Dissector vs DHR2

2021Mach6 · Feb 14, 2022

mtnbkrmike said:
I run an EXO+ MaxxGrip Assegai and an EXO+ MaxxTerra Dissector on my Druid. EXO+ is the sweet point for me, in terms of casing robustness and compliance, and weight.

Have you guys tried DD? I was running the same tires as above but in DD and holy crap - heavy AF but they were the best thing to have ever happened to my suspension - down, up and everything in between. Not sure how to describe it except to say that they were so beautifully compliant. EXOs, relatively speaking, feel like they ping off everything.

Mike how you liking that Druid? Those high pivots seem like they're more common in the PNW and BC, but I've noticed a few pop up here and there so they must be heading east. I'm mapping out a new build, but keep flipping back and forth between different bikes. More I think about it, the more I kinda want to try something different. Heard nothing but good things about Forbidden, but nothing firsthand. I've only seen one in person. What do you like/dislike about it, and what kinda riding/terrain would you say it's most suited for?

mtnbkrmike · Feb 14, 2022

2021Mach6 said:
Mike how you liking that Druid? Those high pivots seem like they're more common in the PNW and BC, but I've noticed a few pop up here and there so they must be heading east. I'm mapping out a new build, but keep flipping back and forth between different bikes. More I think about it, the more I kinda want to try something different. Heard nothing but good things about Forbidden, but nothing firsthand. I've only seen one in person. What do you like/dislike about it, and what kinda riding/terrain would you say it's most suited for?

*apologies for the off topic response

I think it’s a fun, interesting and very capable bike, but it can be a little exotic/finicky. It’s like owning a semi-exotic sports car. Always good to have a second vehicle/bike in the driveway/garage.

I rode my Honzo lots last summer while dealing with a few irritations with the Druid. That said, it’s everything good that you read. Super versatile. Fun on new school bermy blues, but very capable on techy double blacks.

The best thing I like about it is how surprisingly good it is climbing in the tech.

The things I don’t particularly like is that before moving to an NSB SS idler, I blew through 3 OEM idlers. Also, it’s a bit of a cramped cockpit, has a low stack height (for me) and it’s a bit tougher to get the front tire off the ground than bikes whose wheelbase does not grow on suspension compression.

But I plan to ride mine into the ground. I love it. I’m trying to be as objective as I can with you in my response.

BobFro · Feb 14, 2022

Dissector is faster rolling, a bit lighter (easier to puncture) with less braking traction given the same casing and compound vs DHR2.

jeremy3220 · Feb 14, 2022

Notthatbryan said:
The other difference is that the DHR2 wants to slide sideways along roots perpendicular to the trail more than the Dissector did. The Dissector seems more likely to slip pedaling over roots but holds it's line. The DHR2 is more likely to grip pedalling, but to slide sideways along the root. I'm not sure if this is due to the tread design or the rubber compound going from Max Terra to dual compound.

It's the tread pattern. This is the one weird handling quirk the DHR2 has. That paddle design that gives it such great braking also causes it to sometimes have less than stellar on-center lateral grip. It's caught me by surprise a couple times.

Also, as an alternative to the Dissector I was running up front, I installed a 2.3 DHF. Haven't had hardly any time on it to make a decision though.

richj8990 · Feb 14, 2022

HollyBoni said:
I have a 2.4 Dissector MaxTerra at the front with a Rekon at the back. I'm pretty light and not a super aggressive rider. I do decently long rides most of the time when I head out.
I have just about a 1000kms on the tyres (I record almost every ride with Strava), the Dissectors barely show any wear. Some of the side lugs may have tiny "cracks" in them, but that's about it. Nothing is tearing off.
I'm pretty happy with how the tyres are wearing. If you're a much more aggressive rider who rides park a lot, things might be different of course.

bmwpowere36m3 said:
I’m sure on the front it wears better, but likely not against other models still. I’m planning on using it either DHF > Dissector or Dissector > Rekon.

Same with the Rekon: 2.4 on the back it's about 1000 miles and it's done, the sealant will start showing even before then. The Rekon on the front has over 2000 miles and barely looks worn at all. I love the 2.6 on the front...but will move to the back later, just because. And then try a 2.4 Dissector on the front eventually. Yes, a narrower tire on the front; hardtails can be weird that way sometimes. The more I ride HTs the more I realize a wider tire in back makes more sense.

