Choosing a mountain bike tyre for Cape trails
The trails on this side of the mountain are rocky, dry for most of the year, and hard on sidewalls. That pushes most riders here towards a fast-rolling cross-country tyre with a reinforced casing, rather than a soft, heavily-knobbed trail tyre.
The fast-rolling end
Maxxis Aspen and Rekon Race, and Schwalbe's Racing Ray, are the tyres to look at if you race marathons or ride a lot of fire road. Low, closely-spaced centre knobs so they do not drag on hardpack, with enough shoulder to lean on when the trail turns.
When you want more bite
Maxxis Ikon and Forekaster, and the Schwalbe Rocket Ron, step up the tread depth. You give up a little speed on the climb and get it back as confidence on loose descents. On Tokai and Silvermine in winter, that is usually the better trade.
Casings, and the thing that actually matters here
Sidewall protection is the specification worth reading. EXO on the Maxxis tyres, SuperGround and TwinSkin on the Schwalbes — all of them are reinforcement against the sharp rock that lines most of the singletrack around here. A slashed sidewall does not seal, does not patch well, and ends the ride.
Front and rear do not have to match. A common setup is more tread up front for steering grip and something faster on the back for drive.
Common questions
What size do I need?
Look at the sidewall of the tyre already on the bike — it will read something like 29x2.25. Nearly everything modern is 29in; we carry 26in as well, for older bikes still going strong. The Schwalbe range is listed separately if that is the brand you already run.
Do I need to run tubeless?
You do not have to, but on a mountain bike it is close to standard now. It lets you run lower pressure for grip without pinch flats, and it seals thorns as you ride. You will need sealant and a patch kit to maintain it.
Not sure what your rim will take? Bring the wheel in to the bike shop in Hout Bay and we will look at it with you.
