KIDS TIRES
We run down the list of Tires we use to replace or upgrade our kids' bikes. We tried to offer some price conscious picks but there is no denying...you get what you pay for when it comes to MTB tires.
Kenda Small Block 8
Combination of light weight, good grip and low rolling resistance, it's tough to beat this for a multi-surface tire. Available in almost all diameters (14-29) and multiple widths. This is the tire we use for bikes that see pavement the most but also get a dose of dirt.
MSRP: $18.00 and up | Where to buy: Prevelo | Amazon | Ready Set Pedal
Schwalbe Black Jack
Versatile tread with good grip and easy rolling, this tire is a good budget multi-surface tread leaning towards dirt. Comes in all sizes 12 inch to 26 inch. Widths range from 1.9 to 2.1.
MSRP: $14.00-$24.00 | Where to buy: Amazon
Spawn Loam Star
Available in 14x1.9 and 16X1.9, these tires rip the dirt, are light weight and offer good rolling resistance on the street. Better than the small blocks off-road because of width and aggressive tread, this is a good pick for 2-6 year olds who spend time in the bike park, local trails and bmx track.
MSRP: $25 | Where to buy: Spawn
Awesome Tire levers and Only $5
Spawn Brood Maxtion Tubeless Ready
These tires are fantastic for 20, 22 and 24 inch MTB kids. Tubeless compatible, available in standard and DH casings, the 20x2.2. 22x2.3 and 24x2.3 tire are pushing kids components to a new level...think little maxxis minions but lower rolling resistance for your little shredder! The 20 and 24 inch Tubeless Ready regular casing is only 440 and 560 grams respectively!
MSRP: $40-53 | Where to buy: Spawn
Vee Tire Crown Gem
These rad little fast rolling 2.25 inch wide enduro style tires are available in two compounds, and size 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 24 inch. The 24 inch 120 tpi come in at 570 grams while the 20 inch comes in at 520 grams. Great MTB tires with some spec'd tubeless compatible. The 20 and 24 sizes also have 2.6 and 2.8 widths but we prefer 2.25 for all round MTB tire.
MSRP: $9-36 | Where to buy: Vee Tire | Prevelo | Trailcaft Cycles
Vee Tire Flow Snap
Vee Tire is pumping out great tires of late! We love the fast rolling crown gems and now we have a gravity tire for 20 and 24 inch bikes. Coming in at 680/820 grams respectively, these are tubeless ready, 2.4 inches wide and incorporate their enduro core tech (1ply with reinforced sidewalls) and MPC Compound (multi-purpose). For all mountain terrain a fast rolling crown gem in the back and one of these up front for grip could be perfect.
MSRP: $56 | Where to buy: Vee Tire
Kenda Regolith 20 and 26 inch
Awesome premium 20 and 26 inch tires that come in 2 casings and are 2.4 inches wide (no 24 inch yet). The 20 weighs just 487 grams while 26 inch comes in at 692 grams. These are great all around MTB tires in the dry or the wet. Dual compounds, they have firmer faster rolling center knobs and softer gripper side knobs for cornering. Tubeless ready.
MSRP: $63.95 | Where to buy: Kenda Tires
Schwalbe Rocket Ron
These are very light tires in 20 and 24 inch all round MTB tire. The Addix Speed singleply tires have amazing compound and offer a sweet spot of grip and rolling resistance. The sidewalls are pretty thin enabling these tires come in at 360-410 and 500-560 grams respectively at 2.25 and 2.35 inch wide. While they are light the sidewalls make them more prone to flats if you try to run low pressure (especially with a tube). You can get them in 26 inch as well.
MSRP: $58.99 | Where to buy: Chain Reaction | Trailcraft
Kenda Booster 20, 24 and 26
These are some extremely light weight (498g) 120 TPI 20 inch x 2.4 inch tires (24 inch are 2.2 inch weigh 558 grams, 26 inch are 2.2/2.4 inch weigh 600 grams). Fast rolling and good grip, these tires are tubeless ready and will lighten up and kids bikes substantially. Best for those pedally kids who climb to earn those descents, ride XC or where you really need to knock some weight off for the smaller kids.
