Maxxis Aggressor vs Dissector vs Minion DHR II | Which is best for you? 

Alrighttttt which of these tires is best for where you ride?

Been running a Assegai front and Agressor rear and its my favorite combo ever. Both 29" and 2.5" on a Ibis Ripmo.

I’m currently running an aggressor in the back and an assegai in the front and it’s an awesome combo.

This summer I rode my DHR II down to a dissector and is on its way to an aggressor. Then I'll put it on backwards for a little more dissector to aggressor action, after that ... Inside out for a slick. So for me its DHR II for life. But seriously, DHR II w/ Cushcore or Highroller with DH casing. Great review guys!.

Finally! A professional quality tyre review!

I'm currently running Assegai/Dissector, it is an amazing combo. Playful but controlled out back, good braking and cornering traction, decent rolling speed, but the Dissector does wear kinda fast. Assegai up front is like the fingers of god, no matter how steep or loose things get, you can always find grip and control your line. Assegai/Dissector is amazing in the bike park and on most trails.

I would love to see another review for front tires 👍

After trying all sorts of different combos (Rekon, Forekaster, Aggressor, DHF, all in multiple sizes), the combo i've finally settled on is Dissector 2.4 rear, Assegai 2.5 front, EXO MaxTerra for both. Can trust them to hook up on almost anything, still rolls well enough to earn the turns without feeling like you're dragging an anchor, but also not too light that you're unsure of whether it'll hook in on almost every corner or skip on braking.

I just replaced my OEM Specialized tires with DHRii in the rear and Assegai on the front. Got home yesterday from 10 days in Pisgah/Dupont, NC with no complaints. Rained the first few days there so I got to ride wet/mud , tacky, and dry conditions through out the trip. Loving this set up.

I love my DHF(f)/Aggressor(r) combo. I used to have the DHR on the rear but I like the less rolling resistance of the Aggressor while still having a lot of control and grip when cornering.

Living in the variable PWN weather & wanting an "all-season" setup, I now stick to a Dissector in the rear & it works well in wet conditions a lot better than I would have expected. Up front is always a balancing act on what I want (but I tend to stick with a DHF WT), but at least I've become comfortable with the Dissector as my go-to rear tire now! Great overview gents.

I live in New England and find that the Minion is a great all around tire. On my old Bronson I was running DHF's front and rear. My new Rallon came with the DHR II on the rear and the DHF on the front. So far, I'm loving the combo. Works great on the often greasy, rocky, rooty trails here in CT and MA.

Digging the Dissector on front when mixed with Rekon on back for lighter trail duty.

For all round condition where I live, its DHR2 all the way. It works well on the soft soil, clay-ey portion, gravelly slopes, rooty section, loose over hard transitions, sometimes slippery trail condition due to sudden downpours. It's not the best at clearing mud but it does ok and certainly better than mud spikes when you have to transition to loose over slippery rocks, plus better grip than the dhf on tight twisty switchbacks. It's not the best at each condition but it works well. If I want the best at the conditions I wrote above, I'd probably have to bring 2-3 different purposed tires for a single ride.

Assegai in the front and dhr 2 in the rear, great combo for everything and all weather 👍

I ride predominantly in southwestern Utah where it is very dry and the trails transition quickly between a mixture of Navajo Sandstone, rocky, gravel, and sandy terrain. I am currently riding on Maxxis DHF in the front 29 x 2.5 and a Maxxis Aggressor 29 x 2.5 in the rear. I couldn't be happier with the turning traction and stability. The uphill traction with the Aggressor is better than a DHR, but perhaps not as good as a Maxxis High Roller II. The wearability of the Aggressor is outstanding!

These guys know each other very well haha good camaraderie

Also let's see a maxxis vs schwalbe review! The new schwalbe super trail stuff looks rad!

I'm all about that Assegai life.

Been loving the Dissector here in Arizona!

Exactly what I needed to see. I am going with the aggressor!

Great video guys. Definitely agree with your assessments. If you do a front tire review/comparison you should throw in the DHRII. It's so planted and predictable as a front tire in wet and dry/loose conditions. My favorite bike park combo is a DHRII front/Dissector rear.

Great comparison between the tires. Very informative. Thanks!

