Part of my cross training involves getting out on the mountain bike. It’s great cardio training as well as being fun. Variety is definitely the key to maintain motivation and prevent boredom when doing heavy workload training programs.
Having run the Maxxis Crossmark 26x2.10 tyre on the front for the last year, I knew it was time to upgrade this pizza cutter tyre to a much more aggressive profile. I’m not a conventional XC rider and like to setup my bike for ultimate handling rather than speed. The surface of my regular training areas consist of small, loose, marbly, granite rocks and sand. I found it quite difficult to find grip on these surfaces, with my 2.10 profile. I like to push hard on the front, through the corners, but lacked the confidence with the narrow profile so I was often losing unnecessary speed from braking or worse sliding out.
I finally bit the bullet and got myself a Maxxis minion DHR II 26x2.30 EXO tyre. The 2.30 is approximately 80g heavier than my old 2.10 but that's a trade-off I'm happy to make in return for grip. If you are one of those weight fanatics then I recommend just having a salad for lunch instead of the club sandwich to save that extra 80g. After my first ride on the minion I was super impressed. I could push hard through loose, sandy corners because the front tyre just hooked up and railed through the corners. Coming in at $38.99, this tyre won’t burn a hole in your pocket plus it will deliver some great traction for all your cornering needs.
I finally bit the bullet and got myself a Maxxis minion DHR II 26x2.30 EXO tyre. The 2.30 is approximately 80g heavier than my old 2.10 but that's a trade-off I'm happy to make in return for grip. If you are one of those weight fanatics then I recommend just having a salad for lunch instead of the club sandwich to save that extra 80g. After my first ride on the minion I was super impressed. I could push hard through loose, sandy corners because the front tyre just hooked up and railed through the corners. Coming in at $38.99, this tyre won’t burn a hole in your pocket plus it will deliver some great traction for all your cornering needs.I haven’t tested the tyre in muddy conditions yet, but going from the product review “….excellent soil penetration and mud-clearing ability”, I suspect it will perform just as good as it did in dry conditions.
Janine Jungfels – Pushys sponsored rider