The new Maxxis Assegai DH tire was designed by 3-time World Championship rider Greg Minnaar, and draws on his three decades of mountain bike racing experience. The result is a blend of Minnaar’s favorite Maxxis tires, including the Minion DHF, DHR II, Shorty, and High Roller.
Minnaar 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 theside 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.
As for the Assegai name, Minnaar explains, “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.”
The Assegai is available in downhill spec only, with 27.5×2.5 and 29×2.5 sizes, “Wide Trail” casing optimized for 30-35mm rims, 3C MaxxGrip rubber, a dual ply casing, and a folding bead. The tire is available immediately through QBP and retails for $90.
