Bru, what tyre should I buy?

Tyre shopping ain’t easy. There are a lot of brands, sizes, tread patterns, weights, casings and compounds to choose from. You’ll also need to factor in things like your riding style, your bike and the terrain you ride. Then there’s your intended use – is it racing, training or just riding for the thrill of it all… Exhausted already? Don’t be. We reached out to Bontrager who sent us their range of XC and Trail tyres to ride, rate, compare and most importantly explain the subtle differences between a lightweight XC race tyre and a beefier trail tyre.

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XC or Marathon Racing on predictable terrain

If you are looking for maximum rolling speed for XC or marathon races then you’ll need something like the Bontrager XR1. Why? Well, it’s a light tyre, has a low profile tread pattern, isn’t extremely wide and is made with a very fast-rolling rubber compound. Which is pretty much everything you’ll need for racing.

ON THE TRAILS | The XR1 can be used as a front or rear option and is ideal for tame or predictable terrain. Being the ‘go-to’ tyre for the Trek Factory Racing World Cup team, it’s no surprise we found it has incredible acceleration and climbing speed. Although it’s an all-out race tyre, there is a sizeable shoulder knob offering some corner grip. When climbing, it is noticeably faster than any of the other tyres in this comparison and surprisingly is pretty robust too. A few fast laps through some of Cape Town’s rockiest trails and – with the right pressures – the XR1 never faltered. We used 18psi front and 25psi rear. BUY IT IF: You count every watt and gram and want to maximize climbing and rolling speed to put the hurt into your competitors or Strava hunters.

ANOTHER OPINION | “The XR1 is a full-on XC race tyre. It is light, with the fastest rolling pattern out there. It is a narrow tyre – that helps keep the weight down. The XR1 is for a racer, not an everyday consumer.” – Cam Roach

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XC or Marathon Racing on rough terrain

If you are venturing into rougher race tracks and trails you’ll need a little more volume in the tyre and a more pronounced tread pattern. In this genre, Bontrager’s XR2 is a good option. It has a little extra volume for compliance, comfort, grip and durability which is what rough trails demand. The XR2 also has an easy transition onto a pronounced shoulder tread making it a very predictable tyre when cornering.

ON THE TRAILS | We tested the 2.2″ which, when fitted to a 30mm inner diameter rim, has a generous volume. It rounds out like some of the 2.35″ or 2.4″ options from other brands. On the trails, it feels just a tiny bit slower than the XR1, especially under acceleration, but it’s barely noticeable. The XR2 is a comfortable tyre, with great climbing and corner grip. It works well on the front or rear. BUY IT IF: You are looking for a ‘fit and forget’ endurance tyre that you can train and race on. We used 18psi front and 25psi rear.

ANOTHER OPINION | “The XR2 is a great fast rolling tyre for covering distance whilst keeping the weight of your bike down. In my experience, this is an unbelievable tyre. It is strong, presents well with good volume on narrow or wide rims. Personally, I like the 2.35″ width.” – Cam Roach

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Endurance riding and you want to bomb the trails too

If you are wanting a little more durability, corner grip but not wanting to sacrifice too much on the straight-line rolling speed then you’ll need something like the Bontrager XR3. It is a multi-purpose Cross-country tyre that is designed for anything from backcountry exploring and hammering blind trails. It can also be raced, we’ve seen Jolanda Neff use it on loose surfaces during some XC races.

ON THE TRAILS | If there ever was a do-it-all Cross-country tyre then this might just be it. We love the versatility of the XR3: it has great straight-line pace, reliable corner grip and the reinforced casing gives it added durability. It is strong enough to use on mid-power eMTB’s – the 2.4″ that is. It is a little slower off the mark than the XR1 and XR2’s on test but that’s something we put down to the extra grams, not the tread pattern. Front or rear, wet or dry, rocky or rooty – this is a great tyre. We used 20psi front and 25psi rear. BUY IT IF: Down-country riding is your vibe.

ANOTHER OPINION | “Everyday fast tread pattern with a bit more of an aggressive side knob. I’d say this is a Marathon or semi-trail tyre. I did need to run the pressure higher than normal, otherwise, it didn’t perform as I wanted it to. The side wall is a little soft and it might roll on the rim if underinflated so keep the pressures appropriate – (high).” – Cam Roach

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You ride all-mountain trails and prioritize grip

When truck loads of grip are on the cards but you also want to get around town without the feels of those sluggish full-blown gravity tyres, you’ll need something with an intermediate casing, an aggressive tread pattern and softer rubber compound. Volume is key too. This is what Bontrager’s XR4 is designed for. It features dual-compound rubber for extra grip and rolling speed, a supple 120TPI casing that is reinforced for flat protection. The tread pattern recently underwent a facelift giving it more grip on the rocky and wild stuff.

ON THE TRAILS | For an 810g tyre the XR4 is impressively strong. It’s stood up to a fair bit of hammering. There are three standout ride qualities with the XR4. When cornering, the transition onto the shoulder knoblies as you lean into the corner is seamless. Rocky trails feel a little less sketchy with it. There’s tons of climbing grip and braking bite. BUY IT IF: You ride a mid-power eMTB or trail bike and want confidence on all trails and still fancy clocking up some distance to link up all-the-gnar.

ANOTHER OPINION | “XR4 is my best trail tyre! The 2.4″ is the perfect width for most bikes. It performs extremely well in dry or wet conditions. I found the rubber is sticky and grips extremely well but is also not too fast-wearing. One con is it can be a bit heavy and slow rolling, but it is the perfect all-year training option. XR4 is a phenomenal tyre that is extremely underrated.” – Cam Roach

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Into super rough trails and high speeds?

If you are looking to explore the limits of your trails without going into a full Enduro setup then you should look for a soft compound, big volume (2.4″ or more) tyre with an aggressive tread pattern. Above the 1000g mark is generally considered as stepping into the full Enduro setup so pay attention to the weight of the tyre – it will tell you a lot about how it will ride. Way above 1000g and you’ll pay for it on the climbs. The Bontrager XR5, is a 2.5″ trail tyre designed to withstand high-speed trail bike smashing and eMTB riding. BUY IT IF: You are looking for a slow-wearing, strong and grippy trail tyre.

ON THE TRAILS | We’ve tested this on an eMTB and a long travel trail bike and there are three standout features. It’s plenty brawny for a 1012g tyre – we did countless runs down the rockiest lines around Cape Town and there is minimal wear with no cuts or flats. Under harsh braking, the grip is very predictable. The rolling speed is incredible – for such a big tyre that is. It is a front or rear option for loam or wet trails but it can be a little squirmy on hardpack trails when used as a front tyre.

ANOTHER OPINION | “Enduro and trail king! This tyre is really really good and seriously impressive! It is really strong so there is hardly any chance of puncturing. I found it works extremely well in all weather conditions.” – Cam Roach. //

 | IMAGES: Gary Perkin, Ryan Franklin, Troy Davies |

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