Electric bike tire – the different types and maintenance tips

What is electric bike tire?

We can see tires everywhere in our daily lives, but to understand the electric bike tire, we still have to start with the definition of bicycle tires. Generally speaking, electric bike tires are rubber rings with treads fixed on the wheels. It plays a vital role in direct contact with the ground during riding. With the right electric bike tire, your bike can take you almost anywhere, including slick ice and muddy mountains.

Type of wheel diameter

Common wheel diameters are 26 inches, 27.5 inches, and 29 inches. Manufacturers usually mark the wheel diameter information on the electric bike tire, as well as model, specifications, tire pressure range, puncture protection level and other information. Riders can also check the brand name on the electric bike tire.

In the choice of wheel diameter, 29-inch wheels are welcomed by more riders. The reason is that in the mechanical analysis, the 29-inch wheels have a higher axle center, better grip, and reduced rolling resistance during riding, making the bicycle more comfortable. They are easier to negotiate obstacles and help climb steeper slopes.

However, when going down steep slopes and cornering, the 29-inch rear wheel cannot show its advantage. Therefore, experienced mountain bikers may choose to mix tires and use a bicycle with a 29-inch front wheel and a 27.5-inch rear wheel to get a more flexible and cool riding experience.

But, changing the wheel diameter is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also expensive. Riders should consider it carefully before proceeding wheeler mixing.

Types of electric bike tire base on structure

Clincher tire

Clincher tire is also called embedded tire and need to be used together with an inner tube. And it is the most common electric bike tire. Its function is to bear the load of the vehicle, while limiting the size of the outer edge of the electric bike tire, protecting the tire pressure of the inner tube, and preventing mechanical damage to the inner tube. The advantage is that it is easy to repair when a tire is flat or leaking air.

Tubular tire

Tubular tires do not have inner and outer tires in the traditional sense. This high-performance tire has a tread on a sewn casing and is then glued to the tubular tire rim. It needs to be used with a special rim. Generally, professional athletes use tubular tires in most road racing competitions.

Advantages and disadvantages of tubular tire

Advantage:

• Good cornering performance and more comfort;
• Excellent shock absorption performance, less chance of single jump and deceleration on rough roads;
• Allows higher maximum inflation pressure than clincher tires;
• Tire blowout when encountering high-speed downhill tires when the tire is running, the outer tire will not fall off instantly, which can avoid accidents and allow the rider to continue moving forward and wait for help;
• The rims of tubular tire are lighter.

Disadvantages:

• The shortcomings of tubular tire are relative to amateur users;
• Changing tires is troublesome, whether it is a puncture or a long-distance ride that requires new tires;
• Repairing is extremely troublesome, affecting the lifespan, thus increasing the cost of use.

Tubeless tire

Tubeless tire is also called “low-pressure tires” and “pneumatic tires”. The assembly of this kind of tires and rims is sealed by filling sealants or self-replenishing fluids with special vacuum nozzles. Most wheel sets also require special vacuum tire pads. Because the fit between the rim and tire must be completely airtight, only certain rims are compatible with tubeless tires.

Advantages: small rolling resistance, good comfort due to the small tire pressure required, and self-healing of some small punctures.

Disadvantages: It is relatively thick and heavy, and it is difficult to repair major problems. Low tire pressure also reduces the speed.

Types of electric bike tire base on application scenarios

Common electric bike tire can be roughly divided into two categories, bus tires and mountain bike tires. Here we will mainly talk about mountain bike tires. Mountain bike tires are roughly divided into four categories based on width, tire teeth, etc.

• Semi-slick tires: 

The width of this type of electric bike tire is mostly between 1.75-3.0 (unit: inches), such as common 26*1.95, 26*2.1, 26*2.35, etc. Due to different wheel diameters, this kind of tires are also available in 20 inches, 24 inches, 27.5 inches and 29-inchers, which feature wider tires with deeper tread.

The width of this type of tire is generally between 1.5 inches and 1.95 inches. It is suitable for urban roads, dirt roads, mountain roads and other road conditions. It is lightweight, has low rolling resistance and saves effort.

• Off-road mountain bike tires:

This kind of tires have a width of 1.75 inches to 2.1 inches. They can be used on urban roads, mountains, and light off-road, and is suitable for most road conditions.

• Off-road downhill tires:

This type of tire looks wild and exaggerated. The height of each tire tooth is about 10mm. This type of tire is generally used for off-road and mountain downhill descents. It is basically used on some soft-tail electric bikes. It has good grip and a certain degree of avoidance. With large resistance, and the width is generally 2.25 inches-3.0 inches, and they are usually tubeless or quasi-tubeless tires.

• Snow tires (beach tires / fat tires)

The width of this type of electric bike tire is mostly 3.0-4.5 inches, and the teeth are not large, unlike the exaggerated teeth of downhill tires. The main feature is that they are wide and suitable for beaches, snow and other roads. This type of tires is also available in two types: tubeless and quasi-tubeless.

There is another type of tires used on special-shaped bikes, such as unicycles, acrobatic vehicles, etc., or high voltage ebike and those models that support electric bike battery swap. In order to meet special needs, these types of tires often have different specifications and parameters from the above four tires, and are relatively rare.

Daily care and maintenance tips for electric bike tire

1. Pay attention to tire pressure

Inflation should be moderate. There are many disadvantages to under-inflation and over-inflation. Under-inflation causes a flat tire, which increases the riding area, increasing the riding resistance, and thus intensifies the tire wear and affect ebike mileage; over-inflation causes the air to expand when the temperature rises in the summer, and the cords inside the tire are easily swollen. If it breaks, the service life will be shortened.

2. Clean the tires

After riding, check whether there are small stones, broken glass, etc. on the tires. Clean them in time, then wash them with clean water, and wipe them with a dry rag to avoid grease, hydrocarbons, and corrosive substances which will stick to the tire and cause tire deterioration. At the same time, it should be protected from direct sunlight. Users should also check again before riding to see if there are sharp debris such as glass shards on the tires and clean them in time.

3. Road conditions

When riding, choose the proper road conditions, avoid waste such as glass slag, and avoid manhole covers and pits, etc.

When should electric bike tire get changed?

• Wear: Observe the tread and sidewall of the electric bike tire. If the tread has been worn flat and becomes square, it must be replaced;
• Scars: Is the fabric inside the pipe wall leaking out? If so, it means the cut is very deep and must be replaced;
• Cracks: Observe whether there are cracks or strange-shaped protrusions on the surface of the tire. If there are more, it should be replaced;
• Riding distance: Generally, after riding for about 5,000km, the tires should be replaced with new ones.