MSRP: $69.95 | Where to buy: Kenda Tires
Maxxis Minion 24x2.4 DHF, 24x2.3 DHRII / 20x2.3 DHRII
We ride these tires ourselves so we were pumped when Maxxis moved from heavy DH casing to the lighter (765 grams) EXO , Tubeless Ready, 3C compound (DHF only) for the 24 size. The 20 inch DHR II comes in at 554 grams (60 TPI). Now our kids can get the grip and cornering of these awesome tires. We really like the DHF for the bike park and shuttling but perhaps too much rolling resistance for the little guys and gals who are going to be primarily climbing to earn their turns. We would run DHR II front and rear for any climbers out there.
MSRP: $39-70 | Where to buy: Jenson USA | World Wide Cyclery | Nashbar
Maxxis Maxxdaddy 20
A great value 20 inch dirt tire suitable for BMX, dirt jumping and trail riding. Light weight, 20X2.0 it has good width and full square knobs. Can be used front and rear.
MSRP: $24 | Where to buy: Amazon
Anyone verify the weight of the 24×2.10 Rocket Rons is actually 435 grams? That’s crazy light – every other premium lightish 24″ tire is around +/- 600 g. Even the lightweight 20″ tires are mostly 500+ grams. I have an email in to Schwalbe, but just checking if anyone here has first hand experience with that exact size
What would you recommend for a narrower 24″ tire that still has good traction? I’m looking for a rear tire for a Frog 62 MTB (24″ ) and can’t fit anything wider than 24″x2.1″. This seems to limit it to Rocket Ron, Smart Sam, Maxxis Snyper, Conti Cross King, and Hutchinson Toro XC. Is there a clearly best tire out of these five? Rocket Rons seem to be the most commonly recommended, but are they too flimsy for rocky New England trails?
We like the rocket Ron’s…
Good call on the Rocket Rons. After a month of use, they have plenty of grip and are super light. Not too flimsy at all for the slower speeds a kid rides. Thanks
Schwalbe Billy Bonkers for a lightweight street/dry hardpack lower rolling resistance tire. They have 24 & 26in sizes.
Continental Race King / Cross King 26 x 2.0 if you’re trying to upsize a 24in bike to a 26 (Specialized Riprock 24 for example.
Hey all, just a heads up for what I think is the best 24″ option now. Kenda now has their Regolith and Hellkat tires available in 24″, in 2 different tire casings, both tubeless. My 24×2.2 Regolith TR only weighs 550 grams, and the 24×2.4 only weighs 650 grams! Super excited for these for our build. We also picked up a set of Hellkat ACT tires for bike park days. At these weights and setups, I really think these offerings from Kenda are the top pick options in the 24″ world.
Hi! I just purchased a Fezzari Loan Peak (24″ tires”) for my 9.5 year old and converted the stock tires to tubeless. The tires are 2.6″ wide, which I didn’t previously have an appreciation for how much wider that is than a standard 2.4″ tires that my older kids ride. We live in Utah and will be riding a wide variety of single track trails. I’m curious, why would Fezzari build this with a 2.6″ tire. What are the tradeoffs and should I go through the effort of finding a 2.4″ tire? I don’t want her to be slowed down by the heavy and wide 2.6″ tire. Thoughts if you were me?
Changing tires is easy and makes a huge difference. If she is struggling with the 2.6 just try a 2.2-2.4 tubeless tire that is light.
What tire do you recommend as a replacement for the 2.6” tires on the Lone Peak? We will be on lots of trails with climbing and down hill, occasionally go to a pump track, and she definitely rides her bike around the neighborhood a lot with friends as well (so, on pavement). I see you’ve mentioned the minions would be good for trail only, so should i be considering a more all terrain tire instead?
Crown Gem 24×2.25 in the lightest casing, kenda booster 24 or Kenda small block 24×2.1 all good choices for your use case.
Thanks so much!!
Wide tires have been revolutionary for small kids. You can run very low pressure (often sub 10psi) which lets them roll over roots and rocks without renting in heavy and often ineffective suspension. Finding a new 2.6 for a small wheel is another story…
Lemme know if you f find one.
Hey guys, long time listener, first time caller. Your content and info here is absolutely incredible, and SOOOO valuable to us bike dad nerds who want our kids to have fun and ride rad stuff.
Tire question, looking at tubeless for a 24″, doesnt seem to be many options, and absolutely seems like the Brood TIres are the best option. Have you guys found out who manufactures these for them? Or are you aware of another option for tires that are lightweight, and tubelss ready.
Crown Gem, Brood and minnions all tubeless ready…we use Crown Gems for smaller kids who need lower rolling resistance and use Minnions for charging the bike park. Broods fit nicely in between the two.
