Just how much more draggy are Maxxgrip?

I could do with a new front tyre, and I like the Assegai that’s on there, and given that you can find them reasonably cheaply (for a Maxxis Tyre, natch) I could get the Maxxgrip version – let’s be honest I could use all the help I could get, I’ve always been put off by the horror stories about how draggy they are, and the sorts of self deprecating “Oh, I don’t need it”

But how bad are they in reality? I do generally do  ‘peadly rides’ and It would be a ball ache if pit added a noticeable amount of drag to what already is a chunky bike – a Spesh Enduro

I’ve recently gone from Maxterra Exo Assegai to Maxxgrip Exo+ Assegai on the front of my Ripmo AF, can’t say I’ve noticed any extra drag.

For anything you might call ‘pedally’ then absolutely no way should you go MaxxGrip in my experience. Felt noticeably slower over a few rides.

ETA so thats 2 polar opposite opinions in a matter of seconds. Do you feel lucky!?

Maxxgrip Assegai on both bikes, exo+ on the Hightower and DD on the ebike, I can’t say I’ve noticed it being any worse than a maxxterra for drag but it’s definitely an improvement in grip, they do wear out faster tho

found maxxgrip dhf (no longer available?)  on the front to be fine, coming from a 3c version iirc

on the back would probably be a different situation

Assegai MaxxGrip in Double Down casing was exceptionally draggy for me – and apparently I don’t notice draggy tyres as much as some people.

I reckon the Exo or Exo+ would be better, if you’re looking at one of those.

Front is fine. Rear not so much.

Agree with all that… you’ll hardly notice on the front… you’ll lose the will to live if fitted to the back.

I reckon the Exo or Exo+ would be better,

Cool, thanks,  was my thoughts as well.

Yeah, front absolutely fine on longer rides and well worth it for the (very noticeable) extra traction. I’ve never felt the need to put one on the rear. Longevity and rolling speed are more important for me than outright grip at the back.

My new bike came with Assegai Maxxgrip from and rear. Can’t say I noticed them being draggy at all, but I did get a big double puncture on the rear tyre from what seemed like a very innocuous rocky downhill section I’ve done loads of times before. So back to MaxTerra for me based on durability.

… Where’s, I just recently re-fitted a MaxxGrip DHF on the front of the HT … And O.M.G. … What a draggy tyre it is for pedally stuff! Did 2 rides and swapped back to a MaxxTerra DHF.

Depends what you’re doing, if you’re doing lots of winch and plummet, not an issue, but for anything that involves a lot of flat/pedalling, I wouldn’t. Find it much draggier than the Ultra Soft Schwalbe on the other bike.

but I did get a big double puncture on the rear tyre from what seemed like a very innocuous rocky downhill section I’ve done loads of times before. So back to MaxTerra for me based on durability.

This is broken logic. Carcass dictates puncture resistance, not rubber compound.

I think it’s important to bear in mind that the casing stiffness/damping has just as much an effect on rolling resistance as the tread compound, plus heavier tyres also feel slower rolling than they really are because you get a bit more inertial resistance on every moment of acceleration. So if you’re comparing MaxxTerra Exo with MaxxGrip DD or DH then you’ll think MaxxGrip is a lot slower than it really is.

I can’t say as I’ve ever back to backed them but I’ve never felt disadvantaged by using a max grip (or equivalent on the front or rear.  You’ll get used to it and get fitter.

Back up what others have stated:

Front is fine,.

Rear is a “no thank you”, all things being equal.

Another “barely notice on the front”. And it can make a really big difference to the tyre, the dhr2 frinstance is way more useful in maxxgrip than in maxxterra, in terms of “grip per drag” or whatever it’s just definitely positive imo. And the shorty likewise, the maxxterra just feels a bit crap once you’ve had the maxxgrip.

(I’ve kind of ended up not seeing the point in anything but really sticky rubber, for proper knobbly front tyres. If the soft rubber isn’t the right choice then probbaly the tyre itself also isn’t the right choice)

Also, the steeper your trails, the less drag matters – your pedalling becomes more about fighting gravity than rolling resistance. And going down on steeper trails the stickier tyres help more.

Just to completely ignore the OP’s request about wanting Maxxis. What about an ultra soft Tacky Chan, it’s got the softer compound you want but is also fast rolling, I love mine.

Just to completely ignore the OP’s request about wanting Maxxis. What about an ultra soft Tacky Chan, it’s got the softer compound you want but is also fast rolling, I love mine.

Agree with this. I love my TC. Much better tyre.

You’re not alone, a mate is trying to persuade me that Magic Mary are the answer, but I’m a bear of little brain, and I’ve only space for one naming convention, and it’s Maxxis. Schwable Donald Dumbo  Super Tacky Addix trail super… it may as well be Greek

I think Assegai is the most draggy of tyres, even on the front. A DHF even in MaxGrip is less draggy than a normal Assegai.  I’d not put one on the back, certainly not if you’re somewhere rocky. They wear out fast!

As most of the above comments front no where near as noticeable as rear when it comes to drag and soft compound.
I found weight does make a difference though.
I had a maxx grip DH casing DHF and it was like riding through treacle.
Exo+ maxx grip assegai is much more pleasant to pedal about.

if you can get away with less protection get the lighter tyre.

Even on an ebike, a Maxxgrip DHR on the back is hard going on pedally rides.

Theres a noticeable drop in range and increase in effort swapping from MaxxTerra to MaxxGrip.

Possibly better for wet rocky stuff but for everything else, I’m not convinced that it’s worth it.