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TPE16: Maxxis digs in with High Roller II, Minion plus sizes, 27.5 x 3.8″ Minion fat bike tires, More

Written by Zach Overholt
23 Comments
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maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-15

By the time Interbike rolls around, Maxxis will have opened the gates to a bunch of new oversized tires. Maxxis has been slowly introducing new sizes of their popular tires, and now the High Roller II and Minion series are the latest to get the treatment. As plus size bikes gain in popularity, the need for aggressive tires becomes more real and as we’ve seen from a number of manufacturers – if they’re not here yet, the plus wave is still building…

 

maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-7

While Maxxis will soon have tires for just about every size imaginable, not all tires will be available in all sizes. The High Roller II will only be offered for the moment in 27.5 x 2.80 with a Tubeless Ready EXO casing.

maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-4 maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-5

However, the Minion DHF and DHR II will be offered more sizes including 29 x 3.0″ for the 29+ crowd. The DHF will be offered in 26 x 2.35, 2.5, and 2.7 as well as 27.5 x 2.8″. The DHR II is slightly different with 26 x 2.4″, and 27.5 x 2.4, and 2.8″ as well.

maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8

On the fat bike side, the biggest news (especially for Trek owners) is the addition of a 27.5 x 3.8″ tire for the Minion FBF and BFR. The FBF and FBR will also be offered now in 26 x 4.0 adding to their 4.8″ sizes.

maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-11

Already adding to the sizes we were shown at Frostbike, the Forekaster will be available in 27.5 x 2.2, 2.35, and 29 x 2.20, and 2.35.

maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-13 maxxis high roller plus tire minion fbf bfr 27 x 3.8-9

Elsewhere in the line it’s all about new sizes. The Crossmark II adds a 27.5 x 2.25, the Ardent Race gains a 27.5 x 2.35, and the Grifter BMX grows to 20 x 2.4″. As sort of a necessary evil, Maxxis has added E-Bike rated mountain bike tires to the line up with Silk Shield protection.

maxxis.com
Zach Overholt
5,722 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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23 Comments
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jessebroehl
jessebroehl
8 years ago

Why are the fat bike tires especially good news for Trek owners?

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Shmayson
Shmayson
8 years ago
Reply to  jessebroehl

Because Trek started the whole “27.5” fat bike wheel size. They have a couple fat bike models with 27.5 inch wheels.

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Wuffles
Wuffles
8 years ago

OH BOY! More plus size tires! Now with a 3.8″ Minion and a 2.8″ HRII! I can’t wait for the latest reviews to tell me how much extra traction I can have, and how they really don’t roll any slower than the standard tires, and you shouldn’t worry about the extra 200-500 grams. But don’t forget that dropping 100 grams by going to carbon rims makes everything about your bike better.

Here’s a thought- if you can’t get enough traction out of a 2.5″ DHF, or a 2.4″ HRII, then maybe, just maybe, the problem is with you, not your tires.

Dear Maxxis- I know plus size sales are all that sexy, sexy money, but here’s a suggestion for long-term profits: people buying plus size bikes aren’t going to be burning through tires on the regular. People who, say, race DH or enduro will. Those same people would much rather you just focused on bringing the WT casing to all your standard tires, or improving compounds/tread patterns.

Sincerely,
Someone who goes through several dozen tires a year, none of them plus size.

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Sam
Sam
8 years ago
Reply to  Wuffles

If you go through several dozen tires a year, you need to stop dragging your brakes. And if you’ve never been in a spot where you wished for more traction, you’re not riding hard enough.

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Wuffles
Wuffles
8 years ago
Reply to  Sam

If you’re not going through several dozen tires a year you’re not cornering hard enough, or riding enough period. And traction, like braking, best comes from the rider making fast vertical movement to squash the tire into the ground and increase the normal force all while digging in the tire nobs. Something that works terribly with plus size tires, which is why they suck at speed. But if you’re assuming “brake drag” I’m going to assume you’re one of those people who view traction as a 2-D thing, in which case plus size tires sound perfect for you!

