Submitted by
Allen Thurber
a Cross Country Rider
from Wisconsin Rapids, WI USA Date Reviewed: November 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
9 Mile Forest
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Light, low rolling resistance, dependable and predictable as a front tire.
Weaknesses:
This is not a good back tire, except maybe in dry hardpack conditions.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Serac, IRC Mythos, Bontrager Jones
Bike Setup:
23 pound hardtail. Mix of XTR and XT,Avid mechanical disc brakes, FSA XC-300 wheels, Easton EC 70 build kit, SID team fork, Maxxis Hi-Roller tire on rear, Maxxis Minotaur on the front.
Bottom Line:
I love these as a lightweight front tire. I couple them with a Hi-Roller on the rear and it's an awesome lightweight all-around tire set up. Maxxis makes great tires and are constantly pushing the envelope and are willing to try different things. Again, I don't recommend these as a rear tire, but they are an awesome front tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh Emmons
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver Co. USA Date Reviewed: July 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Moab trails, i love slick rock
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Vello swap
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance,and very lite. the tires are fast also.
Weaknesses:
The tires don't last long, one season for me, and now there as bald as a baby's butt... and the tires don't grip sand, nor rocks, the tires are not that great.
Similar Products Used:
NONE!!!
Bike Setup:
1999 GT Zaskar with sram X9 set up, with Thomson, and Dean.
Bottom Line:
I hate these tires with a passion, if your looking for a tire to buy, DONT BUY THIS ONE!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich
a Cross Country Rider
from Lawrenceville, GA Date Reviewed: January 22, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Tribble Mill
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Very light at a true 378 grams! Mount easily, track well. Good all around cross country tire.
Weaknesses:
Thin skinned and prone to flats from thorns.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Smoke and Dart, WTB Moto Raptor.
Bike Setup:
Marin East Peak with Fox Talas RLC fork, Ritchy WCS crank, FSA XC300 wheels, and lots of carbon. Bike weight=26lbs.
Bottom Line:
Well...I bought these tires before reading the reviews but rode them afterward. So...I expected the worst performing tires one could imagine, but, that is not what I got. I can't believe these reviews are of the same tires I got. I love these tires! They are very predictable in all kinds of terrain and they are noticably lighter than my last set of tires the Panaracer Smoke and Dart combo. These tires lighten up the steering so that I am able to point the front tire exactly where I want it to go, and it goes there. I've got about 200 miles on them so far and am very pleased with their all around performance. If they suffer at all in traction it is when the soil starts to get soft, cakey or muddy. They get me through but traction is limited in these conditions. I've gotten one flat so far with a thorn puncture, but it was a pretty big thorne. Otherwise, the tires seem to handle the sharp rocks and wet granite quite well. I do find myself riding up climbs a gear higher than with my previous tires. This, I feel, is due to the light tire weight and the smaller tire diameter than my previous 2.1 sized tires. Anyway, I find them fun to ride on. I have also had to re-adjust my suspension settings for the lighter weight of the Minotaurs. This was a plus since now my suspension seems to be more responsive to the changing terrain. I recommend them!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guillaume
a Cross Country Rider
from montréal Date Reviewed: May 30, 2005
Favorite Trail:
mont-tremblant
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
The weight is low. Nice look...that's it for positive
Weaknesses:
Since I installed them, I had so much trouble with the handling, especially on the front wheel and even had a jumpy back with in rear in some tiny rocks. Wish I could return them. Tried them with a lot of different psi level and still are a problem.
GT avalanche series frame with full xt and RS sid. All easton components or bontrager race x-lite. Fair bike.
Bottom Line:
I must say that I hated those tires on all type of ground. I am 5'11" and 185 and I have a lot of problems. Maybe it's a question of weight. I had a pinch flate once cause the tire actually went out the the rim while turning on a street corner at around 35 km/h. Tottaly s.....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom
a Racer
from philly Date Reviewed: July 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
price point
Strengths:
theyre light
Weaknesses:
they always feel like they are about to wash out, even when youre going straight.
Similar Products Used:
ive had good luck with the eXCeption series of maxxis tires
Bike Setup:
specialized fsr set up as a sweet trail/race bike
Bottom Line:
I guess if I had to find somthing nice to say about these, the grip while climbing is pretty good. Once you pick up speed though, they prety much scare the crap out of you. I guess they would be good if you were working on your reflexes. They suck!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zach
a Racer
from port hope,on,canada Date Reviewed: July 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
hard wood hills
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
pedal perfomance
Strengths:
relly grippy light, low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
wears out fast knobs peel off
Similar Products Used:
irc mythos xc, panaracer dart 2
Bike Setup:
giant xtc 2 time pedals
Bottom Line:
a great racing tire but if you plan on riding on the road bike you should use other tires or have a road bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Lang
a Cross Country Rider
from Asia Date Reviewed: August 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
any trail.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
It is light (and for once really is the advertised weight of 380gms).
