Wheels & Tyres

Buying MTB Wheels and Tyres

Wheels and tyres are the most impactful upgrade you can make after suspension. They affect grip, rolling speed, weight, stiffness and how the bike feels on every type of terrain. A lighter, stiffer wheelset with quality tyres transforms a bike more noticeably than almost any other component upgrade.

Wheel Size

Three wheel sizes exist in modern mountain biking. 29" (700c) rolls faster over obstacles and carries momentum — now dominant on trail, XC and enduro bikes. 27.5" (650b) is more agile, accelerates quicker, and suits shorter riders and bikes with tighter rear-end geometry — still common on DH, dirt jump and some enduro bikes. 26" is functionally dead on new bikes but still runs on older frames, dirt jumpers and some kids' bikes. Mullet setups (29" front, 27.5" rear) combine the rollover of a big front wheel with the agility of a smaller rear.

Tubeless vs Tubes

Tubeless is the standard for mountain biking. Running tyres without inner tubes — sealed with rim tape, tubeless valves and liquid sealant — gives lower rolling resistance, better grip at lower pressures, and self-sealing puncture protection. The setup takes 20 minutes and the components (tape, valves, sealant) cost under £25. If you're still running tubes on a trail bike, going tubeless is the single best value upgrade available.

Buying Used Wheels

Used wheelsets are excellent value. Rims take the most abuse — check for dents, cracks around spoke holes, and excessive brake track wear (rim brakes only). Hubs last years with bearing replacements. Spokes rarely fail unless the wheel has been crashed. Spin the wheel and check for trueness — a slight wobble is an easy fix, a badly buckled rim is scrap. Always confirm hub spacing and freehub type match your frame and cassette.