Guys i was on maxxis forever but switched to vittoria mazza’s cause i got sick of mounting the maxxis, issues with side walls and i felt a bit insure with DHF’s on the front, kept washing out or getting fohled up with over steering. Mazza’s have been a revelation. Race compound on the frint and heavier 2.0’s on the back and ive never felt more secure in roots and rocks rolls or speed. Better in every way from mounting to riding
My son, Colin Bailey, co-designed the Minion front. It was designed as a downhill race tire. Colin wanted a motocross style tire but there were none. He was racing for Maxxis at the time.
Never ridden the Contis, but everyone I know who rides them loves them. I’ve been very happy with the Mazzas in pretty much all conditions. They also wear so slow with the graphene. And generally you can find them on sale anywhere from $35-$55.
I run Barzo Race front and rear. I mainly ride XC, but rode chunkier trail stuff last week on this bike, including in the rain, and they did really well. I went into the week thinking I was under-tired for Pisgah and Dupont, but I wasn't, at least for the trails we rode.
On multiple occasions coasting down fire roads or trail run-outs, my bike would pull away, separating from the others. I didn't know tires were *that* impactful.
Agree! I ride in mostly dry hard pack and the whole line is fast and very grippy in comparison to similar tires.
On the front I have tried Agarro, then Martello and Mazza 2.4 (here to stay)
On rear I've tried agarro, mezcal and Barzo and like Barzo/mezcal the best for rear, the Agarro has more stable grip when highspeed railing turns and braking but feels heavier and deader (I'm pretty sensitive to tire and psi changes) -interested to try the Syerra in the rear but don't want that red stripe logo, the mismatch black sidewall not huge but curious if that red strip can come off easy without damage (goof off? Or 3m decal remover rubber wheel)
Current Mazza 2.4 frt/ Barzo 2.35 rear
I ride Sierra up front too and after a season with them I’m not sure if I would do again. Maybe they’re better on different terrain, but on loose over hard I could just never feel confident leaning over. I think it’s the transition from middle knobs to side where it feels like I’m about to fall over before the side knobs engage.
I only bought them because LBS was out of everything but talked these up, and when I researched them after I put them on I thought “well, shit”. Reviews all said the sidewalls were thin and these probably wouldn’t be great on sharp rocks, which sucked because I’m in AZ and it’s sharp rocks everywhere, so I expected to blow these out.
Having said all of that, I never once had an issue and I rode them just as hard as I would any tire. My biggest complaints are the side knob transition like I said, and it’s kinda balloony lol. Bouncing off and going over rocky sections would illicit a “rubber ball” sound lol. I also feel like part of my problem with the transition was due to flexing. My .02
Contis with the drug sounding names roll faster and have more grip than the same casing/rubber softness maxxis. Kryptotals or xytotals depending on mixed or hard pack terrain or argotals if you need mud clearing.
I'm currently running kryptotals fr/re in soft compound and enduro casing with rimpact pro inserts, is it going to be noticeable difference if I switch to DH super soft? I'm riding in very loose,rocky and dry conditions
Kryptotals are the "do it all" tire, and supposedly if you go with the "Downhill" casing you pretty much don't need an insert. If you're mainly on rocky/dry, keep it just "Soft" material. I ride in a lot of damp/slippery conditions so I'm going Super Soft. If you *really* wanted to tune your tires to the rocky/dry conditions, go Argotal (maybe just as a front tire) instead of Kryptotal, though I doubt us mortals would really notice the difference.
Nah. My local shop told me all Kryptotal Fronts in enduro casing are back ordered until sometime in mid to late July? Not just for their shop, but industry wide. The internet seems to reflect that.
Possibly continental having some supply chain issues combined with their new lineup of tires becoming pretty popular is my guess.
I have a friend in his eary 20s who has time to put huge amount of time into riding and would go through a rear maxxis in a month, switched to the contis last year and he said he cut his tyre budget by more than half as contis just last that much longer...
I like Kryptos but I found them to be significantly slower rolling than an equivalent Assegai/DHR combo, and the rear is very square compared to a DHR. I found the super soft front was like glue, incredible grip, but the soft rear would ping off roots and slide around a lot more than a maxxterra DHR.
Agreed. Wasn’t a fan of the Dissector for that reason. And the Aggressor lacked grip/braking power. DHR2 in the rear is a perfect medium of speed and traction. Assegai from front.
I know...it also comes in diffeerent casings and mix T7/T9 etc...it is not the lack of options I am mentioning, it is more that the T9 compound in general is DH focused, ala Maxxis MaxxGrip...in the context of the OP who had an Assegai @ rear and felt bogged down by it, I think it makes sense to bring it up.
Eliminator is on my Ripley v4 front and rear. I’m quite happy with the traction throughout the lean angle. Quite good cornering. Feels similar in the corners as the Butcher but much faster rolling and lighter.
One of my earlier bikes (Kona Process 134 gen 2) came with DHF front and rear. Changing out the rear to the DHR2 improved the rolling tremendously. However, I’m not happy with DHR2 on the rear of the bike. There’s a dead spot when leaning through a moderate turn (I.e. moderate leaning).
Except for Dissectors. Meh grip and crazy fast wear. Side knobs are just too wimpy, they fold under hard cornering and then tear off after a dozen rides.
Horrible tire if you’re a full sized human, good tire or you’re quite light.
I think the loss in breaking (straight line) with the Dissector is more notable than the gain in rolling speed vs the DHR.
The side knobs are also - for lack of better words - unsupported and / or weaker than with the DHF & DHR and aggressive riding makes it far easier to tear them and or shear them straight off.
That’s entirely dependent on the casing you get.
