# Most durable, longest lasting mountain bike tire?



## baffledsloth (Jun 6, 2018)

I know a lot of mountain bike tires are made out of a softer, stickier compound for better traction, but I want a tire that sacrifices traction for durability. I want a tire that will last a really long time, has decent tread, and is available in 29x2.5/2.6. Any suggestions? I know the Surly ET is out there in 2.5 and it seems ideal, I've heard about 6,000 miles of wear life which is pretty good for an off road tire.


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## MikeR91 (Aug 6, 2014)

The Surly ET isn't a mountain bike tire. It's a great tire (I have a set with about 2000 miles on them and still plenty of life left), and it works well on gravel and mild single track, but it isn't a mountain bike tire. How knobby are you trying to go, and are you measuring durability in tread life or puncture resistance? A lot of mountain bike tires are offered in a variety of compounts, but the priority is generally puncture resistance as opposed to anything else. 

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## giant8900 (Jul 1, 2020)

Take a look at Schwalbe's marathon mondials. Most reviews show incredible range and outstanding durability. Not much grip for trails though. I have both the 26x2.0 and 26x2.15.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

I took a set of tires off of wheels I got after about 800-1000 miles, mostly pavement that showed very little wear and I was running them rock hard at 50 psi. They are Maxxis Minion DHR II EVO TSR. I suspect they are the cheaper version with lower TPI. These tires were surprisingly quiet on pavement and seemed good off road. Tire width I had was 2.4 but I think they come wider.

I took them off for something not as durable but better rolling resistance.


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## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

Lol my DHR does NOT look like that after 1000 miles of techy singletrack and the pavement to get there. I'd say a DHR might get you 1500 miles, and a DHF might last you 2000, but of course YMMV.

You should take a look at the Teravail Sparwood, though it only comes in 2.25 I think. I've got the smaller Cannonball, which lasts me several thousand miles, though I can't remember exactly how many. It is really more of a gravel tire, but it rolls a lot faster on pavement as a result.



And as with the others, remember, if you are going to a harder, longer lasting compound, you're gonna suffer in traction, particularly in the wet. MTB tires are made of soft rubber for a reason.


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## pssaenz (Jan 21, 2007)

lentamentalisk said:


> Lol my DHR does NOT look like that after 1000 miles of techy singletrack and the pavement to get there. I'd say a DHR might get you 1500 miles, and a DHF might last you 2000, but of course YMMV.
> 
> You should take a look at the Teravail Sparwood, though it only comes in 2.25 I think. I've got the smaller Cannonball, which lasts me several thousand miles, though I can't remember exactly how many. It is really more of a gravel tire, but it rolls a lot faster on pavement as a result.
> 
> And as with the others, remember, if you are going to a harder, longer lasting compound, you're gonna suffer in traction, particularly in the wet. MTB tires are made of soft rubber for a reason.


+1 for the Sparwoods. I used them for my attempt at the TD a couple of years back. Did 1,300 miles with the loaded bike and then ~2,000 more miles after that. I had one flat (my fault). For my next attempt next year I was planning on a new pair of those but I'll try the Rutlands. Very similar to the Sparwoods but more traction.


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## GT87 (Mar 18, 2014)

PierreR said:


> I took a set of tires off of wheels I got after about 800-1000 miles, mostly pavement that showed very little wear and I was running them rock hard at 50 psi. They are Maxxis Minion DHR II EVO TSR. I suspect they are the cheaper version with lower TPI. These tires were surprisingly quiet on pavement and seemed good off road. Tire width I had was 2.4 but I think they come wider.
> 
> I took them off for something not as durable but better rolling resistance.


^^^This tire has not been ridden for 800-1000 miles^^^


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