20 Best 27.5 Mountain Bike Tires (Jan 2023 Update)

Decent all around rear tire, dry climbing and braking are acceptable, wear is good, due to the Dual Compound. Fast rolling, keeps speed up nicely as a rear tire. I ran the DC EXO 29×2.3. Where I dont like the tire is the cornering knobs. by design and with the dual compound there isn't much to the cornering capability when pushing hard leaned over . I you like a tire that is really drifty, this is your tire. relative to the DHR2, or the side knobs on the Minion SS (same knobs as DHF) it doesn't stack up for real bite that holds. But overall its a put on and kind of forget about it rear tire.Patrick

After running the DHR II in the rear for ages, and a lack of inventory in them this year, I decided to run the Aggressor in the rear at the start of this season. I am super impressed with this tire! The grip is amazing and the transition is seamless. When descending this tire rides the line perfectly of being grippy but allowing you to comfortably push beyond that grip to get a little slide (or roost) if you want. Rolling resistance vs the DHR II is noticeably lower, too. On straights while descending I have noticed the bike moving faster without any effort on my part. I went 4/5 stars for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, without the EXO+ the durability is not as good. I punctured this tire twice in as many days. The second being a sidewall hit that did not seal. Thank you Cush Core for letting me finish my ride. Second reason the grip in less than hardpack conditions isn't as good as the DHR II. Here in Utah we get deep moon dust by mid-season and this thing has not handled the moon dust that well. Going to swap this out for a Dissector or go back to the DHR II now that trails are getting blown out. Overall- this is an amazing tire for hardpack to slightly loose conditions. This will be my tire of choice for early season riding from here on out.Brad D

Fitted to a 30mm Hunt Trailwide this is a brilliant rear tyre for light trail and aggressive xc. Suited best to woodland trails and fine rocks over hard in the dry or drying moist spring conditions it's like a mini lightweight DHR II. Where the Aggressor packs up on semi wet earth the Rekon keeps gripping. If the trails are much rockier and drier the Aggressor 2.5 is the better bet. Paired with a Dissector upfront I've found this to be the perfect combo for xc through to trail for my short travel bike by keeping the weight down and the bike in it's happy speed zone. Only when shown a steep fast hill covered in loose rocks did it struggle to brake however cornering was still acceptable. Weight was 761g Pressure 28psi with a tubephillybaby1979

This is a really good all around XC tire. I've ridden the 2.4 3CT (maxxterra) as a rear tire on my XC bike, but I wanted to put some faster tires on, so I went for a Rekon front (this one), and an Ikon rear. It grips better and more predictably than an Ardent race, and has more traction than the Rekon race, while still being light and fast rolling. Honestly it pairs really well with an Ikon, but it does come up short in wet or loose terrain and on roots, but I plan on using it for a while on that bike. It depends on what matters more to you; speed or ultimate traction, and this strikes the best balance I've seen since the old Ardents.Kyle

I have Rekon's mounted to my Niner Jet 9 RDO 5* build. 29 x 2.4, Tubeless, Folding, Black, 3C Maxx Terra, EXO+, Wide Trail front and rear. They are the prefect tire for "down country", "trail country", aggressive XC, type of riding that I like to do along the CO Front Range. Fast rolling, predictable, solid in the casing I choose, they punch way above their specs on paper. I actually recently contemplated a Forecaster in the front but couldn't get what I wanted so reverted to my trusted Rekon's putting the new one up front and swapping the worn-ish front tire to the rear (sort of now like a Rekon Race but still better). OMG…..it remined me what an absolutely brilliant tire it is in new condition, even in snowy/icy conditions after the first snowfall in CO last week. I never need to question the Rekon's again! Period. Hands-down the best tire for my style of riding.Chris W.

Very happy with these. Previously I ran crossmark 2 2.1” for many thousands of Kms, I think I’ve consumed 6 of those. Anyways got some wet conditions and wasn’t happy with how packed up with mud they got. These have solved that issue. Took 100km riding to loose harmonic noise. Overall extremely impressed. Will continue running this on the rear and a 2.25” crossmark 2 on the front. XC fire trails and lots of ashphaltNimer J.

