Maxxis Minion DHF MP60 26 x 2.35 Tire: Ramped knobs for low rolling resistance, fore-to-aft channel cut knobs for straight line control, large block side knobs for cornering.
Submitted by
crisco
a Cross Country Rider
from North of Santa Fe
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2011
Strengths: Stick like glue on any surface! Reasonable weight. Excellent braking and cornering. These are my favorite tires by far, and i have tried quite a few!
Weaknesses: Sizing is incorrect, but not really a big deal. Just know what you're getting! 2.35 = 2.10, 2.5 = a tall 2.35. No lost chilis.
Bottom Line:
By far my favorite tire. I always end up coming back to these no matter what else i try! As other reviewers have said, there is a dead-spot when you are leaned over a few degrees...but this also makes the tires very fast when you're sitting upright. Don't be afraid to lean into these tires, they will take it!
I am running the DHF front and rear. It works well for both. The 2.35 clears the small rear triangle on the Blur LT very well. The Exo sidewall and 3C compounds are nice and only cost a little more. These tires work very well in the southwest, and in almost any conditions! They shed mud reasonably well and don't wash out in sand. I haven't tried them in snow yet, i'm sure they'll do fine.
No problems setting these up tubeless. I would not bother with the UST tire, it isn't necessary.
Submitted by
igorgoga
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2011
Strengths: this review is for 2.5 EXO 3C Cross country foldable DHF tire. Very good grip, excellent in rain, wet roots
Weaknesses: none. What if Maxxis makes a version in high volume, like Advantage?
Bottom Line:
During the dry season I used Advantage 2.5 front and back. As it started raining here on North Shore, my front tire started side slipping quite significantly on wet roots. I really like Advantage and was a bit reluctant to try Minion DHF. I put it first up front and side-slipping pretty much disappeared. Today I replaced the rear tire and noticed that the rear tire would not spin going over an obstacle but bite into it and go over.
There tires are very good. Don't waste money experimenting. This is the only setup I plan to use from now on. Both DHF 2.5, EXO, 3C. It cost me more than $200 to figure it out. Save your money!
Submitted by
lew242
a Downhiller
from UK and China
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2011
Strengths: -Much faster than a Nevegal
-Off camber grip
-Braking grip
-Anti puncture durability
-High speed stability
Weaknesses: -A little heavy
-A little slow
-Tad sketchy at slow speed
-Tad narrow for size
-Leaning grip average (unless going fast)
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the single-ply 2.35 version.
I couldn't really find much difference between running DHF/DHR, DHF/High Roller 2.35 and DHF/DHF. Although the DHF/DHR combo seems to climb better and have better slow speed off camber grip than the DHF/HR and DHF/DHF, but these were more possibly stable at speed but the High Roller was not as good on the climbs, and I hated it on the front.
In conclusion I would say a DHF/DHR or DHF/DHF is an ideal combo for an aggressive AM or freerider that doesn't mind a bit of extra weight and slow speed sketchiness to have a reliable tire that works best when going downhill quickly and won't puncture easily.
4 out of 5 as I'm hoping the Minion 2 will have more leaning and braking grip.
I have the single ply minion DHF exo in 60a and have tried to like them for 6 months now, and they just suck. I will say they are pretty good for a cross country tire, and they roll pretty well, and other than that they are just sketchy. They slide out way too easy on wet wood, They bounce all over the place (a vary harsh ride) and they slide out without warning. I have riden some softer durometer minions, and they are great. I would assume that most of my complaint relates to the 60a durometer. Super sketchy for downhill.
Weaknesses: Vague straight-line stability, lack of feedback
Bottom Line:
These tyres hook up around corners like nothing I've ever ridden before (Super Tacky double wall DH version 2.5 width). However, they have an amazing lack of control and feel in a straight line. I feel like I am out of control sometimes.
I've had them up at Thredbo in the damp and they had plenty of grip on the wet wood and roots, the braking traction is always amazing everywhere wet or dry. I've also had them on Mt Stromlo ('09 world champs course) in the dry. They are just sketchy when the bike is upright and pointed straight ahead - I don't understand it.
I expected the super tacky compound to wear very quickly but after some shuttling and lift riding and general fun they hardly show wear at all.
To get any feel at all through the bike I settled on 17/20 psi. I keep expecting to ding my rims, but nothing so far. Those sidewalls are seriously meaty!
My bottom line - if they hooked up on the straight ahead like they do leaned over hard they would be the perfect all-around tyre. As it is, I'm going to try something else next time.
Strengths: Corners very well as a front tire. Durable (60a version), mounts tubeless with no problems.
Weaknesses: The case sizing is too small. I d hesitate to run these at low pressure as a rear tire because the sidewalls are a little thin. (Single Ply version)
Bottom Line:
I use the 2.35 as a front tire. I really like the cornering ability it has over my previous choices. The 60a version is quite durable over the "Super Tacky". The weight is very good for a tire that size. But it isn't really 2.35 after all.