HollyBoni · Feb 14, 2022

richj8990 said:
Same with the Rekon: 2.4 on the back it's about 1000 miles and it's done, the sealant will start showing even before then. The Rekon on the front has over 2000 miles and barely looks worn at all. I love the 2.6 on the front...but will move to the back later, just because. And then try a 2.4 Dissector on the front eventually. Yes, a narrower tire on the front; hardtails can be weird that way sometimes. The more I ride HTs the more I realize a wider tire in back makes more sense.

Dang then I must really be a whimp, my DC Rekon at the back looks perfect after a 1000kms. 😅

Notthatbryan · Feb 14, 2022

jeremy3220 said:
It's the tread pattern. This is the one weird handling quirk the DHR2 has. That paddle design that gives it such great braking also causes it to sometimes have less than stellar on-center lateral grip. It's caught me by surprise a couple times.

Also, as an alternative to the Dissector I was running up front, I installed a 2.3 DHF. Haven't had hardly any time on it to make a decision though.

I'm running a 2.5 DHF up front and I've been very happy with it. Tried an Assegai, but preferred the DHF.

richj8990 · Feb 14, 2022

HollyBoni said:
Dang then I must really be a whimp, my DC Rekon at the back looks perfect after a 1000kms. 😅

But the million "Euro" question is do you have full-suspension or not. Because while in general all rear tires should wear roughly 2-3 times faster simply due to having more weight distribution on them, hardtails are particularly harsh on rear tires, especially if they are not wide and/or have thicker center tread. This is why I belately came to the realization that on the rear of a hardtail, unless it's relatively smooth and not steep, I have to either run a 2.4 real trail/DH tire or a wider (2.6 or 2.8) XC-oriented tire. I can't run a 2.4 XC or light trail tire in the back if it's a steeper blue or black trail. I can get away with it sometimes but not others. Rekon 2.4 won't cut it on trails with irregular embedded rocks, it will sometimes burp and then you have to pump up again, not as bad as the bead popping out and not going back in, but obviously annoying. Something less than a Rekon can actually puncture in back. Full-suspension XC / technical XC riders can get away with a real XC tire in back because the suspension helps preserve the tire. On a hardtail, the only thing preserving the rear tire (besides possibly inserts) is the tire itself, as in the tread and casing. Light-duty 2.4's on a hardtail therefore get destroyed on real trails that are steeper with constant obstacles.

So the plan for the near future is 2.4 trail or DH tire in back, and 2.6 Rekon or similar --- one could try Ardent / Ardent Race etc. --- for more overall XC and lighter trail riding where the downhill gradient is generally not more than 7-8%. That way the extra width of the 2.6 XC-oriented tire (not true XC but certainly more XC than a DHRII) will help cushion the harsh impacts in the rear of a bike with no suspension there.

I really like the 2.8 Kenda Booster in back but it won't fit into my 12x142 carbon XC frame, so that's why I'm swapping the Booster 2.8 to the front and Rekon 2.6 to the back. At my level, I can't really tell the difference in grip or handling between a 2.4 DHRII and a 2.8 Booster in back, it feels about the same because the Booster's width makes up for it's relative lack of center tread. The only noticable difference is that the Booster doesn't brake quite as well when it's steep, and it rolls a bit faster overall. Booster & Rekon are really good as overall light-duty mountain bike tires. Only in the right width though!

mtnbkrmike · Feb 14, 2022

Notthatbryan said:
I'm running a 2.5 DHF up front and I've been very happy with it. Tried an Assegai, but preferred the DHF.

I’m the opposite. Love both the DHF and the Assegai, and have only these two tires on the front of my bikes, but find the Assegai a little better in every way in the terrain I ride (apart from weight, RR, or probably both - I find the DHF less soul sucking on sustained climbs).

dysfunction · Feb 14, 2022

I think a lot of all of this, preferences and longevity, depends on the surface. Heavily so. I ride mostly dust on top of volcanic rock, or maybe caliche. It's totally different than somewhere that has actual loam.

HollyBoni · Feb 14, 2022

richj8990 said:
But the million "Euro" question is do you have full-suspension or not.

Full sus. It's probably the combination of not that gnarly terrain and my low weight? I think I do ride more distance than the "average" trail rider, but a lot of those miles are gentle. No car, so I ride just plain dirt roads, gravel roads, and pavement regularly before/between/after the trails.

