I’ve a 2.5″ Minion DHF up front on my new Enduro, however I’m struggling to navigate Maxxis’ myriad options for the DHR.

Which one do I actually need out of 2.3, 2.4, WT, etc?

I’d go for 2.4 WT. casing wise, how hard are you on the back wheel? EXO if gentle, EXO+ if you want a bit more protection, DD if you destroy stuff, DH if you destroy stuff, and are a big lad (add weight the further up this scale you go) Compound I always go maxxterra, but go maxxgrip for obvious reasons, or like riding through treacle. Maxxspeed if you like drifting round corners, maxxterra sits between the two.

2.4, the 2.3 is tiny!

Maxx Terra if you want more rolling speed, maxx grip for more gripz

Exo if you arn’t a bushpig/heavy/aggressive
Exo+
Double down if you ride places which are rocky, also if you are running maxxgrip would recommend the DD as the exo+ feels a bit flimsy and pings off stuff.

Thank you! That’s the perfect summary that I was looking for.

To add to this I run a 2.5” dhf up front in the nicer months and a 2.6” Hillbilly when the slop is around.

For the winter I run a 2.3” dhr2 on the back – exo / 3c maxterra. In 29er I find it gets plenty of grip in all but the very worst slop.

The 2.4” one drags quite a lot more as the knobs are a lot bigger – but if you ride a huge amount in slop and want best grip the 2.4” one is better.

I’m about 75kgs and have been up to 84kgs and (touch wood) haven’t broken an exo casing tyre – but I know of a few people who have. If you’re heavy or ride in really rocky / flinty places then perhaps go up to the DD casing. The exo+ is between exo and DD but it doesn’t feel much of a step up over the exo.

I’ve found a 3c Maxx Terra dhr2 on the back has worn quite quickly for me on the 29er version. The side knobs are undercutting quite a bit – perhaps it was a dry winter at times and the at was harder in it. The dual compound version of the dhr2 will last a lot better / still work well in slop as the knobs generate the traction there – but will be less grippy on wet rock and the like.

I’d only go near a maxxgrip dhr2 if I were racing and ultimate grip was required as it won’t last long – abs particularly in the 2.4” one will be draggy as hell.

DHF Maxxgrip 2.5 Exo up front/ DHR2 Maxterra 2.3 DD rear all year round

merlin have some good deals on the DHR IIs, OEM so white logos’.

i’ve gone maxxgrip as a front tyre, i tend to use the non 3c exo on rear, touch wood, i’ve not ripped one, although i use rimpact inserts, 85kg

if you ride tarmac sections, to link up trails like us folk in yorkshire then i’d go maxxterra, should last longer

the WT is “widetrail”, better for wider rimmed tyres, presumably 30mm plus internal diametre.

Personally, I’d ditch the DHF. I’ve recently switched to an Assegai up front, and it’s noticeably better than the DHF it replaced.

+1 with Akers

I’m about 75kgs and have been up to 84kgs and (touch wood) haven’t broken an exo casing tyre – but I know of a few people who have

can confirm many Maxxis tyre breakages – -grrr.. Im about 84Kg’s, resolutely refuse to move away from my 26″ wheels, so finding it hard to find what i want now – (just managed to find some on amaozon and CR). I’ve had a mix of Exo, Exo+ and DD (not seen DH casing in 26 anywhere) and i’ve managed to break the casing/warp on all of them – thats HRII, DHF DHRII and Aggressor – though Ardent was fine. So damn annoying, i’ve tried other brands and IMHO they don’t come close to Maxis performance.

So damn annoying, i’ve tried other brands and IMHO they don’t come close to Maxis performance.

As a general statement I don’t think this is strictly true.

I haven’t tried it myself but the Big Betty is probably quite comparable on the rear to a DHR2.

Up front a Magic Mary or Wild Enduro compete well with a DHF. Both of those lean slightly more towards the wetter side of things but can be used as allrounders.

The Hillbilly is comparable to the Shorty.

Rock Razor is probably similar to – but available in more sizes – than a Minion SA etc etc

One of my bikes is currently dhf / Rekon but the other is DHF / Slaughter.

In the winter one is hillbilly / dhr2 and the other is Magic Mary / Forekaster.

I think you can pick different tyres out of different manufacturers ranges to get the best you can for what you need. I’m not a tyre brand tart though – so I’m happy to run mixed brands on a bike.

I’ve found a 3c Maxx Terra dhr2 on the back has worn quite quickly for me on the 29er version. The side knobs are undercutting quite a bit – perhaps it was a dry winter at times and the at was harder in it.