Weaknesses:
Much more unstable bike handling as compared to other tires of similar width. Much more effort on uphills due to the soft compound (especially on very hard pack and expect to lose one to two gears). Value vs performance.
Similar Products Used:
Michelin Wildgrippers, IRC Mythos, Specialized Mt.Baldy Pro, Specialized Team Master Pro, Specialized Team Contro Pro. and others.
My Lbs ran out of the Mt. Baldy's so I gave the Minotaurs a shot which seemed such a great prospect considering it's weight and sometimes great reviews I found in this site. I weigh 178lbs and I workout almost daily around 30kms. The riding in my area is (unfortunately) 80% on the road (yes, of course semi's would serve it's purpose better but I can't be stuffed to swap tires every weekend when it's all dirt) and consists almost completely of steep hills. Riding these tires meant putting much more effort. The rear does the minimal of hook up and I find I either lose a gear or two, or have to resort to spin seated at a higher cadence (therefore slower) in order to compensate. The front fares better but still the worst amongst the other products I've used. I was more disappointed with its stability at speed. In the dirt it improves a lot, but then very puncture prone which is expected due to its low weight, but that means less fun. Traction is still not as near as I'd been accustomed to. I wish I had liked my Minotaurs as much as some of the reviewers below, but somehow find mine to work opposite to what they say they experience. Seems that either people give these tires a five - or a one. What gives Maxxis?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan Gerrit Klok
a Racer
from Holland Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
www.bike2build.com
Strengths:
372 grams on my scales... Good alround performance.
Weaknesses:
I'll have to be easy on them, no training, just racing. Will wear soon.
Didn't have to think of them in the race I tested them, which says enough. Good grips, low weight makes for easy ride. do not use the wormdrive 430, get the lighter Schalbe Fred Qualifier Compound. Used the Minotaurs as both front and rear. Seemed very predictbly on sandy dune-trail. I have 3 of them, got a deal on 2 from a guy that got them OEM but can't use them because of sponsoring from other tiremanufacturer. I will race them as front from most of my races till they're all slicks. Slickery tracks also as rear, otherwise the awesome Fast Freds.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jean-Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from West Chester Date Reviewed: July 7, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
came with the bike (Marin)
Strengths:
light so it won't load you recycle bin too much very easy to dismount, fold and trash
Weaknesses:
Ride on the bare rim you'll get better handling.
Similar Products Used:
hutchinson, Specialized, IRC, Michelin to name a few
Bike Setup:
Marin Mount Vision pro 2001 stock
Bottom Line:
This tire made my bike handle so bad, I almost get rid of the bike. It gave the worst ride I had in years. Stay away at all cost
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
davide valentini
a Racer
from modena, italy Date Reviewed: May 20, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
nencini sport
Strengths:
the weight, good grip over steep ascents, wery mud friendly
Weaknesses:
the worst tire i've ever used, absolutely unpredictable even considering the small section, knobs are too flexy so you can't control the front and, for the same reason this tire doesn't roll
Similar Products Used:
wormdrive 430(much better), spec. mt baldy, sppedmax and many others
Bike Setup:
kestrel csx, c.max, full xtr
Bottom Line:
the worst mtb tire i've ever used, especially dangerous for front use, i'can't believe i've bought a tire like this only becouse of marketing hype (380 grams)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
gavin
a Cross Country Rider
from penzance, cornwall, UK Date Reviewed: May 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
west penwith moors
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
skittery and inspires no cornering confidence whatsoever
Similar Products Used:
tiogas... mud and xc
Bike Setup:
marin m.vision 01 model. race face low risers, hope xc4, tioga xc going back on as soon as!
Bottom Line:
soon as i got this bike i put the xc's on and it was great. popped the maxxis jobbies on (that came with the bike)to see how they went and immediatly regretted it. sure they have little rolling resistance which is good on a long slow climb but the secong you get some speed up they just feel awful. skittery does'nt really describe it, more a case of thinking that the front is always going to wash out... you just don't want to corner on them (had the same problem with velociraptors, think its down to the long high tread on the edge of the tyres)! other prob is that when you do lean into a turn they just flop in, carving turns just does'nt happen.
bottom line is (sorry maxxis) they're cr@p. the UK mags gave them a bad write up and i have to say i really agree. i'd have been well p@ssed if i'd actually bought them!
i'd give em' zero chillis but mtbr don't give me that option!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Oregon Date Reviewed: September 18, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Strengths:
Very light weight. Fast rolling and accelerating. Great road feel and feedback as a front tire.
