There is no denying the large float zone could be an issue for some riders in some conditions. We will say that these are some of the most popular tires on the market for a reason. So are these tires the best on the market? That’s impossible to say since “best” is so heavily dependent on terrain, soil, and riding style. Not surprisingly, even after years of abusing these tires of all manner of bikes, we’ve yet to ride one that we thought wore too quickly or out of character. The Minion DHR II is a much less aggressive tire that aims more for the all-around performance category and excels at that task. The Assegai definitively claims that title ( read our first ride here ) and firmly aligns itself in the gravity category as it puts traction well above rolling resistance. That isn’t to say this tire is the most “grabby” in the Maxxis line up, though. Grab the binders in a loose, loamy section, and the DHR II will cling onto the soil and bring you to a halt. It lacks the impossibly low rolling resistance that the DHF has, but the trade-off is massively improved braking traction and climbing bite. It’s a rear tire design that works incredibly well in that application, but wouldn’t be a choice front tire. The DHR II seems to get less fanfare than the DHF simply because it’s less versatile. Whether you’re looking to ride bike parks, technical DH trails, or your local flow line, the Maxxis Minion DHF can take it in stride. There’s a reason that so many other brands have to knock off of this tire. If you told us we could only run one tire for the rest of our lives on every bike, this would probably be it. Don’t expect the same low rolling resistance, though. If you’re looking for a Maxxis tire with no float zone, the Assegai is your best bet with a magnet like cornering traction in all lean angles. This is mostly noticed on lightly sandy over hardpack trails or small marbly rocks. What does that mean for some riders? It can give you a slightly squirmy, or uncertain feeling on less than sharp corners where you’re somewhat leaning the bike over but not far enough to engage the shoulder lugs fully. The large float zone between the knobs helps give you the ultimate penetration while laying them over in the corners. The one downside to this tire is the same thing that makes some people love it so much. Though the Maxxis Minion DHF is intended to be run on the front of a bike, it’s a well-rounded tire that is still plenty effective on the rear so long as you aren’t hoping to make it up steep, loose climbs. Like the DHF, Maxxis offers the DHF in a variety of casings, including Wide Trail and Plus. Maxxis offers the tires in two 3C rubber compounds 3C MaxxTerra and 3C MaxxGrip as well as Super Tacky rubber. If you’ve ever run a DHF front and rear and then switched to a DHR, the difference when climbing and cornering is immediately noticeable. The design aids in traction under heavy braking and pedaling. While the outer lugs remain the same between the DHF and DHR II, the center lugs are perpendicular to the direction of travel and have a large ramp. In favor of better rolling characteristics and handling, Maxxis changed the design to mimic a hybrid of the Maxxis Minion DHF and High Roller II. Old school riders will remember the curved center lugs of the first version. The DHR II is Maxxis’ second revision of the DHR. The DHF is available in a variety of casings, including Wide Trail and Plus. Maxxis also offers a third “Super Tacky” compound. As the name suggests, the MaxxGrip is the softer, tacker compound of the two. The 3C name refers to Maxxis using three separate rubber compounds for the tire casing, center lugs, and side lugs. Maxxis offers the tires in two 3C rubber compounds 3C MaxxTerra and 3C MaxxGrip. To further aid in cornering traction, there are large cornering blocks with a sizable float gap between the center lugs and outer cornering lugs. With a ramped directional center tread, the Maxxis is able to lower rolling resistance significantly, while offering superb cornering traction. Maxxis created the Minion DHF with a simple yet effective tread design that has stood the test of time and been imitated countless times.
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