I have not been riding much lately. Just put in new rims and some ardent. Got a sidewall cut on my 3rd ride. It’s a slow leave so not sure where I picked it up. I bought a new Ardent. They changed the direction of travel arrow to some goofy swoosh. Put the arrow/triangle back.BCH

Before I moved to the wet, muddy, and rooty Pacific Northwest, I spent six years riding out of Fort Collins, CO. Dusty hardpack hicking trails littered with baby heads were my stomping (or cycling) grounds, conditions that require a certain compromise in tread pattern to maintain traction. The Maxxis Ardent became my rear tire of choice for these arid conditions. The knobs are closely spaced enough that it rolls quickly, yet aggressive enough that there is loads of stopping power when you need it. The widely spaced transition knobs offer enough feedback that you can comfortably zoom through those off camber bench cuts that Colorado is known for, and then lay into those steep switchbacks knowing the fairly aggressive cornering knobs may slide for a second on that moondust, but will catch you in time to keep you away from the abyss. One common encounter in these rocky, desert conditions is slashed sidewalls. Although Maxxis doesn't make the lightest tires in the business, they do know how to make a tire that can hold up to abuse. The EXO casing is above par in terms of it's ability to fend off sharp rocks that are doing their best to slice through and send your tire sealant spewing all over the place. If a fast rolling yet aggressive tire for dry, arid conditions is what you need, I'd highly recommend the Ardent. Like I mentioned, I'd typically run this tire in the rear, usually in the form of a 2.25 with the EXO casing. For a front tire in dry conditions, I personally like the ubiquitous DHF, but the Schwalbe Nobby Nic also does a good job if you are looking for something a little less aggressive.Dan P.

The grip of the DHF is undisputed, so I'm not even going to address that here. If you're ordering the 29 x 2.5 dual compound tire, know that while the tire is foldable, the casing is the DH casing, which means it is HEAVY. Two 60 TPI plies. That fact is not clear on EVO's webpage at all, but that is not unique to EVO. I've seen other sellers doing the same. I have it mounted on a 29mm inner width rim and at it's widest, it measures out as a 2.5 from knob to knob. The carcass measures around 58mm at a normal riding pressure. You can get the carcass to measure 63mm by pumping it up to the max pressure of 50 psi. It might stretch out a bit if you leave it there for 48 hours. Based on my (somewhat limited) experience with Maxxis, narrower than advertised is fairly typical for them. At any rate, being dual compound with a DH casing, this is a tire that I'll be living with for quite a while. One of the pros is that it is nearly indestructible, so I can feel free to slam into most anything. The DHF is one of those tires that comes in so many configurations that most anyone can find one that will put them in their happy place. Just know what you're ordering.Oldern'slower

Recently purchased a new bike and it came with 2.4's. The bike I'm replacing it with has a 2.8 in the front and 2.6 rear. Definitely not a fan of the narrower tires the new bike has so went up to 2.6 in the front. It does make a difference and just don't understand this trend back to the 90's with narrow tires. I ride mostly technical, rocky, rooty New England trails and the 2.4's just don't track like wider tires. At least I found this and it's working well.Jeremy S.

Did a lot of research on these Minion DHF vs DHR's and it came down to basically ones personal preference. I chose these tires for the durability, gripping capability especial for downhill sharp turns and technical trails. Great rollover on rocks and great tractions on those steep climbs. Plus I love the overall look of the tan wall…put them on my Cannondale Habit (29r) and have just been having a blast on the trails with confidence. Maxxis has not let me down! Thanks EVO for your help in choosing the right tires for my liking. -RogerRoger

The knobs are aggressive enough to be annoyingly slow rolling while they do not provide particularly good traction. Then the edge knobs are so big they squirm almost uncontrollably when aggressively cornering. It's like they designed a tire that compromised in all the wrong ways making the tire fail on all fronts.Nelson Sherry

