I tried to like the agressor but felt like it only rolled slightly faster than the dhrII with way less braking. Not worth the trade-off for me. Solid vids brian, I enjoy hearing your reviews!
Spent a day riding Whistler while on a family vacation to Vancouver. I think I could count on one hand the number of bikes I saw without DHRs on them. Definitely sets the standard for that type of riding.
I’ve found the Aggressor is a great rear tire in very specific conditions. When the trails are very rocky and have little actual dirt, they are fantastic. Anything with dirt/loam or loose over hard the DH2 is the winner
The Aggressor will reveal its easier-rolling nature (vs DHR2) over longer rides, especially rides where much of the pedaling time diesn't require the chunky tread of the DHR2. If I'm pedaling 2.5 hrs ride or shorter the DHR2 rolling resistance is irrelevant. At 4, 5, 6 hrs it feels like someone stealing energy from my legs, unless the terrain really warrants the chunky tread. On pavement DHR2 definitely feels slow vs Aggressor or Dissector, and I ride pavement cross town to trailhead. I almost never run DHR2 for this reason, too much drag cross town. Dissector is a very nice tire with relatively fragile side knobs. It works very well until the side knobs start undercutting or tearing. On soil it's easily as fast as Aggressor in rolling speed/pedaling drag. Someone upthread mentioned Ardent. Ardent is fine if you haven't ridden, and got used to, big strong side knobs. Ardent's side knobs, even in the 2.4 size, are soft. And not too big. If you expect a rail of side knobs to dig in and hold you, Ardent can let you down. Ride it with a soft touch and it may surprise you, if you don't flat it. I ran Conti Kryptotal F front, Xynotal rear for about 5 rides before we got snow. Trail casing. Stouter than EXO+ by a good margin. Grip seems about like MaxxTerra. Very precise side knobs, very nice casing, great rolling speed. The Xynotal in Trail casing/compound rolls just as fast as Aggressor/Dissector if not faster.
Aggressor is great at Moab and on Pavement. Dissector rolls nice but the side knobs wears fast just like this video says. A worn down DHRII in the hardest compound (DC compound) also rolls awesome. DHRII maxgripp compound as a front tire kicks ass! I prefer it over an Assegai and DHF (Maxgripp) in the front. DHF hooks up the best but it has a weird leaning transition that takes a while to get use to (basically you can’t lean slowly with a DHF as it it will temporarily break loose when it hits that transition point). If you don’t care about ultimate traction, and want ultimate grip, the best tire combo is Magic Mary front and rear (Super-DH ultra-soft compound in front, and Super-Gravity soft in rear).
Have ridden all of them and fully agree to your break down 👍 do as well agree to one of the comments below regarding the High Roller. The HR is probably the most underrated or overseen tire in the market. A pity imo.
Just switched from an Aggressor 27.5x2.5 MaxTerra to a DHRII 27.5x2.4 MaxGrip on the rear of my bike due to that was what was available at my LBS and I needed a tyre quick. So much more grip on the DHRII than the aggressor and the DHRII really rails on the turns. Only downside is the DHRII doesn't roll as well as the Aggressor which is mainly noticeable on climbs. FYI, i mainly ride loose over hard and rocky trails.
I noticed the aggressor is kind of slow rolling when Brand new. But after a couple of rides it changes completely. The DHR is still my favorite rear tire. Need to try a Dissector
That's a winning combo for any surface except sticky mud, really. The only question you may want to explore is whether, for the way you like to ride, you can use a shallower-knob, faster-rolling tire at either end. But if you're starting from DHF/DHR2 combo, lots of other tires are going to feel less secure and maybe a bit scary sometimes. You just have to balance traction against rolling speed. I will warn you that if you were to leave the DHF on the front and put a fast roller on the rear, like Rekon Race or Ardent Race or Aspen, you'll feel like you're at 125% fitness and going back to the DHR2 may feel a dumb idea.