LaXCarp · Feb 14, 2022

Notthatbryan said:
The other difference is that the DHR2 wants to slide sideways along roots perpendicular to the trail more than the Dissector did. The Dissector seems more likely to slip pedaling over roots but holds it's line. The DHR2 is more likely to grip pedalling, but to slide sideways along the root. I'm not sure if this is due to the tread design or the rubber compound going from Max Terra to dual compound.

I used to run the DHR2 religiously on the rear but moved away from it due to this issue. In my experience, it wasnt limited to kicking out on roots tho...I experienced it more when braking hard into a corner often times it would slide out in one direction or the other and have to try to reign the back end of the bike back in to execute the corner.

jrobNC · May 26, 2022

Notthatbryan said:
I've been running the Dissector 2.4 EXO Max Terra since the end of August. I had been mostly happy with the it until I realized that the cornering knobs were separating from the tire on the inside edge. They are separated enough that I was worried I'd lose a lug and end up with a flat.

I replaced it with a DHR2 2.4 DC. After almost 50 miles I've got a decent comparison. I'm hoping the Minion style cornering knobs and dual compound will hold up better.

Cornering traction is similar, I didn't find the Dissector lacking so if the DHR2 has more cornering grip it's not noticable for me.

The DHR2 has a little more braking and pedaling traction in a straight line. I notice it is less touchy about keeping weight over the rear when standing.

The DHR2 definitely has more rolling resistance, but not by a ton. It's enough to be noticable. I notice it in a sections with a couple of quick turns without room to pedal . I'm noticably slower at the end of those sections than I was on the Dissector.

The other difference is that the DHR2 wants to slide sideways along roots perpendicular to the trail more than the Dissector did. The Dissector seems more likely to slip pedaling over roots but holds it's line. The DHR2 is more likely to grip pedalling, but to slide sideways along the root. I'm not sure if this is due to the tread design or the rubber compound going from Max Terra to dual compound.

IMO only:
Dissector - lighter, faster, better transition knobs, wears out quicker, good trade off for grip and rolling resistance.
DHR2 - noticeably slower and heavier, grippy in strait line, but a slight squirm when leaned over before side knobs engage (depends on how aggressive you are with cornering), seems to last forever. Squirm probably not a big deal if your trails are wide and open; but where I ride the lines are tight, clearance is an issue and the consequences if clipping a tree at high speed are not worth it. Having said that - I wiped out hard in a smooth berm the other day because the Dissector gave out on me - maybe a defect in that particular tire as I’ve never had a failure on any Maxxis tire.

jamiedouglasholloway · Nov 6, 2023

idividebyzero said:
The 3C Dissector is a scam. I got 3 months out of maxxterra before needing to replace it because the side knobs were just flopping around and even the center knobs were shredded.

I would consider a DC EXO+(the new version) or DD, but never again will I buy a garbage 3C version.

Only offering DD in Maxxgrip is a really bad look for Maxxis as a company, they are absolutely scamming people.

I don't see what the carcus type has to do with tyre wear. Yes, a heavier duty casing will help again punches and give added stability at lower pressures, but the type of rubber compound is more crucial when talking about tyre wear. If you really that concerned about tyre longevity, then rather go for the standard Dual compound instead of the 3C maxx terra.

idividebyzero said:
The 3C Dissector is a scam. I got 3 months out of maxxterra before needing to replace it because the side knobs were just flopping around and even the center knobs were shredded.

I would consider a DC EXO+(the new version) or DD, but never again will I buy a garbage 3C version.

Only offering DD in Maxxgrip is a really bad look for Maxxis as a company, they are absolutely scamming people.

Notthatbryan said:
I've been running the Dissector 2.4 EXO Max Terra since the end of August. I had been mostly happy with the it until I realized that the cornering knobs were separating from the tire on the inside edge. They are separated enough that I was worried I'd lose a lug and end up with a flat.

I replaced it with a DHR2 2.4 DC. After almost 50 miles I've got a decent comparison. I'm hoping the Minion style cornering knobs and dual compound will hold up better.

Cornering traction is similar, I didn't find the Dissector lacking so if the DHR2 has more cornering grip it's not noticable for me.

The DHR2 has a little more braking and pedaling traction in a straight line. I notice it is less touchy about keeping weight over the rear when standing.

