Maxxis Minion DHR II WT Tyre - 3C - EXO+ - TR - Black

This review is for the EXO casing, not EXO+.I am an aggressive rider and I mistakenly bought the EXO casing over the tougher ones available. On one hand, it was incredibly grippy because the light casing made the tire feel very lively and springy. On the other hand though, I punctured twice within the first 3 rides. 33.3% of my rides on this tire did not end up with me patching them mid ride. Maybe this is because my riding style has become more demanding recently, or maybe a I got a bad batch of tires, but even the lightest duty tires I've had in the past have survived longer than that before I've had to start plugging holes.Bottom line: If you are looking for a very grippy tire for light to medium duty trail rides, this will probably work fine. If you're ... MoreThis review is for the EXO casing, not EXO+.I am an aggressive rider and I mistakenly bought the EXO casing over the tougher ones available. On one hand, it was incredibly grippy because the light casing made the tire feel very lively and springy. On the other hand though, I punctured twice within the first 3 rides. 33.3% of my rides on this tire did not end up with me patching them mid ride. Maybe this is because my riding style has become more demanding recently, or maybe a I got a bad batch of tires, but even the lightest duty tires I've had in the past have survived longer than that before I've had to start plugging holes.Bottom line: If you are looking for a very grippy tire for light to medium duty trail rides, this will probably work fine. If you're taking bigger hits, you need to go with a heavier duty casing for sure. I'm leaving a 4 star review despite the fact that I would review my experience with them as a 1 because they are extremely good from a performance perspective and my experience is likely a result of having the wrong casing for my needs.

Believe the Hype

I have been hearing the hype around the Minion DHR for a while. I already run Minion DHF on my Yeti SB140, but after my first ride, I'm a believer. The tread pattern is essentially the DHF but run backwards. I ride mostly hero dirt which can bake into hard pack. The big turning knobs seemed to grab both with ease. By the end of the ride, I was cornering deeper and with more confidence. So much so, that I hit a curve a little too aggressively near the end and slid out. But that was the kind of confidence the Minion DHR II inspired. Next step, install Cushcore Pro insert and I'm ready to return to Angel Fire!

Best tire ever!

Where I ride here in Texas has a lot of bigger rocks and smaller ledges. These tires are great for that. I bought the 2.3" width because 2.4" is the widest the widest the fork is suppose to except and wanted the little extra clearance. Am running them front and rear. Are amazing, roll very well and really good traction. At 810 & 815 grams they are a little heavier than my other tires, but is basically flat around here so I don't get going very fast, so no big deal.

Bitter Sweet

The sweet:My new YT Jeffsy came with Minion DHR II's front and back.The DHR II, even on the rear wheel, provided significantly better tread wear compared to the similarly priced XC tire that I had become accustomed to previously.Pros: Gobs of grip, long tread wear, not too expensiveBitter:The front tire started seeping sealant from the a single spot on the sidewall shortly after I converted to tubeless. I submitted a warranty claim to MAXXIS and they sent me a replacement tire.I am waiting to either install the replacement tire on the front or convert the rear to tubeless to see if this is a commonly occurring issue.However, in the warranty process I realized that MAXXIS relies on a date code which is stamped on the inside of the casing. Therefore, it is ... MoreThe sweet:My new YT Jeffsy came with Minion DHR II's front and back.The DHR II, even on the rear wheel, provided significantly better tread wear compared to the similarly priced XC tire that I had become accustomed to previously.Pros: Gobs of grip, long tread wear, not too expensiveBitter:The front tire started seeping sealant from the a single spot on the sidewall shortly after I converted to tubeless. I submitted a warranty claim to MAXXIS and they sent me a replacement tire.I am waiting to either install the replacement tire on the front or convert the rear to tubeless to see if this is a commonly occurring issue.However, in the warranty process I realized that MAXXIS relies on a date code which is stamped on the inside of the casing. Therefore, it is possible for a uninstalled tire to go out of warranty while sitting of your shelf at home.Cons: Might seep sealant thru the sidewall, don't purchase too far in advance

Good compromise of traction and durability

I’ve ridden several DHRII tires on my 29” full suspension trail bike and my 27.5” trail Hardtail. The EXO version provides a good compromise between traction and durability in the mixed conditions I ride in NC. Summers are hot and dry with loose over hard and winters are pretty wet with plenty of mud and wet roots. The DHR does well in both conditions. I typical get between 1600-1900 miles on a rear tire. If you run a DHR or DHF on the front I’ll get an extra 1000-1500 miles. Great tire at the best price. If you want/ need more grip go for the C3 Max Grip EXO+, but if cost and durability are important ,this is a great option.

Great tire

Using as rear tire on Turbo SL ebike on MTB trails west of Denver.Much much better than the Specialized Eliminator 2.3 that came with the bike and only lasted a few weeks before multiple puctures and lots of side knobs were falling off. DHR II is heavier, which doesn't really matter on an ebike, but I think the thicker casing will eliminate a lot of flats. Still fairly new but seems very supple and you can feel some cush which helps with more grip/traction. Dual compound is great for the rear and will last much longer than the more expensive Terra or Grip compounds. Shipping is expensive but you still can't beat this price. Just bought two more and they arrived about 10 days faster the second time.

