thread, I decided to help you pick the right ones if you’re a street, park, trails or flatland rider.
Here we go.
Street riding
“It’s no good if it doesn’t squeak.”
Okay, joke aside (still, squeaking tires are my fav!), tires for street riders are the toughest, and there is more than one reason why.
You don’t want a tire with too much or too little thread. There needs to be just the right amount, so you still have the grip you need (especially for wallrides and on more slippery terrain).
I never was a fan of slick tires for street riding, although a few are available on the market.
When it comes to thickness, you want to go with anything above 2.25″. Even up to 2.4″, like I’m riding at the moment.
But really, thickness is more of a personal preference because I used to ride 2.1″ tires for MANY years and they were great for rail rides.
But times change, and I picked 2.4″ mainly because they look better.
The walls of street tires are also thicker, which helps prevent them from cutting through during griding.
Lastly, please don’t be too concerned about weight when it comes to BMX tires for street riding. Yes, they will be heavier, but you need that protection that a lighter tire cannot guarantee.
Advice: Don’t go with the kevlar bead tires if you spend most of your time riding streets.
I tested two such tires, and they just didn’t work out – not grind-friendly. (But they’re OK for any other riding style, and they’re lighter than traditional bead tires.)
Park riding
Park and street BMX tires are pretty similar. But I recommend opting for a slimmer tire if you primarily ride skateparks.
A great combo is a 2.25″ in the front and 2.1″ in the back. But many riders also go with a 1.75″ or 1.95″ in the back and 2.1″ in the front.
Remember, you can have both tires the same size. It comes down to what feels better for you and how you like your bike to look.
Note: Slimer (and slicker) tires are great for skatepark riding because they are faster.
Trails riding
You can compare a BMX tire for trail riding with a park one with more thread.
Go with a not too thick and not too thin tire in the back, but you can play with thicker ones in the front.
Again, you are welcome to run both tires in 2.1″, for example.
And then there’s Corey Walsh, who does a ton of transition riding and trails and prefers 2.4″ in the front and the back.
You see, BMX is freestyle, so you choose what works best for you.
I’m just giving you rough guidelines if you’re starting out.
Flatland riding
Thin (even 1.5″ wide) and slick tires, that’s what’s up when it comes to BMX flatland riding.
BUT!
More and more flatland riders are becoming hybrid riders, mixing street and flatland riding. All these dudes prefer thicker BMX tires but not too thick like street riders.
ATTENTION: If you ride breaks, you want to avoid fat tires (like 2.4″) because the brake arms may rub on the tire (as soon as your wheel goes off-center).
Also, if you have some old-school parts, thicker tires probably won’t fit because the frame and the fork are narrower.
How To Make Your BMX Tires Last Longer
If you care for your tires properly, they will last you much longer, so you don’t have to replace them so often.
Here are a few of my personal tips to lengthen your tires’ lifespan:
- The right BMX tire pressure or PSI greatly contributes to its lifespan. I know low PSI is kind of a trend these days, but it’s not the best for tire longevity. Plus, you’ll get more flats with a low PSI than a high PSI. (By the way, the BMX tire width is also important, because the wider your tire, the lower the PSI you can ride without worrying of damaging it.)
- If you run on rough terrain (sharp objects, potholes) a lot or over broken glass, you’ll destroy your tires much quicker. (If there’s glass, I usually step down and carry my bike over it – yes, really!)
- What you can do is rotate your tires, front to back, every month. For example, if you do a lot of feeble and icepick grinds, your back tire will be damaged more than your front one, so rotate them.
- Did you get a flat? Don’t ride with a flat tire!
- Clean your tires. You might find lots of tiny objects stuck into your tires when you look closer.
- Avoid hitting curbs and copings – not only will you damage the tires, but you’ll be more likely to get a flat, too.
You might also be interested in reading how long do BMX tires last.
FAQ About BMX Tires
Are all BMX tires the same size?
All BMX tires are 20″ but they differ in their width.
The more traditional width is between 2.1″ and 2.4″. (But tires can go up to 2.55″ and below 2.1″.)
How much PSI do I need in my BMX tires?
You want to pump your tires a lot if you want to go fast, but you don’t need that much PSI if you’re into slower, technical street riding. Some riders go with 50 PSI (some even less) and some with 90+ PSI (I like it hard).
