Bicycle tires are arguably the most important component of bicycles. After all, without a set of tires, you're not going to move anywhere, right? But that's where the simplicity of the bicycle tire ends, as there are literally hundreds of forms of tires available for every type of cyclist.
Main Types
The bicycle tire comes in two main types: the clincher tire and the tubular tire. More than 90 percent of cycles have the clincher tire, which consists of an outer rubber section that remains in contact with the surface being ridden on as well as a separate inner tube. The tubular tire is typically used by serious racing cyclists, and is made up of an outer tire and inner tube manufactured into one single unit, in order to save weight and increase performance.
Compromise
Bicycle tires will always represent some degree of compromise for a rider. Being designed to cater for general styles and needs, there is consistently some trade-off between tire types, such as the conflict between weight and pedal efficiency or friction and grip. This makes selecting a tire based on its intended purpose very important, as a grippy mountain tire ridden on normal road conditions, for example, will minimize a cyclist's performance.
Materials
The most common material used in tire design is rubber. However, designers have developed specific forms of rubber to suit differing conditions. Soft rubbers are commonly used to provide good traction and more friction over a particular surface, where as harder rubbers are commonly utilized to minimize friction and increase durability.
Tread Pattern
Tread patterns also offer options for different purposes. Mountain and off-road tires are equipped with bobbles and indents to increase the surface area upon which they can grip. Road and race bikes, however, focus on slick tires with only minimal necessary indents for grip, to remove drag and friction. A third option now exists in the form of combination tires. These offer texture on the outer edges to grip uneven, off-road surfaces, but have a slick central section to provide high performance on the road.
Dimensions
Different bicycle tires have different dimensions specific to their intended uses. Wide tires, of up to 2 ¼ inches, allow for more of the surface area of a tire to remain in contact with the surface being ridden on, enhancing grip, and are especially prevalent in off-road bicycles. However, some racing bicycles have tires with widths of only a single inch, designed to offer minimal resistance to the smooth surfaces they are intended to be ridden upon.
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