Great tread pattern and rubber compound. Pinch flat protection is horrible on a EXO+

I love the DHR2 as a rear mtb tire. I tried the Dissector, but it didn't have quite the breaking traction I was looking for. I am about 3 yrs into this mtb journey after years of bmx racing. I want the lightest toughest tire I can get my hands on, like everyone. Maxxis EXO came OEM with EXO. Took a while to cut the rear tire, but did on a very sharp rock. The rock was like a knife, stuff happens. However EXO+ is not the way to go. I have been through 3 EXO+ rear tires in less than 2 yrs. I ran the Dissector DD for 6+ months no problems. I go back to the DHR2 for the grip. I have a Cushcore installed to keep from getting pinch flats like I did on the last EXO + DHR. 1 min into a 8 min stage, I hear the rim hit, not hard and then feel and hear the air screaming out of ... MoreI love the DHR2 as a rear mtb tire. I tried the Dissector, but it didn't have quite the breaking traction I was looking for. I am about 3 yrs into this mtb journey after years of bmx racing. I want the lightest toughest tire I can get my hands on, like everyone. Maxxis EXO came OEM with EXO. Took a while to cut the rear tire, but did on a very sharp rock. The rock was like a knife, stuff happens. However EXO+ is not the way to go. I have been through 3 EXO+ rear tires in less than 2 yrs. I ran the Dissector DD for 6+ months no problems. I go back to the DHR2 for the grip. I have a Cushcore installed to keep from getting pinch flats like I did on the last EXO + DHR. 1 min into a 8 min stage, I hear the rim hit, not hard and then feel and hear the air screaming out of it. Ultimately kept me off the podium. Now I read articles from 4 months ago, Maxxis knows the EXO+ casing is not holding up it's end of the bargain, so they are making it now like they should have in the first place. Maxxis, can I get my $105 back or a new tire that doesn't puncher if the wind blows to hard? I had less than a month on a DHR2 and a hole smaller than pin head cost me the money and a race. I like Maxxis and have only purchased Maxxis for my mtb. I have now had to purchase another $100+ tire a DD. However, a brand new tire should not become useless after 10-15 rides, unless you are riding something the tire wasn't designed for. Traction and rubber compund are a 4 star +. Please make sure you rate your tire sidewalls appropriately. I could have saved $25-$30 and gotten the same performance out of a EXO. If Maxxis would like to contact me, and offer a new tire that would be awesome. The tire looks brand new except for a very very small hole. The tire literally got a hole, the first rim ding after putting on Cushcore.

Grip For Days

This tire came stock F & R on my 2022 Santa Cruz 5010. I switched to something faster rolling. Maxxis description and recommended installation of this tire is spot on. Grip, cornering, and braking is outstanding. Rolling speed not so much. I had MaxxGrip front and it made me giggle in the corners because it was just glued to the ground and was confidence inspiring. Too much tire for my needs in the Midwest, especially front and rear. If you're pedaling a lot, I would run this rear only and get something faster rolling in the front. This is a burly rear tire. Depending on your conditions you may be better off with the faster rolling Aggressor, SS, or Dissector.

The only rear tyre you need!

I've been using a DHR II on the rear with an Assegai up front for the past few years, and I couldn't be happier with them. For almost all rides in almost all conditions they're great (the only time they aren't is when it's super muddy, but most non-mud spike tyres will suffer too), offer plenty of grip, good feel and in DD casing good puncture resistance and tyre stability too.The only thing to note is that this particular version is the MaxxGrip compound. It doesn't mention it on the product page which specific version it is, and I mistakenly read the product code as referencing MaxxTerra. I usually use MaxxTerra as it lasts for a long time, so this MaxxGrip tyre I've received might have to be fitted for racing or specific weekends as they don't last particularly ... MoreI've been using a DHR II on the rear with an Assegai up front for the past few years, and I couldn't be happier with them. For almost all rides in almost all conditions they're great (the only time they aren't is when it's super muddy, but most non-mud spike tyres will suffer too), offer plenty of grip, good feel and in DD casing good puncture resistance and tyre stability too.The only thing to note is that this particular version is the MaxxGrip compound. It doesn't mention it on the product page which specific version it is, and I mistakenly read the product code as referencing MaxxTerra. I usually use MaxxTerra as it lasts for a long time, so this MaxxGrip tyre I've received might have to be fitted for racing or specific weekends as they don't last particularly long.

Tyre wobble!!

Really disappointed, tyre about 6 months old been to 8 bike parks in that time. Son complained of a rear wheel buckle when after closer inspection the rim is true but the tyre has twisted. You can actually feel it when riding along. The beading line is perfectly equal both sides but I still removed it and put it back on the rim in a different place but it makes no difference. The actual rubber has sort of distorted which causes the rear wheel to look like it has a huge buckle.Emailed UK contact but no reply.