Maxxis Question

[Bomble]

Apologies as it has probably been asked before, but which is the recommended compound and casing for a DHF? Mostly ride Peak District rocky stuff and some woods.

 

[Gary]

Depends who you ask.
Exo is Maxxis' light single ply casing perfectly strong enough for a skillful rider who doesn't run super low pressures.
DD is a light 2 ply casing (think of it as 1.5 ply) so tougher but obviously heavier
DH is their toughest proper dual ply casing and it was developed for puncture/tear protection and sidewall support when racing DH. Clumsy fucks with little finesse who love to run stupidly low pressures also benefit from it's toughness.
the tougher/heavier the casing the stiffer and more supportive the sidewalls will also be. Flipside to this is the tyre material will not conform to surfaces quite so easily. TPI (threads per inch) construction of the actual tyre carcus affects this too. higher TPI = more comfortable/conformity. lower = tougher
The casing that suits you best is down to you as a rider and how you ride and set-up your bike just as much as where you ride it.

You don't really need me to tell you about tyre compounds do you?
Softer the compound the grippier the tread will become, but will also roll and accelerate slower and generally be harder work for you and your motor.

it's not some black art, all the info is plain to read on their website.
Bike Technology | Tyre Technology | Maxxis Tyres UK

 

[Bomble]

Cheers Gary. I have read and understand all the different compounds etc but I was more wondering what people are running and recommending.
I know this can be personal but for example with motor bikes you don’t need the grippiest tyres.
I have actually just put on a max grip dh one and it’s like a ship anchor?

 

[Gary]

I've always used the least grippy compound maxxis (DHF, DHRII and SS) on my Emtb for that very reason. Occasionally when a ride/conditions actually call for it I'll use a soft compound magic mary up front (not the super soft tho)

MAXXGRIP/Super soft compound tyres are intended for gravity racing. And IMO they're simply too draggy to be much fun for all round riding. Plenty folk use them at trail centres and on easy natural terrain though. especially on emtbs. Not only are the softest compounds slow/draggy but they rob you of power/battery life.

 

[Bomble]

Aye it made a really noticeable difference to battery life and you describe it perfectly as being too draggy to be much fun for all round riding.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

I've always used the least grippy compound maxxis (DHF, DHRII and SS) on my Emtb for that very reason. Occasionally when a ride/conditions actually call for it I'll use a soft compound magic mary up front (not the super soft tho)

MAXXGRIP/Super soft compound tyres are intended for gravity racing. And IMO they're simply too draggy to be much fun for all round riding. Plenty folk use them at trail centres and on easy natural terrain though. especially on emtbs. Not only are the softest compounds slow/draggy but they rob you of power/battery life.

about to buy a Maxxis set for the summer, was planning on:
DHF: folding 3C maxx terra EXO TR - 29 x 2.5
Assegai: folding 3c maxx terra EXO TR - 29 x 2.5

its mainly for rocky riding, like in the pictures, sharp and rounded rocks but lots of them.. im finding my michelin wild enduro a but crap in the dry..
im also finding the amount of variations of tyre available bewildering.. ive never had or ridden maxxis tyres before.

basically, will this set work ok ?

 

[Gary]

Imna answer your qusetion...


But... I want you to think for yourself rather than take my advice or preference. (I'm not YOU and I ride NOTHING like you do)

In answer to your qusetion, Tyre tread choice doesn't actually matter hugely for rock chutes like that.
I'd happily ride down that confidently on pretty much any tyres.
Looking ahead, choosing a good line, staying loose, off the brakes and committed is all that's required. and speed/momentum is your friend

now it'syour turn...
Ask yourself "why" you've chosen two different tyre tread paterns?and more importantly "what" you're thinking it's going to achieve?
BOTH the tyres you're thinking of buying are a good choice upfront or on the rear for riding that, But one of them does not give anywhere near the braking performance of the other.
Now which one were you thinking of running up front and which one rear? and Why?.

Enjoy your homework

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Well I rode those rocks with the standard butcher tyres and ripped a knob off the rear. The sidewalks on them are awful. I’m just looking for something that can do that stuff for the summer so...
I guess if I wanted balanced braking, I would just fit dhf front and rear or the dhr2 front and rear might be better. I was planning to fit the assegai to the rear just in case I really like em and kept them on for winter, looks a better mud tyre, but I don’t know that, just looks it.
My other option was eddy currents which look like flippin mx tyres..
Anyway, I’ve done as much homework as I can today....

 

[Gary]

*sigh*

not sure why I bothered

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

*sigh*

not sure why I bothered

Yea, you coulda just told me....
Anyway, I’ve no idea, I did hours of research just to get to where I did and I’m not really any wiser...

I used to ride a mx bike down those lanes, the first pic above is called boulder hill and I didn’t care what tyres I had on, as long as the pressure was right I would send it up and down there no problem, as you say, momentum.
On my last mountain bike I never even replaced the tyres, I rode the same all year round, year in year out but, after experiencing just how much they can change your ride recently, I wanna experiment a little bit I simply can’t afford to keep doing it.

 

[Gary]

Sidetracking your teacher might make your time in class pass more quickly and "seem" more interesting to YOU but by doing so you won't actually learn anything related to the lesson.

 

[urastus]

I have maxxis dhrII and assegai in exo. I thought they were stacks strong enough till I went tubless. I have had to increase pressure by 2 lbs in each. The inner tubes gave them awesome damping and I could run lower pressures - they are really different tyres without tubes. Not as good at damping or climbing. I have since read, and fully understand why now, that double down is the maxxis tyre to get - you get the damping and the lower pressures. I'm actually considering going back to tubes till my current tyres wear out.

