There was a time when bicycles were simple and came in just a few varieties. Today you have an amazing range of bikes and one of them is a fixie bike, named so because it has its wheels fixed. To get the most out of these bicycles, you need the best fixie tires to see the effect.
While there are several brands of fixie tires available in the market, some of them are not up to the mark in terms of quality. Unless you have a premium quality one, there’s a fair chance that your riding experience won’t go as smooth, and you may even end up having an accident at the worst.
For a beginner, it is easier said than done to choose the best tires for your fixie bike. To an inexperienced biker, all tires may look the same but in reality, they come with different specs and features that affect your bile’s overall performance.
So how do you choose the most suitable tires for your bike? To the inexperienced eyes, these tires may look the same, but the truth is these tires have different features and specs that affect your bicycle’s performance.
To make it easier for you to distinguish between the good quality and chaff, our team of expert reviewers has scoured the Internet to find the top-rated fixie tires for you. We have done an extensive study of the market and reviewed more than a dozen products to handpick a few for you.
Read on to find our unbiased reviews of the best tires for fixie bikes. If you are too busy to read until the end, take a look at the quick summary of our recommended products below. Also, don’t forget to check out the things to consider before buying.
Quick Summary
The Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin tires may be hard to install but once done, they are worth the trouble. Even if you run them close to 85-90 PSI on bike paths and roads, they are puncture-resistant and great. They are also much more responsive and lighter than others.
For those who want to transform their mountain bike into a fast and efficient city bike, the WTB ThickSlick Comp tire is a go-to choice. It not only improves the appearance of your bike but also adds more power, grip, and control, but be careful about not riding on wet surfaces.
MICHELIN Dynamic Sport Tire has a brand name that speaks for itself and these foldable tires are one of the most inexpensive ones that you can afford. Despite being cheap on budget, they offer a reasonable amount of stability, comfort, and deliver a good performance.
The Continental Gatorskin Bike Tire is for those who hate flats and some uses claim to have gone thousands of miles without getting a flat so that is something incredible. They are clearly designed for the tough trainers and serious road racers, and reasonable pricing makes it more sought after.
The Bicycle Wanda Slick Tire is a decent quality bike tire that lets you ride for miles before you get a flat. If you are looking for a fixie tire at a reasonable price then this one definitely offers a good bang for your bucks.
The Bicycle Wanda Tire 700x25c P-1076 is a great option for enthusiastic road racers and trainers. If you are tight on the budget but you still want the best tires for your fixie bike, this is a good option indeed.
Best Fixie Tires: Things To Consider
Fixie bikes are different from your regular bicycles, hence you need to be careful before purchasing or else you may end up not liking what you buy. So, here are a few important things to consider before hitting on the order button.
Endurance level
When you want a bike that makes you feel like the king of the road or you are a fitness freak, you will need a fixie bike to get the most out of your biking passion. However, you will also need to invest in the right type of tires to complement the intensity of such bikes.
As you need to keep paddling on a straight road, the tires should be capable of providing the right mileage. On the contrary, if you are the kind who enjoys riding on rocky terrain or an uphill journey, a fixie bike is not the ideal choice.
Tube or tubeless
Traditionally, the fixie tires comprise of the tube, but you can still find varieties that are tubeless in nature. It’s essential for you to understand that both these varieties offer different types of advantages as well as downsides.
So, consider your location, the regional weather, and your personal routine before you decide whether to go for a tube or tubeless tire. If you are seeking more speed then you may want to look for tires that come with aluminum wiring to reduce the tire weight and improve speed.
Grip on road
When you have a bike whose movement depends solely on your peddling, you will require tires that offer good control and also lessen the resistance. If you live in a place that gets a lot of rain, we suggest that you get a bike with fixie tires that have a higher level of resistance or grip for better control on the road.
Durability
No matter what your riding style is, you need to look for durability to get a low rolling resistance and good traction. While the above-mentioned features are important, durability counts the most if skidding is your primary way of braking and these are one of the best tires for skidding.
We suggest that you look for a reasonable cost-to-mileage ratio as you will need a tire capable of handling the rigors of fixie riding without breaking the bank. This is even more important if you ride really hard and need to change the rubber quite often.
Compound
With the tire compound, much of the pressure can be relieved from the rim. Features like layers of protective rubber, a synthetic rim, or superior tread compound can help in protecting the tire surface from sharp objects and decrease the chances of leak effectively.
With good maintenance of your fixie bike over time, you can considerably reduce any issues and ensure a smooth ride every time. Now, let’s go over to the reviews of the fixie tires handpicked by our team.
