KHE x Daniel Sandoval: The New MAC Signature BMX Tire

A BMX tire needs to do more than just look good. During fast park runs, big airs, spins and technical tricks, weight, width, casing and rolling characteristics all have a noticeable effect on how agile a BMX feels.

Together with KHE MAC Team rider Daniel Sandoval, we have developed a very special version of our proven MAC folding tire: the new KHE MAC X Sandoval Signature Tire. Weighing only around 12.3 oz / 350 g, with a width of 2.25 inches, lightweight Skinwall construction and an exclusive look designed by Daniel Sandoval, it is built for a lightweight and agile freestyle setup.

And there is another special detail: the tire is a Limited Edition produced in a strictly limited quantity. The KHE X Sandoval Signature Tire combines the history of our MAC tires with Daniel's personal style and the demands of modern BMX park riding.

KHE x Daniel Sandoval – from the MAC Team to his own Signature Tire

Daniel Sandoval and KHE MAC tires have been closely connected for several years. The American BMX pro has been part of the KHE MAC Team since 2019 and relies on lightweight KHE MAC folding tires for his runs.

In 2026, this collaboration takes the next step: with the KHE X Sandoval Signature Tire, Daniel gets his own Limited Edition.

This is much more than simply putting his name on an existing tire. The Signature Tire combines the proven MAC platform with a weight-optimized Skinwall construction and an exclusive design created together with Daniel himself.

The result is a tire that matches his riding both technically and visually: lightweight, fast, distinctive and developed for demanding park and freestyle BMX riding.

Who is Daniel Sandoval?

Daniel Sandoval was born on July 13, 1994 and has been one of the best-known American BMX park riders for many years.

He has competed internationally since 2011 and has celebrated numerous victories throughout his career, including wins at the X Games, FISE and the 2022 Nitro World Games. Daniel also has three X Games gold medals to his name.

His riding is characterized by huge airs, highly technical trick combinations and a progressive style. In 2024, he also won the Best Trick Award at the BMX Triple Challenge in Arizona.

Daniel has been part of the KHE MAC Team since 2019. There, he rides alongside international BMX professionals and up-and-coming riders who use KHE MAC tires in parks, at street spots and in international contests.

For us, it was only logical to bring Daniel's experience from professional BMX directly into his own Signature Tire.

From the first MAC folding tire to the Sandoval Signature Tire

The history of KHE MAC tires started long before our current collaboration with Daniel.

The MAC was one of the most important steps in the development of lightweight BMX components. KHE was among the first companies to consistently focus on saving weight exactly where it can be felt most on a BMX bike: at the wheels.

The innovative KHE freestyle folding tire already appeared in an advertisement in 2006 under its former name, "Premium". From 2008 onward, the tire that later became known as the MAC was widely available. Looking back, Freedom BMX described it as the first folding tire specifically developed for freestyle BMX.

One of its key features was its lightweight construction. Instead of a heavy steel bead, the MAC used a flexible bead and a weight-optimized casing. This made it possible to significantly reduce weight compared with many traditional BMX wire-bead tires.

That weight advantage quickly became interesting for freestyle riding: less weight at the wheels means less rotating mass and therefore a more agile bike.

Freedom BMX described the MAC for its 15th anniversary in 2023 as a tire that quickly became one of KHE's best-known products thanks to its low weight combined with strong durability. The characteristic MAC tread has proven itself over many years.

With the KHE X Sandoval Signature Tire, this development now continues.

What makes the KHE X Sandoval Signature Tire special?

The new tire is based on the proven KHE MAC concept but has been specifically optimized for an especially lightweight park setup for this Limited Edition.

The key specifications:

• Tire size: 20 inches
• Width: 2.25 inches
• Weight: approx. 12.3 oz / 350 g
• Type: folding tire
• Bead: Kevlar
• Sidewall: Skinwall
• Color: Tanwall / Black
• Maximum air pressure: 116 PSI / 8 bar
• Use: Park and Street
• Sandoval Signature branding
• Limited Edition

At around 12.3 oz / 350 g per tire, the Sandoval Signature is exceptionally lightweight and ranks among the lightest MAC tires in this width. In addition to Daniel Sandoval, it has also been tested by Philipp Muth, German BMX Park Champion.

But why does BMX tire weight matter so much?

Why is a lightweight BMX tire so important?

One pound of weight does not feel the same everywhere on a BMX bike.

Weight on the frame or saddle moves with the bike, but it does not also rotate. Tires and tubes, on the other hand, sit on the wheels and must be accelerated forward while simultaneously being set into rotation.

This is why rotating mass is especially important on a BMX bike.

The less mass there is at the wheels, especially toward the outside, the less mass has to be accelerated and slowed down. There is also less rotating mass to move when spinning and maneuvering the entire bike.

This can be especially noticeable during:

• spins
• quick direction changes
• bunny hops
• tailwhips
• technical park combinations
• acceleration between ramps
• fast contest runs

A lightweight tire will not automatically make a trick easier, of course. But it can help the bike feel more direct and agile.