Perfect, exactly what I was thinking. I’m going to be building up a 24″ Full Suspension Tiny Rock frame here this summer! Happy to share content and experience with it when I get it built! Shooting for a 25lb do everything trail bike feel for my soon-to-be 7yo.
Just finished TinyRock 24″ build and it came out at 22.5lbs with pedals. No dropper (kid is still too short to use one) using pretty heavy BROOD 140mm cranks and aluminum Junit bars. Once Prevelo releases their new carbon cranks and 19mm carbon bars, our bike should be in mid 21lbs range. Check it out in action on IG @iamafterburner
I am assuming that was on a carbon frame? That’s awesome weight for a kids FS bike. Our alloy frame is 8lbs, so I’m not as hopeful haha
Have you guys tested the 20×2.4 DHF or the 20×2.3 DHR yet? Curious about actual width when mounted and how the compound/casing behaves compared to the larger versions.
We have a set of 20 inch minnions but have never mounted. Our experience with 20 inch bikes is only a kiddo riding lift access bike park wold do well with them. Even in 24 inch, we keep the minnons for bike park and steep terrain (this is very kid dependent if the ride “steep enouch ” terrain for minnions). Flow trails do better with light weight tires so they can keep their speed and to be honest even the more skilled 6-8 year olds out there are not benefiting from the corner knobs of the minnions. 10 years old, some skill, steep terrain and 26 inch wheels, game on for minnions.
First off, great article! It’s very helpful. But, I’m having a tricky time deciding on tire width for my child. She’s 10 and currently on 2.6″ tires and rides green and blue single tracks in Utah with plenty of climbing (not her favorite part). I’ve read that wider tires can absorb bumps more which can help with rolling resistance? After some research, I’m noticing that majority of kids mtb tires are now in the range that you recommeded (2.2-2-4) and less are being made wider. Would you know why that is?
Wider tires allow you to run lower tire pressures which helps with bump absorption especially while descending. However, the trade off is a heavier tire with more surface contact. Combine this with a slow tread and it can be a chore for kids to climb (wider tires and lower pressure=more rolling resistance not less). The wider tires will also be harder to change direction, it will take more effort. A happy medium for kids we find is in the 2.2-24 range. You still can run really low pressure but get a much lighter tire that rolls better and is quicker turning. More info here:
https://thebikedads.com/kids-tire-pressure/
That makes a lot of sense! Thanks for your help and the very detailed response. I didn’t even think of how they would affect the effort needed to change directions as well. Appreciate it!
Any good cheaper options for 20” tubeless tires?
My kid wore through the Vee rear tire.
I’m going to sell the bike since I got him a 24” trailcraft.
Want to put some decent tires on the bike but avoid spending a lot.
Rocket Ron’s are a bit pricey.
Going to put Dhf dhr on the new bike
, dirt is getting loose in California
the Vee is probably the least expensive…
How are the Maxxis DHR2 for all around? Are they more of a off road, trail focused tires?
It’s a really good lift access bike park/enduro/trail tire, not so good for paved surfaces/pumptracks. Would only use on dedicated mountain bikes exclusively on trails.
Any experience/thoughts on Maxxis Holy Roller?
Great for pump track, dirt jumps and the skate park. Will work for light trail use too.
Hi Bike Dads
We’re running 20×2.6 Kendas on our Scott Roxter right now and they’re wearing out. We will be doing a mix of pump track, lighter trails and pavement. Which tire(s) and width would you recommend?
Also, will the rims/wheels need adjustment if going to a narrower tire, say 2.2-2.4? Thanks!
We would look to Kenda small blocks 20X2.1 for that use case you describe. No need to change rims/wheels.
They seem to be discontinued? Or at least hard to find near me.
How are the vee tire crown gems 20×2.25?
Prevelo has them, use the link above. Under Zulu3 title. Other option would be kenda booster pro for fast rolling tire but they will be almost twice the price. Crown Gems will work too but are not as good for multi-use, a little more dirt oriented.
What is a good/better alternative for vee crowm gems 16×2.25..?
