Best road bike tyres of 2024: The best rubber for every situation

It’s an often used phrase in bike media, but a tyre upgrade is about the best bang for your buck as far as upgrades go. New bikes are often specced with cheaper tyres in order to hit a price point, and trading up for some better rubber can be genuinely transformative.

The best road bike tyres sit in the middle of the Venn diagram of low rolling resistance, high grip, and decent puncture protection, but each model has its own characteristics. For some of you puncture resistance may be more important – if you’re commuting for instance – or speed may be the only goal if you’re racing against the clock. Tyre tread makes less of a difference than it does with the best gravel tyres, but the tread pattern is still important when discussing grip.