Sizes: 26x1.80 and 26x2.00, both in Kevlar and wire bead. Front or rear. Another race-bred weapon designed by Steve Larsen to hook up in loose to wet conditions. The small round knobs penetrate the soil and shed loose debris easily. Ramped leading edges lower rolling resistance when the trail gets firm.
Submitted by
NicHolmes
a Cross Country Rider
from South Africa Date Reviewed: October 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Karkloof Forest Trails
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Leighs Cycle Centre
Strengths:
I have always enjoyed Maxxis tires. Good with the Traction.
Weaknesses:
Soft Compound does not like rough stuff or tarmac
Similar Products Used:
Larsen TT, Rendez, Wormdrive
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC Team, Maxxis Rendez/Minion Front and Larsen Mimo signature Rear
Bottom Line:
Awesome tire if you riding loose over hardpack. I did a 106km cross country race a few months back and the tire was epic. It wasnt very happy with the 15 odd km on tarmac though, the tread showed the signs with knobs having tears in them (I stopped prior to the tar section and checked my tire for suspect puncture). Also seems to handle ok with a bit of mud. Havent tried them in the serious wet yet. I think the 1.9" width is awesome on the speed front. And very happy with the traction.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bert
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: November 26, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Cyclone cycles
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
Bought the 1.9 size tires that actually measure much smaller.
Similar Products Used:
Bunch of stuff
Bike Setup:
Superlight '06 model at about 26.5 lbs
Bottom Line:
I bought these tires thinking that these would work well enough for the conditions I ride. Wrong, these work great in dry hardpack conditions, but forget about it if you have loose soil, roots, or sand.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
spiro vagenas
a Racer
from denmark Date Reviewed: March 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:
short&sweet
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$21.00
Purchased At:
rolsted
Strengths:
very good looking,comfortable ride. light
Weaknesses:
very quick wear
Similar Products Used:
fast freds, Hakkapeliita A10, LHR's and a hand full of others.
Bike Setup:
Koga-miyata terralineralloy-s
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the larsen mimo cx. With winter in denmark the road can often be icy so I need a very sure footed tire. I commute to work and back on a 22km country road. I have to say the larsen mimo's held the road fine but the tire wear is excessively quick.
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Submitted by
josh
a Cross Country Rider
from oakland, ca Date Reviewed: February 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
JMP (East Bay, baby!)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
jenson
Strengths:
lightweight, low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Fragile, small/low volume (harsh ride), traction stinks on anything wet, short life span
Similar Products Used:
Half of them
Bike Setup:
Marin steel HT, rim brake rear
Bottom Line:
This is the Larson Mimo Signature model, used on the rear:
At 100 miles, knobs are missing & the sidewalls are giving way (threads are coming through in several spots). I don't expect much for $10, and that's what I got. This would make a great tire for longer races on fire roads or forest duff. But at the end of the race, you'd probably want to replace it. I wouldn't use this tire for races that involve any rock gardens.
"I'm going, going... back, back ... to WTB."
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carl
a Cross Country Rider
from Somerset Date Reviewed: October 26, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
TRi Uk
Strengths:
Strong side walls, little to no squirm when cornering hard, accelerate fast. rides well with heavy rider ( 14/15st) Kevla tyre is light ( 1Lb )
Weaknesses:
Stupid red / orange strip round outer edge... on both sides. could be faster on hardpack
Similar Products Used:
Useually run Michelene wildgrippers
Bike Setup:
Scott Octane FX 2.5, Judy XLC up front, standard Scott shock on rear,
Bottom Line:
Seems a good tyre, runs reasonably fast, strong side walls. good price for folding Kevla tyre.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darrin
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfield, OH Date Reviewed: July 26, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Quiet on the street when I am there. Smooth on the hard pack. Digs in in the soft dirt. Whips out the mud when they get dirty. I haven't found a weekness yet.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptor
Bottom Line:
Great tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neil
a Racer
from Janesville, WI Date Reviewed: June 23, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Maxxis sponsorship
Strengths:
They have great tread, hook up in all conditions. Angled center knobs really do roll easy. Strong side walls, can handle hard cornering at low pressure. Good castings, no flats yet.