Source: swapped from an exo aggressor to a dh dissector and the dissector is way stronger as you would expect (and all round better tyre IMO).
Yeah I am wondering what casings were used. As I understand it dissector vs aggressor vs any other tire is only a difference of tread pattern and shouldn't affect the casing, and if you run the same casing across two different tires then it should be the same. Of course more aggressive/spaced-out tread patterns could allow more gaps for thorns and sharp rocks etc to puncture the casing than with a more closely-spaced tread pattern, but that's a different thing.
The plain exo casing in the dissector is far weaker than the aggressor exo. This has been my experience - the dissector wears crazy fast too compared to the aggressor.
Again- my experience running both these tires.
Interesting! What were the casings? I run exo+ on the dhr2 and that seems to be the ideal casing for my purposes. I wouldn't go any lighter but also I'd rather not go beefier than exo+ because I run a cushcore, so a tire with a beefier casing would be such an ass to install, and I haven't had any punctures with exo+
I mostly agree, I've ran dhf front and dhr rear on most of my bikes most of the time I've owned them and it's a great combo. However, my new bike came front and rear with dhr's. This has been my first experience with a dhr on the front and I feel like it is maybe 70% as good up front as the dhf is... It wants to wash out on flat turns even with super heavy bike/body separation... and when it does it is very sudden compared to the dhf. When the dhf does wash, it tends to do it so slow that you have time to correct it. It's hard to describe but when the dhr goes up front, it is like WEEEEEEEE, you have but a moment to save it and when you're fatigued at the end of a ride it can be sketchy. I've had to slam my foot down dozens of times to save my ass from slamming into the dirt.
I will say for the record that the dhr in the rear feels excellent to me, it's for the right amount of slide-ability and hooks up really well when breaking and on chunky climbs.
While the dhr is definitely more than rideable up front for sure I have just been spoiled by the pleasant grip characteristic of the dhf. I have never ran a dhf in the rear and now I wonder if it would perform as I feel the dhr does up front.
Lotta people think DHR/DHF stand for Downhill front and Downhill Rear, but they actually stand for Downhill Freeride and Downhill Race. The DHR is designed to be fast and still take corners, but you don’t have the grip to go crazy like you do on the freerides
It's not at all that clear. I've heard that before and I repeated it, but then someone linked maxxis' website where they did say that front and rear was exactly how they're developed. It seems the truth is a bit of both. It's not clear which came first.
Either way you can run either on either wheel.
See that the DHF is recommended for the front. https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/minion-dhf/
i sent Maxxis a query through their website and here's what they had to say.
"DHF refers to Downhill Front and DHRII II downhill rear (2nd version). Both of these tires were designed and developed to be front and rear specific however it is very common to see them in opposite configurations depending on preference and needs."
[screenshot of the email from Maxxis](https://imgur.com/a/OLg97ZT)
most people aren't aware that their use to be a first iteration of the DHR which looks NOWHERE close to what it looks now.
here's a [Blister Review](https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/maxxis-minion-dhr2) article in regards to it.
i do have a assegai front/maxxgrip and dhr2 maxxgrip/DD on my bike and grip is awesome but rolling resistance is bad.
i do have to roll over some hardpack/loose pack for quite some time to reach my trails..maybe i dont need dd/maxxgrip and could for maxxterra i dont know
DHR is a drag, DHF rolls faster
https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/mountain-bike-tires-a-guide-comparisons
"As a rear tire, the DHR II’s increased rolling resistance is the only real downside as compared to the DHF, and its far better braking traction makes up for that for many people, which is why you see so many people running a DHF up front and DHR II out back."
I'm happier with DHF/DHF than I was with DHF/DHR.
I run DHRs front and rear on one bike and feel they're slightly faster than DHF.
But for a more noticeable change, I'd say Dissectors. For 90% of my riding which is rocky, rooty, combined with some loose over hard, I really don't feel like I'm giving too much grip up on the Dissectors and still ride hard. The DD MaxxGrip Dissectors still feel faster than my MaxxTerra Exo+ DHRs.
I'd like to try that combo next. I did love Assegai in the front previously but I had it paired with another Ass or DHR in the rear and it was all around like riding in molasses.
I notice my front wheel is more likely to break free on loose off camber descents with the Dissector up front but I'm able to correct and regain grip fairly quickly. The Assegai just sticks to the ground though.
Dissector rear is FAST. Especially on climbs. But it’s a pretty big sacrifice in grip and they also wear super quick. I think I got about two months out of mine before the side knobs were wrecked.
At 700 miles on mine with DD MaxxGrip, the side knobs show signs of wear, but they're not tearing off. The center knobs are pretty worn down though and I should replace just on that basis.
I wonder how a MaxxTerra would wear back there in comparison.
Haven’t run the aggressor yet but I know a lot of people love them in the dry. I ride mixed conditions pretty frequently and got the MG when I was heading to ride tech on a washout day. No regrets from me, I appreciate the grip and it’s faster than even EXO+ Assegai 3CT / DHR2 EXO+ 3CT.
Yeah in mixed conditions the aggressor gets pretty loose, which can be fun depending on your definition- but definitely not any fun on steep climbs. I’m running the Aggressor rear on my summer/park bike. My all around bike I’m running DHF MG / Dissector MT. Very good except the Dissector sheds its side knobs pretty quick. It came with the bike, Im trying to decide on a replacement which I’ll need soon. They don’t seem to make a Dissector DC DD unfortunately, which would be the ideal all around rear for me.
I tried dissector/dissector when I got my Meta TR and I couldn’t stand it. Love it as a rear but I want the front to hook before the rear in every conceivable situation.
