Maxxis Minion DHF Tire [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. 

Maxxis is the go-to tire company for most mountain bikers in the world today. Our good customer Eric just recently built up a new bike and decided on the Maxxis Minion DHF WT tires for his rig, let's check out his thoughts!

Eric's Review

I recently built up an all-mountain hardtail. It's a steel frame, long, low and slack, with an ability to accommodate forks up to 160mm in travel. This is my after work, local loop, short track bike for maximum fun with minimal maintenance -- something I can keep on the back of the car or at the office and be ready to go at a moment's notice. One thing that drew me to this particular frame (a Cotic BFe) is the clearance for larger tires, up to 2.6. I knew immediately that I wanted to run wide, chunky tires on this bike -- maximizing traction in all conditions. Ultimate efficiency was not a primary goal, as most rides will be about an hour. Traction, durability and ride quality were more important factors.

I purchased the Maxxis Minion DHF tires from Worldwide Cyclery to run on both the front and the rear. I was looking to mount the new tires on a wheelset featuring Stan's Flow Mk3 rims, with an internal width of 29mm. According to Stan's website, and their "Wide Right" philosophy, a 2.5 tire is a perfect fit on the Flow rim. I chose to go with the Wide Trail design from Maxxis to take advantage of the wider internal width of the rim. I'm glad I did. The tire profile is spot on.

The tires mounted tubeless without issue, and I have not had a single burp since installation over a month ago.

I ride in areas with golfball to potato sized loose granite rocks, with larger cabbage sized rocks slightly embedded in the surrounding clay soil. There are plenty of jagged edges to catch a tire sidewall. So far, the combo of the 60 TPI casing and EXO sidewall protection, plus the optimal tire profile with the Stan's rims, has protected the tires perfectly. The Max Terra combo has provided awesome grip and shows no signs of obvious wear.

My favorite aspect of the Minion DHFs has been the defined channel between the ramped center knobs and the square-edged side lugs. This is my first tire pairing with a pronounced channel, without transition knobs. I'm hooked. Literally -- hooked in. Leaning the bike over feels like digging an edge on a downhill ski. I may someday want to play with a slightly driftier tire on the rear, but I can't see ever moving away from a tire like the DHF on the front. Between the aggressive overall tread pattern, the defined side lug channel, the Max Terra compound and the overall tire profile of the 2.5" wide treads, I'm enjoying the best traction I've ever ridden. And that's AFTER stepping down from a fatbike to a plus bike to my new 27.5" hardtail. Plus, their overall weight is reasonable and they feel plenty fast to me.

Conclusion

"In short, I really love these tires. They were a perfect choice for a bike of this character and have met my every need." - Eric