Weaknesses:
Little heavy compared to my Continetal Supersonics.
Similar Products Used:
Continental Explorer and Twister
Bike Setup:
NRS C1 basically stock.
Bottom Line:
I run standard tires on UST tubeless rims (CrossMax SL). I was looking for a tire that would be good in all conditions so I didn't have to change it for every race. The MiMo is perfect. We haven't had too much rain this summer so most of my riding has been on dry conditions, the mud that I did encounter seemed to have no effect on the tires though, they hooked up and shed the mud wonderful. If it is really muddy you should be running the Medusa anyway. Some people have said that they wear out quickly, I have put about 800 HARD miles on mine so far this summer and the back is just showing signs of wear. I will probably switch the front and rear and have another 800 miles before I look at them again. Ok, bottom line...this tire is great, awesome tread pattern, stong bead (doesn't burp air), strong sidewalls (tire doesn't fold when cornering hard), no flats, need I say more? Oh yeah and they look cool! There you got it all now go out and buy some!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
k3n!f
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart, Tas, Aus Date Reviewed: January 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Mt Wellington
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weight, fast rolling, grips well, super fast on singletrack.
Weaknesses:
Don't climb as well as my last tyres. Seem to break traction long before the old ones did. Not so good in mud or loose fire trails
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis and Tioga XC tyres
Bike Setup:
Merida, Fox, Margura, Deore, Maxxis, pretty carbon bits here and there.
Bottom Line:
On the front I have an exception and the back is just a normal. The exception seeems to be worth it for the front but I don't think it would last that long on the back. Great tyre for fast singletrack sucks eggs in the mud though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Racer
from Philly Date Reviewed: October 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Wissahickon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Rolls fast, light, versatile. This is for the 2.0 eXCeption series.
Weaknesses:
They will wash out completely if you lean too hard into a turn, I figured it out the hard way.
Similar Products Used:
too many too list
Bike Setup:
00 enduro set up as a trail/race bike
Bottom Line:
I love these tires. I raced with them for the first time today at an extremely rocky location.(French Creek in Pa.) They were great on the rocks and the muddy spots. If you go through any real sloppy deep mud, they will pack up on you. But on the plus side, once you get up to speed most of mud cleans out.
As I mentioned above, I went into a turn a little too hot and I went down. That's a good way to find the tires limits.
I had a couple of chances to ride these in pretty dry conditions, and that is were they really shine. They hook up and accelarate really fast.
I highly reccommend these for racers and trail riders who like to go fast and hard.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane Gouldthread
a Racer
from Weedville Date Reviewed: October 7, 2004
Cannondale F700, All 2003 XT, Avid disc, Mavic 223 wheel, and MOSQUTIO's for racing now!(best tire)
Bottom Line:
they worked nice at the 24 hours of 7 Springs this fall. but the course is nothing but rocks and rocks. it was dry and they ran perfect. never pinched and i ran low pressure for laps.
But- i used them later on in another race in the loose conditions and they were horrible! they packed with mud and never had grip and NEVER shed the mud. just packed up bad. (should have run the best racing tire ever-HUTCHINSON,MOSQUTIO's)
(LIVESTRONG,RIDE LONG)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Potma
a Racer
from BC Date Reviewed: September 16, 2004
full xtr 04 oryx tline 750 with larsen tt front and larsen mimo rear tire
Bottom Line:
great tire for racing dry to damp conditions. slips around in thick mud. larsen tt 1.9 front and larsen mimo 2.0 on the rear, its a perceft combination for most races. thats my favourite combination ive ever ridden. on a slower race course with easy downhills, ill mount it backwards to get better grip while climbing hills. works great that way
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Enns Boy
a Racer
from Morden Manitoba Canada Date Reviewed: June 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
grand beach has some goodies
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
TCC
Strengths:
extremely fast rolling, grips nice, super low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
i wish they could come in a little more wide. something in-between the downhill and XC
