Maxxis launches new downhill tread, the Assegai

The Maxxis Assegai was designed by champion downhiller Greg Minnaar and is a combination of his favorite features from the Minion DHF, DHR II, Shorty, and High Roller.

Greg says:

My idea was to design a tire around some of Maxxis’ iconic tread patterns. I started in the center by combining the Minion DHF and the Minion DHR II. The reasoning behind this was I felt the surface area of the DHF rolls well and gives you a good footprint on hardpack, greasy turns as well as confidence on wet roots and rocks. The DHR II added faster rolling speed and more aggressive braking. Then I worked on the ‘extra’ tooth to give you more support when leaning the bike over so there’s a consistent feel all the way onto the side knobs. And that leaves me talking about my all-time favorite tire–the High Roller. Maxxis engineers and I came up with a remodeled High Roller side knob with very similar characteristics to the original. But with the support the extra tooth gives you, you have the ultimate wingman when cutting hard on a flat turn. Finally, I took the height of the knobs from the Shorty. The knobs are well-supported, so the extra height aggressively bites into loam and dry, dusty conditions.

Where did the name come from?

Greg says:

I wanted something that sounded sharp and aggressive, and that’s how I ended up calling my tire the Assegai! The Assegai is a traditional Zulu warrior spear, the Zulu being the traditional tribe of KwaZulu Natal, the region of South Africa where I was born and raised.

Features:

• 27.5 x 2.50 and 29 x 2.50 sizes
• Wide Trail casing optimized for 30-35mm wide rims
• Maxxis’ legendary 3C MaxxGrip rubber compound
• Dual-ply casing with butyl sidewall inserts for stability and durability
• Tubeless compatibility
• Folding bead

The Maxxis Assegai is available for order now (4/19) exclusively through QBP and retails for $90. More info can be found on the Maxxis website.