ULTIMATE GUIDE: MAXXIS MTB TIRES - Updated 2022
The tires you choose for your mountain bike are arguably one of the most important components in your whole bike build. They are the key contact point between your bike and the ground and dictate trail grip, corner confidence, initial suspension, braking control, and rolling resistance. We've created this article to help you navigate the numerous options of tread patterns, compounds, protection and sizing for all the available tires from Maxxis.
In order to choose the correct tire for your needs, you'll want to consider your bike setup, trail conditions and terrain, and how you plan to ride your bike. Beyond that, you'll want to prioritize your needs for grip vs rolling resistance, protection vs weight, and several other factors. From XC to DH, we've broken down Maxxis's tire technology and tires to help you find the right tire for your ride. Get started by clicking the links below to learn about tire construction, casings, compounds, tread patterns and tech, or click the link to your favorite riding style to see what tires we recommend. You can also click on the features and technologies throughout the article to learn more. Let's get started!
Maxxis MTB Tires Guide
TIRE CONSTRUCTION | PUNCTURE PROTECTION | COMPOUNDS AND TREAD | XC TIRES | | TRAIL TIRES | GRAVITY TIRES
Tire Construction
Mountain biking is a diverse sport and mountain bikers ride a wide array of terrain and features all over the world. Some riders keep it pinned on the trail while other riders take it easy. Some like to go up and others are all about the downs. This is why choosing the right tire construction for your needs is so crucial. All bicycle tires have the same basic anatomy, and learning what each part of a tire is and how it effects performance will help you to choose the right combination for your riding needs. Scroll down to learn about each component of a tire and the tech Maxxis uses.
BEAD
The function of the bead is to keep the tire in contact with the rim while the tire is inflated.
- WIRE BEAD - A rigid metal wire is utilized as bead material in applications where ultimate strength is needed and transportability is not a factor.
- FOLDABLE BEAD - Also keep the tire secured to the rim but are lighter weight and easily transported. The bead is made of spun aramid fibers.
CASING
The casing is supple cloth material that arches from bead to bead and is what gives a tire its shape and primary ride characteristics. There are 2 main types of casings:
- SINGLE-PLY CASING - One layer of nylon wrapped from bead-to-bead. A single-ply casing conforms well to the terrain and is lighter weight. Ideal for XC and trail riding.
- DUAL-PLY CASING - Two layers of casing material are used from bead-to-bead, providing additional protection and sidewall stiffness for enduro and downhill applications.
SIDEWALL
The sidewall of the casing is the part from the bead to the tread and is designed to support and dampen the tread. A more supple sidewall will provide more traction and smooth your ride, but can be prone to damage from trail obstacles. Thicker sidewalls with additional protection are heavier, but will hold up to rowdier conditions and harder charging.
PUNCTURE PROTECTION
Some tires include an extra layer between the tread and the casing (as shown in the cross section pictured above) to help prevent punctures either by being tough or simply by being thick. These extra layers are usually associated with higher rolling resistance.
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TREAD
The tread is the part of the tire that contacts the ground to provide traction and provides protection from casing wear. For mountain bikes these tend to be composed of knobs of varying height, shape, angle, and durometer (hardness) to provide specific ride characteristics while riding upright or in a corner. Knobbier tread provides more grip, but increases weight and rolling resistance.
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THREADS PER INCH (TPI)
The number of threads that cross through one square inch of a single ply of the tire’s casing. Lower TPI gives better puncture, cut and abrasion resistance but is heavier. Higher TPI conforms better to the terrain, offering a smoother, more comfortable ride while reducing the weight of the tire. Maxxis TPI ratings are the threads-per-inch of a single casing ply, as compared to some competitor TPI ratings.
Wide Trail Construction
Wide Trail (WT) construction optimizes the tire’s tread layout and profile on today’s modern, wider rims. Traditional tires are designed around older, narrower rims and can create an overly square tire profile, leading to less than optimal performance. WT tires are optimized for a 35mm inner rim width but are proven to work over a range from 30-35mm inner rim widths, depending on the rider’s preference.
Wide rims are nothing new to trail, enduro, and downhill riders. At this point, the benefits are well understood. By running wide rims with a matching Wide Trail tire, riders can run lower tire pressures, which improves traction and comfort while decreasing rolling resistance.
Now that the trend toward wider rims has reached cross country bikes, Maxxis is offering new Wide Trail (WT) specs of the Aspen and Rekon Race tires. Maxxis Wide Trail XC tires are optimized for use with 30mm internal width rims, but they will perform well on rims as narrow as 25mm. Maxxis does not recommend rims wider than 30mm or narrower than 25mm
TUBELESS READY DOWNHILL
Tubeless downhill set-ups are a great way to shave some weight and spend more time in the bike park or shuttling hot laps on your local runs. Sealant-compatible rubber is used with the familiar Maxxis dual-ply 60 TPI downhill construction and butyl insert for support and rim protection in order to offer the benefits of increased grip and reliability. A Tubeless Ready bead securely locks to the rim and the foldable bead provides additional weight savings.
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Puncture Protection
One of the most annoying things to deal with on a ride is having to stop to fix a flat. Luckily, tire manufacturers have been adding additional layers of special materials or rubbers to casings and sidewalls to help mitigate punctures from rocks, thorns, and pinch flats. These additional layers do make the tires heavier and add rolling resistance, but come with the benefits of additional sidewall support that allows you to run lower pressures and reduce the chance of a flat ending your ride. Not everyone will need the same level of puncture protection, so Maxxis has several different levels of protection, so you can put your money where it matters.