Tough one, the Spawn loam stars work very good on/off pavement but are expensive. The other option is to go BMX tires as they roll fast, offer wider tires and can give you some traction in the dirt. We used these on our lil shredder icon for trail riding, skate park and around the neighborhood and worked great.
https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/rhythm-lite/p/155751?color=228682-155751&searchText=0029-3020&gclid=Cj0KCQiA54KfBhCKARIsAJzSrdpnRyXSLn3weE4-oQbv91y-o8sdorAKWBZdPuEkCuH82jze6-zPIAMaAoMmEALw_wcB
Great info thanks. My son’s 24 DHF and DHRII are due to be replaced on his YT Primus. Does everything from climbing trails to Bike parks so needs as all-round as possible. I like your idea about DHRs front and rear but there seems to mixed info out there some say the DHF has less rolling resistance.
Hey guys, can you set the 20” minions up tubeless?
Not Tubeless Ready but with some patience a compressor and some beer, it probably could be done.
What do the bike dads recommend for a 24×4 fat bike tire thats TL ready and performs well in the snow?
I am ordering (2023 pre-order) V-pace Moritz 24 for my older boy, and recently they started to give some choice of tires. Standard is well known Rockert Ron 2.35, but alternatives are with no extra charge is Hans Dampf 2.35 and Maxxis Rekon 2.2
Our usual weekend trips (done well with Brood Maxtion on Spawn YJ20) are 1-2 days trail riding with uphills and downhills and 1 day in BikePark or with Shuttling. Rockert Ron Rear, Hand Dampf Front or Maxxis Rekon and put DHF/DHRII on the front? Or go full Hans Dampf. Brood Maxtion 24 seem unavailable anymore in Europe :/. I really want to get max out of this bike both up and down in demanding terrain, but don’t want to change tires all the time. I like to tinker a lot but don’t have time to switch tires every time before the trip :-). Please save my time with your precious recommendation .
I just recently switched to minnions front /rear on my sons Moritz 24. And I did this because he is 8 now now and riding more aggressive terrain, steeper at higher speeds…and a lot of bike park now. That said, The Rocket Rons (set up tubeless) were so amazing due to their light weight when he was 6 and 7 on the Moritz. The low rotational weight and fast rolling speed of the RR were key to keep his speed up on less steep/flowier trails which we rode a lot when he was younger. It even surprised me how long he would climb with the RR. Have fun, that bike is truly amazing.
Did the Rocket Rons setup OK tubeless?
It was a battle, like 2 beers and 30 minutes with an air compressor, but worth it. Such low rotational weight.
FYI – I bought the 20″ tubeless ready 120tpi black wall Vee Crown Gem’s also. 611 grams per tire! Returned them, and now looking at lighter options. Brood Maxtion are sold out with no ETA. I wish Rocket Ron’s weren’t $90 each…
rocket ron are tlr?
You can make them tubeless, we did. Just takes some patience.
Did you use the split-tube method or some other method to set up the Rocket Ron tubeless?
no split tube. Just tape, sealant and an air compressor.
Hey dads!
My father was a bike dad like you and unfortunately had recently a bike accident which left him paralysed.
we got him a new Bowhead RX, and looking for the best tyres money can buy.
right now the front tyres are 20″ Maxdaddy. how are they in terms of traction, rolling resistance and puncture resistance? it looks like they fit more a bmx.
How about the bonrtager xr1 20″ ? or the Maxxis DHR 20″
THANKS!
The 2.3 DHR II 20 is probably the way to go. They roll relatively fast and have great traction (a lot of the world cup DH’ers run them front and rear). The guys at Bowhead may be able to help you out more to make sure spacing is ok.
Thanks!
Spacing is no issue, only the rim is now 22mm (planning to buy 25mm rim)
my only concern with the Dhr is the rolling resistance.
I wish there was an xr1/ Schwalbe which is tubeless ready.
Know of anything like that? the Spawns are out of stock
Hi guys, just an FYI DHF is available in 20″ now too.
Awesome…
Hi Bike Dads, love the content and advice. Looking to replace the big/heavy 24×2.6 Crown Gems on our Meta HT 24. I was going to go with the 24×2.25 Crown Gems, but the Spawn Maxtions are available and 50g or so lighter per tire (but 50% more $). Do you think the Spawn is worth the premium. We ride green and blue single track in the PNW.
The 120 TPI crown gems 24×2.25 are 570 grams compared to Spawn 24 Maxtions of 560 grams. The 120 TPI are nice and supple and we find offers plenty of traction and very good rolling resistance for green/blue runs in PNW. Lift access bike park, probably go for maxtions for little extra traction for a 24 . Both will do great but I would save the money and go with CG for your needs.
Sweet, thanks. I’ve got the CG’s on the way!
