Maxxis Minion DHR II 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.

Few tires are more notable in mountain biking than the Maxxis Minions. With different casings, compounds, and sizings, there's one for just about every application. Fellow rider, Dan, recently put some fresh rubber on his trusty steed and gives us his review. Check it out!

Introduction

My current trail bike (2018 Trek Fuel EX 7) had been outfitted with stock Bontrager tires since the day it was purchased. I've been happy with the durability of those tires, but lately, I've been riding looser, techy-chunk trails which prompted my search for a beefier rubber. I wanted something that could handle burlier trails, but would also be comfortable on mellow group ride nights. On a previous bike, I always used Maxxis Ardent tires. I was pretty happy with those as a general trail tire and was also happy with Maxxis.

So, I set off to see the current Maxxis offerings. After reading multiple reviews around the interwebs, I settled on the Maxxis Minion DHRII 29x2.4 WT. Now I must admit, I didn't realize I ordered the "WT" or Wide Trail version of this tire until I opened the box and pulled them out (BTW...is there any better feeling than coming home from work to find a Worldwide Cyclery delivery on your doorstep?!?!). So, it was back to the interwebs to figure out if Wide Trail tires were right for my wheels. My wheels have an inner rim width of 29mm. The information I found on the Wide Trail tires indicates they are a good option for rims with an inner rim width of 30mm+. I figured they were close enough and decided to mount them up.

Installation

As someone who has mounted a few dozen tubeless tires, this part was simple. I personally use the "put an inner tube in first to get the tire seated and then pull the tube out then put in the tubeless Presta valve and air the thing up with a floor pump" method. I have never needed an air compressor to install a tubeless tire and these tires were no different.

They fit very snuggly over the rim and there was the normal amount of struggle to get it mounted on, but nothing a little soapy water on the bead couldn't remedy. Personally, I like a tight fit because I don’t want that tire burping off when I’m on the trail.

After mounting them up (front and rear), my first thoughts went to the appearance. I was really hoping my slightly thinner-than-recommended (by just 1mm) inner rim width would not give the tire a funky profile. It did not and they looked great! Like many Maxxis tires I have used, the actual tire width is slightly narrower than the claimed width. These were no different and measured about 2.35" inches from outer nob to outer nob on my digital caliper. I love the width though, so no issues there. I've never been interested in having motorcycle width tires on my bike. When I buy Maxxis tires I just order a slightly wider size than I actually want. So, ordering the 2.4” tire was perfect for me to hit that 2.35” sweet spot.

Final Thoughts

I have a few rides in with these tires and I'm very pleased. They seem to hook up nicely on hardpack as well as some of the chunky loose I've ridden. I'm not a big enduro-style rider though. I’m a weekend warrior who loves going up as much as I like going down. The tires are quieter than I expected given the tread pattern. There is certainly some added rolling resistance with these tires over my stock tires, but that was to be expected since they are designed for different styles of riding. Do I like these new Maxxis tires? Yes. Will I buy them again? Absolutely!