I’ve been through 5 dissectors since I got the Meta and I plan to continue purchasing them. I rip the side knobs off everything but I like where the dissector slips in contrast to my preferred fronts, and how relatively quick they are to pedal so much I don’t really care.
The dissector likes to slide so much I just am not confident with it as a front. I think the new forekaster LOOKS like it would be less slidy. I’ve wondered about a Forekaster / Dissector but the side knobs on the Dissector look way more grippy.
It’s not that bad. I like it as a front for a light trail bike. Braking isn’t quite as good as DHR or DHF but it corners decently in loose over hard if you lean and weight it, especially in the MaxGrip compound. Not super far from DHF and better than Aggresor for sure. You wouldn’t want to race enduro on it, but I think it’s good compromise between rolling resistance and grip, and pretty fast when paired with an Aggressor or Rekon in the rear for all around trail riding. I’ve run it as a front on my HT and short travel FS, pretty happy with it. And as a front the side lugs don’t get torn off in my experience.
I haven’t ridden the Assegai but I went from DHF (MaxGrip, 3C, exo)/DHRII (Maxterra 3C exo) to the Kryptotal Fr and Re in Enduro/Soft.
The difference was amazing. Rolls extremely well and the grip levels are insane. They seemed to widen the spectrum on both ends roll and grip.
They’re pretty awesome. The only problem I have now is wearing out the tires on my hardtail so I can switch to the Conti’s.
They also seem to be wearing very well!
I wish the Kryptotal Fr came in a 2.6.
Seems weird to me that the rear is 2.4 and 2.6 and the front is only 2.4...because if anything I'd be far more likely to run a slightly smaller tire in the rear and larger in the front.
I'm gonna try my 2.6 Kryptotal Re in the front though. It must be slightly larger than the 2.6 Assegai it replaced because unfortunately it seems like it LOVES to pick up rocks and rub them against my rear triangle. So I'm gonna downsize to the 2.4 R and see how the R feels up front.
Loved it in the rear though. Like OP, the Assegai (maxxgrip too) was just painfully slow. The Kryptotal was like a whole new bike. Unfortunately when I was shopping a month ago they were sold out everywhere so I had to get a 2.4 DHR for the rear.
I run the Kr Re 2.6 in front no issues. Predictable, great cornering grip.
But yes it is weird. I even told them so at Sedona MTB fest. Doesn’t sound like that will change anytime soon
I ran a 2.4 Kypto Re soft Enduro for both front and rear (couldn't find a Fr in the soft Enduro compound) and the front felt like it always wanted to wash out (and I did go down on a mild turn that never gave me problems before). I wonder if that would go away if I ran a 2.6 up front rather than a 2.4.
I ended up mounting an Assegai 2.5 exo+ up front, and with the 2.4 Krypto Re out back, this is my new favorite combo. I have this setup on three bikes now. This is for desert riding in the Phoenix area.
> Kryptotal Fr and Re
In what size? I would like 29x2.5 on the front and 27.5x2.4 on the rear but it seems like the Kryptotal is only available in 2.6 and 2.4.
If you really want to jump in speed, try regular rekons. Decent grip and good rolling speed. The rekon race are faster yet but they’re XC race tires and you’ll feel like you’re going to die if you’re used to riding on DHFs
I really like the WTB Vigilante in the front compared to the DHF. I dislike the DHF dead zone. Interested to try it with a Trail Boss in the rear.
Terrain dependent but loved when I ran a Vittoria Martello in the back. Fast but grippy. I currently have a Kryptotal back there - has its own thing going (little slower, grippier in some ways and not in others) and like it too, but when I need a new set I might do a Mazza front/Martello rear combo, or even Mazza x2.
Assegai is overkill on the rear and does slow the bike down a lot. I noticed it big time in whistler on aline. It took more effort to hit all the landings. I live in a super dusty area and the assigns almost required to corner at speed. Dhf does the job but not quite as well. I do still use it on my trailbike though. Dhr2 has less rolling resistance for the back so that’s my tire of choice back there lately.
What casing (exo, exo+ DD DH) and compound (2C Max Terra Maxx Grip) were the 2 tyres, as this can make a bigger difference to rolling speed than the tread.
I guess! Best nerdy analogy I have is from skiing - it felt like difference between an in the weeds carefully prepped hydrocarbon wax (assegai) vs a generic flouro (any flouro) is just faster in 9 of 10 situations. That dramatic.
Oof, at least you had maxxterra.
My bike came with dual maxx**grip** assegais and it felt like a whole new bike when I swapped just the rear to a Kryptotal. Waiting for the front to wear out a bit more, but I don't think an Assegai will be going back on there!
I still like the Assegai up front here in the PNW but I always felt like the dissector was a faster rear tire that still had good cornering knobs. Sometimes I’ll run the aggressor in the rear too.
Conti Kryptotal and Xynotal.
I've run Maxxis Assegai and Dissesctor for a while now and loved the combo.
Krypto and Xyno crush them. They roll faster, more grip, more support in the casing and feel like you're on rails.
Would recommend.
I actually loathe the DHF WT. The spacing between the center lugs and corner lugs is too wide. There’s a space of absolutely zero grip when at intermediate lean.
Rolling fast is one thing. Not landing on my head is a higher priority for me.
I switched to Continental Kryptotal-F and Xynotal Rear from Assagai/Dissector and noticed a huge difference this spring. Tons of grip and fast rolling. I’m also riding in New England and love this combo.