I received the Crown Gems, disappointed by the weight. One is 682g, the other is 727g, and they clain 570g for the 120TPI 24×2
25. They are going back and I’m ordering the Brood tires. I hope they hold up!
Something sounds off. Are they both stamped 120 TPI on the sidewall? The natural sidewall colour (tan) are heavier too so make sure to order black sidewalls. This would be a massive QC problem with those ranges in weight…Ours have always been true to weights.
Yup, they say 120 TPI on the package and printed on the side if the tire. Black walls, I avoided the gum wall for the weight. Interestingly, the package says they should be approx. 660g, which is way more than the Vee website, but still less than actual. I heard they run 25-50g heavy, but this is pretty bad. Not sure if I should try another pair or something else. Rekon’s look interesting for the weight, but I really want to go tubeless.
bummer. Rocket Ron’s, Spawn Maxtions all good light options as well.
Hi, I just ordered the base Riprock 24 for my daughter, after a consideration of price, availability, and upgradability. It comes with the Ground Control Sports, which apparently aren’t TR. Do you happen to know if I can still run em tubeless, and how these tires perform? We mainly ride double track but are now progressing into XC style single track, in loose dirt Socal.
Due to availability (and cost), I’m looking at the Maxxis Rekon 2.2’s. They’re not TR either, but there is confirmation from multiple folks online that they work tubeless.
Hi Cass, we have a 24 inch riprock we are reviewing at the moment. Have not tried to convert Ground Controls to tubless but they are great tires and maybe worth a shot with 2-3 passes of Gorilla tape on the Rims, Orange or Muc-Off sealant (not Stans), a compressor and a strong IPA. A third option, Vee Tire Crown Gems set up great and are light in the higher TPI casings and are fast rolling with good XC grip. Let us know how it goes if you try the Ground Controls or Recons Tubeless. Good luck!
Thanks, Colin. I’m gonna give the stock Ground Controls a go, but will pick up a second set of tires regardless.
I looked at the Crown Gems previously, but they’re sold out everywhere. However I checked again just now and found some 120 tpi at a great price, same price as the Rekons.
The difference between the two is:
Crown Gems: 120 tpi, 570g
Rekons: 60 tpi, 537g
The Crown Gem should be more supple than the Rekons based off tpi count, but not sure how significant that is on a 24″? A pair of Rekons will be 66g lighter…again, how significant is that?
I converted my boy’s rip rock expert ground control tires to tubeless 2 weeks ago using Stans rim tape and 180 mm of stans fluid worked a treat no issues
Any experience with Maxxis Rekon 24×2.2 tires? Thanks.
A little faster rolling than a Minion DHR and nice and light at 530 grams, be good xc/trail tires or combo with something with more grip in the front for lift access bike park.
Gday, recently purchased our 5 year old a 20” Scott Roxter rigid which come with 20×2.6 Chaoyang tyres. Keen for a nicer lighter weight tyre with a little more grip for trails, but want to keep roll resistance good as we live in a hilly area. Can’t get Rocket Rons at moment it seems, would Smart Sam’s be the next best option.
Look at the grown gem 2.25 in the 120 TPI casing. Light, Tubeless ready and fast rolling.
Any thoughts on Schwalbe Fat Albert 24×2.4 tires?
They look ok although I’m not sure weight. Word on the street is they are not good in the wet.
The new commencal metas are listing a 20″ DHR2 on the spec, but I can’t find the tire anywhere on the maxxis site or catalogs.
Have you tried any of the 20″ Kenda models? Slant Six, Booster Pro, Kaos, Etc. they have a bunch.
Really like the small blocks in 20 inch as they are light and good all round widths and inexpensive. Booster Pro look good though at 120 TPI (likely light) and TR, have not tried however.
Looks like Schwalbe just released the Hand Dampf in 24×2.35.
Hi there well i really want the brood but they are all sold out so im between the vee flow snap and the crown gem it wil be going on a 20 inch that im building for my six year old… lots of rocky rooty terrain with lotts of goat heads and jumping so i need something tough and will be going to the bike park and riding tahoe alot
Flow snap for lift access bike park. Crown Gem for trail riding. Flow snap in front, crown gem in the back for anything in-between.
Hi there! Our kiddo has been on a woom since… Close to the womb, and at the beginning of this season upgraded to the 16″. However this bike is very limited for her due to the tires seeming so tiny/narrow/squirley. She has a fancy pants trailcraft 20″ in the wings but it’s still a touch too large, so I was wondering about a beefier tire on the woom. It’s rim brakes, but would the schwalber black jack be compatible as it has narrow schwalbers as stock? Any other tire you would recommend for the size/setup? Apologies as I am a very new bike mom myself!