@@seanoneil277 I 100% agree. Switching out my DHR ll on my trail bike to a Ardent, was a game changer. The difference is literally night and day. It’s crazy. The classic DHF/DHR combo is only good if 1. Your an enduro bro, or 2. You don’t mind being slow AF on flats or climbs.
@@joshuaallswang8016 If your cornering technique, or your trails, don't require big side knobs on the rear tire then dragging them around is wasted watts that could let you ride farther/longer that day. It can be fun to do rides with less than full-tread tires at both ends. You have to choose lines carefully and be particular about when you weight the tire/trail patch. More than a few times I've watched skilled riders on shallow tread tires pull away from riders with something like a DHF/DHR2 combo on a steep or difficult descent. Not on the climbs. On the descents.
Love the dissector but I shredded the side knobs in ~2 months as an intermediate rider. Had a DHR up front still in good shape so moved that to the rear and tossed a DHF up front. Can feel the rolling resistance but hoping it lasts longer
It’s worth trying out the Ardent. Surprisingly good, much faster than the knobblier options. Put it on for a 160k ride earlier this year, was great so I left it on. Been racing enduro and it’s been great. Getting a bit spicy now that the winter slop has returned to the UK
Ardent makes a perfect rear tire! Especially here in Southern California! We’re it’s Dry and loose/hard pack %80 of the year. Had the DHR before it was slow AF!!! The bike felt sluggish and heavy, day and night difference!! Highly recommended the Ardent for a trail bike, we’re speed and climbing efficiency matter.
I got to ride the Ardent in prototype as a test rider, 26 and 29 sizes. I didn't expect a lot from it since it's on the XC end of tread patterns. I found that when you ride with a nice light touch it's a surprisingly good tire. Ride it like an XC racer would ride it, not like a DH racer would ride it. Ridden that way I was always surprised by how much traction those shallow knobs could give. Riding at the optimal PSI window helps quite a bit here.
@@kevinclark9176 I've ridden Ardent, Ardent Race, Rekon Race. Rekon 1st gen is an improved Ardent side-knob wise, similar center pattern, but taller knobs on the Rekon. A more "trail" version I suppose. I never rode it but I've ridden enough Maxxis tires to have a fair idea it would be like a more secure Ardent when ridden a bit more angrily. Ardent likes a soft touch because it has shallow center knobs, smallish side knobs, and the side knobs are soft. It's not a tire you can hop into a turn on its side knob rail like the DHF, DHR, High Roller, Dissector. You have to know the side knobs aren't that stout and they will crumple if you try aggressive turns. Ardent Race and Rekon Race are similar in trail feel and rolling speed, with a bit more side knob security in the Rekon Race. A bit, not a lot. It's not a Minion SS in the side knobs -- that's where you have to go if you want a similar shallow tight center pattern and big side knobs. The standard Ardent and Rekon will brake better than the Race versions of either. All the above is for tubeless EXO casing versions. No inserts used.
Also High Roller II is good rear tire as well, even better than Aggressor/Dissector ( IMO) , DHR II is good rear, but slightly over hyped in breaking power,, it is not so bed , but recently I switch my rear HR II to Schwalbe Big Betty ( new model) and now I know what the huge stopping power means...
And to think these are only 3 tires from Maxxas there are many I’d consider using. I ran the High Roller in the rear & DHR in the front & also Minion Front. I’ve ran Minion DHR & DHF super tacky. But more recently on a SB 130LR I ran a Dissector in the rear & DHR in the front. I remember one time a set of tires came out from another brand & had great reviews so I figured why not try something different so I got a set & they felt looked & had great traction but they couldn’t keep air in them i ride very rocky trails & I remember it was hard setting them up tubeless with Stans. & on my first ride had a leak on the uphill. I don’t remember what I did with those tires but there was a set of new tires sitting somewhere. Never again did I ride anything but a Maxxas.
I ride heavy rocky dirt in the Colorado high country. I also ride loamy Santa Cruz dirt and smooth hardpack. I have run DHR/DHF, Assegais, Aggressors, and Dissectors. I have not noticed a difference in rolling, grip, or cornering with any of them. I just purchased two Versus All Mountains and I'm curious to see if I find ANY difference there. I have experienced more advantage from sidewall armor than tread pattern on these tires.