I’ve had 3C maxxterra WT’s (Dissectors and DHRs) and a real issue with the side knobs tearing off. I think its the nature of the 3C compound which is a hard base with softer rubber knobs on top. great on the front, but wears really badly on the rear (as a comparison one of the bikes is running a Conti baron rear at the moment and the side knobs are rounding off but not tearing)

But Maxxis don’t seem to do the old dual compound tyres in modern widths…

The dual compound version is 62a center / 60a shoulder.
The 3C Maxx Terra version is 70a base layer / 50a center / 42a shoulder.

For an Enduro, I’d say the 2.4in DHR2 Maxxterra EXO+ would probably be OK with a sturdy tyre insert (I recommend Rimpact Pro).

Or the same in DoubleDown if you don’t use inserts or ride very hard.

As a general statement I don’t think this is strictly true.

agree it’s slightly over-simplified as above all else riding style comes a lot into it. I tried HansDampfs, Butcher/Purg combo and a couple of others and always came away feeling let down by the hype of them..

annoying, i’ve tried other brands and IMHO they don’t come close to Maxis performance.

What good is ‘performance if you’re sat at the side of the trail covered in goo with a slashed, irreparable tyre?

Big Betty is a superb tyre, tough even in Super Trail guise.

I think there are better front tyres out there than Maxxis offer, and rear tyres which match the DHR2.

It’s a great tyre, but I think I prefer the Wild Enduro Rear personally.

I would love to take a pair of scissors to the Maxxis tyre line-up, get rid of about half of the tread patterns and casing options and just offer the best stuff in the formats that riders actually want.

“I would love to take a pair of scissors to the Maxxis tyre line-up, get rid of about half of the tread patterns and casing options and just offer the best stuff in the formats that riders actually want.”

Step 1: Sticky compounds in lighter casings.
Step 2: Fast compounds in heavier casings.

The strangest is how they’ll do the fast tread patterns with heavy casings but still only in the slow sticky compounds?!!

Step 1: Sticky compounds in lighter casings.

Those are the ones I’m always searching for… for front tyres.

The strangest is how they’ll do the fast tread patterns with heavy casings but still only in the slow sticky compounds?!!

Have you been Googling for the Dissector as well?

😀

Thanks to this thread I’ve just taken the dhr maxx terra off the front of the Fuel and fitted a 2.5 Assegai. Not sure when I’ll get to test it in anger as it’s racing for next 2 weekends.

I’ve taken the assegai off the KSL and G1, found is was a bit vague on the dry trails, DHR rolls faster and feels more precise and better feedback. Up in the borders next weekend, so one will go back on for the looser dry conditions.

As a general statement I don’t think this is strictly true.

I would say as a general statement, it’s pretty much spot on.

Specialized tyres are basically bin worthy, Schwalbe still haven’t worked out how to keep a side knob on for people who can corner & Michelin have finally worked out how to make a tyre in the Racing Line compound, but have managed to make tyres so heavy, they have their own gravity field.

Just a pain in the ass, buying Maxxis at the moment in decent compounds/treads is challenging.

“Have you been Googling for the Dissector as well?”

Yes – it looked so good when it came out! And concluded I’ll keep using Specialized Eliminators as (British) summer rear tyres because they come in much longer lasting compounds and the tread pattern splits the difference between a semi-slick and a DHR2 pretty well (which is what the Dissector also aims to do).

Yes – it looked so good when it came out! And concluded I’ll keep using Specialized Eliminators as (British) summer rear tyres because they come in much longer lasting compounds

I’m about to put my Eliminator back on, it might have a harder compound than my wheelie bin’s wheels, but it does the job and the carcass is pretty tough.

Specialized tyres are basically bin worthy, Schwalbe still haven’t worked out how to keep a side knob on for people who can corner & Michelin have finally worked out how to make a tyre in the Racing Line compound, but have managed to make tyres so heavy, they have their own gravity field.

I’ll bite:

Magic Mary is ace – I’m not going to claim to be Aaron Gwin, but my cornering is ok and the knobs haven’t fallen off. Yet I’ve started to undercut the side knobs on my rear dhr2

Hillbilly is ace – in 29er form it’s been epic through the winter – deals with slop well and vs the 650b version of the same tyre it’s better on hardpack

Slaughter is good for a semi slick sort of thing – really quick rolling and corners well.

Wild Enduro front I quite like in 650b / Gum-X format. Sits somewhere between a DHF and a Magic Mary so a good allrounder.