Weaknesses:
Very rapid wear as a rear tire. My rear tire has worn out after 450 miles. Jittery handling for the first 100 miles when used front and back until the rear knobs began to wear down. Very expensive especially when considering the rapid wear.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Hard Rock FS
Bottom Line:
I liked these tires after they "broke in" after about 100 miles. Confident handling on single track. The front tire has almost a gyroscope effect-it continuously is forcing you to stay on line. Great on pavement, hardpack, loose soil, damp conditions but not mud. I was immediately able to climb hills using the next higher gear then the one I would normally use due to the reduced rolling resistance. I could also descend familiar trails at a faster speed with more control. Unfortunately, this performance doesn't last for very long. Best performance was between about 100 and 300 miles. I expect about 750 miles of life out of the front tire. I do not recommend that this tire be used on the rear due to the rapid wear and initial tricky handling until the knobs wear down a bit. Use the Wormdrive instead.(My rear tire is a slick after 450 miles.)My rating is therefore for use as a front tire only. I think there are better values out there. This tire, as Maxxis states, should be used for racers only.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon
a Racer
from Rimouski, Quebec Date Reviewed: August 29, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$39.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Wicked light (380g) Low rolling resistance Good traction in loose stuff, roots, rocks and mud Resistant to flats
Weaknesses:
Racing tire = doesn't last long
Similar Products Used:
IRC mythos XC, Michelin wildgripper, Specialized ground control, All kinds of racing tires...
Bike Setup:
Argon 18 MTB 3DB, go see my post in the front suspension section for details
Bottom Line:
These tires are A-WEE-S-OME!!!!! They are wicked light which makes a huge difference in the climbs, but still gripp really well for a 1.9" tire. You don't need any other racing tire except for semi-slicks for hard pack conditions. Try them, you won't be disapointed. Right now I have 110 km on them and the rear tire is starting to show a bit of wear on the knobs. I figure that I'll be able to milk 200-300 km out of them. They are a race only tire, so you can't expect them to last any longer!
I used them with maxxis ultralight tubes at 55 psi (I weight 205lbs) and no flats at all! Anyways, so far so good!
Bottom line: Great racing tire!
Later.
Simon
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
June Mizoguchi
a Cross Country Rider
from Elizabethtown, KY, USA Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Otter Creek park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Fast!! and good grip on hard pack trail and loose trail.
Weaknesses:
Soft compound = won't last forever
Similar Products Used:
Michelin Widegripper F/R
Bike Setup:
99' Schwinn HomeGrown Yeti Frame, SID Rear Shock, Morzocchi Z2 X-Fly 00, Mavic 317 Citron with DT HUB, Hayes F/R Disc Bakes, XT components, RaceFace BB & Crank/charinngs, Kore Seat Post, Bontrager FS200, Kore Stems, Skewer, Seatpost.
Bottom Line:
I'm using Minataur for the front and Worm Drive in the rear. When I fist go Minataur tires, I used as F/R but I began to find out, using for rear was bad idea. Too soft to use as Rear. As even Maxxis recommend to use Worm Drive as combination and it is awesome. If you are looking for speed then here is the setup for Racing that will pass your oponents in no time. I just keep rolling and rolling. In the wet/mud Minataur (front) can handle but, mud wont clear up too much. As of rear as worm drive you will know.. not great. .. Have fun and try it.. expensive but it does the job very well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Juan Carlos Guarddon
a Racer
from Wichita, KS USA Date Reviewed: April 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
River Trails (when not crowded)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
light weight (380g) great traction on loose and hard pack terrain
Weaknesses:
may not last long
Bike Setup:
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS M2
Bottom Line:
I have a minotaur on the front and rear wheels because there are still a few muddy spots in the trails. They hold perfectly in loose conditions as well as dry (dont know about sand yet). I ride rough and haven't got flat tires yet. In one ride I lost the front brake and I had to lock the back wheel on steep descents which destroyed many knobs in the rear tire, so it seems that the tire may not last long. This tire is intended for racing only and they are pretty expensive so I would only recommend using them in the race, dont waste them in training rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scot Douglas
a Racer
from Ann Arbor, MI Date Reviewed: April 17, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
longevity(?)
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Bontrager Race frame, Angry Asian (www.angryasian.com) fork, Bike set up as a single speed.
Bottom Line:
This year I'm racing the local point series on my single speed and need all the help I can get! I ran the 380 Minotaur on the front and the Wormdrive 430 on the rear. Just this past weekend I raced in a local timetrial and were very happy with these tires. They helped so much that I could've ran a steeper gear, had I taken on with me! I usually ride the F/R specific Ritchey Speedmaxes; The Maxxis tires performed about equally as good as the speedmaxes overall. There were two differences: 1. The minotaur bit alot better in the corners than the speedmax. 2. The wormdrive gave up grip (Climbing and braking) compared to the speedmaxes. I am very happy with this combination on the hardpack/sandy course I raced on. I cannot speak for the wet performance of these tires. Also, these are race-only tires and I bought these knowing that a set should only last 50-75 miles. Funny thing is, after 20 miles of racing, these tirs still look like they're in good shape. I'll report back as the season continues...
I'm giving a good value rating because I lucked out and found a good deal on the tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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