Great video. Very informative. I'm on my 2nd set of DHF and Aggressor (rear) here is VERY DRY SoCal. Since I commute on asphalt roads about 4 mile to and from the trails the Aggressor has been a good tire for fast rolling, wear +, fun and hard pack to loose over hard. Agree down hill hard braking has taught better brake modulation to maintain traction with the Aggressor. Will try the Dissector on rear next.

Just moved from the 2.3 dhf and 2.3 aggressor to the 2.5 agessai and 2.4 dissector for the winter. Traction is much improved. The dissector is much better for me climbing up the steep and rooty climbs. Still has a little bit of party.

You continue to do great videos and the type of videos that are exactly on people's minds yet address these complicated questions in a great way that breaks it down well. Great job!

I've been running bald slicks at 62psi on the trails, street, and bike park like a daredevil. I just ordered a pair of Minions DHF and DHR EXO and I can't wait to shred! Thanks for the video! I was looking to see if I made the right choice. Clearly, for my needs, this is a win!

Aggressor can’t hang when it gets loose and steep, it just doesn’t have the braking traction. Seems to be a great shoulder season tire when the trails have some moisture, not too much, not too little. DHR2 for the loose summers and muddy winters.

Good job and I agree with your findings. A first I was shocked that Mike hadn't ridden the Aggressor until I remembered where he lives and his everyday terrain. I'd definitely ride a DHR II in his backyard though the Aggressor is probably the best for SoCal.

DHF 3C DD up front + Agressor DD. The Agressor is soo fun, I'm loving it. Fast rolling, easy to drift but bites when leaned. (I ride enduro trails, mostly hardpack, loose to really loose dirt, sharp rocks, chilean antigrip.)

No one ever really talks about compounds, but its one of the most important factors in my eyes. My goto combo is DHR2 F+R, but using Maxx Terra up front and the dual compound out back. Works a treat, rolling resistance is about right between front and back, and lets the bike corners like its on rails. Also because I'm still on 26", haven't tried the others :P

Great review guys that I'd echo, having ridden all three. Recently been riding the Dissector front and rear this Summer and Spring here in New England, as the drought turned our trails into hardpack extensively and found that my DHR IIs weren't cutting it in aggressive cornering situations, getting skittish. It's a great in-between the DHRs and the Aggressors. Where I found it lacking is getting back into Fall conditions, with leaves and pine needles (loose over hard), it definitely loses its bite as a rear tire and you get a fair bit of slip when ascending steep sections and the edge treads start to wash out in cornering, or laying over in those conditions on berms. The Aggressor is definitely the longest wearing, but least capable in wet conditions.

I live in the flatlands of Michigan. Sandy soils, dust on crust for most of the summer, the Aggressor is perfect. Paired with a DHF at the front (tried a DHR up front and did not like it as much as a DHF), the aggressor breaks free predictably before the front like clockwork. Great combo for drier, loose on hard pack

Assegai in the Front and Dissector in the Rear. Really loving the combo. Front is insanely planted, and the back is able to flick around until you lay into those side knobs. Perfect balance of grip and play.

I have Dissector in the back and Minion DHR ll front.

I'm running an Aggressor up front and Dissector out back. A lot of that came down to availability. So far stoked on the combo with better rolling speed than the DHF/DHR combo I was using before. Not a huge difference from the High Roller II F/R. Riding hardpack and loose-over hard here in Colorado and Utah.

DHR Front / Dissector Rear. Was running DHRs front and rear but wanted faster rolling & lighter out back. With the DHR the rear was planted but soooo sloooow. Will keep DHR/Dissector for winter & spring, but when it gets dry and hot I’m thinking of putting the Dissector in the front and a Rekon in back. Should be a fast combo for the summer.

I’m in So Cal and my old bike had a rear Agressor and a front Ardent. My very recent new bike has a rear Minion DHR and a front Assegai. I love the Assegai. The Minion is really grippy and rolls slower than the Agressor. I think I prefer the faster rolling Agressor. But, the breaking with the Minion DHR is fantastic. The jury is still out!