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Sam
Sam
8 years ago
Reply to  Wuffles

When I said “brake drag” what I meant was that you are probably skidding too much. No one should be going through several dozen tires a year, with the exception of top wc racers. Unless your name is Aaron Gwin, you probably should ease up on the brakes, or stop throwing your tires out before they are done.

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FBC
FBC
8 years ago
Reply to  Sam

Wuffles hasn’t seemed to have heard the term OEM. If a new tire is launched it’s because a brand wants it to launch on new bike models which means thousands of tires needed and continued brand contracts throughout their lines.

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Will
Will
8 years ago
Reply to  Wuffles

Just tested a plus bike and already planning on buying one. If you think a HRII has lots of traction, you obviously don’t ride somewhere steep, wet, and littered with roots.If someone like me who has been riding the steepest lines on the Shore for over 25 years is making the switch, that has to say something. My buddy who also tested one is also planning on getting one and it is doubtful you would out ride him in wet conditions.

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traildog
traildog
8 years ago

I’m getting a little throwback style to the old Mythos XC F with the Forekaster. With nobby nic II-ish side knobs. Looks like a nice all around tire.

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Mike D
Mike D
8 years ago
Reply to  traildog

I thought Nobby Nic as well when I saw the Foreskinner. I may give it a shot on the back, but if it’s anything like the Nobby Nic then you couldn’t pay me to put that thing up front! The Nobby Nic was the most unpredictable front tire I’ve ever ridden, regardless of tire pressure.
Still, great to see Maxxis bringing options to market.

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Michael
Michael
8 years ago

Awesome news! 26×2.7 Minion DHF in 3C or DC/EXO/TR is sick and a great start for a proper 26+ tire! Whats next!??
All the other new options announced look great as well!

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TheKaiser
TheKaiser
8 years ago
Reply to  Michael

Although it is presented as news here, I think that Maxxis has made a 26×2.7 DHF for years…the only thing is that it was way undersized, like many Maxxis tires have been, so it measured out smaller than 2.5″ Schwalbes etc…What would be news would be if they were either enlarging existing models, or beginning to label them truthfully.

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Volsung
Volsung
8 years ago

If wheels are going from 29 to 27.5+ for more air volume and traction, why are fat bikes doing the opposite?

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Padrote
Padrote
8 years ago

the thought of pushing two plus-width high roller IIs up a hill is frightening

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mac
mac
8 years ago

I ask maxxis multiple times to make a wider 29″ ardent race, they do it in 27.5.

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TheCLydeBLog
TheCLydeBLog
8 years ago

The Carbon Trek Farley’s use 27.5 sized rims. As of now, there is only one tire available for the size. I am looking forward to having more tires options with knobs that are shorter.

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bearCol
bearCol
8 years ago

Don’t care about plus sizes but I can’t wait for double down casing to be offered in all their aggressive tires. And thank you Maxxis for continuing to support 26. I’ve been buying shcwalbe super gravity casings by the dozen but I’ll go back to maxxis once double down becomes available in 26.

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Rob
Rob
8 years ago

“I ask maxxis multiple times to make a wider 29″ ardent race, they do it in 27.5.”

Yep. More 29×2.4-2.6 please. You can keep all this plus stuff.

Who’d be a tyre maker at the moment .. not me. Same could go for MTBs in general, it’s getting silly.

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Raule
Raule
8 years ago

I love my 650B fat bike! Thanks Trek! Thanks Maxis!

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PJL
PJL
8 years ago

So I wonder if it is feasible and plausible that a Mfg. will make a 27.5 x 5 or even 4.5 tire. Looking at a Farley purchase. The Farley 9.8 is an incredible bike, but somewhat limited by the 3.8 tire size. Not thrilled about shelling out another $1K (Jackalope) or $2K (carbon) for a set of 26 x 5 wheels to get the additional float for soft conditions.

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JR Z
JR Z
8 years ago
Reply to  PJL

Rumors confirmed on MTBR 27.5 Fatbike thread that a 27.5×4.5 Barbegazi is on the way…

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PJL
PJL
8 years ago
Reply to  JR Z

Thanks for that info. Interesting…I assume it will come to fruition, but you never know.

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Mike
Mike
8 years ago

Hey RSD Sergeant owners, the 27.5×3.8 also fits

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