Ben has ridden nearly every version of the Maxxis Assegai over the past year. Here is what he has to say about the GOAT’s signature tyre.
What does Ben make of the signature tyre of the most successful downhill rider out there? Here’s his two pence on the Maxxis Assegai.
Photos by Dave Price.
Key features:
- Greg Minnaar’s signature tyre
- Aggressive, DH-inspired tread
- 27.5 or 29″
- 2.5 or 2.6″ widths
- 3C Maxx Grip/Maxx Terra/Dual Compounds
- EXO, EXO+, Double Down and Downhill casings
- £59.99-£74.99 RRP
- Maxxis.co.uk
I could just keep this review very short and simple…
Put an Assegai on the front of your bike and then ride all year, in any conditions, on any trails and it will grip for miles and give you maximum confidence. The end. They really are that good. However, if you want a bit more detail, then read on…
Over the last 12 months I have ridden 27.5 and 29 inch tyres. I have ridden them in 3C Maxx Grip and Maxx Terra compounds. I have ridden EXO+ and Double Down casings and the only one I have not ridden is a full blown DH casing. I have ridden them on short travel trail bikes, long travel enduro bikes, and a few E-Bikes for good measure. I have pedalled them all day, hit uplifts, DH tracks and bike parks. They have railed baked hard berms and slid across wet, muddy off camber roots.
In pretty much every circumstance they have been predictable, confidence inspiring and dependable. The Assegai would be my tyre of choice if I was building a bike and wanted a tyre to run all year in the UK.
Back in February I reviewed the new EXO+ casing from Maxxis and found it to be a great all-round option for UK trail and enduro riding, especially when using an insert like Rimpact. It was these EXO+ casings that I spent most time on with the Assegai and I found them to be pretty unflappable in most conditions. They have a nice rounded profile that takes you seamlessly from the top tread over on to the shoulders as you lean into a turn.
Greg Minnaar apparently started with the central tread blocks where he wanted to combine the properties of the legendary DHF and DHRII tyres to get a tyre that rolls well but that has plenty of braking surface area and bite. The side knobs stand tall like a Shorty, but spaced a little closer together for a more continuous connection to the trail.
Although I mostly consider the Assegai to be a front tyre, I did spend time running them as a pair. With a rear Assegai fitted, you do notice the increased rolling resistance and there is certainly some drag, but when you point it down hill, the outright grip is unreal, especially if you are running the soft, Maxx Grip rubber compound that sticks to the trail like poo on a shoe.
You might look at the tall side knobs and assume that they might fold over under heavy cornering, but this was not the case. They are sturdy enough to support the hardest of riders and have enough depth to really penetrate all but the sloppiest conditions. As you lean in, they really begin to bite and they reward an active rider who can maximise the cornering potential of such an aggressive tyre.
Although fairly heavy, the Double Down casing Assegai offers a tonne of protection and the possibility of running low pressures for maximum grip. I spent a weekend riding with an Assegai on the front of my Vitus Sommet 29 VRS at Revolution and Dyfi bike parks where they shrugged off a thousand pointy rocks and gave me loads of confidence on the wild and gnarly trails that I encountered.
The only small issue I had was that the tyres were a little wonky, making it look like you had a buckled wheel. I could not feel this on the trails, but it was the case with both Double Down Maxxis tyres (Dissector) that I used that weekend and is not really on for such an expensive product.
What do we think?
The bottom line is that the Assegai is a true fit and forget tyre for the UK. Whether it is baked hard or soaking wet, you know that you will have plenty of predictable grip. If you are riding uplifts or DH then consider running a pair of Assegai for maximum grip and confidence.
For trail and enduro riding you can’t beat pairing them up with the new Dissector or the classic DHRII on the rear. Like all Maxxis, they are expensive, but you get what you pay for.
We Love:
- Grip, Grip, Grip
- Predictable
- Versatile
Could Do Better:
- Expensive
- Some wonky batches