Roughly a decade ago, Maxxis tires introduced the WT or “Wide Trail” label to denote tires optimized for use with 30 to 35 mm internal rim widths, which were just gaining acceptance in the market. Up until then, the brand’s wider tires, in the 2.4” to 2.5” range, were still being designed around the narrower rim profiles of the time. The “WT” labeling made it quick and easy for early adopters of wider rims to identify the Maxxis tires that were more suitable for them.
Times have changed, and rims in the 30- to 35-mm width range have become the norm. Maxxis has either phased out older models or redesigned all of its tires to align with the current rim standards. As such, the WT labeling has become redundant since it is no longer needed to differentiate its tires. This change only affects the labeling of the tires.
According to Aaron Chamberlain, the Manager of Maxxis’ Bicycle Division, “Riders can be assured that the products themselves are not changing, merely the labeling,” he said. “There are no differences between a tire labeled as WT versus one that is not, because they come from the same molds and provide the same outstanding performance.”
Basically, everything remains the same moving forward; you just won’t see the letters “WT” printed on the tire or package anymore. For further clarification, Maxxis gave us these three points:
- No performance changes: Tires labeled WT and those without the label are identical in construction and performance.
- Same molds, same ride: All current 2.40″ and 2.50″ tires are built using the same molds and materials.
- Packaging updates: New cardboard packaging and sidewall labels will no longer include the WT designation.
For rim compatibility, nothing really changes, as rims with an internal width of 30 to 35 mm remain the recommended pairing for its 2.4” to 2.5” tires. Fortunately, that includes the vast majority of today’s performance mountain bikes and wheels.
