I might indulge my tyre fetish once more, never tried maxxis, worth it?

it’s a great summer rear tyre. Ran mine with an Ardent front…very impressed

it’s a great summer rear tyre. Ran mine with an Ardent front…very impressed

I changed from a Schwalbe combo to Crossmarks last season for racing duties and I have been really impressed with them. Mine are the LUST version and they have been really good on a variety of terrain. They corner really well and there is a seamless transition from the middle to the edge of the tyre. They roll as well as the Schwalbe they replaced, too. They also last a longer too and don’t lose as much performance when they get worn down. Can you tell I like them? 🙂

Yes, really good, fast rolling rear tyre. Don’t put one on the front!

If you’re feeling especially lairy, put a supertacky high roller on the front with a crossmark rear and ride in the wet. The frame will never line up with your actual direction of travel!

^^^^ had a 2.1 High Roller like that, 2 rides (2nd one just to be certain) and gave it to a mate for his wife to pootle on, absolutely lethal at speed.

I’ve kept a 2.1 on the back since I fitted it last August.

As dannyh said, good fun paired with a big grippy tyre up front.
Teaches you just how much grip you have at the front when braking and your rear pads last for ages 😀

I’ve enjoyed it, will be sticking with less grippy rears for a while, I reckon.

Agree, great rear tyre, but avoid using on the front unless you know it will definitely be dry.

Put one on last weekend. Same as above really, running with an advantage up front.

Only felt sketchy on some wet roots, other than that perfect.

I’m running 3 on the rear of all my bikes with something bigger upfront (apart from the rigid where I run them front and back). Very nice combo and they are fast rolling. The rigid has been a bit lethal this winter with the crossmark up front though but was great fun sliding everywhere. The tyres just wouldn’t shed mud on my ride though. I won’t be swapping the rears for anything else anytime soon.

I had a crossmark 2.1 lust on the rear for a bit last year…I couldn’t get on with it. Much preferred Ardent or Aspen on the rear

Maxxis Aspen is also fantastic as a rear tyre, slightly better than the Crossmark I think, just as quick but with a little more grip.

I must be one of the few who loves it on the front and back of my bike…predictable slides…what more do you want?

Either way, excellent tyre!

Now…back to my Saguaros – even better tyre.

I used to puncture every other ride with them.

Quite like CrossMarks I have them on the back of two bikes. Decent all-rounder for buff-ish trail centres/fireroads/doubletrack/bridleway that sort of thing but no better than a Racing Ralph for example (which is lighter and more expensive). Grips quite well in adverse conditions using a bit of finesse but has a tendency to give up if things get too loose

Works well with Ardent/Advantage/High Roller up front.

I’m running a 2.1 crossmark (exo) tubeless on a crest rim on the back of my blur trc… had a bit of a play on a big rock dropoff and berm half way round my ride last night, and it burped then blew off the rim..

lost a bit of confidence in it now, as it feels like it is rolling around too much when I push it sideways.

Has anyone else found they roll a lot, or is it just my tubeless setup?

Dave

Tempted, anyone got a view on how they compare to a block 8 on the rear?

Another 2.1 crossmark rear/HR front here, run all year. Occasionally wish I’d swapped it for a Mud-X when in really mucky woodland, but generally v. happy with the speed/grip compromise.

Crossmark 2.1 wasn’t that confidence-inspiring on the front except for trail centre-type stuff. Fast though.

Now thinking of something lighter/quicker than the HR on the front – maybe 2.1 Advantage or even the Mud-X I’ve already got. I notice that Ardents have come up a bit in the list.

Tempted, anyone got a view on how they compare to a block 8 on the rear?

CrossMark slightly slower but slightly better in loose/wet dirt

really disliked it tbh running a pair
I am not sure what th eideal riding conditions are for this tyre but it is not the UK – perhpas OK on well drained hard packed liek you fond at a trail centre but i dont ride them much and fast rolling on the road
Only tyres I have owned that I have ever sold

PS I ran the front the worng way round grip was so bad I did not even notice as they say not for the front

rewski – Member

Tempted, anyone got a view on how they compare to a block 8 on the rear?

Quite similiar- SB is faster and finds more grip in the dry, Crossmark is a bit better in the wet. Both clog hopelessly in sticky mud, though, which is fine as they’re not really for sticky mud 😉

If there’s mud on the menu neither’s ideal- I like the slant 6, it’s not exactly grippy in mud but as it’s a slick with acne it doesn’t really clog either, and it’s still about as fast. Often impressed by it.

Cheers all.

PSA: nextdaytyres are doing deals on maxxis.

I have a run a combo of crossmarks and high rollers for a year or so. Usually the medium(60) rubber which I really like, imo much better than schwalbe which I find fragile.

The only downside of the crossmarks(due to the solid centre tread) in particular are they require a slightly different technique when negotiating technical climbing to avoid spinning the back wheel and throwing yourself over the bars.

Crossmarks are an awesome tyre for going places quickly. With a pair, you’ll go places very quickly, just not always pointing the same direction 🙂

I can recommend an ikon on the front to keep the speed but with a touch more grip. 3C if you’re feeling flush.

They also last for ages!

I run Aspen Front and Crossmark rear for long distance single loop Dyfi type stuff and while I am not at the very sharp end of the pack, I’ve never felt it was wrong.

Hits a good combo or grip and roll.

Very similar to a ralph I think. Not sure which feels quicker.

Here on the gravel tracks of Andalucia I did all the research and went for Larsen TT’s,my mate went for Crossmarks and whilst mine are sliding about in corners he seems to have grip to spare.

Ran a 60a (important as the 70a compound is too hard) 2.25″ as a rear for a while. Absolutely loved its speed, it’s cornering grip and the predictability when it eventually slid when banked over. Didn’t like the fact it was useless when any mud was involved, and that on steep/fast descents there is next to no grip under braking so the back end could tend to step out wildly without provocation.

If I lived somewhere where there was no mud at all, would happily run one as a rear tyre again. For now trying to find something that combines all the good features of the crossmark, but is a little more predictable under braking and sheds mud a bit better, even at the expense of a little speed.

I’ve put them back on this evening as my summer tyres – back & front.

I can’t recall the front being a handful, but will see when I go for a spin tomorrow.

Trails drying out – Crossmark going on. Use it on the back with a HighRoller (Maxxis) on the front. They are extremely good…..you won’t be disappointed.

I prefer an Ikon on the rear: the 2.2 is lighter and wider than a Crossmark 2.1 or 2.25. Lots of low knobs that clear well and protect the carcass, plus they are fast rolling with a rounded profile (if that’s what you like).