#1. Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Clincher Bike Tires
As per Continental, Gatorskin is the favorite training tire in the UK and you can get the feel in its DuraSkin Clincher Bike Tires (see Amazon). It sports a bead-to-bead layer of puncture protection that is capable of preventing and resisting any cuts. As the tread is made from natural rubber, it’s not too soft or too grippy, but just fine for dry roads.
The tires come with a lightweight Dushkin sidewall protection and there are race tubes inside the tires to make the ride smooth and supple. The 25mm tires are designed in a way to absorb the roughness of the street. While the installation is simple, you need to ensure that they are fully inflated for the best results.
What we like:
- Well made, tough, and easy to manage
- Tires are really resistant to puncture
- Very durable and comfortable to ride on
- Can ride on most types of trails
What we don’t like:
- Tough to mount on rims
#2. WTB ThickSlick Comp tire
The WTB ThickSlick Comp tire gets a second position for its no-nonsense design and slick styling that provides maximum traction even on irregular terrain. It sports a sturdy casing built to sustain the toughest urban conditions matched with a professional tread design.
As the tire is twice the rubber tread, this fixie tire is two times more durable than the lifespan of an average tire. So, what you pay is 50% less than the competitor’s price. The extra rubberized treat also increases the absorption quality of rubber, making it a smoother ride for you despite any obstacles or un-pleasantries.
What we like:
- Cost-effective tires feel nice and grippy
- Flat Guard gives you extra puncture protection
- Thick tires roll smoothly without getting a puncture
- High on performance, less on noise
What we don’t like:
- Not good for wet surfaces
#3. MICHELIN Dynamic Sport Tire
MICHELIN has a name in the industry for the quality they deliver, and they hold it up right with this Dynamic Sport Tire that looks and feels superior. Easy to install without much effort, they manage to add a lot of mileage and style to your bike rides, plus they also give you an incredible grip on the road.
As light and foldable bead tire that weighs between 290 and 380 grams, this is a smart choice for any city bike rider. The wire bead versions are available in a wide range of colors to complement your bicycle. The best part is that these tires not only look great but also add a lot of stability and comfort to your rides.
What we like:
- Quite resistant to punctures
- The installation part is pretty simple
- Nice and inexpensive tires
- Feel sturdy, stable, and comfortable
What we don’t like:
- Quality seems to have dipped in the recent versions
#4. Continental Gatorskin Bike Tire
If you are looking for stability and durability mixed with style then check out the Continental Gatorskin Bike Tire. It sports a carbon black mixture that makes it comfortable to ride on any road. The tires comprise of polyester fibers that overlap at the time of manufacturing to give you a dense fabric that is resistant to any foreign body without decreasing the rolling resistance.
The sidewall protection of Gatorskin Bike Tire comes from the superior quality polyamide fabric encasing that keeps the tire safe from any cuts and scuffs on the road. With its wear optimized tread, you can add more years to the service life of your Gatorskin bike tire.
What we like:
- They have a great sidewall protection
- Smooth at the center and grippy in the shoulders
- Designed for serious touring and bike commuting
- No issues with grip even on wet surfaces
What we don’t like:
- The bead is too tight and fit is kinda tough for some people
#5. Bicycle Wanda Slick Tire
These are hybrid bike fixie tires from the house of Fenix Cycles and they come in a variety of color to complement your bicycle. It has a solid construction and nice feel it to. We love the slick tread type which makes it stable and comfortable to ride on any type of road.
These tires are well built with a superior exterior wall that is resistant to punctures; hence you get a lot more mileage. They are one of the best tires for those who are trying to better their racing game or are simply fitness crazy.
What we like:
- The pressure rating for these tires is 100 psi
- Great value for the price
- Well-built and has a tough covering
What we don’t like:
- None as of now
#6. Bicycle Wanda Tire 700x25c P-1076
If you are a racing enthusiast and you are training on a budget then we would recommend the Bicycle Wanda Tire 700x25c P-1076 (see Amazon). This is a good quality road bike tire that comes at half the price of competitor brands, but offers decent quality.
The rubber rings around the fixie bike tire work great in resisting punctures and they also provide a great grip on different types of roads. Installation is easy and it fits really well to make you feel one with the road. It offers excellent traction even on wet surfaces.
What we like:
- More reasonable than other brands
- Works great for those who take cycling seriously
- Fits perfectly and looks durable
What we don’t like:
- Not as durable as its competitors
Final Words
Gone are the days when there were limited options when it came to choosing fixie tires and you had to stick with what your bike already had. Today, there is a wide range of bike tires to choose from, and you can customize your bike the way you like until you are satisfied.
While every user has a personal taste and choice, we hope that the reviews mentioned above help you find the best pair of fixie tires to help you get the finest performance out of your bike.
See Also:
How To Store Bicycle Wheels
How Do I Know When To Replace Crankset
4 Best Bike Computers For Triathlon (+ 4 Critical Buying Tips)