Give woom a note and they should tell you max width. We had and older version of the bike and didn’t try wider tires.
I’m looking to replace the Crown Gem 24×2.6 and go tubeless on a Vitus Kids 24+ with Manitou Markhor 26 fork. We ride mostly dry, dusty trails in California with plenty of fire road climbs. I’ve been looking at the Minion DHF, Minion DHR II, Hans Dampf and Rocket Ron. Is there a particular combo you feel would work best? Is there a reason you haven’t listed the Hans Dampf as one of your recommended tires?
Minions for kids can be a bit draggy for kids who climb a lot. If they are really strong climbers, then by all means, hard to beat for the steeper descents. If you are looking at Schwalbe, I would throw Nobby Nics in the mix. Hans dampf a good choice for all rounder.
Thanks for the feedback Colin! Do you feel that the smaller/lighter Minion DHR IIs (2.4″/756g) would be any harder on climbs than the stock Crown Gems with tubes (2.6″/1150g)? Our kiddo is a pretty good climber and is about the gain the advantage of a widerange Microshift drivetrain.
I took a look at the Nobby Nic, and it doesn’t look like they have it available in 24″.
I’ve always set up our kids with the same tire front and rear. As they advanced, do you see an advantage to varying the tires similar to what we do on our grown up biked? E.G. DHF/DHR II, Hans Dampf/Rocket Ron, Flow Snap/Crown Gem, etc. Thanks again for taking the time to share your opinions!
Really depends on the terrain kiddo is riding and how much pedal endurance they have. Lower angle trails we like something with a little less rolling resistance and light weight (light tire set up tubeless). Same tire front/rear is fine with kids. Bike Park, Towing or shuttling you can go for wider, heavier and more grippier tires and play with different front/rear.. For lighter duty all rounder in 24 for climbing, we like the Grown Gem 24×2.25 in 120 TPI casing (it’s light) and the 2.3 inch Rocket Rons (also very light). Once you get up to 26 inch, the kids are stronger and a heavier casing and grippier tire make sense. That said, if its a 24 inch FS Bike Park Bike, Minnions work amazing.
Hi,
I’m looking for a good 24″ DH tire. It will be used mostly at the bike park with some trail riding. He’s currently using Schwalbe Fat Alberts (came with his Lil Shredder Phenom) on Stan’s Crest wheels.
Minion DHF looks like a good option for the front. Do you recommend using the same tire for the rear or the Minion DHR II. What do you think about setting them up tubeless.
Thanks
The DHRII is new in 24 inch at 2.3 inch wide and 748 grams. Its not available in 3C like the minion DHF 24 but it will make a great tire in the rear (narrower and dual compound so quicker rolling than DHF 3C but not as grippy) but can be used in the front too (might hook up better on the narrower Stans Crest Rims than DHF). Likewise, the Minion DHF can be run front and rear as well.
Thanks for the advice.
Hi, I’d like to put Crown Gems on my sons 16″ Prevelo Alpha 2, before we hit some more serious terrain. The mini-Vs don’t appear to have the clearance. Is there an easy switch to another short-pull v-brake with longer arms? Have you guys done this and if so which v-brake do you recommend? Thanks!
The biggest we tried on the Alpha 2 were 2.0 inch BMX slicks, the spawn loamstars 1.9 might be a better fit. Not sure if trying new V-brakes will help but give a search for wide tire arms.
I put the Spawn Loam Stars from my son’s Banshee on my daughter’s Alpha 2. They wouldn’t clear the stock brakes so I swapped those over from the Banshee too, I think they are the Tektro M530’s. They have longer arms to clear the tire and also provide more braking power which was much appreciated.
We just got the Propain Frechdax for our son – it weighed 23.43 without pedals (vs the 21.8 pound advertised weight).
We plan to set it up tubeless. The bike came with Crown Gems that weigh 650 grams each. Since our son weighs just 35 pounds, we are trying to lighten up his bike. We ordered the Schwalbe Rocket Ron Super Race evo 20 tubeless tires, and they weigh 430 grams each, so that saves almost 1 pound over the Crown Gems. We also just ordered the Brood Maxtion DH tires (the lighter weight ones aren’t available). I will be interested to see how much they weigh. What are your thoughts as to the best performing tire among the Crown Gem, Rocket Ron, and Maxtion DH for downhill mountain biking (for a 35 pound boy)? I feel like it’s probably worth a weight penalty to get the best performing DH tire. Thoughts?
