Moto is creeping into MTB, and Dunlop is the latest brand to enter the fight. They aren’t just dipping a toe in the water; they’re coming in hot with two different tires for enduro and downhill. The Geomax MB53 and Geomax MB34 have both front- and rear-specific tread patterns, new compounds, and some interesting details when you look a little closer at the knob spacing. While we don’t know pricing just yet, I’ll wager that these will probably be more expensive than the Moto equivalent…
The announcement of the Geomax MB34 and MB53 represents a full-circle moment for a brand that literally invented the pneumatic bicycle tire back in 1887 – these aren’t tricycle tires, though. This isn’t a heritage play; it’s a performance-driven move into a market that makes sense. Dunlop is leaning hard into its motocross DNA, using the same “terrain engagement” philosophy that keeps much heavier, more demanding bikes upright.
Dunlop MTB Tire Range
Dunlop
Dunlop
MB34 & MB53 Tires
The MB34 Dunlop
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The lineup is split into two distinct flavors. First, there’s the MB34. It’s designed for maximum ground penetration and braking stability. If the MB34 performs anything like its motorized cousins, it should be a tire that hooks up without hesitation.
The MB53 is the fast and loose sibling – designed for efficiency, rolling speed, and what Dunlop calls “controlled drift characteristics.” In mountain bike speak, that means it’s your go-to for high-speed enduro stages or trail laps where you want to carry momentum. It rolls fast but stays pinned.
Dunlop MTB Tire Details
The enduro tires use a 1×60 TPI casing and a slightly harder rubber compound, while the DH tires use a 2×60 TPI casing and slightly softer rubber compounds. Both tires will come in 29×2.4, 29×2.6, 27.5×2.4, and 27.5×2.6. The enduro tires will use a more supple sidewall construction (EN Advanced Apex), whereas the DH tires use a DH Advanced Apex design for more sidewall support and durability.
Dunlop
What’s really interesting here is the tech. Dunlop is bringing over their Progressive Cornering Block Technology (PCBT). If you look closely at the knobs, they’ve got a “tire within a tire” design that allows the block to flex and bite in ways a standard square lug can’t. Add in position-specific front and rear designs and dedicated Enduro and DH casings, and it’s clear Dunlop isn’t just slapping a logo on a generic mold. They’ve done the homework.
Dunlop
Dunlop
Can Dunlop disrupt the Maxxis-and-Schwalbe-dominated ecosystem? It’s a tall order. The mountain bike world is notoriously fickle, and “moto-inspired” doesn’t always translate to the weight-sensitive, low-torque world of cycling. But Dunlop has more data on rubber compounds and knob deformation than almost anyone on the planet.
You can check these out in person if you’re on the ground at the Sea Otter Classic. If the Geomax MTB range can capture even half the soul of their motocross tires, the rest of the tire industry might want to start looking over their shoulders.