My biking group loves to go in hardcore jungle trails with a lot of tree roots which become slippery when it’s wet. I’m using DHF at the front and DHR II at the back which works great and a good combination for the kind of riding we do. It gives a better traction and grip with those slipper roots and soil.

I’m still rocking high rollers front and rear, dunno why but just love them

I leave the dhr2 on the back all year, seems to be the best go anywhere in any conditions tyre i can find One day im in the mud next day its loose gravel then it can be rock slabs or hard dusty trails n the dhr2 just seems to be ready for all of it

Such a great and detailed overview - thanks guys!

Great review guys- exactly what I needed! Running DHRII’s front & rear, considered both other options for a faster rolling rear but will stick with what I’ve got. Cheers

I ride an Agressor on the back, and a Minion DHF up front, so far so good, they are a bit slower than the MAVIC's that I had previously installed. Have been riding with different psi, to get to the perfect comfort zone vs performance. Let's see how they perform after six months or so.

Assegai is also good tyre for rear wheel. Heavy but grips well and takes beating

Coming from a butcher on the rear, my first pedal stroke on the aggressor had me convinced my shock was locked out. Not the case, it just rolls so well and the side knobs have a baby minion pattern. Plenty of grip for socal and much more playful than a minion/butcher when you take your weight off it

I'm running a hookworm front and an assegai rear. It allows the front to washout and I get really good traction when I'm doing wheelies!

Finally, a review video worth watching.

You should show the weight of each tire in the review also!

Thanks guys this was very useful as there are so much to choose from. Love the vids you post. Keep up the great content 👍

This past Winter, for XC, where in the dry months I run Rekon Race (R) and Ardent Race (F), I switched to Aggressor (R) and Dissector (F) to deal with wetter conditions. The Aggressor worked very well, offering predictable grip, but the Dissector not so much; it has a tendency to wipe out when cornering, even in damp or dry conditions. Next Winter, seeing as the tyres are not worn through, I might switch them up and see how the Dissector does in the rear.

I scaled back a bit. I'm running a rekon 2.4 on the rear with a dhr2 2.4 in the front. I had been running a assegai front and dhr2... Right now im not missing the extra weight of the assegai and traction still feels good.

DHF front and Dissector rear. I ran DHRII in rear for a while and liked the grip, but the Dissector is noticeably faster rolling, while maintaining grip.

DHR2 rear Assegai front :) works great for me. Nice video guys, thank you 🤘🏽

I am currently running DHF (F) / Aggressor (R). Been a great combo in Colorado where it rarely rains and it’s hard pack / dry / loose. I agree the Aggressor is not great when it comes to mud, and it doesn’t have my braking traction compared to the DHR 2. But rolls so fast and more then enough grip when cornering. Between aggressor and dhr 2, it’s whether you want rolling speed or braking traction here in CO.

Been riding DHR II, the Dissector looks promising for my local conditions. I like my tires, but they are not fast rolling, trading a bit of grip for speed would be welcome.

DHF in the front, Aggressor in the rear for me!

29x2.6 23psi front Dissector and 27.5x2.6 27psi rear Dissector both have the new Cushcore trail inserts on a Commencal Meta HT 👌 perfect set up for me here in Arkansas

I've ridden the 29x2.5 Aggressor on a 27mm inner width rim (not the ideal width) a bunch and have found that it rolls really fast in Utah on the back. Very durable! That's based on timing my climbs over the course of 2 years. I actually like the DHRII on the front quite a bit. But, it's slow - even on the front. Great braking traction and really good steering as well. The DHF has a small vague spot as you lay the tire over (I think that characteristic is exaggerated) so if that's a problem, the DHRII solves it up front. Haven't ridden the Dissector. For years, Continental tires would self destruct. My 128 pound 60 year old wife (7 years ago) tried a pair of X-Kings and they didn't make it 20 miles. Those days are gone! They are now good sturdy tires and I'm currently running the Trail King up front (kind of a fast rolling DHRII - lite) with the Mountain king on the back. I'd like to see some comparisons on Continentals now. Edit: I see a lot of riders saying DHRII up front, Dissector rear. From my limited experience, I'm thinking my current Continental combo is a lighter duty, faster rolling similar combo. But, 2 weeks ago I rode The Whole Enchilada on the combo and it was about perfect.