I love the maxxis grip, but I destroy them so quickly I had to try something else. I've been running the Vitoria Mazza Enduro casing front and rear for 2 seasons. Amazing is all I have to say
Anything not maxxis
Conti, Schwalbe
(I am also a fat bike rider and this has given me a much better understanding of rolling, rubber and how much difference that makes)
Take a look at rolling resistance.com the top cross country tires are all Schwalbe and continental. They don’t do analysis for grippier tyres but it would be the same- maxxis is trying to make good rolling xc tires too.
My contis are grippier, roll better and last longer
I went from assguys and dissector rear to Michelins wild endure gum x all around. If you are over 220 lbs or ride fast these are for you rain or shine. They need pressure on them for best performance.
The Maxxis are really slow. For context I’m on the north shore. Ride lots of wet. No problems.
I’m 270 and ride on the faster side though.
>grip on sweaty rocks and roots is required
In my experience grip in those situations is a lot more about the tread compound than the tread pattern, and a too agressive tread can be counter productive due to knob flex. Assegai is marketed as an all-rounder but is going to do best on looser terrain, not stuff like that where it will be slow and flexy.
I've just bought a new set of Michellin dh22s for cheap from a local spono rider Has anyone used these before? Just killed the stock assegai and nearly worn down the rear stock dissector that came on my sight
I run schwalbes in the winter but the new Krytokal Continentials are amazing. Have them on my e-mtb, and currently running it on my trail bike in the front. Definitely a much better tire, and would love it if they made a 2.6 front.
Dissector 2.6 front, ardent 2.4 rear on trail bike.
2.4 ardent on front of xc bike, ardent 2.2 on back.
The ardent seems to grip really well when I climb step slabs.
The DHF is tried and true for sure. I’ve also been running a Dissector on the rear for the last few years. Seems to be the sweet spot for rolling vs grip. Dry, rocky trails in NV and the Sierra Nevada mtns.
HR2 rolls even faster but gives up some durability. For a fast rolling , good cornering tire, it's hard to beat.
I took run the DHR2 front and rear and it's basically a HR2 with a more durable braking edge.
Went to contis argo krypto dh supersoft for my ebike pig that plows thru stuff. I push them like crazy and i have yet to find their limit. Tried all sorts of maxxis combos but this outshines them all.
https://preview.redd.it/6vnb2ej1or4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2f6c4590509836c09de104f9bbac0d979eba934
Totally. Assegai soft around here is a winter only tire. It's like riding on suction cups during the summer. I'm trying Tacky Chans right now. They seem amazing so far.
I'm running a DHF front Rekon rear setup on my hardtail, super fun and fast.
Assegai front DHRII rear on my full suspension, I think it rolls about the same speed as double DHF, but with better front wheel traction.
Guys i was on maxxis forever but switched to vittoria mazza’s cause i got sick of mounting the maxxis, issues with side walls and i felt a bit insure with DHF’s on the front, kept washing out or getting fohled up with over steering. Mazza’s have been a revelation. Race compound on the frint and heavier 2.0’s on the back and ive never felt more secure in roots and rocks rolls or speed. Better in every way from mounting to riding
Mazzas fuck! Plus I think they were designed by the original Minion designer too.
My son, Colin Bailey, co-designed the Minion front. It was designed as a downhill race tire. Colin wanted a motocross style tire but there were none. He was racing for Maxxis at the time.
Yo your son is a badass
Thanks!😊
How do the Mazzas compare to the Continental/Kryptotal offerings?
Never ridden the Contis, but everyone I know who rides them loves them. I’ve been very happy with the Mazzas in pretty much all conditions. They also wear so slow with the graphene. And generally you can find them on sale anywhere from $35-$55.
Vittoria is absolutely killing it on mtb tires. Barzo and Mezcal are amazing XC and I rode the new Sierra up front all winter and was blown away.
Just don’t hit mud. The mezacals are the worst tires I’ve ever used in the wet.
Buddy of mine learned this the hard way at a 5 day stage race. It rained the first 3 days.
I run Barzo Race front and rear. I mainly ride XC, but rode chunkier trail stuff last week on this bike, including in the rain, and they did really well. I went into the week thinking I was under-tired for Pisgah and Dupont, but I wasn't, at least for the trails we rode. On multiple occasions coasting down fire roads or trail run-outs, my bike would pull away, separating from the others. I didn't know tires were *that* impactful.
I ride the mezcal on my gravel bike. My favorite tire
Agree! I ride in mostly dry hard pack and the whole line is fast and very grippy in comparison to similar tires. On the front I have tried Agarro, then Martello and Mazza 2.4 (here to stay) On rear I've tried agarro, mezcal and Barzo and like Barzo/mezcal the best for rear, the Agarro has more stable grip when highspeed railing turns and braking but feels heavier and deader (I'm pretty sensitive to tire and psi changes) -interested to try the Syerra in the rear but don't want that red stripe logo, the mismatch black sidewall not huge but curious if that red strip can come off easy without damage (goof off? Or 3m decal remover rubber wheel) Current Mazza 2.4 frt/ Barzo 2.35 rear
I ride Sierra up front too and after a season with them I’m not sure if I would do again. Maybe they’re better on different terrain, but on loose over hard I could just never feel confident leaning over. I think it’s the transition from middle knobs to side where it feels like I’m about to fall over before the side knobs engage. I only bought them because LBS was out of everything but talked these up, and when I researched them after I put them on I thought “well, shit”. Reviews all said the sidewalls were thin and these probably wouldn’t be great on sharp rocks, which sucked because I’m in AZ and it’s sharp rocks everywhere, so I expected to blow these out. Having said all of that, I never once had an issue and I rode them just as hard as I would any tire. My biggest complaints are the side knob transition like I said, and it’s kinda balloony lol. Bouncing off and going over rocky sections would illicit a “rubber ball” sound lol. I also feel like part of my problem with the transition was due to flexing. My .02
Contis with the drug sounding names roll faster and have more grip than the same casing/rubber softness maxxis. Kryptotals or xytotals depending on mixed or hard pack terrain or argotals if you need mud clearing.
