Maxxis MTB Tyre Quality

[Ivan Bergman]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone else has been experiencing weird quality issues with Maxxis Tyres recently?

I've purchased 3 sets of Ardent Race 2.35's over the past year, 2 of the total 6 has been giving me weird issues.

1st Set:

Perfect, no complaints, got around 1500km out of them before replacing them due to unrepairable punctures.

2nd Set:

Got about 50km's worth of use out of the rear when it exploded riding down to my complex gate taking out my rear rim (Shattered the side of the carbon rim - RIP). I think it's fair to note that I had a collision 2 rides prior that could've caused damage, although I feel that it would've happened within those 2 previous rides. The bead had teared away from the wall of the tyre. After the collision, I inspected the bike, nothing but a few scratches here and there as I took the brunt of the impact.

3rd Set:

On a new wheelset, both tyres seated fairly easy, although I have to note that the front's drive side bead put down a bit of a fight. I did around 5km to test without any issues. The next day I loaded my bike in to the car, drove out and did a 10km ride (Tame single track and gravel), drove back and left my bike in the car for a few hours. When I came back, the front tyre had de-beaded from the rim and sealant all over the roof of my car. No damage to the rim, nor the tyre. That evening, I re-did the tape, filled it up with sealant and inflated the tyre to around 35psi when the exact same side as before blasted off, spraying sealant everywhere. First I thought the rims had some sort of defect, but couldn't see anything wrong with them. They are nice and true, no weird rim surface issues, nothing. I decided to test the tyre on something else. Installed it on an Alu wheel with a tube, checked it and the tyre itself seems buckled near the contact surface. - it's a few cm's off where the Maxxis logo is.

 

I'm unsure whether I've just been having bad luck, or if there is some sort of trend to this?

[RobertWhitehead]

My opinion about their tires: It is a great tire but there's better brands currently available that offer way more km's and holds it form for longer. But again, this is my opinion. 

[Jewbacca]

I think we are going to start seeing all manufacturers hit QC issues with their tires. 

As stock shortage issues continue to plague the industry, raw materials are also hugely affected.

SO it means manufacturers are getting rubber where they can from who they can when they can and turning out as many tires as they can to fill the massive holes in the supply chain.

This is going to trickle through for a while and will affect a number of industries. Surfboard foam, wetsuits, exotic wood for guitars.... It is evident and will  not get better before it gets worse

[devvydoesdonuts]

I haven’t had this issue recently with Maxxis, but I remember in 2018 I had issues with their Crossmark tyres, in the space of 3 weeks had two tyres rip away from the beading on the rear tyre, rode with Bontragers for a bit after that but since then I’ve used Maxxis Rekon Race and Aspens and at this point I don’t think I will change to anything else. 

[svm3000]

Yip mine lasted 3 months and a bulge appeared on the side wall near the bead 

 

[MTBRIDER1234]

Never had any issues with maxxis, been running 'em for years and 1000's of kms. Maybe you just got unlucky, but I also only run their trail/enduro tires with beefier casings.

[Ivan Bergman]

45 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

My opinion about their tires: It is a great tire but there's better brands currently available that offer way more km's and holds it form for longer. But again, this is my opinion. 

What would you consider as better? I'm moving on after this set, with the issues I had so far, I've got a bit of PTSD (term is used lightly, no offence meant) getting on my bike.

40 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I think we are going to start seeing all manufacturers hit QC issues with their tires. 

As stock shortage issues continue to plague the industry, raw materials are also hugely affected.

SO it means manufacturers are getting rubber where they can from who they can when they can and turning out as many tires as they can to fill the massive holes in the supply chain.

This is going to trickle through for a while and will affect a number of industries. Surfboard foam, wetsuits, exotic wood for guitars.... It is evident and will  not get better before it gets worse

I mean sure, this would have an effect, but as much? I don't know. Surely reputable brands would anticipate some of the QC fail percentage to go up with the supply chain challenges but focus should still remain on delivering a product that works? Especially when the product costs as much as a small hatchback's tyres.