My favorite Maxxis tire is the DHR2. I like running DHR2 front and rear. Not the fastest but when it's steep and loose the DHR2 drops anchor like a beast. Lately I decided to brake from the pack and try Continental and e*Thirteen tires. I love the e*Thirteen semi slick especially in the dry and the A/T in Mopo compound has insane grip in all conditions. The Continental Der Baron is the best tire I've ever used on wet root and rocks. Probably the best all season tire for the PNW. Lots of excellent tires these days.

Agree on the DHF/DHR II, running the DH casting setup here in SoCal's dry loose local trail and park conditions. Works well in loose rocky conditions as well. Broke front traction numerous times, and the DHF regained it without me laying it down. They are definitely slow rolling. May look at a different rear setup when it is time for replacement.

Running an assegai on the front and a DHR ll at the back.

Good questions asked. Helpful for me to apply to my own riding style and conditions

I love my Assegai up front. The dissector in the rear rides really well but it gets eaten by rocks way to quickly. Even thouth it's a MaxxTerra compound. I assume a DHR II lasts about 3 times as long. No more dissectors for me.

can you guys remove the weird comments from fake channels plz, thanks guys, keep up the great videos

My favorite is the Aggressor. I have not tried the dissector. But I did have DHRIi. The aggressor definitely rolls faster. For my undulating trails I am constantly trying to keep my speed and I find the aggressor does that much better than the DHRIi. When I switched the tires I felt faster overnight. And when the tire was brand new I had no traction issues. I ride in the northeast. Hard pack, loose over hard and rocky/shale. I do not ride in the wet very often though. Great video. I hope you follow this up with a front tire review. Thanks.

I love the dissector. Desert riding.

I’ve got XR3 TeamIssue on my rear. Love it.

Coming from Rekon front and rear. To an Assegai front and DHR2 on the rear. Massive difference in traction anywhere. Little less roll but it's an e bike so all good Go the Reign

Y’all are one of favorite in the MTB game. Keep up the good.

My preferred combo in late spring, summer and early autumn time: Agressor 2.5 DD in the back and Assegai 3C EXO in the front. When the trails get wet and sticky (our mud is very sticky and clay like): DHRII EXO 2.4 in the back and Shorty 3C EXO in the front. The Assegai is a great tire and performs good in the wet, but it gets a bit unpredictable in mud.

Love the way the Dissector handles, but for the terrain I ride in the mountains (lots of rocks) it gets destroyed in about 3-4 months best case. Wish Maxxis did a Dissector EXO+ or DD in Dual Compound that would last longer. At $90+ per Dissector, running this tire year round gets expensive if you're not sponsored :-) The DHR2 holds up much better in the same conditions. I got about 10 months of hard riding out of the DHR2 EXO+ spec'd OEM on the rear of my bike. The Aggressor holds up really well in the terrain I ride, but is, more limited in casings. I'd love for an EXO+ Aggressor to be an option for those of us that don't send it hard enough to need the full DD casing.

We all know Maxxis tires are really some of the best designed and best in quality. I just wish would consider keeping the larger volume options 27x2.8-3” and 29x2.8 and maybe some 3” If you trails are ground down loose and dry over rocks and something that resembles the mountains in IRAQ. More traction’s is needed

Lately i have been really enjoying watching the comparison videos! Now waiting for the a front tire shoutout!

Been riding with the Agressor on the rear , DHR2 front for two years, it was alright for our conditions all year round out here in Rotorua NZ. Then when Assegai arrived have to switched DHR2 to rear and pop on Assegai for front, it was super grippy especially muddy conditions you can feel the difference plus saves me money cause back then had to change Agressor often like every 6-7 months of riding.

I’m running a Maxxis aggressor rear and a dhf front both 27.5 by 2.5 wt on my devinci kobain ht loves the set up!

I've got Agressors front and rear and even on wet trails with many roots I was super happy with them. On flow trails they are great.