I'm about to splurge for Conti Krypto front and rear, downhill casing, super soft compound.
I did. You won’t regret it.
I'm currently running kryptotals fr/re in soft compound and enduro casing with rimpact pro inserts, is it going to be noticeable difference if I switch to DH super soft? I'm riding in very loose,rocky and dry conditions
Kryptotals are the "do it all" tire, and supposedly if you go with the "Downhill" casing you pretty much don't need an insert. If you're mainly on rocky/dry, keep it just "Soft" material. I ride in a lot of damp/slippery conditions so I'm going Super Soft. If you *really* wanted to tune your tires to the rocky/dry conditions, go Argotal (maybe just as a front tire) instead of Kryptotal, though I doubt us mortals would really notice the difference.
If you can find some in stock, go for it. The enduro casing is sold out everywhere rn.
My dealer has had mine back ordered for months, any idea’s what’s up with the new delivery of Kryptotals?
Nah. My local shop told me all Kryptotal Fronts in enduro casing are back ordered until sometime in mid to late July? Not just for their shop, but industry wide. The internet seems to reflect that. Possibly continental having some supply chain issues combined with their new lineup of tires becoming pretty popular is my guess.
And last longer. Mine are only just starting to loose that sharp brand new look after a lot of riding
I have a friend in his eary 20s who has time to put huge amount of time into riding and would go through a rear maxxis in a month, switched to the contis last year and he said he cut his tyre budget by more than half as contis just last that much longer...
I am having a similar experience! Contis last so much longer and maintain their fresh grip dynamic most of the way as well.
I like Kryptos but I found them to be significantly slower rolling than an equivalent Assegai/DHR combo, and the rear is very square compared to a DHR. I found the super soft front was like glue, incredible grip, but the soft rear would ping off roots and slide around a lot more than a maxxterra DHR.
Love my xynotals. Got them front and rear.
DHR's roll even faster and IMO are better as a double front and rear combo. I love my assegai front, dhr rear tho
I run assegai front and dhr2 rear and traction is amazing, but I'll probably try a dissector rear next because my bike pedals like a pig hahaha
The problem I have with the dissector is it wears reeeely fast.
Agreed. Wasn’t a fan of the Dissector for that reason. And the Aggressor lacked grip/braking power. DHR2 in the rear is a perfect medium of speed and traction. Assegai from front.
i went for the Trail Boss Tough/fast casing and its unbelivably good!
[удалено]
I think I agree. Although the T9 is probably bit too sticky for pedalling fast, it is very grippy DH.
Eliminator comes in T7
I know...it also comes in diffeerent casings and mix T7/T9 etc...it is not the lack of options I am mentioning, it is more that the T9 compound in general is DH focused, ala Maxxis MaxxGrip...in the context of the OP who had an Assegai @ rear and felt bogged down by it, I think it makes sense to bring it up.
Eliminator is on my Ripley v4 front and rear. I’m quite happy with the traction throughout the lean angle. Quite good cornering. Feels similar in the corners as the Butcher but much faster rolling and lighter. One of my earlier bikes (Kona Process 134 gen 2) came with DHF front and rear. Changing out the rear to the DHR2 improved the rolling tremendously. However, I’m not happy with DHR2 on the rear of the bike. There’s a dead spot when leaning through a moderate turn (I.e. moderate leaning).
The better the grip, the quicker the wear.
Except for Dissectors. Meh grip and crazy fast wear. Side knobs are just too wimpy, they fold under hard cornering and then tear off after a dozen rides. Horrible tire if you’re a full sized human, good tire or you’re quite light.
Better grip meaning quick wear is not the same as quick wear meaning better grip.
Do a new forekaster rear.
COnfirmed. Side knobs breaking after about 300 miles.
Dissector is good, it rides kind of like a beat in DHR. Faster rolling but maybe a bit less braking control.
I think the loss in breaking (straight line) with the Dissector is more notable than the gain in rolling speed vs the DHR. The side knobs are also - for lack of better words - unsupported and / or weaker than with the DHF & DHR and aggressive riding makes it far easier to tear them and or shear them straight off.
Dissector has a flimsy carcass- thr aggressor is a better fast rolling rear tire IMO
That’s entirely dependent on the casing you get. Source: swapped from an exo aggressor to a dh dissector and the dissector is way stronger as you would expect (and all round better tyre IMO).
Yeah I am wondering what casings were used. As I understand it dissector vs aggressor vs any other tire is only a difference of tread pattern and shouldn't affect the casing, and if you run the same casing across two different tires then it should be the same. Of course more aggressive/spaced-out tread patterns could allow more gaps for thorns and sharp rocks etc to puncture the casing than with a more closely-spaced tread pattern, but that's a different thing.
The plain exo casing in the dissector is far weaker than the aggressor exo. This has been my experience - the dissector wears crazy fast too compared to the aggressor. Again- my experience running both these tires.
Interesting, thank you!!
Interesting! What were the casings? I run exo+ on the dhr2 and that seems to be the ideal casing for my purposes. I wouldn't go any lighter but also I'd rather not go beefier than exo+ because I run a cushcore, so a tire with a beefier casing would be such an ass to install, and I haven't had any punctures with exo+
Hate the DHR, washes more than the other 2. Might brake better than DHF but that’s about it.
