Types of hybrid tyre treads
Hybrid tyres come in a variety of tread types designed for use on city streets and even light trails. A tyre’s tread is the best indicator of which surface(s) it will perform best on.
Hybrid and commuter tyres deliver speed, durability and traction across multiple surfaces, including city streets, bike paths and even light trails. As you’re choosing the best tyre for you, consider where you’ll ride. If you'll stick to roads, a smooth, fast-rolling hybrid tyre will suit your needs. If you’ll venture onto rougher roads or gravel, a wider tyre with heftier tread can give you more grip and confidence.
Smooth tread
Tyres with this type of tread are designed for mostly city and street riding. The smooth tyre surface helps the tyre roll efficiently and deliver good traction on streets and paved paths.
Recessed tread
Some tyres have inward/recessed tread or siping to provide extra traction in wet or rainy conditions. The channels help move water out of the way for more traction and confidence on the road in all weather conditions.
External tread
Hybrid and commuter tyres that have an external tread are designed with traction in mind. If you find yourself on non-asphalted paths or uneven surfaces, a treaded design will give you the best grip and confidence.
What to know about puncture protection
Many hybrid and commuter tyres have design features that can help prevent your ride from being interrupted by a flat. If durability is a priority for you, or if you ride in rougher or uneven terrain, look for tyres with anti-cut sidewalls to help prevent cuts and tears, robust construction with extra material in key areas and sub-tread breaker belts (durable fabric layers built into the tyre, right under the tread, to help block sharp objects from piercing through your tyre and flatting your tube.)
Hybrid bike tyre sizes
Most hybrid and commuter bike tyres are available in two diameters: 700c or 26”. You will probably see a size printed on the sidewall of your current tyres. This is a great place to start when you need to replace a hybrid or commuter tyre. Look for two numbers: the first number is the diameter of the the tyre. Your replacement tyres must be this same size or they will not fit. The second number listed is the tyre’s width. You can choose replacement tyres that have the same width, but you can often choose to go a little wider or a little narrower depending on your preference. If you are unsure which width is best for you, pop into your local bike shop for advice!
A guide to Bontrager hybrid and city tyre families
Wherever you roll, there’s a Bontrager tyre designed to bring more speed, stability, traction or confidence to your experience. And every one is backed by the Bontrager Unconditional Guarantee, which gives you 30 days to ride and love your Bontrager tyre. If you don’t, bring it back and we’ll replace it for free.
H series
Confidently roll over any terrain with a confidence-inspiring tread that provides great traction on a variety of surfaces such as asphalt and packed bike paths.
E series
An eBike specific tyre designed to offer confident traction and lasting performance for the speeds and needs of eBike riders. A lightly treaded tyre that’s optimised for the increased speeds and demands of eBike riders.
Connection series
An economical, mixed-use tyre that delivers off-road prowess with on-road manners. Aggressive knobbies grip the loose stuff while a connected centre ridge rolls smoothly.
Bike tyre anatomy
Although tyres may seem like simple rubber objects, they are actually super complex technological marvels! They’re made with special casings, rubber compounds, tread patterns and even puncture-protection technologies, all designed to ensure that you have an amazing ride.
Learn more about the parts of a bike tyreBontrager puncture protection tech
Hard-Case Lite
Our lightest-weight puncture protection adds durability thanks to tough 30 TPI construction and a sub-tread breaker belt that helps prevent punctures.
Shop H2 Hard-Case LiteHard-Case
Hard-Case provides added puncture protection thanks to a sub-tread breaker belt that prevents punctures, and an anti-cut casing that resists cuts from glass and other sharp objects.
Shop AW1 Hard-CaseHard-Case Ultimate
Our most robust puncture protection. The sub-tread breaker belt helps prevent punctures, an anti-cut, bead-to-bead casing resists cuts from glass and sharp objects, and additional sub-tread co-extrusion provides maximum puncture protection.
Shop H2 Hard-Case UltimateReflective sidewalls
Reflective sidewalls on select tyre models can help you stand out in lower-light conditions. If you’re on the road or path at dawn, dusk, or in darkness, tyres with reflective sidewalls should be part of your safety kit alongside reflective clothing and Daytime Running Lights.
Shop reflective tyresHybrid bike tyre pressure tips
A recommended tyre pressure range can be found printed on the side of all tyres. Personal preference plays a large role here, but a good starting place would be to run a pressure at the lower end of the range if riding on rougher surfaces or higher in the range if riding on smoother surfaces.
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