I had high hopes for the Trail Boss to replace my worn rear factory tire, a Maxxis Ardent. I ride the front range trails in Colorado which are climbs up loose rock, gravel-like dirt, solid rock, and tree roots. I was fairly disappointing in the Train Boss' performance, as I was constantly experiencing significant slippage when compared to the Ardent. The slippage usually occurred right when I needed the traction the most. It was bad enough that I was prepared to return the tire, but before I did, I decided to swap the Trail Boss to the front, and take the factory front tire (Maxxis High Roller II) to the rear. Problem solved! The WTB Trail Boss has been a phenomenal tire on the front for the terrain I ride, and the High Roller II is phenomenal in the rear. I think the Trail Boss would be a better tire in the rear for loam terrain, not what we have in Colorado. The High Roller II is better suited for this. For the rear, I would have given the Trail Boss 2.5 stars, but because it has performed so well in the front in the terrain I ride, I give it a solid 4. The moral of the story is know the terrain you ride and pick the tire correctly – it makes a difference!Colorado_Tim

These seemed like a good tire for the price. They did not work as I hoped, the tires would not grip well even on a thin layer loose dirt. To be sure it was the tires and not my lack of skill, I switch my just front out for a Specialized purgatory and it was night and day. Still have them on my back where grip is not as critical. Will change them out in the near future.Just The Cook

I have a 29-pound Catrike Speed that was prone to tire failure. The 16"x1.35 stock Schwable front tire size was incredibly light weight and fast but the constant flats made me look elsewhere for good rubber. A friend recommended these to me as a reasonable high-pressure alternative and so I gave them a try. They are quite a bit heavier but so far no flats, and that was the goal of this experiment. The bike's total weight is up to 31 pounds [all three tires are now Hookworms] and the ride is great. Plus these things can hold 110psi making the rolling resistance exceptionally low. Is it the right tire for you? Maybe, if you want to ride more than patching tubes. I've been rolling now for about 500 miles and loving it. My wife said I needed to slow down anyway and the top speed is off a smidge [higher wheel mass] so I guess this is a win-win tire for me. Plus the investment in all three of these was about the same as one Schwable. On the PLUS side, the chain is higher off the ground [a big plus] and the ride is good for an exercise bike, which mine is. Tire is rock solid on all surfaces I've tried and wear is incredibly low [I expect these tires will roll for literally thousands of miles]. On the MINUS side, the ride is a bit rougher at 100psi and the clearance at the hand gripsis a little tighter but not unreasonable. Large accessories like my bulb horn clear but can rub if not positioned just right. All in all, the tire is heavier but the life is much, much longer [5 months and zero flats]. If you are looking for a more puncture-resistant tire and are not concerned about adding a little weight to the wheels, this is tire a good option.inline_phil

Probably one of the most popular BMX tires on the Bikelife scene. Easily can handle the abuse and the chaos out there on ride outs. Wether you’re looking to upgrade your BMX cruiser to handle the mean streets or wanting to change your MTB to a more versatile hybrid bike for the road, this tire covers it.Aaron H.

. . . are, from the perspective of an out-of-shape rider in his early antiquity, very positive. These tires turned my stodgy-looking Townie Electra 9 into, by flabby old-person standards, a leg-powered road rocket. Rolling resistance is significantly reduced from the bike's original Schwalbe beach-cruiser skins, at the expected price of a stiffer ride and more attention required to dodge potholes so as not to bend these garden-variety aluminum rims, which I'm pretty sure weren't designed for curb-jumping. I'm only running the Hookworms at 47 of the max. 65 PSI, and still find them a little on the unyielding side, which translates to being able to zip across our small town, over one medium-sized hill, in less than ten minutes. Despite being ostensibly designed for deliberate youthful abuse on topography not normally thought of as bicycle-appropriate (e.g. flying off the front steps of the county courthouse), these things corner on smooth pavement like a Yamaha R-1 sportbike. The enhanced lean angle seems obviously attributable to the wraparound tread. Although I've only logged less than 30 miles thus far, and can't attest to long-term durability, it's notable that the manufacturing mold flash remains intact. That usually goes away much more quickly, if recall serves. The rubber compound, as described elsewhere, appears to be quite tough stuff. GET THE RIGHT TUBES. I blew an extra twelve clams, thinking I could get by with the generic fits-all kit from a famous retailer that's known for being patronized by people in pajama bottoms. Ended up ordering the correct ones online, spec'd at 2.5" – 3" and made of noticeably thicker rubber than the aforementioned substitutes. A little heavier, but they work beautifully, albeit with a little more wrist-wrestling to install. BTW, don't forget to partially inflate your tubes beforehand, to avoid pinch flats. Frame clearance: more than adequate with this kind of bike. Might be a squeaker if you have caliper brakes or narrow forks. "So why," I wondered, "did they name these things after a noxious intestinal parasite?" The answer became apparent upon noticing the pronounced bead "flange" that hooks over the inside of your rim. It makes for a nice secure feel to the mounting process, but you still have to exercise a bit of caution making sure the index line is evenly centered before final inflation. I found that vigorously massaging the tire around its perimeter while 1/4 inflated helps to assure good bead seating. Despite my semi-recumbent bike's long wheelbase, the Maxxis tires make it handle a bit more "squirrely," which is helpful in tight quarters, but requires slightly more attentive steering control while sailing down a long hill. Transitioning from pavement to pea gravel is likewise no longer a completely carefree endeavor, but the reduced traction compared to the old soft cruiser tires has thus far been easy to accommodate, and has been, as previously mentioned, a cheerfully acceptable price for the delightful improvement in road handling. One last thing: since there seems to be no specified rotational orientation, I mounted the tires with the bright-colored company logo on opposite sides at each end, based on the theory that this might make it slightly more visible to cross traffic from both directions. ~eleft coast eddy