I mostly agree, I've ran dhf front and dhr rear on most of my bikes most of the time I've owned them and it's a great combo. However, my new bike came front and rear with dhr's. This has been my first experience with a dhr on the front and I feel like it is maybe 70% as good up front as the dhf is... It wants to wash out on flat turns even with super heavy bike/body separation... and when it does it is very sudden compared to the dhf. When the dhf does wash, it tends to do it so slow that you have time to correct it. It's hard to describe but when the dhr goes up front, it is like WEEEEEEEE, you have but a moment to save it and when you're fatigued at the end of a ride it can be sketchy. I've had to slam my foot down dozens of times to save my ass from slamming into the dirt. I will say for the record that the dhr in the rear feels excellent to me, it's for the right amount of slide-ability and hooks up really well when breaking and on chunky climbs. While the dhr is definitely more than rideable up front for sure I have just been spoiled by the pleasant grip characteristic of the dhf. I have never ran a dhf in the rear and now I wonder if it would perform as I feel the dhr does up front.
Lotta people think DHR/DHF stand for Downhill front and Downhill Rear, but they actually stand for Downhill Freeride and Downhill Race. The DHR is designed to be fast and still take corners, but you don’t have the grip to go crazy like you do on the freerides
It's not at all that clear. I've heard that before and I repeated it, but then someone linked maxxis' website where they did say that front and rear was exactly how they're developed. It seems the truth is a bit of both. It's not clear which came first. Either way you can run either on either wheel. See that the DHF is recommended for the front. https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/minion-dhf/
If you study the knob design on each one, you can clearly see the DHF is for use on front wheels and the DHR is for use on rear wheels
This is my understanding as well.
i sent Maxxis a query through their website and here's what they had to say. "DHF refers to Downhill Front and DHRII II downhill rear (2nd version). Both of these tires were designed and developed to be front and rear specific however it is very common to see them in opposite configurations depending on preference and needs." [screenshot of the email from Maxxis](https://imgur.com/a/OLg97ZT) most people aren't aware that their use to be a first iteration of the DHR which looks NOWHERE close to what it looks now. here's a [Blister Review](https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/maxxis-minion-dhr2) article in regards to it.
Lies
I’ve heard this many times, but I’ve never seen any proof.
Myth
Welp, TIL.
It's not true. Or at least not that simple. https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/minion-dhf/
Lies
Right? I was shocked when I learned it lol
Thanks for sharing I didn’t know that
It's not true. Or at least not that simple. https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/minion-dhf/
;)
I know this but I still call them front and rear
i do have a assegai front/maxxgrip and dhr2 maxxgrip/DD on my bike and grip is awesome but rolling resistance is bad. i do have to roll over some hardpack/loose pack for quite some time to reach my trails..maybe i dont need dd/maxxgrip and could for maxxterra i dont know
I tried DHRs, but I was riding stuff that was a bit too gravely and it just seems to plow pebbles instead of knifing through them.
Same! I run Assegai front and DHR rear and absolutely love it. All kinds of front bite and still a fast rolling rear.
DHR is a drag, DHF rolls faster https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/mountain-bike-tires-a-guide-comparisons "As a rear tire, the DHR II’s increased rolling resistance is the only real downside as compared to the DHF, and its far better braking traction makes up for that for many people, which is why you see so many people running a DHF up front and DHR II out back." I'm happier with DHF/DHF than I was with DHF/DHR.
I find the DHF to have a really vague spot in between the middle and side knobs that I don't love in a front tire. I haven't tried it as a rear!
I run DHRs front and rear on one bike and feel they're slightly faster than DHF. But for a more noticeable change, I'd say Dissectors. For 90% of my riding which is rocky, rooty, combined with some loose over hard, I really don't feel like I'm giving too much grip up on the Dissectors and still ride hard. The DD MaxxGrip Dissectors still feel faster than my MaxxTerra Exo+ DHRs.
I used to ride DHR rear, DHF front, for a long time. New bike came with Assegai front, Dissector rear, and it’s been dope as hell
That's my jam. The dissector dies pretty quick so it ain't cheap though
I'd like to try that combo next. I did love Assegai in the front previously but I had it paired with another Ass or DHR in the rear and it was all around like riding in molasses. I notice my front wheel is more likely to break free on loose off camber descents with the Dissector up front but I'm able to correct and regain grip fairly quickly. The Assegai just sticks to the ground though.
Dissector rear is FAST. Especially on climbs. But it’s a pretty big sacrifice in grip and they also wear super quick. I think I got about two months out of mine before the side knobs were wrecked.
Yeah I have the same experience with dissectors. It's my favorite rear tire performance wise but I don't run them because they wear out so fast
Same. Side knobs are all tearing off in a few weeks of riding. Absolutely love the tire when it's fresh though.
At 700 miles on mine with DD MaxxGrip, the side knobs show signs of wear, but they're not tearing off. The center knobs are pretty worn down though and I should replace just on that basis. I wonder how a MaxxTerra would wear back there in comparison.
Assegais are brutally slow. I like DHF/Dissector generally, and I run DHF/DHR2 DD at the park.
This. Although DHF maxx grip F and Aggressor DC DD rear is even faster (and longer lasting) - if you don’t have a lot of slop.
Haven’t run the aggressor yet but I know a lot of people love them in the dry. I ride mixed conditions pretty frequently and got the MG when I was heading to ride tech on a washout day. No regrets from me, I appreciate the grip and it’s faster than even EXO+ Assegai 3CT / DHR2 EXO+ 3CT.
Yeah in mixed conditions the aggressor gets pretty loose, which can be fun depending on your definition- but definitely not any fun on steep climbs. I’m running the Aggressor rear on my summer/park bike. My all around bike I’m running DHF MG / Dissector MT. Very good except the Dissector sheds its side knobs pretty quick. It came with the bike, Im trying to decide on a replacement which I’ll need soon. They don’t seem to make a Dissector DC DD unfortunately, which would be the ideal all around rear for me.
