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Maxxis Rekon Race Tire - 29 x 2.25 [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.

The Maxxis Rekon Race tire is perfect for any rider looking for something fast rolling and lightweight. It is a top choice for many of the guys here at the shop considering how well it performs in loose over hard packed terrain. In this review, our customer Kerry picked up a set of sweet tan wall Maxxis tires including a new Rekon Race. Check out what he had to say!

Overview

I started out looking for some Maxxis skin wall tires for my new Revel Ranger bike build. Tan and gold match the Johnny Green Jeans so good that I had to have it. My goal was to have enough traction for my normal trails, be as light as possible, and maintain low rolling resistance. Most of my trails are hard-packed over loose and not much mud. I’ve been riding on Rekon’s for over a year now on my trail bike with no complaints. When I saw they were available in dark tan walls, it was a no brainer. I went with the 2.4” upfront but I chose the lighter 2.25” Rekon Race for the rear since I was trying to save weight at every step of the build. My current Rekon rear tire is worn down on my trail bike and I actually like it better. It’s easier to slide around when needed and I haven’t noticed any issues when cornering.

First Impressions

The tires arrived quickly and I weighed them to see how they compared against Maxxis specifications. The front tire weighed in at 803 grams versus the 861 specified on the Maxxis website. This was a pleasant surprise for a weight weenie although it could be a typo on the specifications. The Rekon Race came in at 713 but was specified by Maxxis at 685. This is normally what I see with tire weights.

Mounting the tires was as easy as I expected. This has always been my experience with Maxxis rubber. The beads sealed right up after dumping in the sealant. I use an air compressor to make this step a little easier. I put about 30 psi in them and let them sit until the rain stopped so I could go ride.

On Trail

I started out with 20 psi in the front and 22 psi in the rear. I weigh about 145 pounds and these pressures are my normal for most trails. The first thing I noticed was constant dings and pings on my bike. I forgot how sticky the new Maxxis rubber is but this was an unpleasant sound on a brand new bike. Once I got over that, I was reminded of how good that new sticky rubber feels in the corners.

I was a little concerned about the Rekon Race in the rear but haven’t thought about it again after the first several turns.

I have a few hundred miles on them now and they are performing as I expected. The front has plenty of traction for my style of riding and the rear stays planted when I need it to but breaks loose when I want.

Final Thoughts

The Rekon is a great tire that doesn’t get a lot of recognition but it should. In my experience, they’re a good balance between traction, weight, and rolling resistance. They are also predictable enough to know how hard you can push them. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. I changed my pressures to 19 psi in the front and 21 in the rear on my last two rides. It feels better but I think it may be due to the Ranger coming in at 25.6 pounds versus my 30-pound trail bike.