I mounted them on 19mm inner width rim and it measures 2.15.
Submitted by
Pieschelc
a Downhiller
from Colton, Oregon, US
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2011
Strengths: For a front tire, it is all point and shoot.
Weaknesses: None. This tire is designed for a specific purpose. It is not a good tire if you want long rides on concrete. It will wear fast and hummmmmmmmmm.
Bottom Line:
The tire is a little expensive but total worth it. It is a very sticky tire and goes where you want it to. Also due to the pattern and the soft material it works in all condition. So far snow, ice, mud, hard packed blue grove and rock gardens this tire has impressed me every time.
Bike Setup: 2009 Kona Dawgma. With lots of upgrades
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
jhbikeboy
a Cross Country Rider
from uk
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2011
Strengths: Pure grip. Mounts up tubeless easily.
Weaknesses: Not much, could be lighter, could be wider, could be faster rolling but for the intended purpose it's perfect.
Bottom Line:
This is a review of the 2.35 minion DHF super tacky 42a, single ply, wire bead.
As everyone else has said they come up small, maybe a 2.2 on a good day.
For the last two years i've been riding the uk trail centres and as they are mainly wet rock i've been looking for a suitable tyre. Previous tyres have been a compromise between weight, rolling resistance and grip. Well this time i decided that grip was a higher priority than weight etc.
Setup tubeless and running 25psi this has to be the grippiest tyre i've ever used. The front wheel is now rock solid, i don't know what you have to do to get this thing to slide. I hammered it in wet conditions at coed Llangdegla and it was as if the trails were dry. I was really giving it some stick and it was just tons of awersome grip. I didn't get the so called "dead spot" that others mention. Maybe the lower pressure stops it and i wasn't afraid to lean it over either. I didn't notice the extra weight, rolling was good and i only noticed the softer slower compound when trying to ride on the flat at XC speeds. It cheap, £21 ish, so not a problem when it's time for a new one. I don't know if it's the softer compound or the tread pattern or both, but it's so good i don't care. I not parting with it.
Bottom line is if you ride the uk(welsh) trail centres and have had enough of sliding around this is the tyre you need. If it's all about the decents or you lack confidence then you don't need to look any further. I'm dreading riding without it. An awersome tyre. Highly recommended.
Similar Products Used: Eskars, advantage, aspen, high roller, tons of XC tyres.
Bike Setup: 09 enduro, stans Arch rims. High roller on the rear.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
NO_BRAKES
a Downhiller
from Ellicott City, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2010
Strengths: INCREDIBLE GRIP UPHILL! INCREDIBLE GRIP DOWN HILL! Digs so deep I'm surprised the EPA hasn't banned them for tearing up more land in the USA. This tread pattern rocks!
Weaknesses: NONE! An environmentalists worst erosion nightmare. Expensive but worth the grip man. They will tear up the environment anywhere they go because they dig.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is there is no better tire on the market. The industry says it. Maxxis says it. It's their best selling tire. Too many people use it to not believe it. It comes standard on the best downhill racing bikes in the world inclucing Intense, Foes and any other top brand racing bike. The pro's use them and so should you. The 60 durometer one's are the stiffest nobs you will find. They grab hold of mud and dry conditions and hold. I never slip uphill, wet or dry. It's that simple man.
Similar Products Used: Maxxis Helter and Skelter tires.
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher King Fisher 1, modified w/8 inch fork, 7 inch Fox shock rear, Raceface Evolve DH Crankset, all Sram X-0, Sun MTX 33 rims, Hadley Hubs, and maxxis minion max pro 2 ply 2.50's wired bead 60 durometer.
never used anything like it( and i tried some tires before), when u got used to the awesome grip u will definitely ride faster! if you're not the breaking kind, get the DHF on the front and back like sam hill did...
BUY! NOW! DO IT!!!
ps: don't listen to the xc-douches, like already said, if you don't know how to ride it, don't critisize...
Submitted by
ringo
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2010
Strengths: rolls quite well, corners well when leaned properly, grips well when leaned or in straight line
Weaknesses: very narrow for stated size, requires aggressive cornering style to get the most out of it
Bottom Line:
I wanted to like this tyre, but we just didn't get on. In the right hands I suspect it would be a blast. I decided that riding the Minion would be like owning your first pit bull. If you take time to understand its preferences and learn its character then you might have a friend for life who will stick with you through thick and thin. Until that point, if you touch it or so much as look at it the wrong way it may tear your face off without any warning.
Its all about the lack of transitional knobs. If you like aggressive cornering then I am sure this would be great, but I just found it felt weird and it wouldn't behaviour properly. Sometimes you don't want to throw a bike into a mild corner - at those times is it nice for the bike to do what you want and expect it to. The Minion sort of had a mind of its own, and only begrudgingly listened to what I wanted. Even braking in a straight line sometimes had me fighting the bars if the front got deflected off something.