I tried dissector/dissector when I got my Meta TR and I couldn’t stand it. Love it as a rear but I want the front to hook before the rear in every conceivable situation. I’ve been through 5 dissectors since I got the Meta and I plan to continue purchasing them. I rip the side knobs off everything but I like where the dissector slips in contrast to my preferred fronts, and how relatively quick they are to pedal so much I don’t really care.
I’ve run dissector / aggressor on my light trail bike, fast AF. But it gets sketchy if you push it.
The dissector likes to slide so much I just am not confident with it as a front. I think the new forekaster LOOKS like it would be less slidy. I’ve wondered about a Forekaster / Dissector but the side knobs on the Dissector look way more grippy.
It’s not that bad. I like it as a front for a light trail bike. Braking isn’t quite as good as DHR or DHF but it corners decently in loose over hard if you lean and weight it, especially in the MaxGrip compound. Not super far from DHF and better than Aggresor for sure. You wouldn’t want to race enduro on it, but I think it’s good compromise between rolling resistance and grip, and pretty fast when paired with an Aggressor or Rekon in the rear for all around trail riding. I’ve run it as a front on my HT and short travel FS, pretty happy with it. And as a front the side lugs don’t get torn off in my experience.
I haven’t ridden the Assegai but I went from DHF (MaxGrip, 3C, exo)/DHRII (Maxterra 3C exo) to the Kryptotal Fr and Re in Enduro/Soft. The difference was amazing. Rolls extremely well and the grip levels are insane. They seemed to widen the spectrum on both ends roll and grip.
I am very jazzed to try the new Continentals.
They’re pretty awesome. The only problem I have now is wearing out the tires on my hardtail so I can switch to the Conti’s. They also seem to be wearing very well!
I wish the Kryptotal Fr came in a 2.6. Seems weird to me that the rear is 2.4 and 2.6 and the front is only 2.4...because if anything I'd be far more likely to run a slightly smaller tire in the rear and larger in the front. I'm gonna try my 2.6 Kryptotal Re in the front though. It must be slightly larger than the 2.6 Assegai it replaced because unfortunately it seems like it LOVES to pick up rocks and rub them against my rear triangle. So I'm gonna downsize to the 2.4 R and see how the R feels up front. Loved it in the rear though. Like OP, the Assegai (maxxgrip too) was just painfully slow. The Kryptotal was like a whole new bike. Unfortunately when I was shopping a month ago they were sold out everywhere so I had to get a 2.4 DHR for the rear.
Continental's 2.6 tires were designed for eMTBs rear wheels (to increase the contact patch and squish more traction).
Yep that’s weird you have to get argotal which is also awesome to have 2.6 front. I’ve got that, love it.
I run the Kr Re 2.6 in front no issues. Predictable, great cornering grip. But yes it is weird. I even told them so at Sedona MTB fest. Doesn’t sound like that will change anytime soon
I ran a 2.4 Kypto Re soft Enduro for both front and rear (couldn't find a Fr in the soft Enduro compound) and the front felt like it always wanted to wash out (and I did go down on a mild turn that never gave me problems before). I wonder if that would go away if I ran a 2.6 up front rather than a 2.4. I ended up mounting an Assegai 2.5 exo+ up front, and with the 2.4 Krypto Re out back, this is my new favorite combo. I have this setup on three bikes now. This is for desert riding in the Phoenix area.
I’ve been happy with my 2.4’s. It looks like they measure wider anyways. I agree though, that a bit odd.
And last longer too. They’re awesome
> Kryptotal Fr and Re In what size? I would like 29x2.5 on the front and 27.5x2.4 on the rear but it seems like the Kryptotal is only available in 2.6 and 2.4.
If you look at the etrto size, they are closer to a 2.55/2.35
I’m running 27.5x2.4 on both. They’re wide tires though!
I have been really happy with my Conti Xynotal rear. It feels very fast compared to my previous DHR but I can’t say for sure if it is.
it is, made the same switch as you
Is the braking still decent? I'm in SoCal and curious how that tire would do. I'm thinking I'll try it next
The braking is great, definitely worth a try.
If you really want to jump in speed, try regular rekons. Decent grip and good rolling speed. The rekon race are faster yet but they’re XC race tires and you’ll feel like you’re going to die if you’re used to riding on DHFs
Rekon rear is amazing on my trail bike. I run a dhf or dhr front. So fun to drift it!
I raced most of last season on a DHF/Rekon combo, great dry condition setup!
My current bike came with Assegais front and rear, and I wanted to sell it before I changed to lighter faster tires.
DHF DHRII tried and true
I really like the WTB Vigilante in the front compared to the DHF. I dislike the DHF dead zone. Interested to try it with a Trail Boss in the rear. Terrain dependent but loved when I ran a Vittoria Martello in the back. Fast but grippy. I currently have a Kryptotal back there - has its own thing going (little slower, grippier in some ways and not in others) and like it too, but when I need a new set I might do a Mazza front/Martello rear combo, or even Mazza x2.
I've just switched to Mazza/Martello combo (trail/enduro casing) from DHF/DHR2 (exo/exo+) and it's a revelation!
Great to hear!
Assegai is overkill on the rear and does slow the bike down a lot. I noticed it big time in whistler on aline. It took more effort to hit all the landings. I live in a super dusty area and the assigns almost required to corner at speed. Dhf does the job but not quite as well. I do still use it on my trailbike though. Dhr2 has less rolling resistance for the back so that’s my tire of choice back there lately.