Running Aggressor on the back, with Assegai on front on SC Hightower. We don't have flat/smooth/flow trails in our area, everything is up and down with pretty rocky geology, and a lot of sharp stuff sticking out of the ground. Loved this combo for many years, but want to try something that rolls even better next on the back... hopefully it will survive. :o)
If Maxxis would only make the Aggressor in a 3C, MaxxTerra and/or MaxxGrip compound, it would be great. Good video, same observations using all 3 tires. I like a DHR F&R on my Ripley, cant beat the bite and braking performance on steeps.
@@myrideclips5033 Some folks want their tires to wear fast, I think. Easier to say it's time to try a new tread/brand/compound. Sticky rear tire just feels like someone's tied a rope to my waist and is pulling me backward as I try to pedal forward.
Nice video. I’ve used all 3 in rear in the past on 2 different trail/enduro bikes. I’ve moved on to continental KRYPTO in rear (enduro/soft) and it’s just as good performing and durable as DHR2 but cheaper. Even survived with zero damage when my rear rim broke at bike park this summer, I’m running it now in new rim/wheel. Only thing is they don’t have as many casing/compound combos as maxxis (yet).
@@jlh530i1 today I rode rocky peak the grudge trail (solid black diamond in SoCal, heavy tech with rock slabs, boulders, sand, steeps, etc) and under very mixed/dry conditions my Assegai 3C/EXO+ and Krypto R enduro/soft maintained excellent traction and braking throughout. Highly recommended.
Xynotal is a good option if you can run a more closed tread like Aggressor. The new Contis are impressive tires for me, after riding Maxxis for 15+ years.
The dissector I've always had the side knows rip after only a few rides, switched out to the DHR2 and was alot more durable and felt better overall, currently running DHR2 front and rear on the emtb feels great, Recently trying out DHR2 front and DHF rear, back to you moto days wider rear feels great a heap of grip, so I'll stick with it for know.
DHR2 is a great front tire if you like braking power, just make sure you're pointed pretty straight when you reef on the front brake. It wants to skitter more than DHF, which grabs a bit less and skitters a lot less. DHF on rear is a fun ride but I always miss the braking power of the DHR2.
@@seanoneil277 to be honest mate I much prefer the old combo I've used for years, magic Mary up front and big Betty out back after it replaced the Hans dampf. Not a huge fan of the Maxxis tbh.
@@MYMOUNTAIN_122 I haven't run Schwalbe tires since a set of Big Jim 2.25 x 26 around 2002 or so. But I have a Razor Rock to try on the rear for moist fall and spring trail conditions.
I am trying aVittoria Mazaa 2.5 ont he front, 29” and a Maxxis Forekaster 2.35 27.5 “ on the rear. I haven’t ridden this yet. Hoping it will be a good combination.
Good info thanks Brian 👍 I've been trying out a Dual Compound Dissector (29x2.4) to see if I can get a bit of longevity coming into summer down-under. It is def' not great on wet roots (in that compound), and the side knobs do feels squirmy/drifty on hard-pack near their limit as you mentioned - but does seem to complement the Assegai (upfront) progressive break-away feel. Be interested to hear your thoughts vs the 2.5" High Roller II (the Maxxis 2.4's seem to run quite 'small' volume). I've run the DHRII in MaxxTerra, and it was great for the first month (400km) when it was fresh, but after that, those grippy side knobs start tearing off, things get unpredictable, and the braking edges round off quickly esp. on any hard-pack of rocky jank. The last tyre I had on the rear was a 29x2.4 Vittoria Mazza (4c Enduro) - and if they come on sale I will grab another one in a flash. Rolls Fast! (you wouldn't think so for a 1300g tyre), wears extremely well (1800km Vs the 800km of the DHR - has then done another 2000km on my Hardtail over winter), and hooks-up in just about anything 🥰
I nearly bought a Vittoria Mazza as a front tire, but read that the grip is pretty bad when it gets wet and slightly muddy, which is often the case in my region during winter. Was that your experience as well?