Again, I am sure it is possible to get used to all this and make it work for you but when there are other tyres out there that I like, I don't see the point in learning to ride differently to exploit what it can do when ridden as intended.
Also the 2.35 runs VERY narrow - narrower than my Nevegal 2.1.
Similar Products Used: Crossmarks, Nobby Nic, Racing Ralph, Nevegal
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
rainman
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane Australia
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2010
Strengths: GRIIIIIIIIIP!
Weight & price.
Weaknesses: It's hard to get single plys.
They don't make Slow Reezay anymore.
Bottom Line:
I cannot get enough of this tyre. It is THE king of grip. Like many have said on this page, wack a single ply 2.35 Slow Reezay or Super Tacky on the front with 20 psi, and pair it up with a 2.25 Ardent , Lopes Bling Bling (if you can find one), or a 2.35 Larsen TT in MaxxPro at 35 psi and you have the ultimate freeride/single track set up. Under steer it, over steer it, or just two wheel drift it. So predictable.
Now you'll have to excuse me; I have to go out and do it all again.......
Similar Products Used: WTB Weirwolf, and just about every other Maxxis tyre
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Chameleon - light free ride setup
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
larbike
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio, TX USA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2009
Strengths: Grip, steering precision, cornering.
Weaknesses: Slightly harsh ride, packs up in deep/sticky mud, smaller than advertised diameter.
Bottom Line:
I bought a 2.3 DHF super tacky for the front (42 durometer) and standard compound 2.3 DHF for the rear (60 durometer). This has been a great combination so far. These tires made my bike more responsive. I noticed an immediate improvement in steering precision and grip that made the bike come alive. In my opinion, traction is greatly improved over the Larsen TT and somewhat improved over the Excavators especially on the front,in tight corners, and more technical trails (limestone rocks, roots, mud). Rolling resistance is on par with Nevegals on hardpack but the Minions feel a little faster in the rough and steering/cornering has improved. The casing on these tires is 60tpi which, on my bike, makes them feel harsher than the 120tpi Kenda tires.
I compensated for this with some suspension adjustments and it's not a major issue now especially with the improved handling and overall grip. It's been a wet winter and I have not been able to ride these tires in loose,dry, conditions or at higher speeds. I'll have to report back on that during the summer. The only negatives so far, are the smaller than advertised diameter (My tires measure 2.10 inches at their widest point) and packing of mud into the tread grooves when crossing deep mud. Overall, I think these are great tires. Hey Fezzari!- I really think you should make these tires standard on the Nebo Peak models.
Similar Products Used: Maxxis larsen TT, Kenda nevegal, Kenda excavators
Bike Setup: 2008 Fezzari Nebo Peak
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Submitted by
wonny
a Downhiller
from Mammoth lakes ca
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2009
Strengths: Great traction, cornering, durable casing
Weaknesses: Cost. Especially for 3c and supertacky
Bottom Line:
This review is for the dhf 2.5 42a supertacky 2ply tire. This tire is superb in loose and soft conditions. The supertacky compound sticks to rock and wood like a spider to it's web. The 2 ply casing is very strong. Expect to run lower pressure unless you are a big boy. I haven't ridden a better dh/ fr tire in dry and loose conditions. These tires run narrow compared to kenda. Run 2.5 for fr setups and 2.7 for dh front.
Strengths: Superb braking traction, excellent cornering. Light weight (2.35 single ply is only 680g) and they roll well.
Weaknesses: None, some might say the carcass is little small compared to Kenda 2.35 but the sidewalls are tougher.
Bottom Line:
I use the 60a DHF front and back. Haven't found a better set of treads for wide variety of conditions. They hang on beautifully on off-camber shale, grass slopes, clay, loose dirt. Tend to clog on heavy mud but so does any tyre 'cept the Wet Scream. The braking traction is outstanding. Climbing is good but not excellent as the knobs are ramped, (but this makes them roll well, much better than a Nevegal). The 60a wears well. 2.35 single is a great trail tyre.
(You can pretty much discount the review below which favours the DHR over the DHF - it's just wrong).
I have been running a Minion DHF 2.5 with the EXO/3C combo up front and absolutely love it. Out back I am running a 2.35 Minion DHF but it only has the regular sidewall. Both fro Read More »
Sup guys. I just recently mounted a Maxxis Minion DHF 60A 2.35 for the front end and a Highroller 60A 2.35 for the rear. Ive ridden them once and Im totally blown away on how much Read More »
Hiya folks. I know, I know, another bloody rubber question!
I have a regular forest loop that I ride. It's an easy enough climb but I'm finding my highroller on the rear is pr Read More »
Right now I have the Minion DHF EXO on the front and rear and was wondering if the Ardent EXO would be a better rear tire choice. Any thoughts? Read More »
