Maxxis Assegai Tire [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Maxxis is our favorite tire company. There is no denying that. We do have good reasoning behind loving the company so much though. The design and thought behind each tire, each compound, each combination has been proven to be the most trustworthy and loved tires on the planet. Our friend Peter recently gave the Asseagi a try on his new Yeti SB165. Lets see what he thought:

Peter's Review

I recently purchased a Yeti SB165 from Worldwide Cyclery. A big shoutout to Jared for all his advice and help in setting up the bike. I really appreciate Worldwide's in-shop upgrades to the SLS spring and Industry Nine Enduro 305 wheelset. The stock tires on the SB165 are the 27.5-inch Maxxis Assegai 2.5 upfront and Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 on the back end. This is a review of the Maxxis Assegai.

Local Riding Conditions

I ride the front and backcountry in Santa Barbara County, CA. Dry conditions prevail. Local trails are steep with plenty of rock gardens, switchbacks, and rocky chutes. Surface conditions tend toward loose over hardpack, depending on how long it's been since the last rain.

The Ride

The bike performs brilliantly on local trails and the front end really stands out. No doubt some of the excellent front end handeling is due to the SB165's super slack 63.5-degree head tube angle. And some is due to the amazing Fox Factory 38 Grip 2/180 mm fork. But much of the credit goes to the Maxxis Assegai rubber, mounted on the i9 enduro wheelset.

The Assegai sticks to a line like no tire I have ridden before. It gives me the confidence to ride edgy stuff and side slopes over which previously I would have hesitated. And when it does break loose (every tire will reach a limit at some point) it does it consistently and smoothly. When pushed to its limits, the Assegai allows predictable smearing/drifting of the front tire. Usually, this happens when dropping into loose technical sections at slower speeds, but I have occasionally lost front end traction when riding at speed over sketchy loose terrain. With past bikes and with different front tires I might have lost it, but the SB165 and Assegai upfront allowed effortless recovery from the front tire slide; just a little line correction and the tire hooks back up.

On switchbacks and tight turns the Assegai holds a line and allows a predictable and smooth rear end slide. The ability to selectively carve or smear/drift the front or rear of the bike reminds me of riding a fat, rockered ski in loose snow conditions.

It's hard to imagine a front tire outperforming the Assegai, at least for the conditions I ride. It is a bit heavier with higher rolling resistance than some, but neither is a significant factor for my riding. The EXO+ casing works fine for me upfront and the Assegai is showing minimal wear with no sidewall damage. The Maxxis Assegai is a favorite tire here in Santa Barbara County, and I see it is the front tire choice of riders far more capable than I.

I have no complaints about the DHR II on the rear end but will look to experiment with other Maxxis rubber there. The next rear tire to try is the Maxxis Aggressor with the DoubleDown casing; it should roll faster and wear better than the DHR II. But, for the front tire, I see no reason to play with the success of the Maxxis Assegai.

Final Thoughts

"If you are looking for maximum control for your gravity-oriented ride, look no farther than the Maxxis Assegai. Simply the best front tire out there." - Peter