I am also hoping to save some weight by going tubeless. The stock tubes weigh 300 grams combined, and the wheels already included rim tape, so hopefully can save some weight there.
It really depends on terrain. Rolling resistance is also important like weight. Kids in a 20 inch size benefit from low rotational weight, low weight and low rolling resistance tire for sure. The 20 inch 120 TPI Grown Gems are lighter at 520 grams and tubeless ready.
I weighed the Crown Gems, and they were 650 grams each (despite the published weight of 520 grams). The most common terrain we do is rooty and rocky.
The 27 TPI WB 20×2.25 have a published weight of 635 grams and the 120 TPI 20×2.25 tubeless ready have published weight of 520. Which ones do you have? Go Rocket Ron’s because he is so small.
Thanks! Mystery solved! Mine are the non-tubeless version.
Thanks for the recommendation for the Rocket Rons – that makes sense to us with his lighter weight.
For my son’s upcoming birthday I picked up a Cannondale Cujo 24, and I was able to get the front Kenda Slant Six (24×2.6) to set up tubeless no problem. Couldn’t get the back to take so I wanted to try something that’s actually tubeless compatible, but I’m not sure if it’s worth the price of admission. What do you think of the Slant Six in general? We’re riding single track near Charlotte NC, not dealing with too much mud, and he only weighs about 55lbs. His current bike has 20×2.6 Crown Gems and they’ve been great, but I can’t find the 24×2.6 anywhere. I did toss a 24×2.8 crown gem on the back and on top of being WAY heavier, there’s almost no clearance in the frame (it’s MUCH wider than the Kenda). Maybe Hans Dampf 24×2.35 or is that one overkill?
We are not huge fans of anything over 2.4 on 24’s as anything wider is usually heavier, rolls slower and has less bite. If you are only riding steeper descending style trails, not such an issue and the slant six tires are actually some of the lighter 2.6 available. I wouldn’t think anything else in a 2.6 wide tire will be lighter. It’s a battle with tubeless sometimes. Some tricks are take the valve core out to seat tire, use muc-off or orange sealant over stans (and use a lot), of course the air compressor works better than a high volume pump, and an extra pass of gorilla tape on rim. A 2.25-2.4 will certainly roll faster and should be lighter in a thinner casing, just a matter of hat the rim will take.
I’m looking for a 16″ TR MTB tire for my kid’s Early Rider, any ideas?
Or…
Has anybody tried to convert the Vee Crown Gem 16″ to tubeless?
The 16 inch crown gems are not TR but it works with some patience. Make sure to use Muc-off or Orange sealant not Stans. Don’t think there our any 16 inch specific TR tires out there.
Thanks for the quick reply and the information.
The bike has the Crown Gems, so I’ll give it a shot sometime soon and report back.
I run heavy casings w/ cushcore and will only carry a tube when I’m way out in the woods.
The idea of carrying around a spare tube and/or patch kit (along with all my daughter’s other stuff) seems so… medieval, lol.
LOL…first world problems.
Hi. What’s recommended to replace 20 x 2.125 rollers on a hot rock.
depends on what terrain kiddo is riding most. The kenda small block 2.1 is a great multi-surface option and reasonable price.
What about Schwable Smart Sam? Comes in 2.35 and 2.1 options.
Yep, that’s a good fast rolling/multi surface dry option. Believe they offer in only 2.35 for 20 inch. 2.1 and 2.35 for 24 inch. Constant Centre line so nice and quick but will clog with mud pretty quick…
hi should a 4 year olds’ 14″ tires be very hard or softer thank you
depends on terrain riding and the tire…think a little softer air pressure for trails and harder pressure for pavement. The tire generally gives a range in PSI which most pumps gauges use to measure pressure.
Hi!
My kid rides a Specialized Riprock 24″ with specialized big roller 24×2.8 tires. He loves the look and the feel of these tire. However, winter is coming, and in deep mud, those tires are not up to it…
What would be the best choice for winter riding? I was thinking about the Maxxis Minion DHF, but is it ok in the mud? Otherwise Hutchinson Toto, or Kenda Kinetics?
Tnx!!
Kinetics are really heavy. The 3C Minions shde mud pretty well.
Ok, thanx for your help.
