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Maxxis Minion DHF and DHRII Tires: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

If you ride mountain bikes, chances are you have either heard of or tried Maxxis tires. Their tires work great, look good, and last for a solid amount of time. The Maxxis DHF and DHRII are easily some of their most popular and make a great combo when paired together. In this review, our customer adds them both to her bike. Check it out!

Overview

When my husband insisted on getting me new tires, I thought he was crazy. I just got a brand new mountain bike (my first real bike!) and it came with perfectly brand new tires. I thoughts the tires were perfect. Despite my reservations, I agreed and we ordered a Maxxis Minion DHF for the front and the Maxxis Minion DHR II for the rear. We went with 2.8” on both.

Minions vs Rangers – Build

My bike came equipped with WTB Ranger 3.0” tires. They have decent lugs and due to their balloon-like size, provide decent traction. However, they are a relatively thin, fast-rolling tire. In the Arizona desert, every plant on the trail, and every rock for that matter, is out to get you. Thin-walled tires and tubes are a no-go for us. With the Dual compound, Exo casing, and 60 TPI I feel like I can shred through the gnar without shredding my tire. They feel sturdy. They were also surprisingly easy to set up tubeless. I thought the thicker and sturdier compounds would be a pain to mount, but if you follow all the pro tips, they go on no problem. Plus, without the tubes, I negated some of the weight penalty from riding on a heavier tire.

Minions vs Rangers – Ride

The Rangers are plus tires designed to roll a little faster. Mind you, my dirt shredder wasn’t built for all-out XC speed. I know what I am riding, and as a newbie MTB’er, I’m not looking to set Strava on fire. I am more interested in staying upright while cornering and not spinning out while grinding up climbs. The lugs on Minions are HUGE! And the sidewall lugs dig through the loose Arizona gravel and sand to find the hard pack underneath. The DHR II in the rear gives me some serious stopping power as well. I can stop at least two feet better than rear braking with the Rangers. I know I said it wasn’t about speed, but I’ll admit it is fun to go fast. Despite the fact that the Minions are known to be slow rollers, the added traction, coupled with the confidence I get from knowing I can stop when I want to, allows me to ride much faster compared to the Rangers. As for comfort, that’s about equal to the Rangers. I still ride at a really low pressure (12 psi front and rear), so both were nice and plush. I don’t miss the extra 0.2” the Rangers provided. The 2.8” provides plenty of traction, and I think the profile on the rim is a little better.

Final Thoughts

So, while I was skeptical tires would make that big of a deal, I am a true believer now! For me, mountain biking is all about confidence. If my bike sticks when it needs to stick and stops when it’s supposed to stop, my rides are more enjoyable. I also find that my skills are improving faster with the Maxxis Minion setup. If you are just starting out and think any tire will do, think long and hard about where you do most of your riding, what your current tires were designed to do, and then consider alternatives. I feel like the Minion DHF and Minion DHR II is the perfect pairing for my riding style and my local trails.