@@Adwhy I would def' go for the 'race' 1C tyre for the front, maybe even in a 2.6". The 4c on the rear was fine on wet roots & rock and it cleared mud pretty well. My 2c worth ;)
Thanks for sharing your opinion. Looking forward to your video on fronts! I’m struggling picking a front/rear combo lighter duty than an Assegai/DHR but gripper than the Recon/Ikon. Right now it’s Double Dissector but that doesn’t give the balance of rear sliding first. Not in love with the Dissector on front so much finally try a Kryptotal.
I’m looking at doing a Forekaster/Rekon combo for what you’re saying. But some other brands have some nice looking options. Like the Vittoria Agarro/Syerra.
@@kevinclark9176 I had the exact thought and just bought a Forekaster V2 that I haven’t put on as I ended up buying another bike which will be more trail oriented and now I’m also looking at Schwalbe!
How do you like DIssector as a front? Looks like it would work well, but I haven't tried it. I've tried a High Roller as front, it didn't feel precise enough on loose over hard, as a front, for me. I suspected the same for the Dissector but maybe it's good?
@@seanoneil277 I’m also not a big fan of the Dissector on front, and I’ve been reading that more recently. The lack of transition knobs means it slides if you don’t/can’t crank it all the way over to hook.
@@kevinclark9176 And the middle tread (on High Roller and HR II) to me seems to skate back and forth, vs staying straight or starting a turn, which DHF will do. The empty channel really is a feature of all Minion, High Roller, High Roller II, Dissector. Assegai's biggest difference (apart from the Schwalbe-like center pattern) is the alternating transition knobs that make the vagueness go away as you move from center tread to side rail. Minion DHR 2 has the same, though subtler, move as extensions on the side knobs.
Surprised at all the hate on the Aggressor. For most of the singletrack in CO/UT that I generally ride it has been great paired with the Assegai. Much preferred it to the DHR II, which rolled a lot slower.
You should try different brands. Michelin, Schwalbe, Pirelli, Good Year..... I liked how HIghroller 2 gripped, felt nice decent enough cornering, but bad at track stands and really aggressive cornering, But much better than the Bontrager SE04 Team Issue, which loses grip and I slide in hte dirt. I think they changed this tyre, they keep same model name but change the tyre, but it was one I tried several years ago. It switched directions very quickly. made steering very responsive. But Maxxis does not like an aggressive lean angle. Highroller was unstable at the side knobs, so it made track stands harder than they need to be. They were wiggly, og jelly feeling. I found the Michelin Wild enduro to roll faster, but the compound wears out faster, and knobs crack, but the bead is much more durable, it's like new where as Maxxis always looked sanded, like I went crazy with sandpaper on the bead, after a few months. All tyres I had from Maxxis were wobbly, and had warping to varied degree from new, some were even skewed in the thread. Almost seemed like someone at Maxxis sent all the faulty tyres to Norway. Probably not what happen. But I think I had around 20 tyres or so, all faulty in some degree, but when I empty the stock trying to get warranty replacement is out of the question. But after years of bad luck I gave up. Schwalbe looks interesting too. Read good things about Good Year too. But haven't tried them.
I travel all over the US riding in varied terrain from desert, mountains, rock rootie and mud so I’ll defer to the local shop if I’m switching out tires.
Last years DHF ! (Or however long the DHF lasted before I can feel it wanting to check out a different line than I told it to take...) I have no issues running a worn rear (in face I have ridden near bald rear and only wet and roots gave me issues.... but then again as my videos show.. I'm Mediocre.
