The Great Tyre Debate: Maxxis vs. Schwalbe vs. Others – Which is Your Go-To and Why?

[Flowrider]

Choosing the right tyres can truly improve our riding adventures.

I'd love to hear your favourite tyre brands and learn why.

Do you have a preference for different conditions, like wet, dry, technical, or flowy trails?

What makes them your go-to choices?

I have my thoughts, but I like to learn more and am keen to get other perspectives.

[GirishH]

Most of my friends choose Schwalbe for city riding or pothole-ridden roads, while my South American riding buddies swear by Maxxis.

Because of my unusual tire size, I was that "beggar who couldn't choose". I was simply happy to find a tire that fit my bicycle..

I’m currently running one original tire and one Chaoyang Big Daddy. For a bit, my friends tried to call me 'Big Daddy,' but I stuck with 'MisterGordo.

Even now, I still can’t choose between Maxxis or Schwalbe...

(04-27-2026, 09:29 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  Choosing the right tyres can truly improve our riding adventures.

I'd love to hear your favourite tyre brands and learn why.

Do you have a preference for different conditions, like wet, dry, technical, or flowy trails?

What makes them your go-to choices?

I have my thoughts, but I like to learn more and am keen to get other perspectives.

[Flowrider]

From talking to my riding buddies, it open game, but Maxxis does come up a lot

[meamoantonio]

it depends on how you ride, if it is XC style I'd go for Maxxis Ardent Front Ikon back set up or Crossmark in the front and Ardent at the back

if it is all mountain or to Enduro I'd probably go with Schwalbe magic Mary Mary Front with Nobby Nick at the back or both Magic Mary

I hope this helps

[Flowrider]

Thanks for that. When you get a chance, can you tell us why you chose those?

[Charles Thomas]

(04-27-2026, 09:29 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  Choosing the right tyres can truly improve our riding adventures.

I'd love to hear your favourite tyre brands and learn why.

Do you have a preference for different conditions, like wet, dry, technical, or flowy trails?

What makes them your go-to choices?

I have my thoughts, but I like to learn more and am keen to get other perspectives.

My luck has been great with Maxxis too, when it comes to grip and security, and if the trails are technical or wet. Tyres really do make a bike handle differently.

[Flowrider]

...and if you had two tyres with different-sized nobblies, where would you put the one with the highest tread? Front or back?

[SPINMAN]

MTB I had Michelin for years. Now, road bike only, I used Continental Grand Prix 4000 700c x 23 then GP 5000 25. I discovered they got more difficult to remove and install. Later reviews stated just that. Three months ago, on a friend's recommendation I tried a Schwalbe. I wanted to go wider so I jumped right to a 700c x 30 to replace my rear tire. My arms were still rattling, but my tail was supple. I just put a 30 on the front and have been impressed. Good grip, I ride with 70 psi but I'll try 65 or 68 psi next.

[Flowrider]

Hey @SPINMAN sounds interesting. I'm not a road cyclist. You mentioned going from 70 to 68psi. I'm curious how just 2 psi makes a difference?

[meamoantonio]

(05-27-2026, 03:39 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  Hey @SPINMAN sounds interesting. I'm not a road cyclist. You mentioned going from 70 to 68psi. I'm curious how just 2 psi makes a difference?

2psi can mean you can go around a corner faster or a little bit more grip so you can be a second or 2 faster, it wouldnt seem much but 3 seconds while riding 30kph on a road bike is almost a kilometer or mile away which is a huge gap

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(05-18-2026, 08:16 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  Thanks for that. When you get a chance, can you tell us why you chose those?

Good reviews by peers, actual experience using those tires, and trying every kind of combination available just because we can, these are perks when you run a bikeshop, alot of times customers just leave behind tires that are super fresh so I do get to try different combinations for research haha

[Flowrider]

Incredible. I just bought an electric pump with a PSI gauge. I wonder how 2 PSI would make a difference when I mountain bike?

[SPINMAN]

(05-27-2026, 03:39 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  Hey @SPINMAN sounds interesting. I'm not a road cyclist. You mentioned going from 70 to 68psi. I'm curious how just 2 psi makes a difference?

Yea, I'm not sure. One of my ride buddies rides the same size schwalbe tires at 62psi, he rides tubeless, but he also weighs 10kg less. There's also the point where the tire has the potential for pinch flats, I ride with tubes, if the pressure is too low and it actually looks like you are riding on a flat. Some of my routes do go into some rough roads with potholes and broken tarmac so I would say 2psi change should only make a small difference in comfort. The main difference is going from a 700c x 23 at 110psi to 700c x 30 at 70psi is like you riding on a rock slide then riding on new tarmac. You know how it feels when you take your MTB onto smooth roads. I think my MTB tubeless Michelins were at 35psi.

[meamoantonio]

(05-29-2026, 12:32 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  Incredible. I just bought an electric pump with a PSI gauge. I wonder how 2 PSI would make a difference when I mountain bike?

That's also very different with mountain biking, 2psi can mean more confidence going down a technical line or even speed going up, also don't get me started with the rain, if it is raining or it is muddy, that 2psi can mean the difference between skidding around or having complete control of your bike,

again take this with a grain of salt, it will also depend on your system mass (rider + bike weight) and tire type, and type of riding that you do, generally if you are heavier, 2psi will not mean much also since heavier riders tend to add more psi to accommodate their weight.

this is also different if you have tire inserts + tubeless set up

[SPINMAN]

There are also some tire pressure calculators. One from Silca (link below) that I refer too and Pirelli has on as well.

https://silca.cc/pages/pro-tire-pressure-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOopdikRyvnAKRBaiqa39MQVhW0MvnWH72A4Q9uhdRnlI9Zb2reKk

[SPINMAN]

(05-29-2026, 12:32 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  Incredible. I just bought an electric pump with a PSI gauge. I wonder how 2 PSI would make a difference when I mountain bike?

@Flowrider
Yea, I'm not sure. One of my ride buddies rides the same size schwalbe tires at 62psi, he rides tubeless, but he also weighs 10kg less. There's also the point where the tire has the potential for pinch flats, I ride with tubes, if the pressure is too low and it actually looks like you are riding on a flat. Some of my routes do go into some rough roads with potholes and broken tarmac so I would say 2psi change should only make a small difference in comfort. The main difference is going from a 700c x 23 at 110psi to 700c x 30 at 70psi is like you riding on a rock slide then riding on new tarmac. You know how it feels when you take your MTB onto smooth roads. I think my MTB tubeless Michelins were at 35psi.

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(05-29-2026, 12:32 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  Incredible. I just bought an electric pump with a PSI gauge. I wonder how 2 PSI would make a difference when I mountain bike?

@Flowrider
There are also some tire pressure calculators. One from Silca (link below) that I refer too and Pirelli has on as well.

https://silca.cc/pages/pro-tire-pressure-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOopdikRyvnAKRBaiqa39MQVhW0MvnWH72A4Q9uhdRnlI9Zb2reKk

[Flowrider]

Thanks for that @SPINMAN, I average around 35psi but it does depend on the terrain.

I've passed that link on to my mountain biking group