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Courtesy of TiogaThe Comp lll tread design is utilized for digging into loose dirt, which BMX tracks were built upon in the '80s.

WHAT IT IS:
The tire's design is based around rubber and nylon. The current model offers a thin rubber coating over the nylon cords for added sidewall strength. The tire is available in sizes 20 x 1-1/8", 20 x 1-3/8", 20 x 1.5", 20 x 1.75" and 20 x 2.125. If cruisers are your set-up of choice, you'll be happy to know that they are available in sizes 24 x 1.75" and 24 x 2.125. The Comp III is also available in a 25th Anniversary model, which features lower profile knobs with less spacing between them. Both models are only available in black.

WHY IT RULES:
Maintaining legendary status is not easy. The amount of Comp III rip-offs tires not only prove its design is pleasing to the eye, it shows its design is tried and trued. Tioga's Kai Cheng, discusses the functional Comp III design, "Motocross treads take advantage of the weight, the velocity, and torque of the motorcycle to get more traction in the dirt. By contrast, the bicycle has significantly less of all of those, so a different approach to tread pattern -- one with knobs having many angles and edges so the tire itself is better at digging into loose dirt (which BMX tracks were back then) was proposed and the result was the Comp III." 27 years later, the tire still has a loyal following, and there is no other product on the BMX market that has endured for such a long time with little to no changes being made to the original design.

WHERE TO FIND IT:
The Comp III is available online at Albe's as well as Dan's Comp. And since it is such a legendary product, chances are your local shop will carry it as well; you might even uncover the elusive blue, red, or complete gum wall ones too.