When Maxxis announced offerings of some of their current treads in 2.6″, I was like whaaa?! I was excited. Earlier this year, the 2.6″ Maxxis Forekaster won me over for its proficient, playful, and predictable mannerisms. In fact, the Forekaster is going right back on (as a rear) for the summer. Needless to say, I was more than interested in putting the Rekon of the same 2.6″ width to the test.
Bottom Line: Although billed by Maxxis as an “aggressive trail” tire, the Rekon is more fit for the XC crowd looking for a slight advantage over the Ikon – an XC thoroughbred. The larger 2.6″ footprint enhances traction while rewarding speed in the right terrain. 2.6 may also present somewhat of a solution to those with plus-size envy or if you’re looking to put your current plus bike on a diet.
Specifications
Maxxis offers two Rekon constructions in the 2.6″. Here, I review the 3C Maxx Terra compound with EXO sidewall protection and 120 TPI casing (730g). Maxxis’ Triple Compound (3C) employs a hard, long-lasting base with two softer outer layers. Maxx Terra sits between the harder Maxx Speed and the softest Maxx Grip. The lower spec Rekon also comes with EXO sidewalls, but uses a dual compound with 60 TPI (800g). Both specs are tubeless-ready and have a folding Kevlar bead. As of this review, the Rekon 2.6 is only available to 27.5″ wheel users. MSRP for the 3C Maxx Terra and Dual Compound version is $85 and $80, respectively.
Inspired by the Ikon, the Rekon aims for more aggressive trail, but maintains a low profile tread. Center knobs alternate between a wide and wider profile to provide control under braking, and each are ramped to decrease rolling resistance. Transition knobs zigzag, creating an overall pattern that is evenly spread and void of any channeling. L-shaped lugs line the shoulders of the Rekon and have proven on other models to be very supportive through turns. From center to shoulder, every knob features some degree of siping for a better bite.
Mounting
I mounted a pair of Rekon 2.6 3C/EXO Maxx Terra tires to a set of 27.5″ DT Swiss EX 511 alloy rims measuring 30mm internally. The tubeless-ready Kevlar bead seated up easily with no more than a floor pump and 3oz of Orange Seal. Aired to 40psi, the Rekon has a round profile and, despite the 2.6″ label, measured 62mm (2.4″) sidewall to sidewall. This initial off-measurement is no different than many Maxxis tires, which are often over estimated. Maxxis recommends leaving the tire inflated to max psi for 24-48 hours, allowing it to stretch to the specified width. Mounted, there was plenty of room to spare within my non-Boost chainstays and RockShox Pike.
Riding the Rekon
Disclaimer: I wouldn’t typically consider the Rekon as my go-to rubber for what I ride. Only a small portion of my riding can be categorized as XC, I only climb to descend, and I never let the sun set on a shuttle. At the risk of annoying some readers, I didn’t change my riding to fit the Rekon, but rather rode the tire in the same terrain that calls for a much heavier casing and meatier knobs. That said, I consider my downhill/enduro-ish lean would provide a unique perspective on a tire that was designed for anything but.
First off, the Rekon is fast! And by fast, I mean quick to accelerate with an aptitude for sustaining every unit of momentum you can muster. These two characteristics are thanks to a low profile, evenly-spread tread, and light, 120 TPI casing. Provided the trail wasn’t too loose, climbing was made easy and there was just enough tread for that get-up-and-go sprint.
The small tread matched with a 2.6″ footprint took mild drops and trailside kickers with little fuss, but I wouldn’t exactly call it confidence-inspiring. Like a great XC tire, the Rekon enjoys as much contact with the ground as possible, rewarding speed and agility to those that abide.
Of course, a fast tire also depends on adequate traction during acceleration, braking, and cornering which, for the Rekon, was highly dependent on terrain and conditions. The Rekon seems most at home on hard pack, while loose and loose over hard often resulted in an early, albeit predictable, break in traction. The smaller tread was often overwhelmed when crawling over slippery rock and root despite extensive siping. Mounted to an appropriately-wide 30mm internal rim, I didn’t hesitate dialing pressures to 18-20psi, resulting in zero squirm and slightly better traction, yet not enough to justify the Rekon on what I would consider “aggressive” trail.