I have had nothing but good experience with Michelin Tires. I very much appreciate the durability of the tire traction and performance has been good. They look awesome installed on my bicycle.c48105

Tires is well on its way. Easy to assemble. Profile ok too. Unfortunately due to the storm this weekend I have not been in the dunes but Micheline tires are always good so it will be okay.Al

Looked forward to getting this tyre on, it was replacing the (pictured) older grip r tyre. Tread pattern has been updated and it rolls a little quicker but it is tubeless ready not tubeless. On a crossmax rim it took a long time and a lot of hassle to seal even with a 2.5 hp 50l compressor. I ended up having to put a tube in to seal the bead on one side, remove the tube and then add sealant etc. After this it was very disappointing that in its first race the tyre suffered a slash through the sidewall on stage 2 costing me a good finish in the enduro. Removed it, replaced it with the tubeless version which although heavier is definitely more durable.groove.facilitator

The traction is unparalleled to any other tire that I have ridden, unless you enjoy going parallel then that may be a bit too extreme for any tire. I enjoy ripping the trail and playing in the mud. There hasn't been any trail, rock, dirt, sand, mud or asphalt that this tire doesn't perform well on. I leave an impression wherever I ride 😉 The Double Down componentry of the 2×120 tpi sidewall is asinine! The Maxgrip allows for plenty of traction and gumminess on the trail that even my CLIF BLOKS have a bit of chewy competition to look forward to. You can ride until your heart is dialog satisfied with the performance of your tire and the confidence it inspires in the climates you throw at it. Enjoy more of the season with less worry, and choose MAXXIS ASSEGAI 👊🏼🤙🏼Clayton

I first purchased the Shorty two seasons ago (2014) as a replacement for the Schwalbe Magic Mary. I was a fan of the magic mary but wanted something in the rear with a better braking profile. I started on the regular Shorty, and have now switched to the Wide Trail (WT) spacing now that I am running 30+mm wide rims. When it comes to tires, performance and longevity seem to be the name of the game. The shorty is Maxxis' new take on a chopped mud spike derived from its big brother the Wet Scream , similar to the likes of what Schwalbe did for the Magic Mary due to how many team riders were chopping their Dirty Dans. The theory behind the shorty is a faster rolling mud spike with similar grip tendencies. And while the shorty achieves this in large strides it has totally blown me away with how versatile a tire it actually is; the wide spacing between knobs fling themselves clean with ease and still hold grip without feeling like there are any dead spots, all while cutting an edge in turns. I've been riding the shorty for two season now, primarily as a rear tire (though it's still a stellar front tread) paired with a Mary in the front, especially for the unpredictable conditions in the PNW it's hard to beat this gravity oriented combo. The Shorty really can do it all, it may not be the fastest rolling tire but if going downhill is your lust than the Shorty may be for you.Keagan K.