Daniel's riding style, with fast rotations, big jumps and complex trick combinations, is therefore a perfect match for an especially lightweight tire setup.

What does Skinwall mean on a BMX tire?

An important part of the low weight is the Skinwall construction.

On a conventional tire, the side of the casing is covered or protected by an additional rubber layer. On a Skinwall tire, this coating is thinner, allowing the structure of the underlying casing to remain partially visible.

Less material on the sidewall also means less weight. The sidewall can also be more flexible.

This construction allows the KHE X Sandoval to save several additional grams compared with a more heavily rubber-coated sidewall.

Skinwall is therefore more than just a visual choice. The characteristic Tanwall appearance is part of the Signature Tire's design, but it also represents a weight-optimized construction. In general, Skinwall sidewalls are lighter and more flexible, although they provide less additional side protection than heavily rubberized sidewalls.

For a performance-focused park tire, that is exactly the goal: keeping unnecessary rotating mass as low as possible.

Why does Daniel Sandoval ride 2.25-inch tires?

The KHE X Sandoval has a width of 2.25 inches.

On a BMX tire, width influences factors including air volume, weight, contact patch and overall riding feel. Very wide tires offer plenty of volume and can be comfortable at lower pressures, but they often require additional material and therefore add weight.

At 2.25 inches, the Sandoval Signature deliberately uses a comparatively sporty width.

This suits its intended use: park, ramps and fast freestyle runs, where direct handling and low weight play an important role.

At the same time, 2.25 inches still provides plenty of tire volume for modern 20-inch BMX setups.

The tire is therefore especially interesting for riders who are not simply looking for the widest possible tire, but instead want a combination of grip, control and low weight.

Up to 116 PSI – how much pressure does a BMX tire need?

The KHE X Sandoval is approved for a maximum air pressure of 116 PSI / 8 bar.

That does not mean every rider should run the tire at maximum pressure.

The right BMX tire pressure depends on factors including:

• rider weight
• riding style
• surface
• rim
• desired grip
• desired cushioning
• personal riding feel

Higher pressure generally creates a very direct and fast riding feel. At a slightly lower pressure, the tire can flex more and absorb more surface irregularities.

Never exceed the maximum permitted pressure specified for the tire or rim, and check tire pressure regularly.

Limited Edition – available only in limited quantities

The KHE X Sandoval is not a permanent standard model within the MAC range.

The Signature Edition is produced only in a limited quantity. Once this production run is sold out, the exclusive combination of Skinwall construction and Daniel Sandoval design will no longer be available.

This makes the tire both a performance upgrade and a special Signature part for fans of Daniel and the KHE MAC Team.

KHE LASER TPU Tubes – the perfect match for the Signature Tire

If you intentionally reduce rotating mass with your tires, it makes little sense to add unnecessary weight back with a heavy inner tube.

That is why we recommend the KHE LASER TUBE TPU 20-inch as the ideal addition to the Sandoval Signature Tire.

Daniel Sandoval rides the LASER TPU Tubes himself in his own setup.

The LASER TUBE is made from TPU – thermoplastic polyurethane – and weighs only around 2.3 oz / 65 g. By comparison, conventional BMX butyl tubes can be considerably heavier depending on the model.

The KHE LASER TUBE is designed for tire widths from 20 x 1.90 to 2.50 inches, making it an ideal match for the 2.25-inch Sandoval Signature Tire. It features a 45 mm Schrader valve with a lightweight aluminum valve stem.

Only around 14.6 oz / 415 g for tire and tube per wheel

The combination becomes especially impressive when both weights are added together:

KHE X Sandoval Tire: approx. 12.3 oz / 350 g
KHE LASER TPU Tube: approx. 2.3 oz / 65 g

Together, the tire and tube weigh only around 14.6 oz / 415 g per wheel.

Across both wheels, that is only around 1.83 lb / 830 g for two tires and two tubes combined.

Because this weight sits at the wheels and is constantly accelerated, slowed and rotated, a lightweight tire-and-tube setup is one of the most effective ways to make a BMX feel more agile.

What are the benefits of a TPU tube for BMX?

TPU tubes follow the same basic goal as the lightweight MAC folding tire: reducing unnecessary rotating mass.

The KHE LASER TUBE weighs only around 2.3 oz / 65 g, a fraction of the weight of many conventional BMX tubes.

This supports:

• a lightweight wheel setup
• quick acceleration
• agile handling
• spins and rotations
• quick direction changes
• a direct riding feel

At the same time, the LASER TUBE is designed for Park, Street and Flatland, so it is not only an upgrade for professional contest setups.

Together, MAC X Sandoval + LASER TPU Tube create exactly the setup we recommend for riders who want to save as much weight as possible directly at the wheels.

Shop the brand-new KHE MAC x Sandoval folding tire now here in the KHE Shop!