I’m buying a new tyre and I’m torn between getting the wire bead vs the folding version. The wire bead is a couple of quid cheaper, but am I right in thinking the sidewalls will be a bit stiffer? Or will the folding tyres be lighter?

Interested in peoples thoughts and opinions

Maxxis HighRoller DHs singleply by the way

I’ve just had a ballache getting some wire bead tyres off some rims, so if you plan on changing tubes regularly, or for that matter rims, I’d go for folding. Folding are so much better, you can use your fingers to get them on and off so you don’t damage rims or tubes and it’s so much quicker too.
Guess what tyres I replaced the wired ones with… yep, folding!

+1 for folding as MtbCol says they are easy to get on and off without tyre levers. Dont care if they are a bit more expensive than wire I was always losing levers so it probably works out about the same

For every person that swears folders are easier to get off rims there’s one that will swear they’re harder. IME, I’ve never noticed a trend either way.

They’re a little bit lighter, they’re a bit dearer, they’re much easier to pack into luggage/storage; and although the bead itself makes no difference whatsoever to any other part of the tyre, you do often find that folding tyres have a lighter construction as well – check the specs. And there’s nothing more to it.

Can pack folders into my cupboard nice and easily. Any spare wire bead tyres take up loads of room too.

Plus it’s all rotating mass so for a couple of quid I’d have no hesitation in going folding bead.

cheers guys, I’ve not had an issue getting folding tyres on in the past, so I’ll go with the prevailing wisdom and go for the folders 🙂

Unless the folder will have a tubeless specific bead I always prefer steel. I’ve had issues with tyres rolling off wheels in berms and usually a standard bead folding tyre makes it worse. I’ve noticed this issue running both tubes or tubeless. If you are only riding free-xc-ride-lite then it shouldn’t matter.

does’nt it get into rotational mass type arguments, in that folding, although only marginally lighter, is a heck of a load lighter when spinning?

either way, i’ve used folding for years (with no rolling off issues) and to me they feel more lively and responsive than wire tyres.

The small difference in price for lighter folding tyres makes a huge improvement in rotating mass.

You would have to spend a lot of money on any other part of the bike to get an equal bang for the buck.

Don’t you tend to find that on wire bead tyres the rest of the rubber is of lesser quality also?

I’d happily save the money and run steel beads if there was no other difference. I know Panaracer wire bead are made in Taiwan as oppose to Japan for the folding ones.

Don’t you tend to find that on wire bead tyres the rest of the rubber is of lesser quality also?

Depends on the brand, in the OP’s case maxxis are identical.

the general jist seems to be for folding, but solmanda’s point about rolling off the rim strikes a chord as i had a rather bad stack due to that recently on a folding tyre. Any other opinions?