It makes sense in the short term to drop QC standards to drive volume, but in the longer term brand reputation takes a hit which could potentially have a larger, more detrimental impact. Someone had to think of that right? Or is my assumption way too idealistic and manufacturers are happy with the "some definite money now > potentially more money later" approach?

[Ivan Bergman]

36 minutes ago, svm3000 said:

Yip mine lasted 3 months and a bulge appeared on the side wall near the bead 

 

oof

[RobertWhitehead]

Again my opinion, this is not financial advise and please contact your financial advisor (hehe). Any way, I normally use these on my builds: 

Vittoria - Mezcal, Barzo, Saguaro
Spez - Fast Track, Ground Control
Bontrager - XR range but the team issue. It is a racing tire and the compound is softer, so it wears quicker

 

[JoshK]

Have used Maxxis for a long time and have always been happy, until the last set I bought recently. 

Recon race on the rear and ardent race on the front. First ride both failed down ou wapad at speed! Not a nice experience. 

Thought it was just me riding like a chop....

 

[Dexter-morgan]

It would be interested to see what sealant was used, I know the specialized tyres does not like Joes sealant

[Sloth1987]

I have also used Maxxis for 1000s of kms. They are quite bulletproof and mine lasted very long. I must admit I also had a issue with them blowing off the rim twice during setup. That is why I always do a dry run on much higher pressure to avoid a mess. I also found this happens when refitting used tyres as the old sealant dries on the bead. Some ride buddies swear by them, others say there is issues with them.

 

 

 

[svm3000]

Stan's sealant and approx 400km on the tyre with about 100km off road , now I wait to hear if they will replace it

[nonky]

Been using various maxxis tyres for a while and have no problems to report.  Current set (rekon race R; F aspen) have done over a 1000kms over rough terrain without a puncture.

Previous rear didn't last long but that due to user error (under inflated over rough terrain). 

[Ivan Bergman]

51 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

Again my opinion, this is not financial advise and please contact your financial advisor (hehe). Any way, I normally use these on my builds: 

Vittoria - Mezcal, Barzo, Saguaro
Spez - Fast Track, Ground Control
Bontrager - XR range but the team issue. It is a racing tire and the compound is softer, so it wears quicker

 

Haha think we'll need some financing options alongside these recommendations.

43 minutes ago, JoshK said:

Have used Maxxis for a long time and have always been happy, until the last set I bought recently. 

Recon race on the rear and ardent race on the front. First ride both failed down ou wapad at speed! Not a nice experience. 

Thought it was just me riding like a chop....

 

I've also been on them for a few sets now, primarily because out in the middle of nowhere, selection is a rare commodity. Saying that, I haven't had anything to complain about up-until-recently.

41 minutes ago, Dexter-morgan said:

It would be interested to see what sealant was used, I know the specialized tyres does not like Joes sealant

So IIRC, the 1st and 2nd set was with the Muc-Off sealant, I ran out and bought some off-brand at my LBS for the 3rd set. Do you perhaps know why the tyres aren't playing nice with the sealant?

25 minutes ago, Sloth1987 said:

I have also used Maxxis for 1000s of kms. They are quite bulletproof and mine lasted very long. I must admit I also had a issue with them blowing off the rim twice during setup. That is why I always do a dry run on much higher pressure to avoid a mess. I also found this happens when refitting used tyres as the old sealant dries on the bead. Some ride buddies swear by them, others say there is issues with them.

 

 

 

So far it seems a 50-50. Some people swear by them, some don't. On setup, I always check and clean the bead as best as I can. I redo setups and maintain them fairly often and never had any sort of issues like this. But note to future to fit them dry to double check. Do you reckon the tyre popping off the rim could cause damage? Especially on carbon?

Edited May 31, 2022 by Ivan Bergman

[madmarc]

I've always ridden MAXXIS since the 26er days - and always with Crossmark on the back. I used to swear by them however since their new Crossmark II came out i'm not a fan anymore I've had to change 2 due to leaking issues on the sidewalls and the last one developed a serious wobble after about 14 months of riding - Warranty ? lets not even go there.

I dug out my old Ardent that i used to use on the front and put it on the rear, actually works lekka but ill be in 2 minds when i next change tyres if I go MAXXIS route again.