Similar Products Used:
many other maxxis tires
Bike Setup:
Trek 4500 with tons up upgrade set-ups
Bottom Line:
first reaction: really awsome.. they roll super fast, and they are really light too. good for racing, and you can't feel any rolling resistance at all. Nice on uphills too after a year of riding them: tread has lasted quite well considering about 3000 km being put on them; still roll fast.. but like any tire.. uphills feel not quite the same. Buy this tire.. it makes your rides faster, and smooth. They friggen buzz over hard dirt.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clive Rubens
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary Date Reviewed: August 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
poderface
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$26.00
Purchased At:
Bike Shop
Strengths:
Light, fast
Weaknesses:
weak sidewalls
Similar Products Used:
Python, Panaracer fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic
Bottom Line:
Tried this tire yesterday for the first time under virtually all conditions except mud and was reasonably impressed considering the light weight Today I had gone 500m when the sidewall blewout and ended the trip. Pressure was 60 lbs and the trail was fairly smooth. This is not good enough, I was hoping to use the tire for an upcoming 80Km race but not any more.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Mo
a Racer
from Melrose, MA, USA Date Reviewed: June 2, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
pro-deal direct
Strengths:
Rolls fast, light, hooks-up surprisingly well
Weaknesses:
Wet roots and rocks
Similar Products Used:
lots
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR XC
Bottom Line:
I've raced these on loose, dry hard pack, and wet mud. They work best on dry/moist dirt. I was surprised at how well they hook on wet uphills. I think that it's the little round knobs. With the right technique, you can ride them anywhere. Good for most racing, but not for really wet stuff.
A bit narrow, so not for big riders who pinch flat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Danna Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, SC Date Reviewed: March 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
I would only use it on the rear
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Revolt
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Obed, SID, Chris King, Race Face, XTR, you know the drill
Bottom Line:
Great rear tire. A good balance between conflicting desires: light weight and low rolling resistance vs. the desire to stay upright on the trail. I ride nasty wet muddy slick rocky rooty Pisgah and these haven't killed me yet. They have become object of desire amoung riding buddies. I wish it didn't have that damn red stripe, though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tallboy
a
from New Orleans, LA Date Reviewed: November 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Looks good, hooks up well on climbs, easy to install, sheds alright.
Weaknesses:
Doesn't do well in wet conditions, has trouble hooking over trees and rocks when wet.
Good tire for loose over hard pack. I have the Larsen TT out back and the Mimo on the front porch. A good combo for just about anything but wet. The tread is directional so it does limit you somewhat. The ramped knobs make you decide weather you want to stop or climb. Smoke headies.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from London, Canada Date Reviewed: October 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Cyclepath
Strengths:
Nice knobs, hooks up better than semi-slick, still rolls fast.
Weaknesses:
None for specific use.
Similar Products Used:
Ricthey Z-Max, Alpha-max, Tioga 2.1 knobbies
Bike Setup:
Kona Explosif
Bottom Line:
Sweet tires for loose hard pack, hook up good in corners and climb nice. pretty good in mud and wet grass too. Great if you want a fast tire for conditions on a hard trail. not the greatest for really messy stuff. still go with the Z-max for that. little bit expensive
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zeke
a
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
I have the 1.9's, I use them as a rear tire. They are very fast rolling and they offer good traction. I thought that they might be a little narrow but it helps them to cut through mud. I'm really happy with this tire on the rear in XC conditions. It's actually pretty agressive compared to other racing tires like the Super-X or the Pythons and it still rolls really fast.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
I've used all sorts of tires. The closest to these would be Bontrager SS and Continental Cross Country. Rolls faster than the Conti and hooks up better than the Bontrager.
Bike Setup:
XC hardtail, discs and a Duke.
