Best road bike tires for summer riding 2024

Here’s our pick of the best tires which balance speed, grip and puncture protection

One of the best road bike tires mounted on a rim
(Image credit: Future)

The best road bike tires will add some extra speed, grip and comfort to your summer riding. There are plenty of choices out there, with manufacturers putting a lot of R&D into their rubber compounds and tire construction for the best road bike tires in their ranges.

Speed can come at the expense of durability though, particularly once the weather starts to deteriorate as winter approaches, so you might want to swap to more robust winter tires for the cooler months and keep your best road bike tires for next summer. Paired up with the best road bike wheels, you'll appreciate the edge they give when the weather perks up again.

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Simon Smythe

Simon Smythe is a hugely experienced cycling tech writer, who has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2003. Until recently he was our senior tech writer. In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. These days he spends most of his time testing road bikes, or on a tandem doing the school run with his younger son.