Coming as original equipment on Mavic’s CrossMax Enduro wheelset, this divides opinion like no other tyre.
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Developed by pure racers, Mavic has deliberately kept the volume small at 2.2in. This also keeps weight down so it blasts out of corners or off start lines like a midweight tyre should.
The hard centre compound and minimal tread (which vanishes pretty quick from skidding) multiplies momentum you add along the trail too. The small volume makes it stable at low pressures even when you’re ripping it sideways (which is often) on relatively narrow rims. The dual ply carcass wards off damage astonishingly well and it damps impact to keep the tyre on line and on the trail and the tubeless sealing is as good as it gets.
We’ve not had a single burp, burst or rip in the tyre which we’ve been using in the most abusive way possible for 18 months either. If you can get it right over onto it’s distant CC compound ‘off the shoulder’ tread it rips corners really well.
On the other hand minimal upright grip means you really have to feather your braking and climbing effort very carefully or just get used to having the back end whipped out all over the place.