EXO PROTECTION
An extremely cut-resistant and abrasion-resistant material added to the sidewalls of select mountain tires. This densely woven fabric is also lightweight and highly flexible, ensuring that the performance of the tire remains unaffected. Choose EXO Protection for exceptionally rocky, treacherous trails where the chance of sidewall cuts and abrasions is high.
EXO+ PROTECTION (Update 2022)
EXO+ is Maxxis’ medium-duty puncture protection option suitable for all-around trail riding and light weight e-bikes. We begin with a durable 60 TPI casing, add in our legendary EXO puncture protection layer in the sidewalls, and top it off with a small butyl insert around the bead. The tough casing and EXO material ward off damage from rocks and roots, while the butyl insert protects the tire from pinch flats and helps prevent rim damage.
DOUBLEDOWN (DD)
DoubleDown (DD) is the next step in the evolution of the dual-ply tire casing for enduro racing. Two 120 TPI casing layers reinforced with a butyl insert provide the enduro racer with the support and protection of a downhill tire, but in a lighter package.
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Compounds and Tread
The most important part of a tire is arguably the rubber compound within the tread. By changing the amounts of various components of the rubber formula, engineers can make two identical looking tires perform completely differently. Matching the types of compound combinations to your terrain and style will allow you to get the absolute most out of every run. A list of Maxxis compounds and their distinct characteristics is below.
SINGLE COMPOUND:
A single compound tire is composed of one compound throughout the entire tread and, generally, is optimized for longevity and performance. Often these tires will have a middle-ground durometer (softness of the rubber) in order to have decent grip, wear characteristics, and rolling resistance. A grippy rubber tends to be less helpful than good tread knobs in loose conditions. These are ideal for DH and gravity settings where the harsh terrain tests the capability of the tire.
SUPER TACKY (ST)
Maxxis's Super Tacky compound is a single compound that is specifically intended to provide utmost grip by using a special low-rebound, high-traction compound used in select mountain tires. These have an ultra-low durometer (42a) which means they will wear out more quickly but will keep you glued to the trail.
Dual Compound
Maxxis offers the majority of their tires in both dual compound and triple compound (3C) options. Similar to the 3C tires, dual compound tires utilize different rubbers to draw out specifc traits like durability, grip, and reduced rolling resistance. By using a higher durometer (softeness) rubber in the base of the tread covered by a softer rubber, Maxxis can balance longer lasting tread that minimize rolling resistance from hysterisis while maintaining good grip. We often recommend a dual compound rear tire matched with one of the 3C tires in the front.
3C TRIPLE COMPOUND
Maxxis 3C Triple Compounds are the pinnacle of Maxxis tire engineering. They use a harder, longer lasting base layer and two progressively softer top layers in order to optimize traction and stability. Maxxis offers three different configurations of their 3C Triple Compound mountain technology: MaxxSpeed, MaxxTerra and MaxxGrip. Keep reading below to learn more about each of these 3C layups and which is the right fit for your riding needs.
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3C MAXXSPEED
Used primarily in cross country and enduro tires, the two compounds in the outer layer are specially formulated to reduce rolling resistance and optimize treadwear and traction.
3C MAXXTERRA
An intermediate compound configuration used in select mountain tires. 3C MaxxTerra is softer and offers more traction than 3C MaxxSpeed, yet provides better treadwear and less rolling resistance than MaxxGrip.
MaxxGrip
3C MaxxGrip uses the softest rubber compounds to offer the ultimate in grip and slow rebound properties for unparalleled traction in downhill applications.
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Maxxis XC Tires
Cross-country riding is all about being lightweight, fast and agile, and XC tires are built to match this focus. These tires tend to forego extra protection, additional layers and larger knobs to ensure a lightweight carcass with low rolling resistance.
FEATURES
- Thinner casings for a lighter weight construction
- Lower profile knobs for lower rolling resistance and weight savings
- Less protection saves weight and isn't as necessary on smooth and fast tracks
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Maxxis Trail Tires
Most mountain bike riders will find themselves looking for tires from this category. These tires look to balance the benefits of light weight, low rolling resistant tires with more aggressive knobs and extra protection. Like this style of riding, these tires are aimed at being good in most conditions and terrain. On the enduro end of this spectrum, many of these tires will share the same tread patterns of their DH siblings with just a bit less protection and weight.
FEATURES
- Casings feature additional layers for more puncture protection
- More aggressive knob profiles make these tires competent in a wider array of terrain and conditions
- Multi-compound rubber gives a balanced mix of grip and longevity
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MAXXIS GRAVITY TIRES
Enduro, park, and freeride bikes have blurred the lines between trail and gravity riding. A DH bike is still the best tool for true gravity lines but many modern bikes are taking on downhill trails while still being able to pedal to the top. For riders of these bikes, choosing a balance of durability, protection, grip, and weight will be dependent upon how much pedaling they'll be doing and how gnarly the terrain is. Protection and predictable grip tends to win out over light weights and low rolling resistance.
FEATURES
- Dual Ply Casings feature tough additional layers for even more puncture protection
- Most aggressive knob profiles designed to dig deep in loose terrain and muddy conditions
- Single and Dual Compounds make for longer durability and let the knobs profiles provide the grip.
Still Need Help Finding the Right Tire?
We get it! There are a dizzying number of treads, casings, puncture protection tech, and tire widths to choose from, not to mention all the different options from great tire brands. Luckily, we got you covered. Our employees spend a lot of time getting to know the vast array of tires that we offer and can give you personal knowledge, let you know what other customers have liked, and the lowdown on the latest and greatest tire tech that's coming from our brand partners, so you can find exactly what you need.
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