Bottom Line:
I am really happy with this tire. I bought it because it was on sale and I don't regret it. It hooks up really well and it rolls fast. It's skinny but it rides well. I never notice it when I'm racing and that's a good thing. I was using a Bontrager SS on the rear and I liked the speed but it wasn't the best if it started to rain or in loose conditions (it is a semislick after all).This tire grips everywhere and it even works in the mud. I would buy another for sure and I'm looking around for Maxxis tires as replacements for my freeride bike. The bottom line is that the tire is a good value-I got them for $28 CDN (wire bead) and I rate them very high as a racing tire for XC.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jan
a
from Kosice,Slovakia Date Reviewed: May 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$10.00
Strengths:
light,cheap
Weaknesses:
doesn't grip well in turns, too high rolling resistance, thin(1.8), wears fast
hardtail+bomber fork + some xt parts + some cheap light parts(140g handlebar...)=11kg
Bottom Line:
I bought them because they looked OK and were cheap. I tried them on the front wheel and in any contitions it was like on ice. It simply doesn't grip in turns and the small knobs bent too much. Unless you want to turn it's ok. They are pretty sharp and grip well on wet grass. On the rear wheel they gripp well but have too high resistance as the knobs bend. I must say I can't imagine any track where this tires would be ideal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
carlos
a Cross Country Rider
from san antonio texas Date Reviewed: March 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
700 acres/SA Ranch
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$26.00
Purchased At:
price point
Strengths:
-rolls fast -feels more rubbery than most high end tires -slower rebound, yeah, that's right, rebound -bites well on rock and roots even when very damp -great for technical climbing and descending -large air volume wide range of pressures
Weaknesses:
-most shops don't carry these tires and purchasing them from Maxxis' site requires that you pay retail. and as we all know "retail is for suckers"!
Similar Products Used:
stuff from WTB, Continental, IRC, Panaracer, Hutchinson, Tioga, Ritchey, and Bontrager.
Bike Setup:
98 Litespeed Obed, King wheels, Ti rigid fork, Syncros (pre-98), 8 sp, Blackspire rings, Avid Flack Jackets.
Bottom Line:
after having blown lots of cash on tires from a bunch of different companies and swapping tires every 2-3 weeks, i finnally found a tire than suits my riding style and set up. the large air volume coupled with the slower rebound AND sweet tread pattern just puts all other tires to shame.
the tires that come really close are Continental Leader Pros 2.0 and the IRC Notos 2.1.
Maxxis has a great customer service dept that's willing to pass half an hour chatting about tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Elvis Karate
a Cross Country Rider
from SW Mich Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Portage Schwinn 616-327-3393
Strengths:
Fast and narrow. Hooks up well in hardpack and lightly loose stuff. Likes the dry.
Weaknesses:
Didn't do well in mud. Front would wash when diving corners
Similar Products Used:
Everything. Really like Panaracer tires.
Bike Setup:
Ti hardtail. I am 195 lbs
Bottom Line:
I run high pressure in my tires and ride like a roadie off road. I really like these tires. I was running slicks and/or Fire's until I tried these. They are great on hard pack or light stuff. They are fast. I bought some Crossmax tubeless with Hutchinson and Michelin but prefer my old wheels with this tire on the rear and a Panaracer Mach SS up front. Or sometimes I run the 2 Mimo's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
azreal
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston Date Reviewed: August 5, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At:
maxxis.com
Strengths:
Climbing
Weaknesses:
Going down!
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Team Master and Team Control. Panaracer FirePro. Intense XC 2.25
Bike Setup:
Klein, XTR throughout.
Bottom Line:
I just got back from Mt Snow this weekend and rode the Norba XC course. I decided to try out my new TT and MIMO tires from Maxxis. These things climb great. but going down is treacherous. When the course turned down (the last mile of the course) my rear end was swaying side to side trying to slow down on hardpacked singletrack. 1 flaming turd.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Racer
from New York Date Reviewed: July 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:
it doesnt have a name
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Fast, excellent grip, very flat resistant
Weaknesses:
NONE
Bottom Line:
These are the best tires there are for XC racing in dry loose conditions. They roll faster than some semi-slicks I've ridden but hook up on everything. They might were fast for some people but they are a RACE ONLY tire. Do not ride them on pavement and they will be fine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Medford, Oregon Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Ashland Watershed
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Light weight, grip is excellant because of number of small "knobbies" and a quality design that works well in dry conditions. Red stripe is cool looking...I guess.
Weaknesses:
The 1.9's seem to be a little on the skinny side as compared to other 1.9's I've used.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer (you know which ones) specialized team master/control bontrager jones
Bike Setup:
Schwinn moab 2 (2000 with upgrades).
Bottom Line:
Excellant tire for xc and xc race. I would opt for the 2.0's for a little "beefier" looking tire. I think Steve knows what he's talking about when it comes to what a good kevlar tire should be...I'm not worthy!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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