This tire has an amazing amount of grip, the rolling resistance is slightly decreased versus other tires like Maxxis DHF or High Roller. I have had this on the rear of my enduro 20' Nukeproof Mega 29 for a few races and the grip around corners, over rocky terrain, and sloppy slippy sections was without a problem. I have it now on my downhill Banshee Darkside on front, and it steers true at speed, takes corners high and fast, and is durable as I have been riding a few times a month, 8-10 rounds per outing. At speed, it takes corners at Hugh angle without slipping or sliding out as the side tread holds very well. Braking is very efficient, as I have had tested this with peeps cutting me off and having to make massively rapid stops. I run the double down, super durable and whole running low PSI, handles very well, especially when paired with Cushcore, even down to 18 over heavy rock tech with no issues. Haven't had a burp yet. This is great for front enduro, or front or rear downhill, if you want less rolling resistance, look to DHF/DHR or Michelin Wild Enduro. But if you got better legs than myself or going main downhill, these are the fit.Brian

Fast shipping the the US. Our e-bike came with huge mountain bike tires that were showing wear pretty quickly on pavement. I needed something a little narrower to work with the SKS wide fenders anyway, and went with these. They roll smooth, and the rubber compound is harder. They still feel good on the road, and hold well in corners.Teamjt

I put these tires on a Specialized Levo hardtail. Awesome for street, smooth ride, pretty good on wet surfaces, a little dicey in loose dirt/leaves. I wish the lifespan of the tires would be a little better, these are my summer tires, they got about 2000km from two seasons of riding, rotated them at 1000km. They are pretty much at the end of their life. In terms of "fatbike" style tires, there are not too many options out there in 27.5, this one is a very good choice that served me well. Will most probably replace with the same model.scott ko.

I ride my 2016 Giant Talon 1 on pavement and concrete almost daily for exercise. I almost never ride on dirt and so I decided to upgrade my tires to a more street capable set. I did extensive online research to find the right tire and ended up picking this tire as sold from Jenson. I love the low rolling resistance and puncture resistant feature of this tire. I usually ride anywhere from 6 to 11 miles per day and don't have to worry about punctures like I used to with my bike's original tires. I like the tires so much that I bought a set for my wife's Talon 1 as well! I highly recommend this tire! PROS: Attractive Design, Durable, Easy To Install CONS: NoneBooomer762

Tried a lot of tires / combos on my Ripmo and settled on Minion DHF 2.5 EXO+ WT front, dissector 2.4 EXO+ WT rear both maxx terra. Big fan of this combo in northern california / bay area. 35mm rims and I weigh 150 lbs. I didnt like dissector in front (with dissector rear) – I think it's too limiting of the fox 36, doesnt track nearly as well or grip nearly as well as 2.5 DHF in front. I think it'd be better on a bike with a fox 34 – my friend has that with rekon rear on his Rocky Mountain instinct with 30mm rims and really likes that combo. For perspective I hated the aggressor rear (too washy) and I also have an EXO+ DHRII for when I go ride much more gnarly borderline DH trails – it has better grip and braking than dissector but quite slower rolling. Normal ride is 10 miles with 1500 ft climbing, roots, rock gardens, and some flowy dirt/dust sections and DHF + Dissector is great for this. Havent tried Assegai, maybe ill try in front sometime but probably not.jeffff18

Maxxis provides us yet another tire option to maximize our fun. The gap between center and side knobs, similar to the Minion DHF, allows the side knobs to get a good bite when the bike is leaned over into a corner. This design works when there is enough cushion on the trail to bite. The tire rolls OK, but not as fast as the Recon.Old Washoe Varmint

I wanted a bit faster rolling tread to get up the fire roads before the downs and the Dissector was definitely it. It’s the illegitimate child of the DHR and Aggressor with the openness and similar speed of a large Ardent. Don’t read this wrong as it’s similar to those but not quite “all the things perfectly together”. On the downs it doesn’t have as much grip as the DHR but has better braking than the Agressor, doesn’t drop traction like an Ardent causing a foot out but clears tread better than the Agressor with a significantly better cornering traction. For me it’s back to the DHRII(and DHF in dead of winter) as I love the traction and predictable nature of these tires yet if I lived in dry slabby areas like western Colorado or especially Moab and AZ it would a great contender as well as an aggressive back tire for lower more shallow altitudes. This is all in regards to the 2.4 EXO+ in those tires rear mounted only. 160 travel 29’rChristopher L.