I got DHR II maxxgrip in front and DHR II maxxterra in the rear, but this season I'd like to have maxxgrip compound in both ends. The DHR II works pretty good in the front as well(I dislike the DHF because it's vague feeling in the transition between middle to the sideknobs), but as I am going to buy one new tire now, I've been back and forth if I'm going to throw it in the rear and get something else for the front. I do just normal trail riding so I do lots of pedaling uphill as well so I just find myself constantly falling back to the DHR II when I'm looking for something that would make the front and rear have some difference. I haven't tried DHR II maxxgrip both front and rear yet so not sure yet if it will work well. One thing I find strange is how they rate rolling resistance, because the DHR II tire rolls a lot better than I'd think by judging their own chart. I think it rolls pretty good to be honest, so I do not really need a better rolling tire.
I’ve been blown away by how quick my Santa Cruz 5010 feels with DHRII front and rear (stock setup). I’ve been turning in faster local trail average speeds with this bike and these tires than my more XC-oriented hardtail and FS running Rekon Race (the FS has a Forekaster front). Pleasantly surprising, really. I find myself wondering how the 5010 would feel with the Dissector on the rear, though 🤔.
Went away from Aggressor and Maxxis for a few months only to be disappointed and have my rear tire blown out and gashed with 3 other brands. Back to Maxxis I went, but I run Agressor DD rear & Assagai or DHF up front. I seem to be harsh on my rear tire more with our local terrain in New Mexico and my riding style.
The dhr is still the gold standard for rear tyres, I just wish maxxis made something with dhr sideknobs but slightly faster centre knobs without going for a full on semislick.
Dissector and High Roller II are the closest you can get. But their side knobs are a bit smaller than DHR2/DHF. You might have liked the ADvantage if you ever got a chance to ride that. You should try the Continental Xynotal, I think you may be impressed.
@@Bonky-wonky I haven't tried Rekon but have run Rekon Race as a rear tire. It's the sort of tire that when you look at the tread pattern you know it's not going to be a braking powerhouse and won't work when the surface is too loose/slippy. In other words it's an XC race tire slightly beefed up. In that context it's fine, as long as you know what to expect.
Thanks for this... kinda clarifies where the dissector sits for me. I've been running aggressors in the rear since they came out and they are definitely squirrelier on the loose stuff I've been riding lately. I am definitely trying the dissector next tire change.
OK, so I'm a bit of an old fart at 56 years, ride a 130mm/140mm bike (GT Sensor) that's set up for aggressive riding. The terrain in SE michigan has a lot of roots, erosion, gravel, sand, a bit of rocks, but the biggest factor is I like to hit all the side-hits I can find on our sometimes mild trails. I've come to rely on a 2.5 Assegai max grip WT front / 2.3 DHR2 maxx terra WT rear (both regular exo casing as shredding a sidewall isn't a big risk) as I'm on rims that are 33mm/31mm. I've tried the aggressor in the rear, and didn't really like how balloon'ey it felt, and honestly it didn't roll that much quicker than the dhr2. I'm all about sacrificing rolling resistance for absolute traction for questionalbe lines, cornering hard, and plain having fun. I could care less if I can't keep up with the leg shavers on their fast rolling tires.
@@wd99999 I’m really liking the DHF front and Ardent rear compare to having the slow DHR ll on my trail bike. But that sounds like a good combo, I’ll have to try that one next time👍
@@wd99999 It's not that "tech has advanced." They are just different tires. There are quite a few steps and choices in Maxxis, from XC race tires up through DH tires and Maxxis offers a big selection in the "trail" suitable range. An XC racer, for example, would find a Rekon overkill on either wheel. And might just run that combo over your favorite local descent, faster than you or most anyone else locally, on much beefier tires. They've learned to ride gently. The more gently you can ride, the lighter weight tire you can run, the shallower a tread pattern you can run. And the bonus is you're not likely to need frequent wheel trues or rim replacements, and not as likely to tear sidewalls or get pinch flats. Flip side is that it's not quite as fun to ride gently as it is to ride as if you're a predator chasing down dinner. And that's when you'll need some cornering support, some stouter casing, and probably much bigger knobs.
@@wd99999I have a Dissector front and not a fan. Maybe a little faster than DHF but it only grips in turns and you really lean it over which doesn’t work in my terrain. Im looking at replacing it with a Forekaster with a Rekon rear (to replace my Aggressor).