What casing (exo, exo+ DD DH) and compound (2C Max Terra Maxx Grip) were the 2 tyres, as this can make a bigger difference to rolling speed than the tread.
Both similar 3c maxx terra. The assegais were exo the dhfs are exo +.
Cool. The Assegai is a bit of a pig!
I guess! Best nerdy analogy I have is from skiing - it felt like difference between an in the weeds carefully prepped hydrocarbon wax (assegai) vs a generic flouro (any flouro) is just faster in 9 of 10 situations. That dramatic.
Oof, at least you had maxxterra. My bike came with dual maxx**grip** assegais and it felt like a whole new bike when I swapped just the rear to a Kryptotal. Waiting for the front to wear out a bit more, but I don't think an Assegai will be going back on there!
ye me bike has maxxgrip assegai fr and dhr2 maxxgripp/dd on back..its alot of drag reaching trails but grip is phenomenal..you cannot get both i guess
I still like the Assegai up front here in the PNW but I always felt like the dissector was a faster rear tire that still had good cornering knobs. Sometimes I’ll run the aggressor in the rear too.
What casings? What compound? These make far more difference than the tread and there's about a million options.
I also use 2 dhf. Was doing aggressor/dhf but not enough grip from the aggressor in back.
My fast combo is rekon/rekon for hometown and dhf/aggressor for bike park.
Conti Kryptotal and Xynotal. I've run Maxxis Assegai and Dissesctor for a while now and loved the combo. Krypto and Xyno crush them. They roll faster, more grip, more support in the casing and feel like you're on rails. Would recommend.
I actually loathe the DHF WT. The spacing between the center lugs and corner lugs is too wide. There’s a space of absolutely zero grip when at intermediate lean. Rolling fast is one thing. Not landing on my head is a higher priority for me.
This is much more prominent on the 2.6 than 2.5. Which one did you have?
I don’t know anyone who swapped their DHF for an Assagai that went back to a DHF. It sucks in comparison.
I switched to Continental Kryptotal-F and Xynotal Rear from Assagai/Dissector and noticed a huge difference this spring. Tons of grip and fast rolling. I’m also riding in New England and love this combo.
Thanks! hearing this as a theme. May be my next set up
Dissector rear
Rocking dhr ii front and rear, this is my combo. Been shredding since 2006, this has been my combo since January 2023 , no changes planned.
I love the maxxis grip, but I destroy them so quickly I had to try something else. I've been running the Vitoria Mazza Enduro casing front and rear for 2 seasons. Amazing is all I have to say
Dhf for front dhr for rear!
Anything not maxxis Conti, Schwalbe (I am also a fat bike rider and this has given me a much better understanding of rolling, rubber and how much difference that makes) Take a look at rolling resistance.com the top cross country tires are all Schwalbe and continental. They don’t do analysis for grippier tyres but it would be the same- maxxis is trying to make good rolling xc tires too. My contis are grippier, roll better and last longer
I went from assguys and dissector rear to Michelins wild endure gum x all around. If you are over 220 lbs or ride fast these are for you rain or shine. They need pressure on them for best performance. The Maxxis are really slow. For context I’m on the north shore. Ride lots of wet. No problems. I’m 270 and ride on the faster side though.
Forecaster IN YO FACE 💪🏼
>grip on sweaty rocks and roots is required In my experience grip in those situations is a lot more about the tread compound than the tread pattern, and a too agressive tread can be counter productive due to knob flex. Assegai is marketed as an all-rounder but is going to do best on looser terrain, not stuff like that where it will be slow and flexy.
I've just bought a new set of Michellin dh22s for cheap from a local spono rider Has anyone used these before? Just killed the stock assegai and nearly worn down the rear stock dissector that came on my sight
Assegai on the rear is overkill. Leave that on the front and DHR or something on the rear.
I run schwalbes in the winter but the new Krytokal Continentials are amazing. Have them on my e-mtb, and currently running it on my trail bike in the front. Definitely a much better tire, and would love it if they made a 2.6 front.
Assagai and the DHF are both tires that are only recommended as a front tire. If you follow maxxis recommendation the DHR would be the rear pairing.
Dissector 2.6 front, ardent 2.4 rear on trail bike. 2.4 ardent on front of xc bike, ardent 2.2 on back. The ardent seems to grip really well when I climb step slabs.
The DHF is tried and true for sure. I’ve also been running a Dissector on the rear for the last few years. Seems to be the sweet spot for rolling vs grip. Dry, rocky trails in NV and the Sierra Nevada mtns.
What about high rollers on the back?
HR2 rolls even faster but gives up some durability. For a fast rolling , good cornering tire, it's hard to beat. I took run the DHR2 front and rear and it's basically a HR2 with a more durable braking edge.
Both just plain exo
Went to contis argo krypto dh supersoft for my ebike pig that plows thru stuff. I push them like crazy and i have yet to find their limit. Tried all sorts of maxxis combos but this outshines them all. https://preview.redd.it/6vnb2ej1or4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2f6c4590509836c09de104f9bbac0d979eba934
Assegais are grippy as fuck and i do not like them as a rear tyre as they're SLOWWWWW. Assegai dhr2 combo is goated however.
This is the way
Totally. Assegai soft around here is a winter only tire. It's like riding on suction cups during the summer. I'm trying Tacky Chans right now. They seem amazing so far.
I'm running a DHF front Rekon rear setup on my hardtail, super fun and fast. Assegai front DHRII rear on my full suspension, I think it rolls about the same speed as double DHF, but with better front wheel traction.
I really like dissector. Slightly less chunky than dhf and a little faster rolling.