“What’s the best tyre for…?” is a question for which the term “Frequently Asked” could have been invented. It’s hardly surprising – there’re hundreds of tyres on the market and with few exceptions they’re all good at something.

It’s just a question of figuring out what you need yours to be good at and figuring out which ones they are. So join us as we take a brief spin around the tyre firmament and try to arm you with some all-important knowledge on the way.

We’re not going to make specific recommendations here, partially because in an ever-changing tyre market whatever we recommend will be replaced in a few months but mostly because we don’t know what, where and how you ride. But read through the points above, combine that with what you’ve learnt about the behaviour of the tyres you’ve got and you should be able to figure out what to look for in your next pair.

It’s also a good idea to see what other local riders are running. If there’s a majority vote then they’re probably on to something, although bear in mind that a lot of people have settled on a favourite tyre and just keep buying them even though there might now be something a bit better.

If you’re really lucky you might find a local tyre geek who’s tried everything and still has most of them in his garage – with a bit of persuasion you can probably try a few of his cast-offs (they’ll still have loads of life left in them…) to try to narrow down what you like. Read the user reviews and look for people who ride in similar conditions to you but remember that riding style counts for a lot.

With that said, here’s what you need to know…