Vittoria

Barzo TNT Tire - 29in

The Vittoria Barzo TNT Tires are just what the wagon-wheel set ordered. They're fast and smooth, but tight and grippy on hard, dry surfaces. Lean-dependent sipe angles mean the hard cornering grip doesn’t kick in until the tire is leaned over, which keeps rolling resistance to a minimum. Counter V-formation channels ease the self-cleaning of mud, dirt, and debris, so the tire sheds quickly if you find yourself in the sticky stuff.

Tread isn't the end-all be-all, though. Almost as important is the casing underneath. Vittoria TNT casing is made from 120 TPI cloth, which is quite supple by mountain bike standards, so you'll have better grip and less rolling resistance. The sidewalls are also reinforced with nylon in order to minimize cuts and folding when riding at low pressure. The Barzo tires come in both 2.1-inch and 2.25-inch widths, so you can go burlier or slimmer as you see fit. Holding the tires onto the rim is a TNT Talon tubeless-compatible bead that also lets you run tubeless if you prefer.