The Best BMX Tires That Let You Enjoy A Smooth Ride Reviewed

If you want to optimize your BMX riding experience, you might need to replace your stock tires.

But, how would you know which pair of tires can give you the boost you need?

Luckily for you, I’ve laid out everything you need to know about BMX tires and would like to present to you the best BMX tires on the market right now.

Let’s get the rolling started.

My Best Tires For BMX Bikes

For me, the best BMX bike tire is the Maxxis Hookworm.

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Understanding BMX Tires – A Buying Guide

BMX biking covers various disciplines and each one requires a different type of tire. This is probably the most important factor when choosing a new set of tires for your bike.

Of course, you also need to look into the material and the size of the tire before finalizing a purchase.

Allow me to uncover each of these factors down below.

Types of BMX Tires 

BMX tires vary according to their use. Some have tread patterns that are best for doing freestyle tricks, others are meant for racing, a few ones for dirt biking, and still a few more versatile ones for street rides.

Freestyle BMX Tires 

Freestyle BMX tires are about 2.125” to 2.2” wide. With this width, your tires can provide you with more control and stability. Plus, they’re not big enough to slow you down.

Race BMX Tires

If you’re into racing, you’ll need a pair of race BMX tires, and you should expect them to be narrower than the rest of the tire types. Ideally, they should be at 1.25” to 1.375”. These narrow widths would allow you to speed up as quickly as possible.

Also, if you’re serious about racing, you should be looking for a race BMX tire with a PSI (pounds per square inch) of at least 80. With this capacity, the tires should be able to have less resistance but maintain high traction at the same time—which is just the kind of combination you’ll want for a BMX racer.

Dirt BMX Tires 

Ideal dirt BMX bikes would have thinner tires compared to freestyle bikes. You should find them at around 1.9” to 2.0” and they’d be relatively lighter.

Dirt BMX tires also need to have more aggressive tread patterns on them since you’re going to need a lot of traction while on the rough ride.

Some dirt riders are comfortable with a PSI of 40 on less aggressive rides. You can go as high as 65 PSI though if you want to be a little tougher but still maintain soft landings.

Street BMX Tires

If you’re a street rider, you’ll need a pair of street BMX tires, which usually have smoother surfaces compared to other types. They’re typically at 2.1” in width, so they could endure high impacts.

Note, too, that street BMX riding requires stability, so a PSI of 40 to 70 should be able to provide you with a soft ride.

Material 

Most bicycle tires are made of rubber. But, some manufacturers use more lightweight materials such as kevlar—and entire tires can be made completely out of this material.

Note, too, that tires can have a wire bead or a kevlar bead. A bead, by the way, is where the tire would contact the rim of your bike. Simply put, it’s the “edge.”

Wire beads (made of thin steel wire) are more of the old school type. They’re quite heavier but cheaper than the newer folding beads. These folding beads, on the other hand, are usually made of kevlar.

So what’s the difference?

Wire bead tires

• A little heavier
• Can add rolling weight to your bike

Folding bead tires

• Lighter
• Can be carried in a handlebar bag or saddlebag (in case you need to replace an entire tire while on the road)

If you’re still a beginner, these details may not matter a lot. But if you’re into long-distance adventures and might need a spare tire, or if you want a lighter tire that folds nicely and stores easily, you can go for a folding bead one.

Size 

Standard or “Pro” BMX tires have a 20-inch diameter. You can stick to that size and look more closely into the tire width.

Tires can be as slim as 1 inch, especially if they’re race tires, while they can go as wide as 2.35 inches if they are for dirt riding.

On average, BMX bikes come with stock tires close to 2 inches in width.

For purposes of simplicity, I’ll just summarize what I’ve discussed about different tire widths in the previous section using the table below.

Tire Type	Tire Width
Freestyle BMX Tires	2.125” to 2.2”
Race BMX Tires	1.25” to 1.375”
Dirt BMX Tires	1.9” to 2.0”
Street BMX Tires	2.1”

Styles Of Riding

You also need to evaluate BMX tires according to your style of riding. In other words, your style would define how sturdy and smooth your tire should be. 

