A tire is a crucial factor to consider before getting a bike for your tips and adventure. Like most bikers, you may wish to carry a spare bike tire throughout the journey if you’re stuck in the middle of the road.
We know it’s the worst situation a biker face to replace a tire since you can’t bring it with you. The folding bike is the one and only solution to this problem since you can fold and pack them in your backpack. But, before you move on you should know what is a folding bike tire at first?
Folding bike tire comes with a compact and folded from the tires for making an ideal shape while traveling. Today, we’re going to share the concept of folding tires, materials, and their comparison to the conventional ones.
So, let’s start the discussion with no more delay.
What Is A Folding Bike Tire?
To put it simply, a folding bike tire is a compact and foldable version of a conventional bike tire that allows you for transporting. The purpose of them is to help the bikers on a long trip in case of a puncture or explode risk. Now, most manufacturers use them with their standard, casual, and mountain bikes.
Besides, they’re also convenient when you’re going for a cross-country trip with a sound gear system. This is why foldable tires are becoming so popular since they meet the most demands of bikers choosing a risk-free option. As they know it’ll be a piece of cake when wheel tires pop.
In addition, they also deliver smooth and comfortable rides as they adopt a high-thread count(TPI) in the construction process.
What Makes a Folding Bike Tire Compact?
The folding bike tires are compact and you can fold them in a relatively flat shape since use Kevlar strand bundles, instead of the wires. Thus, they ensure a guarantee to provide maximum flexibility. If you’ve no idea about Kevlar strands here is the definition.
Unlike the common rubber wire tires, Kevlar strands come from an organic fiver with durability and flexibility. They’re very popular among cyclists because of their lightweight and foldable structure that’s easy to carry and replace than before.
Are Folding Tires Expensive Than Regular Tires?
Folding tires are a little more expensive than other bicycle tires since they have to add some exceptional built materials. However, they offer also cheaper options sometimes depending on the quality, size, and types of bike.
If you’re a fan of them undoubtedly want to know about the price and cost compared to the regular tires. You have to spend a bit of money which is average $10 to $30 extra per unit or pair, in some cases. It also depends on the brand value, quality, and manufacturer of the product.
Difference Between Folding Tires and Regular Tires
There are some differences between folding bike tires and regular tires. Here, we’re going to address the points before you make a decision about both of them. Let’s have a look at them–
- Material: As we mentioned before, they use Kevlar strands materials that are more bendable than steel cable or wires inside the regular bike tires.
- Weight: You’ll find another difference that is weight. Foldable bikes have higher TPI(thread per inch) which means they come with lower weight whereas the regular ones offer higher weight. There is a minimum of 2 ounces of difference in their weight.
- Price: You’ve to buy these two types of tires at a different cost since the foldable tires are more expensive than the regular ones. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly one they’re not for you.
- Composition: Another distinction is the rubber composition of these tires. Folding tires are made of a softer rubber mix and a trade-off between the tread and bike tires. Therefore they deliver better grip and traction on the most surface and faster than others as well.
What Are the Best Folding Bike Tires?
If you’re interested about to know, then we can recommend you some options in front of you. Besides, we’ll also show the features they offer so you can find benefits before making any buying decision.
Here’re some of the top folding bike tires you should check out–
- Maxxis – EXO Dual Minion DHF Compound Tubeless Folding MTB Tire
- Schwalbe Marathon Supreme HS 469 Hybrid Folding Tire
- Continental Gatorskin Folding Tire
- MICHELIN Force AM Competition Line Mountain Bike Tire
- Kenda Nevegal DTC Folding Bike Tire
They come with several specifications and numerous benefits for your bikes– including, a regular bike, folding bike, fat tire folding electric bike, or mountain bike. Yes, you have an option for the folding bike also that needs fat tires to go on different surfaces.
What Are the Most Popular Folding Bike Tire Brands?
There are many popular folding tire brands available in the market. We’ve listed some of the renowned manufacturers:
- Continental
- Schwalbe
- Bontrager
- Maxxis
- Michelin
- Tubus
- Nokian
- Kenda Tire
Why Choose a Folding Tire?
Choosing a folding tire gets you a compact, lightweight, and portable option for road bikers. You can easily fold and carry when planning a trip to replace a tire in the middle of the journey.
There are also tons of reasons to choose one, they’re –
- They’re strong enough than wire beads tires and withstand heavy bumps and shocks
- You can choose a folding tire if you’re a frequent traveler, as you can replace one very easily. You have almost no tools required
- The tires tend to sustain a long time of use since they’re durable
- Not much pricy than other people think
What Is the Difference Between Folding and Rigid Tires?
A rigid tire is made of bead steel, whereas a folding tire uses a Kevlar strand as a core material. You’ll have a lighter and easy-to-carry structure when getting a folding tire. However, another difference is in their cost where folding bike tires come at a more expensive price than the rigid ones.
The Terms We Also Covered in This Article
Tire type, hybrid bike, wheel size, wire bead, steel wire, wire bundles, tire pressure, dual-compound tread, mountain bikers, synthetic fiber, personal preferences, standard tire, traditional tires, traditional bike tires, road bikes, bike types, affordable bike, and affordable folding bike tires.
Conclusion
This is all about the folding bike tires that bring you a lot of functions and conveniences. From now on, you can decide about the tires that fit your bike most. Of course, depending on the bike, terrain, travel distance, and many more. We hope you got a proper idea and guidelines after answering the “what is a folding bike tire” question.
We always try to improve our knowledge about what you’re facing related to bikes and bring the best solution. Still, if you have any queries and feedback please feel free to inform us ASAP! We value your personal opinion and user experience.