The DHR2 definitely has more rolling resistance, but not by a ton. It's enough to be noticable. I notice it in a sections with a couple of quick turns without room to pedal . I'm noticably slower at the end of those sections than I was on the Dissector.

The other difference is that the DHR2 wants to slide sideways along roots perpendicular to the trail more than the Dissector did. The Dissector seems more likely to slip pedaling over roots but holds it's line. The DHR2 is more likely to grip pedalling, but to slide sideways along the root. I'm not sure if this is due to the tread design or the rubber compound going from Max Terra to dual compound.

Notthatbryan said:
I've been running the Dissector 2.4 EXO Max Terra since the end of August. I had been mostly happy with the it until I realized that the cornering knobs were separating from the tire on the inside edge. They are separated enough that I was worried I'd lose a lug and end up with a flat.

I replaced it with a DHR2 2.4 DC. After almost 50 miles I've got a decent comparison. I'm hoping the Minion style cornering knobs and dual compound will hold up better.

Cornering traction is similar, I didn't find the Dissector lacking so if the DHR2 has more cornering grip it's not noticable for me.

The DHR2 has a little more braking and pedaling traction in a straight line. I notice it is less touchy about keeping weight over the rear when standing.

The DHR2 definitely has more rolling resistance, but not by a ton. It's enough to be noticable. I notice it in a sections with a couple of quick turns without room to pedal . I'm noticably slower at the end of those sections than I was on the Dissector.

The other difference is that the DHR2 wants to slide sideways along roots perpendicular to the trail more than the Dissector did. The Dissector seems more likely to slip pedaling over roots but holds it's line. The DHR2 is more likely to grip pedalling, but to slide sideways along the root. I'm not sure if this is due to the tread design or the rubber compound going from Max Te

Notthatbryan said:
I've been running the Dissector 2.4 EXO Max Terra since the end of August. I had been mostly happy with the it until I realized that the cornering knobs were separating from the tire on the inside edge. They are separated enough that I was worried I'd lose a lug and end up with a flat.

I replaced it with a DHR2 2.4 DC. After almost 50 miles I've got a decent comparison. I'm hoping the Minion style cornering knobs and dual compound will hold up better.

Cornering traction is similar, I didn't find the Dissector lacking so if the DHR2 has more cornering grip it's not noticable for me.

The DHR2 has a little more braking and pedaling traction in a straight line. I notice it is less touchy about keeping weight over the rear when standing.

The DHR2 definitely has more rolling resistance, but not by a ton. It's enough to be noticable. I notice it in a sections with a couple of quick turns without room to pedal . I'm noticably slower at the end of those sections than I was on the Dissector.

The other difference is that the DHR2 wants to slide sideways along roots perpendicular to the trail more than the Dissector did. The Dissector seems more likely to slip pedaling over roots but holds it's line. The DHR2 is more likely to grip pedalling, but to slide sideways along the root. I'm not sure if this is due to the tread design or the rubber compound going from Max Terra to dual compound.

I have noticed many of the following Maxxis tyre combinations on 2023 Trail bikes.

1. DHF - DHR2
2. DHR2 - DHR2
3. DHR2 - Dissector
4. Dissector - Rekon

There is a clear trend of the DHR2 now being used as a front tyre as well, and it's also in order of how aggresive the trails are. The question is what type of terrain are you riding, and whether grip or rolling efficiency is more important to you. If you are doing alot of climbing, then running a DHR2 on the back may not be the best option, unless you gonna run higher tyre pressures in the rear. I also think one should consider your rim width, as this may also play a role in the way the tyre behaves, and how much tyre pressure you will need to run. I would say that the DHR2 makes for a reliable/versatile all-rounder front trail tyre, and depending on your situation I would consider either a dissector or Rekon on the rear for guys who spend alot of time climbing. For lighter trails, I'd run the Dissector in the front and Rekon in the back. Perhaps it is worth considering the Dual compound option if you want longevity, and 3C for better grip. I have personally ridden the DHF, DHR2, and Assegai versions.

Dissector vs DHR2

2021Mach6

mtnbkrmike

BobFro

jeremy3220

richj8990

HollyBoni

Notthatbryan

richj8990

mtnbkrmike

dysfunction

HollyBoni

LaXCarp

jrobNC

jamiedouglasholloway

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