Editing Mountain bike (section)

==Wheel and tire design==
Typical features of a mountain bike are very wide tyres. The original 26 inch [[bicycle wheel|wheel]] diameter with ≈2.125″ width ([[ISO 5775#Rims|ISO]] 559&nbsp;mm rim diameter) is increasingly being displaced by 29-inch wheels with ≈2.35″ width (ISO 622&nbsp;mm rim diameter), as well as the 27.5-inch wheel diameter with ≈2.25 widths (ISO 584&nbsp;mm rim diameter), particular on smaller frame sizes for shorter riders. Mountain bikes with 24-inch wheels are also available, sometimes for dirt jumping, or as a junior bike.<ref name="brown"/>

Bicycle wheel sizes are not precise measurements: a 29-inch mountain bike wheel with a {{convert|622|mm|inch}} bead seat diameter (the term, bead seat diameter (BSD), is used in the [[ETRTO]] tire and rim sizing system), and the average 29″ mountain bike tire is (in ISO notation) 59-622 corresponds to an outside diameter of about 29.15 inches (740&nbsp;mm).<ref name="brown"/>

622&nbsp;mm wheels are standard on road bikes and are commonly known as 700C. In some countries, mainly in [[Continental Europe]], 700C (622&nbsp;mm) wheels are commonly called 28&nbsp;inch wheels.<ref name="brown">{{cite web
|url=http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
|title = Sheldon Brown: Tire Sizing Systems
|access-date = 21 September 2008}}</ref> 24&nbsp;inch wheels are used for dirt jumping bikes and sometimes on freeride bikes, rear wheel only, as this makes the bike more maneuverable. 29&nbsp;inch wheels were once used for only cross country purposes, but are now becoming more commonplace in other disciplines of mountain biking. A mountain bike with 29″ wheels is often referred to as a [[29er (bicycle)|29er]], and a bike with 27.5-inch wheels is called a [[27.5 Mountain bike]] or as a marketing term ″650B bike".<ref name="brown"/>

Wheels come in a variety of widths, ranging from standard [[Bicycle wheel#Rim|rims]] suitable for use with tires in the 1.90 to 2.10 [[Inch|in]] (48 to 53&nbsp;[[Millimetre|mm]]) size, to {{convert|2.35|and|3.00|in|mm|abbr=on}} widths popular with freeride and downhill bicycles. Although heavier wheelsets are favored in the freeride and downhill disciplines, advances in wheel technology continually shave weight off strong wheels. This is highly advantageous as rolling weight greatly affects handling and control, which are very important to the technical nature of freeride and downhill riding.
[[File:15-07-19-Fahrradcorso-RalfR-DSCF6576 1.jpg|thumb|A Mongoose Dolomite [[Fatbike|fat tire bicycle]]]]
The widest wheel/tire widths, typically 3.8 in (97&nbsp;mm) or larger, are sometimes used by [[icebiking|icebikers]] who use their mountain bikes for winter-time riding in snowy conditions.

Manufacturers produce [[bicycle tire]]s with a wide variety of tread patterns to suit different needs. Among these styles are: slick street tires, street tires with a center ridge and outer tread, fully knobby, front-specific, rear-specific, and snow studded. Some tires can be specifically designed for use in certain weather (wet or dry) and terrain (hard, soft, muddy, etc.) conditions. Other tire designs attempt to be all-around applicable. Within the same intended application, more expensive tires tend to be lighter and have less rolling resistance. Sticky rubber tires are now available for use on freeride and downhill bikes. While these tires wear down more quickly, they provide greater traction in all conditions, especially during cornering. Tires and rims are available in either tubed or tubeless designs, with [[tubeless tire]]s recently (2004) gaining favor for their pinch flat resistance.

Tires also come with tubes, tubeless and tubeless-ready. Tires with tubes are the standard design and the easiest to use and maintain. Tubeless tires are significantly lighter and often have better performance because you can run them at a lower tire pressure which results in better traction and increasing rolling resistance. Tubeless-ready tires are tires that can use tubes or go tubeless. A liquid sealant is used without the tube to secure the seal to the rim.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Campbell|first=Dan|author2=Charlie Layton|title=Know Your Rubber|journal=Mountain Bike|date=May 2009|page=51}}</ref> Popular tire manufacturers include [[Wilderness Trail Bikes]], Schwalbe, Maxxis, Nokian, Michelin, Continental, Tioga, Kenda, Hutchinson, Specialized and Panaracer.