Regarding the weight, i’m pretty sure anything will be lighter than the original “Big rollers”.
I’m concerned about the rim’s width (30mm), so I think the tire must be wide…
anything 2.3 wide will work great on 30mm rims. The kinetics are pigs, over 1000 grams compared to around 750 for minions.
Ok. That’s very helpful, thanx!!
I tried a set of schwalbe blackjack 12″ tires on my son’s Specialized Hotrock 12. On these rims, neither tire would seat completely – soapy water, super high pressures, even bought a dedicated tire seating tool from Park. Nothing worked, so I returned to them and picked up a great set of dual purpose 12×2.0 Specialized Rhythm Lite tires. They fit the rim better, and have worked wonderfully at our local jump spot.
Hi bike dads. Maybe you’re the right people to ask this question…my kid wants a cushier ride on his rigid frame 24” trek wahoo. Current tires are 1.95. Can I put a 2.25 on there? Looking for something to roll around with slightly less air pressure to help absorb those bumps.
Not sure, you will have to measure clearance both at fork and rear.
In looking for lightweight, reasonably priced tires, I came across BONTRAGER
XR1 COMP KIDS’ 24×1.85, weighting 485 and only $32 CAD. Just not sure if I should go that narrow.
On narrower end if you plan to MTB but would probably work. I’de also look at kenda small block 2.1 for similar price.
Ever had a chance to test Kendra Kinetics 20”x2.35″ DH Tire? About 600 grams and pretty wide for a 20″ tire.
I tried a set of kinetics in 24 and they were pigs…my scale put them at over a kilo each…not sure what the 20’s would actually look like. They don’t roll well either. I would look to Vitorria Gomez for a DH tire in a 20 or the Spwan Brood 20.
Ion wondering what is the widest tire size I can run on my sons giant xtc 24” jr disc. He has a sr suntour xcr air suspension fork.
not sure, never tried that bike.
Just put Maxxis Minion DHF 24×2.4 on front and rear of Giant XTC JR 24”. Couple mm each side of clearance in the rear, plenty in the front – no issues.
There is the 24X2.3 DHR option if you want more room in the rear.
We love minions for our own trail bikes and for the kids full suspension bikes but they are slow rolling…
I believe my son has 2. 1s on his. I just put on a Fox RLC100 tonight so we’ll see what kind of mess that puts us in. That OE fork is absolute trash IMO. Looking forward to getting the wheel weights down a bit. Carbon bars going on tomorrow.
Hi
I’m looking to 24′ tire with tubeless ready.
Is there anything else that the Maxxis DHR & DHF?
Thanks.
Guillaume from France 🙂
lots, vee tire crown gem, spawn tires and loads of schwalbe 24 tires…
Quick Note and question.
Vee’s website appears to be having an issue. The purchase links all seem to be broken. Tires look great! Not sure my EarlyRider Belter 16 has the clearance to fit their 16×2.25. Have yo run into any clearance issues with their 2.25” tires on many kiddo bikes?
Also, have you tried setting up the MaxxDaddy tubeless? Doesn’t appear to be a TR tire, but want to give it a shot on the EarlyRider
Probably not a problem with 2.25’s on early rider…their 14 inch balance bike will take 2.4s and we run 2.25’s on the 24 hardtail. Reach out direct to early rider to make sure. Have not tried MaxxDaddy tubeless. Might take some patience but should be doable.
What about the Schwalbe Hans Dampf or big Betty? I believe the Betty is hard to get in the US but they do make it.
For off-road use, is there a major difference between the 16×1.9 Schwalbe Black Jack and the Spawn Loam Star? When considering shipping cost, the Spawn come out to twice the price of the Schwalbe… Due to the price difference, I’ll probably go with the Schwalbe unless there’s something really special about the Spawn!
The Spawns are a bit lighter but for half the price…
I received a set of 16×1.9 Schwalbe Black Jack tires today. They’re fairly light, at around 355g. However, they only measure 1.6 inch at the widest (outside knobs). I’ll give them a few days, to see if they expand a little.
Looking for 24*3.8 or 24*4.0 fatbike tyres for kids fatbikes. Can only see 2 brands kenda & specialized. Are there any others available?
Thanks
Sorry, we don’t run fat bikes for the kids…don’t know much about available tires.
I’ve put Schwable Racing Ralphs on my daughter’s 24in Norco Fluid 4.2 full sus. Great lightweight tire. Holding up tubeless even though not meant for it.