- Weight: 980g
- Width: 62mm (30mm internal rim @ 25 psi)
Tyre sniffers worldwide waited with bated breath for the arrival of bigger-volume versions of the Maxxis Minion DHF II and it hasn’t disappointed.
Rather than just upsizing the existing 2.5-inch models, Maxxis has significantly remodelled the structure and tread distribution of the new Wide Trail tyres to specifically work with 30–35mm internal width rims.
Using a narrower tyre on a wide rim creates a profile that is too square and causes side knobs to contact the trail (even with the tyre upright), causing extra drag. It also reduces effective cornering grip and makes the tyre feel stiffer on the trail. The Wide Trail tyre-tread position is adjusted on the crown, so the side knobs only engage at the right lean angles.
Relatively short sidewalls keep the profile rounded on a 35mm internal rim, so it stays supported and supple at lower pressures. This gives excellent cornering performance, as well as sucking up stutter bumps and square edges for excellent speed sustain. This all results in a superbly planted feel on the trail with no bounce or wobble through a range of pressures, however rowdy things are getting.
The triple-compound 3C version offers the ultimate mix of grip damping and suppleness for all-round trail use. The dual compound DC version is £10 cheaper at £54.99 but still surefooted, while the DD is reinforced for flat-out DH attack at £74.99.
Either way the directional tread also reduces the habit that most plus tyres (even knobblier ones) have, where they twist and skate in softer/wetter conditions. Just like previous DHF tyres, it not only grips well in a full range of weather and trail conditions, it inflates tubelessly with benchmark ease, it rolls well, it shrugs off damage and works through a wide pressure range making the premium price worth paying.
