The tires are the only component that touches the pavement, hence it is one of the most important. Customers sometimes ask if a kevlar beaded tire is better since they fold. Please understand wire bead tires can be bent into a figure 8 and them folded, so they don't take up much space.

Most riders ask the question, which tires are best for me? The simple answer is that thinner tires roll faster and thicker tires are more comfortable and handle more abuse from the road and trail. Unfortunately finding the ideal tire is often not so simple, but we try to help.

The Downtube has found a unique tire solution in the industry. There is a push force on the front wheel and a pull force on the rear. It is much easier to pull than to push. Hence we thinned the front tire on our suspended 20" wheel bikes to minimize rolling resistance. At the same time we thickened up the rear for comfort and stability. This configuration has worked very well. Our 9fs rolls about 1.5mph faster with the thinner front tire ( as opposed to a 1.75" front ), while the thicker rear allows for off road riding. This is a great concept that other bike manufacturers will be sure to follow. Please try the stock tire configuration, you will find it suits your needs quite well.

For those that require a change Primo Comets are a one of the most popular thin tires for fast on road riding. Riders looking for comfort can choose Schwalbe Big Apples which are wider ( around 2.0" ) and much more comfortable.