BMX race tyres and freestyle

The BMX tyres gathered here cover all practices: Arisun and IRC Siren Comp for the race track, Schwalbe Jumpin' Jack for dirt, Mission Tracker and Fiction Troop for street and park, Maxxis Hookworm in twenty-four inches for cruisers, and Tioga Comp Retro with beige sidewalls for old school BMX. Width, rubber, casing, and pressure: our tips guide the choice.

Grip, from the track to the skatepark.

Race tyres: performance and grip on compacted dirt

On a BMX race track, the tyre needs to accelerate from the gate and hold in the banked turns on compacted dirt. The IRC Siren Comp, a Japanese race tyre with a steel bead, features a low-profile tread pattern that rolls quickly while gripping at the start; it comes in various widths, from narrow one-inch one-eighth sections to one point nine inches.

The race tyre Arisun has a V-shaped tread for traction, micro side knobs for cornering grip, a casing with one hundred and twenty threads per inch, and a lighter, flexible aramid bead. A race tyre is inflated harder than a freestyle tyre, within the range indicated on the sidewall, to reduce rolling resistance on hard surfaces.

The other tyres

Tyres are also available for:

All tyres are gathered on the tyres page.

Street, park, and dirt: casings designed for impacts

In freestyle, the tyre takes the hits from flat landings, slides, and stair jumps. The Mission Tracker, measuring two point four inches wide, combines a nearly smooth tread with thick sidewalls that allow for low pressure without pinch flats. The Fiction Troop, at two point three inches, has a semi-aggressive tread design on a wide casing, suitable for both skatepark and street.

The Schwalbe Jumpin' Jack is intended for dirt: its large blocks grip in soft dirt and sand on jumps, and its reinforced sidewalls resist cuts. In twenty-four inches, the Maxxis Hookworm, with fine knobby tread reaching the rim edge, fits park and street cruisers.

Reading sizes and adjusting pressure

The ISO marking on the sidewall first shows the width in millimetres, then the rim diameter: 406 for the standard twenty-inch, 451 for narrow race tyres of one inch one-eighth or three-eighths, 507 for twenty-four inches. A tyre designed for a 406 rim should never be mounted on a 451 rim, and vice versa; the width, however, can vary as long as the tyre fits in the frame and fork.

The pressure should be chosen within the range indicated on the sidewall: higher for racing and concrete for performance, lower for dirt for better grip. Wide street tyres can accommodate less air due to their volume, while an under-inflated narrow race tyre can pinch flat upon first impact.

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Frequently asked questions

Which tyre to choose for an old school BMX?

BMX enthusiasts from the 1980s look for beige sidewalled tyres, known as skinwall. The Tioga Comp Retro is a reissue of the tyre that appeared at the beginning of that decade, often described as the first specifically designed for BMX, with updated rubber and sidewall protection.

What tyre width is best for starting in a skatepark?

A tyre measuring two point three to two point four inches, like the Fiction Troop or Mission Tracker, offers enough volume to absorb landings and forgive mistakes. A lightly treaded design maintains good grip on the concrete and wood of the obstacles.

Can you fit a BMX tyre tubeless?

Only with a tyre and rim designed for it, a dedicated valve, and sealant. Most steel bead freestyle tyres are not suitable, and the sealant may even void their warranty: tubeless mainly concerns some high-end race tyres.

Soft bead or steel bead: what's the difference?

The steel bead, rigid, makes the tyre robust and economical but heavier. The flexible aramid bead lightens the tyre and allows it to be folded for transport; it is mainly used on race tyres, like Arisun's.

Why does my BMX tyre get pinch flats?

Pinch flats occur when the tube is compressed between an obstacle and the rim during an impact, leaving two small parallel cuts. You can increase the pressure within the range on the sidewall, or choose a tyre with thick sidewalls, like the Mission Tracker, which tolerates less air.