Freestyle

Freestyle riding includes both park and street riding. As I’ve mentioned above, you can do freestyle rides well using tires that are about 2.125” to 2.2” wide.

Meanwhile, a PSI of 70 or more will allow you to land more softly whenever you’re doing tricks on the ramps. So, note if your tire allows you to go that far when pumping air into it.

Flatland

For flatland riding, the ideal tire width is similar to that of freestyle riding. More specifically, you’d want a tire that can give you smooth rides. For that matter, you should choose tires with a shallow tread.

Jump Riding

Jump riding requires the tires to be rugged enough for an extra grip and wide enough for a broader area of contact with the ground. These tires should be able to help you balance, as well.

Hard Dirt-Track Racing

For heavy-duty rides such as dirt-track racing, you’ll need to have sturdy tires that can handle huge amounts of pressure. While some beginner rides would only require a PSI of 40 to 70, hard racing should require you a PSI of over 70.

Some riders would even set the innertube pressure at almost 100 PSI. This level of pressure might allow you to feel the hard bumps and landings, but it also lets you keep up with your speed pretty well.

6 Best BMX Bike Tires Reviewed

Let’s check out the top 6 BMX tires in the market and see how they can give you the kind of ride you prefer.

1. Schwinn Bicycle Tire

Key Features

• With folding wire bead
• Kevlar belt placed under the tread for puncture reduction
• Has wide-spaced knobs for higher traction

If you want a standard, high-quality pair of tires, you may want to go for the Schwinn Bicycle Tire. What I like most about it is its kevlar belt, which is placed beneath the tread and does its job of reducing punctures. As a result, the tire is resistant to flats, even in rough roads.

You could also feel the excellent traction while on a ride with this tire. It can handle wet, rough, and dirty pavement well, thanks to the efficient tread patterns.

If you air this tire at 50 PSI, you could feel a much less rolling resistance compared to other tires.

Finally, I just want to note that you have several options for the tire size and treading style with the Schwinn Bicycle Tire series. What I’m mainly presenting here is the 20” x 2.125” variety, but you could switch up on other specifications once you go and check out the product.

Pros

• Offers smooth and comfortable rides
• Great value for money
• Long-lasting
• Resistant to flats
• Can survive on poor-quality roads
• Provide good grip
• Can roll better than some mountain bike tires
• Quiet rolling
• Doesn’t rub against the fender

Cons

• The tire doesn’t say Schwinn on the tire (might have only been rebranded to Schwinn)
• The tire could feel a little heavy because of the Kevlar and could be tiring to ride after long use

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2. Maxxis Holy Roller BMX Bike Tire

Key Features

• Tire size: 20” x 1.95”
• Available in black
• Recommended pressure: 35 to 60 PSI

If you’re more into street or hard pack trails and love to look different, then you’ll probably like the Maxxis Holy Roller BMX Bike Tire.

This tire is easy to install and can offer a reliable grip once you hit with it on the road. At a recommended pressure of 35 to 60 PSI, this tire can work well with street riding.

Note, though, that like most tire products, this Maxxis Holy Roller BMX Tire only comes with the tire itself (the tube is sold separately), and there’s only one tire. So, in that case, you’ll have to purchase two in case you need to replace the tires of both your front and rear wheels.

Pros

• Good, thick, quality tire
• Can offer a reliable grip
• The white variant is visually appealing
• Easy installation with the flex bead
• Lightweight
• Affordable

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a tube (sold separately)
• Only comes in one tire (not a pair)

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

3. Bell

Key Features

• Tire size: 12.5” x 1.75” to 2.25” for the standard variant and 20” x 1.75” to 2.25” for the flat defense variant
• Recommended PSI: 35 to 40

The standard variant of the Bell BMX Bike Tire features a smooth, rolling tread with just enough traction that could give you control over your rides. 

By the way, Bell also has a “flat defense” variant, which actually has the Pro size of 20” in diameter (the “standard” variant is at 12.5” and is actually for kids).

Both tires can offer a strong grip on the road, are easy to install, and can endure thorns. The tires can also work with street or dirt biking—just not the hard-core dirt racing, as they only allow up to 40 PSI of pressure.