These tires are excellent. I have used them for the last three winters. They offer about as good traction on very icy roads that you get on a dirt trail in the summer with normal mountain bike tires. If you brake hard and fast you may slip a little, if you take it easy and go normally, you'll be comfortably fine. They offer better grip than walking or driving. It's nice to be able to not be thinking about the condition of the road that is under your tire at every given second of your ride. I have two but sometimes if the roads are not terribly icy I'll just run one on the front only as the back tire isn't as essential to your stability in the snow and ice. It feels nice to have just normal rubber on the back wheel. When the weather goes through a lot of thawing and refreezing, it becomes very nice to have that second studded tire there. Last winter I just used both all winter regardless of the road conditions and that was a nice change as well to not think about it all winter.Fresh Air Breather

After deciding to hang up the keys and start commuting the worry about winter biking started to hit hard. i have a 8% grade to climb every morning and with maritime weather being so unpredictable i knew i wanted the best for my climb. These more than exceed my expectations i have passed vehicles running studded tires spinning on black ice uphill with no problem. They handle very well with only a bit of flexing in the blocks on hard cornering. Only tricky moments i had were cornering on a metal manhole cover. defiantly recommend!vbpad

These tires dig in and work perfect on groomed trails. I don't ride on the road so can't comment on that. I sold my fat bike last year and put these tires on my full suspension mtb. They are heavy but who cares, just think how fast you will be when spring hits and you go back to lighter tires.Rob

The Magic Mary has been awesome; one of the best tires I've ever had so far. Going tubeless was no problem; it seated easily. The bike park version is great; it is heavier due to the thick casing, but it has never been punctured! When I pull thorns out of my WTB in the front, there are none in the Magic Mary, which I run in the rear. Great grip; so far the best grip out of every tire I've ridden. Lots of air volume which makes it easy to run lower pressures. The wear is only on the knobs (sidewalls hold up great) and it wears faster than I would like, however I run this tire at my local trails with some parking lot practice and not as much at the bike park as I would like, so for the beating it takes from my hardtail Nukeproof, the wear is expected. I seated this tire tubeless with Orange Seal, on a Spank Spoon rim with a 27mm internal diameter. I measured the contact patch of the tire on this rim to be 2.36 inches. Awesome tire! I definitely recommend it.WADE

Well I finally went tubeless and these were on my DH ship for her maiden voyage. Holy crap I can't believe how well these tires grip! They remind me of my motocross bikes knobby tires. The rubber compound is very sticky and after 6 rides the rear is showing wear. This is the reason for the 4 star rating. They're pricey for sure. I'm hoping to get a full season out of these but not looking that great for the rear. Otherwise I'd def buy again! Especially for front mount. Track well, grip like crazy, consistent cornering and braking rocks too.K

I match my Magic Mary in the front with my Hans Derf in the rear. This combination is unstoppable. The Magic Mary sticks to the ground like no other and the cornering is unbelievable. I have found this combination to be incredible in all conditions rather it is dry and compact, wet and muddy, rocky or smooth. Get these tires and you can't go wrong.Steve S.

Bought these as a sister pair to my favorite Aspen WT 2.4s to use for the rockier events i race. I have 4-5 rides on the Rekon Race's now on a Santa Cruz Blur TR and am impressed with the cornering grip and low rolling resistance with that same high volume compliant ride I've come to love about the Aspen 2.4s. One of the two has a slight side wobble to it but nothing serious. Overall I really like them.Michael M.

I typically run the Ikons. I wanted to try the Rekon Race. I LOVE this tire! It is WAY faster than the Ikon. I have been running it on some of my less technical rides, it's a great tire for Xterra events. It is super fast rolling, good grip, I still have my teeth! Trophies galore, without trying.Zoe N.

Very low rolling resistance made tires feel very fast on flats and gravel, and even on pavement. Currently running tubeless setup and ran 20lbs. This created a supple cushion over various roots and rocks. Perfect for a XC racerRomito B.

