Our tips to choose the perfect ebike tyres
Why choose specific tyres for electric bikes?
It is essential to install specific tyres on an electric bike, do you know why? The main reason is its speed. The weight of the bike and the power of the motor are also reasons why you should not mount a traditional tyre on an electric bike. (Whether it is an electric city bike, an electric MTB, an electric road bike or even an electric gravel bike).
An electric bike weighs between 18 and 28 kilos, depending on the brand and model. To give you an idea, A traditional bicycle weighs a maximum of 15 kg. You will need a tyre that can take the extra weight without buckling. A traditional tyre will wear out faster and the risk of punctures is higher.
The torque and power you bring to the rear wheel are more important than on a regular bike. With an electric bike, your average speed is much higher. Whether on the flat or uphill. The weight of the bike also increases braking distances on descents. Braking is a key part of cycling. It allows you to distribute the weight on descents and to manage your grip on the terrain (whether it's dirt or tarmac). With a tyre that is not adapted to the weight of your bike, you risk drastically increasing braking distances and the handling of your bike on descents.
The differences of an electric bike tyre
The first characteristic of specific tyres for electrically assisted bicycles is the thickness of the rubber to increase their durability. In the tread area (on top of the tyre) the percentage of rubber is higher than on a traditional tyre.
The carcasses are also different, to obtain more robust tyres. More robustness for fewer punctures!
They are generally designed to achieve low rolling resistance in order to increase battery life. If, for example, you decide to fit tyres with very large studs to a city bike, your range will be halved!
Naturally, the tyres of e-bikes are subject to more stress than the tyres of non-motorised bicycles. This is why the major tyre manufacturers have developed tyres specifically for electrically assisted bicycles.
How to recognise an electric bike tyre
Electrically assisted bicycles are limited to 25 km/h. However, there is no standard or obligation for e-bike tyres. However, as the characteristics of an e-bike differ from those of a conventional bicycle, manufacturers have designed specific e-bike tyres that are more suitable than conventional tyres. You can recognise these tyres by the words E-Bike or E-Bike Ready in the product title, on the packaging and on the tyre sidewall.
The best tyres for electric city bikes
Schwable Marathon Reflex E-BIKE tyre
Continental Ride Tour E-BIKE tyre
Michelin Protek Max E-BIKE READY Tyre
Maxxis Gypsy E-BIKE Tyre
The best electric mountain bike tyres
Schwable Magic Mary E-BIKE Tyres
Hutchinson Griffus Racing E-BIKE Tyres
Michelin Wild AM Performance E-BIKE READY Tyres