Anyway, the tires are relatively affordable, although again, you’ll have to purchase two for a complete tire change for your BMX bike.

Pros

• Offers good traction
• Thick tread
• Value for money
• Easy installation
• Can endure thorns
• Can hold up nicely
• Fits well
• Works with street and dirt biking

Cons

• Doesn’t include an innertube (sold separately)
• Comes with only one tire
• May track a lot of mud

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4. Kenda MX K50

Key Features

• Tire size: 20” x 1.75”
• Recommended pressure: 40 to 65 PSI
• Basic repair tire
• Comes in either white or black color

The Kenda MX K50 BMX Bicycle Tire can run in the mud with even 400 lbs of load on the bike. That’s a little surprising, considering this to be a basic repair/replacement tire. Nonetheless, it can handle dirt biking well, as it also allows up to 65 PSI of pressure.

This tire also installs without much effort. Again, like most of the tires I’ve discussed here so far, you’ll just have to use your old innertube or purchase a new one separately.

Anyway, the Kenda MX K50 Tire can give you a smooth ride with a good grip even if the road is a little rough. Thanks to its thick and aggressive tread design.

Finally, I’d just like to note that you can get this tire either in black or white.

Pros

• Good knobby tires for riding on dirt roads
• Thick and aggressive tread design
• Easy installation
• Can give a smooth ride even in rough country roads
• Affordable
• Offers good grip on most surfaces
• Fit the rim well

Cons

• May wear off easily with excessive use
• Doesn’t come with the innertube
• Comes with only one tire

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

5. Maxxis Hookworm BMX Bike Tire

Key Features

• Tire size: 24” x 2.5”
• Recommended pressure: 40 to 65 PSI
• Good for basic repair/replacement
• Solid black color

The Maxxis Hookworm BMX Tire makes the list, because of its quality. It has a curved grooved slick design. Thus, it allows more contact area with the ground and some extended gripping, for that matter.

It’s a tire with a wire bead, which you might find a little difficult to lock onto the rim. But once the installation is done, this tire can work well as a replacement for an old bike tire.

This may be a bit pricier, but it does offer value for money. It can work decently and has just the right size for standard BMX bikes.

Pros

• Value for money
• Works decently
• Just the right size
• Good quality replacement tire
• Fits well
• Great wire bead and tread design

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a rubber tube inside
• Comes with only one tire
• A bit pricier compared to other tires

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

6. Sunlite MX3

Key Features

• Entry-level BMX tire
• Has a durable casing
• Prevents flats
• Available in white or black
• Has variants for 12.5”, 14”, 16”, 18”, and 20”-diameter wheels

The Sunlite MX3 BMX Tire comes in either black or white colors and is an entry-level tire with basic features. The MX3 series just have different sizes for different BMX bike types—some are for kids, while others are for juniors and adults.

Anyway, the tire variants have wired beads, and they could add a little more weight to the tires. Still, the smooth tread can work well with city strolling.

The tires also feel well-made, and even the kid’s versions can still roll on top of grassy areas. Still, these entry-level tires may not be the longest-lasting ones, especially if you’re going to use them pretty heavily.

I should say they can stick around if you maintain them on parks and easy-going rides.

Pros

• Good replacement for kid’s bikes
• Easy installation
• Affordable
• Fits well
• Rolls smoothly
• Just enough tread

Cons

• The package only includes one tire
• It doesn’t include the inner tube
• May easily wear out with rough usage

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Our Top Pick

For me, my top pick would be the Maxxis Hookworm BMX Bike Tire. They work surprisingly well on wet pavement and what made them top of my list is how quiet they are. They’re almost noiseless even when through corners, they stick well.

Whatever the case may be, just remember that there’s an ideal tire for every move. If you’ve never made up your mind on what discipline to master yet, then better start picking one. Just one.

Focus on that, and then pick the kind of tire that enables you to move around with ease. Once you’ve gained a lot of experience around that discipline, you’ll know better what tire to upgrade to.

Trust me, I know.

Last update on 2024-04-28 at 13:46 / Commission Earned / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API