Using Stans, we could not get these to set up tubeless, after weeks of trying. We sprayed the sidewalls with soapy water and it was leaking badly… However, using orange seal they sealed up. Could have been a combination of the two and it finally worked. Who knows. Now that they are mounted up they are a great all-road type of tire. My wife loves the comfort and the rolling resistance seems good for their size.ZACHARY

I have these on my gravel bike for use on hard packed forest trails and bumpy, potholed country lanes. So far the have been excellent and have very good grip. Obviously roll very well and do a fantastic job of giving a comfortable ride. Not yet tried them in wet weather but think they will be ok so long as you keep off the soft stuff.Brinmore

Bought these as commuting tyres for my Mason gravel bike. They run well tubeless, went up first time with no problems, and even running at 50psi they still roll well and don't fell slow at all. Great tyres for our wonderful potholed roads!Graeme

Years ago, I got the 26" X-King, which is a similar tread, for my 125 pound intermediate wife. She tore those tires up within ten miles or so. I decided to give them another try, in the reincarnated Cross King version, 29×2.3 and they have definitely solved the durability problem! 750 grams, 2.28" carcass width at sub 20 psi and knobs slightly wider. If you like the Rocket Ron or the Rekon, you'll like these. They roll fast and hook up well. I've only tried them on the back, but they work well on the mellower XC type trails on the Wasatch Back. I decided I needed a little more traction, so I went to a Mountain King on the back, and wrote a review on those, but if you don't need more rear wheel traction than a Rekon, for example, these are 5 star. BTW, I did not notice the stiff sidewalls described and in fact, found them supple. Similar to a 29×2.35 Nobby Nic, or Rekon, in fact, but grippier than the Rekon.Nawrocki

Ive been using Maxxis HR and HR2 for many years but just got sick of their high prices and figured there must be an alternative. I tried a bog standard Trail King and I now have them fitted front and rear on both my hardtail and full sus bikes. Cant say anything about longevity yet but the grip is good in conditions from mud, snow and dry trails and they roll well on the road too. Ive even managed to set them up ghetto tubeless and they work fine run at about 28psi. They are very very tight to get on initially though. Get a big long strong tyre lever!johnf8175

My previous tires were halfway worn. I changed tires to try a tubeless setup for the first time, and also to improve grip. I ride XC trails most of the time and never do jumps, downhill, or anything crazy. I do enjoy going from 15 to 30 miles distances with climb challenges. So these tires seem a good fit for what I do. I was able to install these tubeless in my cheap non-tubeless-ready rims by adding more layers of tape. These are my first tubeless tires, but I had installed tubeless tires before for other bikes. I could say these were the easiest to install so far. Still you will need a compressor, and also install them first with a tube for several hours to straighten the edges. These have more grip than the tires that came with my bike. With the stock tires I had a few close calls, that is why I wanted to improve grip. But, as expected, with the additional grip came more rolling resistance. So far I am very happy with these tires.ramirezv

I haven't tried them yet. I'm still using my specialized tyres. But can't wait to give them ago. Hearing soo many good things about them. And they look awesomepaul i.

Just switched my front tire to the Maxxis Minion DHF tire from a Maxxis Ardent and was impressed with the results. It didn't have quite as much grip as I was expecting, until I lowered the tire pressure a little bit. Then it started to live up to the hype. I took it on a 20 mile ride through wet conditions and it cleared mud very well, handled wet roots easily and as the trails dried up continued to get grippier. I would definitely recommend it, just make sure to play with the tire pressure.Matt

Purchased a Project One Emonda less than a year ago. Bike simply fell over in my garage onto my bike stand causing a small chip in the paint. What I thought was just a chip turned out to be a crack as well. A bike of this caliber should not have cracked under this circumstance. Unfortunately, I'm not getting adequate support from customer service and I need to purchase a new frameset. After 25 years and a few dozen trek bikes I will no longer be purchasing or representing the brand.By SJC

I Just purchased my second pair (25mm). I'm amazed on how many miles I put on the first pair 6000+ miles, Wow! They got rotated at about 3000 miles. The tires were showing the micro cracks on the tread surface but very few cuts. In all those miles I only had one flat and I don't think it was the tire's fault. I'm 190lbs and run them at 100psi. They're easy to put on and the feel lively when I ride. They're fast and corner well on the downhills. I will be putting them on my wife's bike soon.By Red John

Awesome tires! They roll very smoothly on the flats and are quite stable on descents. I ride the SoCal roads and get 1,200 miles on the back tire and 2,200 up front. I could probably stretch it a bit farther, but would rather change out a tire on a lazy Saturday afternoon than swap out a flat tube on a crucial training morning! :-). Highly recommended.By E.E.