I know a small lad who uses a Butcher grid trail both ends on a mullet and loves them. I used the same at Rogate and BPW without issues

I’ve found a 3c Maxx Terra dhr2 on the back has worn quite quickly for me on the 29er version

We have that in DD and the braking side of the centre knobs are looking well worn after one day at Fort Bill and two days of the EWS. Wear rate compares poorly with the previous Contis (and other Maxxis/Maxxii we have).

Roots and loam
Front = Assegai 2.5 WT Maxx Grip Exo+
Rear = DHR2 2.4 WT Maxx Terra Exo+

Rocks
Same as above but swap to DD casing.

Awesome gripp all year 😊

Once again, thanks all!

On the Butcher I tried the new T9 in 2.3” grid trail on the front. Didn’t overly like it – I got dumped on my face when I wasn’t expecting it – it was dusty but I’ve never had anything like that before.

It wasn’t that high speed – I’ve swapped it for a 2.5” Dhf exo / 3c maxxterra and it feels like the side knobs bite better. Maybe the 2.6” Butcher would have been a better choice and the 2.3” was just a bit narrow for my liking 🤷‍♂️

I always value this guys opinion on things.

Worth a watch

this is what i love about forums though myself, because i like peoples opinions who i’m vaguely at least aware of their abilities.

For example, i’ve ridden with @joebristol and can related to how he rides even if he was quicker than me. Hob-nob is quicker than both of us i think, but very fussy on tyres and set in his ways IMO, but again, i like his input… You can start forming an opinion easier.

I threw my lad into the discussion but really he’s a non-event in this as he doesn’t even know what tyres are on the Status, or care… he just rides it.

If i’m honest here, i’ve rarely ever liked/disliked a tyre myself. Sure there’s a few exceptions, but i just ride and i doubt the tyres have any influence how fast or slow i go.. i don’t think i can find extra speeed on better or less speed on worse tyres.

I think it’s already being mentioned but I found the 2.4 DHR a lot of work to pedal compared to the 2.3 DHR. I’ve just switched to a 2.3 Minion SS as everywhere here is hard packed at the moment, it’s super quick in a straight line but you can still lean on it. This is rear only I have a 2.5 Shorty on front year round now as a grippy front doesn’t seem to have the same detriment on pedaling speed.

chiefgrooveguru

Step 1: Sticky compounds in lighter casings.
Step 2: Fast compounds in heavier casings.

Maxxis are about the only brand to actually offer these options – you can get Assegau in MaxxGrip Exo and Exo+, and DHR2 in Maxx|Grip EXO+, and they finally did the DHR2 DD in 2.4 3c MaxxTerra. Dissectors can be had in DD flavour also.

Schwalbe and Continental both have new ranges which completely miss the mark on the above.

Maxxis are about the only brand to actually offer these options – you can get Assegau in MaxxGrip Exo and Exo+, and DHR2 in Maxx|Grip EXO+, and they finally did the DHR2 DD in 2.4 3c MaxxTerra. Dissectors can be had in DD flavour also.

Schwalbe and Continental both have new ranges which completely miss the mark on the above.

Theoretically.

I could never find an Assegai in Exo+ MaxxGrip or a Dissector in DD MaxxTerra though.

I presume you mean Schwalbe still don’t do the Mary in Ultra Soft in a light casing? That is poor I agree.

WTB are the best IMO. Tough/Fast for the rear, Light/High grip for the front. Sorted.

chakaping

I could never find an Assegai in Exo+ MaxxGrip or a Dissector in DD MaxxTerra though.

I have those in shopping baskets as we speak. German/French sites are always good.

chakaping

I presume you mean Schwalbe still don’t do the Mary in Ultra Soft in a light casing? That is poor I agree.

They don’t do the Mary in a light casing at all, the Super Trail one is heavier than a Double Down Maxxis, and that’s their lightest one.

I have those in shopping baskets as we speak. German/French sites are always good.

@honourablegeorge.
Do you have a link to those please?

They don’t do the Mary in a light casing at all, the Super Trail one is heavier than a Double Down Maxxis, and that’s their lightest one.

This is daft given its mostly used ss front tyre so doesn’t need to be so beefy for a lot of people. The circa 1kg snakeskin apex / addix soft version prior to the current range was perfect for me (2.6 x 27.5) – but I do r want a hugely heavier new version. The 2.6 x 29” Spec Hillbilly works really well for me as does the 2.5 x 29” Maxxis DHF Exo 3c Maxx terra – without being mental heavy.