They should discontinue Aggressor, the tire is a bit faster than DHR but with at least half the traction. Will pack up with mud and wet loam in no time and will slide of the roots and wet rocks like a greased pig. Won't brake on hardpack or loose pack no matter what. Good only for road. Dissector on the other hand is like a little brother of DHR, a bit worse braking/traction but a lot less rolling resistance. Will stick to DHR2 tho.
Hello Everyone,I'm looking for really good fast rolling but good on the trail.i ride both road and trail.I'm old school the tire needs to be 26" × 2.1 .it's for my 80's Stumpy.looking for something that will last more than 5 months !! Cheer's
See if you can find a Maxxis Crossmark for the rear tire. Should be available in 26x2.1 or 2.25 and a 2.25 of that tire should be pretty close to what you consider 2.1 For the front I would try the same thing or an Ardent 2.25, regular or Ardent Race depending on how much tread you like.
@@Robert-tj3qq You're welcome. I rode 26" primarily until 2019 and still have a 26" hardtail. You may need to do some serious internet scouring to find 26" tires and like I said, even if you've always run 2.1" wide tires I wouldn't be surprised if a 2.25" wide Maxxis fits within the chainstays just as easy as 2.1" from other brands. The Crossmark is a really good rear tire and I would look for that one. If you find you need bigger side knobs for your trails you could try High Roller II but that might roll a bit slow compared to what you're used to. And if you can find the ADvantage anywhere try that as well. An ADvantage would be NOS and thus not likely as supple but for a rear tire that would be okay. You don't want a dried-out NOS tire for the front unless you like dental bills and/or maxillofacial surgeon bills.😅
Recently swapped out the Assegai MaxxGrip/DHR MaxxTerra for Tacky Chans (supertrail, ultrasoft front, soft rear), and I have to say that, as a rear tire, they are pretty similar in raw grip to the DHR, maybe even a bit better, but you have to ride the Tacky chan very differently, you really have to push it. Rolling speed is no comparison though, the Tacky Chan beats even the agressor imo, but has better braking performance, especially in softer conditions. The Assegai was fine, but felt like it got out of the ideal window quite quickly with my riding style and weight, the Tacky Chan just keeps on giving, but is a bit less compliant imo. Part of this might be the more sqaure profile of the assegai on my 33mm rims. Assegai is slow as shit in comparison to the Tacky Chan, but has slightly better braking performance imo. The Maxxis do seem to slide less on wet clay, which is the only reason I have not given them away yet, might want to keep them for rainy winter rides. The ground here is somewhere between clay and sort of loose gravely black rocks with a lot of grip, given the right tire.
@@jlh530i1kind of like that, but more a "the faster you go, the more you get" kind of thing. The Tacky Chan feels more consistent than the DHF though, as the gap betweem the center knobs and side knobs is a lot less noticeable, which makes the Tacky Chan more approachable, with a higher grip ceiling aswell, while rolling faster. You just gotta send it to get there.
@@briancahal Did you find it better for heavy front wheel braking, compared to the DHF? That was my biggest impression when I first ran it, the straight line braking traction and ability to slow quickly was much different. But it also can slip a bit when braking off-angle -- I think because of the L knobs on the side rail closing the channel somewhat?
The best rear tyre is definitely a Schwalbe, not a Maxxis. Try a Super Trail or a Super Gravity casing and their different threads and you'll find out..;
Might just be supply chain is exhausted, rather than it being consciously abandoned. Big volume buyers (OEM bike mfrs and others who buy in bulk and offer complete bikes) will dictate which tires are available. If you pay attention to what OEM complete bikes are spec'ing for tires you will see trends. When you go to buy aftermarket you will notice the availiablity is affected by the trends in play at OEM, more than whatever online MTB forum people are praising or seeking.
Nothing cant beat dhrii in maxxis line up n for me the best rear i ever use/used. Grip, braking grip, damp/wet-ish. Going down fast and chunky stuff, rolling resistance not a factor as already going fast.