I’m so glad that Maxxis still sells a true 27.5×3.0” aggressive trail tire. I’ve been riding 29ers and 29+ for more than a decade and never had an interest in 27.5” wheels…until now. I’ve built up an aggressive hardtail as a mullet bike (29+ upfront and this 27.5×3.0” High Roller 2 out back). I’ve tried several different rear tires over the years but for the desert chunk I always come back to the DHF or DHR2 as those have provided the best combination of grip and longevity. The HR2 definitely provides the grip. If the longevity is also there and can hold up to the desert chunk then it deserves a 5 star rating.Tim N.

As a rider who enjoys the downs more than the ups (considerably more), the original Maxxis High Roller was a favorite rear tire of mine, even living in the arid clime of Colorado. When they updated it to the High Roller II, I likewise updated my setup because I was so enamored with the tire. Faster rolling than a DHR II, but retaining many of that tire's braking and cornering characteristics, the High Roller II sports Maxxis burly side walls which are a must in the rock filled, tire eating trails of Colorado. It has a slightly wider gap between the center knobs and the cornering knobs than some other tires we offer, which gives it a bit of a different feel. A drift point becomes noticeable part of the way through a lean, which allows you to aggressively slap the tire into a berm, where it hooks up and propels you out the back of the turn. This is a disconcerting sensation at first, and if a "loose" feel is not something that appeals to you at all I would look for a different tire. This tire runs the gamut of conditions, from the rocky, hard pack of CO to the wetter conditions in my current home of the PNW. It is a great all around tire for those of you who like to get rowdy, and features Maxxis' hardy construction. It isn't the lightest tire out there (none of Maxxis' tires are) but as it's name suggests it rolls well for how aggressive it is. The 3C tread is always a solid choice, quite durable, and will still grip when things get slippery. As a long time favorite, it is definitely worth a try.Dan P.

I've been running this tire in the Pacific Northwet (the s is silent) for about half a decade. I've yet to find a rear tire I like better. It is a great compromise of grip to rolling resistance, and clears mud well. Exo has been fine for me, without a single issue, riding all over the PNW. Probably ought to knock on wood after that last sentence. I've ran both minions (dhr, dhf), assegai, most of the wtb lineup (vigilante, judge, verdict, verdict wet), and my favorite combo is still verdit/verdict wet front and hr2 rear. The minions did well pointed down, but lacked the climbing traction the hr2 has. The vigilante and judge are both skittish on roots and the verdicts are bit aggressive for putting on both ends.Edward

This is not the first time I have ridden with this tire. Good terrain grip in almost all terrain conditions and handles mud relatively well…Love this tire!!Guy

I like michelin tires. They strike a good balance of quality, grip, durability and weight. I get them when they're on sale and approx the same price as if you bought them from france. They're the lightest (for the competition version) for the grip and size you're getting and they last a season. The sidewalls arent as strong as DH tires, but they're not DH tires and definitely strong enough to take some beating. When these are on sale, can't go wrong.pang5454

Having absolutely nothing to do with backcountry (you guys are always awesome), this tire has been a major letdown. It's "ok" at best. Rolls reasonably fast, but the grip is awful and it's …for lack of a better word…fragile. I 100% LOVE the Wild Enduro I have on the front and it's been bulletproof but this Force AM just doesn't measure up, and my expectations were fair. I'll probably give the AM2 a try as it's got the same gravity shield casing as the Wild Enduro and a slightly more aggressive tread. The original Force Am reviewed here is a decent tire for mild mannered trail riders but it's not a tire I'd recommend on performance.jef b