I run maxterra on the front, dual compound on the rear. It is mostly fairly dry here though, with a few puddles and tacky stuff through winter. I did one ride recently on lots of wet round river type rock - if I was riding that regularly I'd have maxgrip both ends.

 

[urastus]

about to buy a Maxxis set for the summer, was planning on:
DHF: folding 3C maxx terra EXO TR - 29 x 2.5
Assegai: folding 3c maxx terra EXO TR - 29 x 2.5

its mainly for rocky riding, like in the pictures, sharp and rounded rocks but lots of them.. im finding my michelin wild enduro a but crap in the dry..
im also finding the amount of variations of tyre available bewildering.. ive never had or ridden maxxis tyres before.

basically, will this set work ok ?

Yeah, wet rock I'd go assegai double down maxgrip both ends while it's wet. If you get a season that is reasonably dry, I'd go dhf on the rear, double down, maxterra. Note: I think you'd be OK with exo on the front, if you want to save some weight and money, but stay with the maxgrip. This is from somebody who rarely rides wet rock; the few times I've ridden rock like that in your picture, I was thankful that I had lowish pressures and would have felt better with grippier tyres. I ride a lot of rock, but it is usually dry and grippy. Even when it's wet it isn't that slippery; kind of a sandstone maybe.

 

[DrStupid]

*sigh*

not sure why I bothered

Is it the direction of the sipes cut into the center knobs, perpendicular to the direction of travel, that increase braking traction on the assegai?

Also the center lug on the assegai would help while the tire is vertical, where most effective braking can be done?

I've not owned a DHF yet, but I've run assegai's front and rear, and find braking traction to be quite good on the assegai.

 

[urastus]

I really like the dhf on the rear when it's dry. Fast roller, good climbing, high volume. It's awesome on the front too; but I've slipped out a couple of times in the transition. I'm not aggressive enough. So assegai front is perfect for me. Lots of siping and lots of edges - I just assume they know what they're doing . I have dhrII on the rear now because it's our winter and it doesn't hold mud, it climbs and brakes well. Although what I call mud and what those dudes in the UK ride are two totally different things. I'm not at home in the wet

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Yeah, wet rock I'd go assegai double down maxgrip both ends while it's wet. If you get a season that is reasonably dry, I'd go dhf on the rear, double down, maxterra. Note: I think you'd be OK with exo on the front, if you want to save some weight and money, but stay with the maxgrip. This is from somebody who rarely rides wet rock; the few times I've ridden rock like that in your picture, I was thankful that I had lowish pressures and would have felt better with grippier tyres. I ride a lot of rock, but it is usually dry and grippy. Even when it's wet it isn't that slippery; kind of a sandstone maybe.

thanks man, this is exactly the conclusion I have come to.. I aint no world cup rider and I need all the help I can get so it will be maxxgrip DD

 

[1oldfart]

At 140 pounds i like the Exo but not every rider like them.

 

[steve_sordy]

Here is a report of 29 different mtb tyres. It is different in that it allocates scores to a range of attributes so that you can decide what you want. It also totals all the scores up to form a ranking like best front tyre, best rear tyre, best overall, best.......

Best Mountain Bike Tires of 2021

 

[Mikerb]

Here is a report of 29 different mtb tyres. It is different in that it allocates scores to a range of attributes so that you can decide what you want. It also totals all the scores up to form a ranking like best front tyre, best rear tyre, best overall, best.......

Best Mountain Bike Tires of 2021

....very comprehensive but I find US reviews invariably favour tyres that are best for dry hard pack and rocky terrain (and seem always to favour Maxxis !!) whereas most of my riding is in softer loam and mud. There are far better tyres out there and at better prices than Maxxis for my type of terrain. I have Assegais on my E180........very little different performance to Michelin Wild Enduro on my Levo and wear very quickly.

 

[Orangie]

....very comprehensive but I find US reviews invariably favour tyres that are best for dry hard pack and rocky terrain (and seem always to favour Maxxis !!) whereas most of my riding is in softer loam and mud. There are far better tyres out there and at better prices than Maxxis for my type of terrain. I have Assegais on my E180........very little different performance to Michelin Wild Enduro on my Levo and wear very quickly.

 

[Orangie]

Maxxis are very best tires available. Look on any podium. You’ll see em

 

[urastus]

....very comprehensive but I find US reviews invariably favour tyres that are best for dry hard pack and rocky terrain (and seem always to favour Maxxis !!) whereas most of my riding is in softer loam and mud. There are far better tyres out there and at better prices than Maxxis for my type of terrain. I have Assegais on my E180........very little different performance to Michelin Wild Enduro on my Levo and wear very quickly.

these reviews should suit Australia too then. Re the assegai and wild enduro - for me I like the higher volume and round profile tyre (assegai) and prefer the tread. Admittedly I go by look of the tread and how it goes with my logic - the wild enduro does get great reviews. So long as we're happy with our choices; reviews etc are for those who are still looking. Also, here in Aus, maxxis are relatively cheap. Because I use tannus in the rear I don't need a high tech sidewall; I've never had trouble with just an exo on the front, although I'd go exo+ on the front next time. Bog standard exo on the rear.

 

[Peter1979]

On my normal trail bike i run dhf max Terra exo and dhr2 max Terra exo all year round for all my riding (tubeless around 22-23 psi and I'm 90kg ISH)
On the ebike it's DD assagei max grip as that's what came stock and I'm not worried about drag with an ebike.

 

[urastus]

tubeless around 22-23 psi and I'm 90kg ISH

I'm guessing you don't do drops or jumps. I'm not big on either - I'm still on small ones. I used to be very low pressure till I started drops etc. There's no need to have higher pressures if you don't need it though