I just bought an Orbea Rise and immediately moved the Dissector to the rear and put a DHR up front. The Recon I removed is a spare rear for my Scalpel XC bike

Had an aggressor on the rear but found it didn’t bite enough under breaking so put it on the front and it’s been awesome end of summer in loose dry trails and down hill tracks. It’s starting raining recently and the trails and roots are wet but not too muddy, I’ve been surprised at how well the aggressor grips the wet roots and rocks/stones. I think it’s due to the amount of small tread blocks and the pattern on the carcass of the tyre proving extra surfaces for grip

Great reviews and find the same findings .asset/dissector are awesome enduro combo. Dhr2/dissector great trail bike combo

Living on the West (Wet) coast of BC, it's the 2.6" DHR2 all the way with a 2.6" DHF up front. Eats up the loam and saves your ass on wet roots and rocks.

Factory set of tires on my Ibis Ripley: Minion DHR II front and Dissector rear. 29" and 2.4" works great in the Bosque de la Primavera.

I just went from the DHR 2 w/ EXO to the DD and the difference was significant! I'm 205lbs on a L 29" and was pinching flats often on the EXO, but the DD can take a severe beating compared to the EXO

Please make a Front tire video!!! Appreciate this one.

I run vittoria tires and I love them!!

Aggressor rear Dissector front both 29x2.6 Came on my bike. Bike came with carbon wheels, I found these tires to be incredibly heavy if your doing allot of pedaling. I switched them out to Ardent 29x2.25. massive difference climbing is way better, Grip is good. Here in minnesota you can't ride a wet trail anyway so I don't how they are in mud. And I have have plenty of grip when riding rocks, Duluth spirit mountain piedmont.

I run an Aggressor on the rear as well and I've got to say you articulated my thoughts exactly. I live in an arid area and I love the tire and I really like how it climbs as well. But in wet conditions it's awful. Great video, I will reconsider my next tire purchase.

Dhf up front and a minion ss on the rear works really well for me

Dissector maxxgrip rear was good for me for about 1 day at Shepherd Mtn. The small knobs started shredding very quickly and I have never had less traction going into a turn, even OFF the brakes. If you live somewhere rocky and you want a tire to last, don't go dissector

DHR II rear and Magic Mary Ultrasoft front - works great for me

Another awesome video! One on Maxxis front would be awesome also. Currently running a Minion DHF & DHR 2, but think the Dissector will be my next rear here in SoCal

Very happy with the dissector this year and I've ridden all of them. Right now the setup is Assegai 2.5 exo+ up front and Dissector 2.4 exo+ rear. Had an original Dissector Exo that will go on for places like st George/moab at the front for a full Dissector setup. riding: mostly BC and Alberta rockies.

I’m currently running a Minion on the back and an Aggressor on the front… All good 👍🏻

Of my 5 bikes, the Aggressor is on the back of all of them. The front tires range from Assegai, DHR II, to DHF. The DHR II front probably my favorite.

After all that time I found you again!

Just ordered the DHR 2 from you 👍🏻👍🏻 The dissector is nice rolling but the California rocks undercut the knobs fast.

I'm running Aggressor and Minion DHF, best combo for dry semi desert tracks

after watching this i think ill give the dissector a go!

I have the 2.5 x 29 Dual Compound EXO Aggressor out back in SoCal. My trails are Hard Pack covered with a thin layer of Decomposed Granite and some lose small rocks over the top. I climb these trails with an average 12-15 degree pitch and the Aggressor does not slip and rolls great allowing me to maintain speed with nice circular pedal strokes. Even standing in a couple of steep loose sections the tire locks into the ground and allows me to get to the top without shaving off to much speed or getting me out of balance. Charging down on these trails the tire drifts and locks nicely when weigted properly. You do need drop your outside pedal in loose over hard with this tire but if that is your riding style you will like the drift to locked in feel which can propel you out of corners nicely. I have the 2.5 x 29 DHF EXO Dual Compound up front and I like the way these work toghther if you are comfortable leaning the bike over and dropping the outside pedal. The DHF locks the front and then you get a slight drift to the rear that predictable grabs as you center your weight over the bike and rails you through the corner. Takes a bit of getting use to but it feels like you are riding a berm through a flat corner if you get it right.

I've been running the DHR II in the rear and feel like I'm pedalling uphill even on the flat. It just grips soooo hard in New England. I just ordered an Aggressor to swap to to actually get some speed an drift again