Plus/Minus: Another New Standard
Okay, so you’re not racing downhill on the Maxxis Rekon… The real story here is a familiar tread that, until now, was only offered in a 2.8″ width for plus bikes. The move to 2.6″ is both obvious yet interesting. Obvious because we had 2.3-2.5″ in select treads for a while before jumping to 2.8-3.0″ with Boost-spaced bikes. It seemed only a matter of time before the tire industry would bridge the gap. Interesting because many 27.5+ bike owners may have found themselves in the following predicament: 3.0″ wheels squirm like the dickens, and/or not everyone can justify a set of 29er wheels to lighten up the load. Thus, depending on bottom bracket height, 27.5Plus-ers may fancy a narrower tire in the same diameter for a more nimble ride. On the other hand, 30-ish millimeter rims are becoming a new norm (regardless of rear axle spacing), and tires must grow in parallel.
This 2.6 Plus/Minus size has become a sub-category, if you will, of plus tires: plus enough to appropriately engage a 30-35mm wide rim, but not so plus you need Boost spacing. With 2.6, you don’t have to get a new bike, just new tires!
Thanks to Maxxis for providing the Rekon 2.6 for review!
I have a couple rides in on the new Guerilla Gravity Megatrail SS and it has a 2.6″ Minion DHF up front and a 2.6 Rekon in the rear. I think the Rekon does well for a rear tire and is a good compromise of traction and rolling speed, but after experiencing the 2.8″ Rekon on the Niner RIP, I never have a desire to use it as a front tire ever again. At least, not in my home conditions.
There are always tradeoffs 🙂
With this tire size, will it work with regular 27.5 frame/fork/wheels or do you need a plus set up? I live in WI but also ride in UP and really feel this size on a hard tail is perfect for my riding, currently on a 29er but feel like the large diameter tire would be ideal.
Just mounted a pair of WTB Convict 2.5’s on Scraper rims on my GT Sanction. First ride, yesterday was outstanding…loose dirt and rock. Sidewall support is greatly increased with the Scraper rims. Didn’t feel any sidewall flexing or instability. Fast cornering was rock solid, forgive the pun.
P.S. I took off some WTB 2.8’s on those Scraper rims…WAYYY too big, harder to pedal, no bite in the loose rocks.
have nothing against boost, but in the article is implied that it would be necessary for running plus tires. not always…
i use 3.0 bombolonis with 40i rims on my 2013 cube 29 xc non boost full susser. so an example of 29+ fs.
that said i welcome inbetween sizes because if you want to go really low in pressure 40i is on the narrow side for those bombolonis. they btw shine in rocky terrain but are not very good in snow; rubber compound is too stiff.
hoping rocket ron will come in 29/2.8; likely to be perfect.
Regarding the measurement, when I fist got the 2.6 Rekon, I mounted it on an SC Reserve 27 (internally 27mm) rim, and indeed I measured it at 2.4″. But a week or so later when my SC Reserve 37 (internally 37mm) rim came in and I got them mounted up, I measured it at a spot-on 2.6″.
It is also notable that the 2.8 Rekon also measured 2.8″ exactly when mounted on a 40mm rim. So maybe Maxxis is starting to get these measurements right, so long as the rim width is right.
@Chris Daniels Did you re-measure the tires after the 24-48h “stretching” period?
Good review. I think most people prefer a tire to match their riding style, not the other way around, and they want to buy one setup for all purposes. I’ve been eyeballing these new “semi-plus” tires as I’m still breaking traction more than I’d like with a 2.5 up front and a 2.4 out back. Considering loose over hard pack is a way of life on the front range, I’ll keep looking.
Wider tires may not help you in loose over hard conditions. Granted, those are probably the toughest conditions for any tire to handle. In my experience, plus tires drift even more than their narrower counterparts and feel very floaty and unpredictable in loose over hard.
Good to know Aaron. Do you have any tire suggestions? Currently have a 2.5 DHF up front and 2.4 Ardent in the back. In most cases I like the Ardent in the back because when the back does slide out, it’s very controllable and usually a lot of fun. Where I run into problems are steep climbs where the rear tire slips and I end up have to hop off the bike and hike. I’ve got a Minion SS on the back of my hardtail and absolutely love sliding that thing around, but the shallow center lugs on that make it even worse to climb with.
I am suprised that you find Minion SS bad on the climbs. I run 23 PSI and I find those side knobs do very good job when i need a good grip. They are not very good on wet roots and rocks but over all I think its a fast tire with a good bite.
For the Minion SS I think part of it is that the short lugs don’t dig deep enough, and the other part is that the bike is a single speed so I have to get out of the saddle to climb and that takes a lot of my weight off the bike tire which causes it to slip on the climbs. Still love the tire for the majority of my riding.
Thanks for good review. I tested bike with Rekon in 2.8 and had exactly same fillings. All the time I wanted meatier side knobs, especially on loose sections.