Assegai

Mud
Versatility
Control

The Assegai is built to go fast everywhere, providing tenacious, predictable grip approved by Greg Minnaar himself.

World Cup Champion Greg Minnaar’s signature tyre
3C MaxxGrip rubber compound available
Dual-ply downhill casing
Tubeless compatible
Wide Trail casing optimized for 30-35mm rims

The Assegai can be used front and rear for a surefooted feel or as a front paired with a faster rolling rear tyre.

Recommended installation: Front

Specs

Tyre Size

Rim

Bead

Technology

Weight

Application

27.5

27.5X2.50WT

27.5

FOLDABLE

3C/TR

2.765

DOWNHILL

29

29X2.50WT

29

FOLDABLE

3C/TR

2.941

DOWNHILL

Performance Ratings

Mud Grip

Cornering Ability

Rolling Resistance

Lightweight

Puncture Resistance

Greg Minnaar's Story

“My idea was to design a tyre 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 tyre – 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.”

Assegai Tyre Test Results

If Greg Minnaar's involvement in this tyre isn't enough, look to the opinions of other pros.

Wide Open Mountain Bike
“Put an Assegai on the front of your bike and then ride all year, in any conditions, on any trails and it will grip for miles and give you maximum confidence. The end. They really are that good.

In pretty much every circumstance they have been predictable, confidence-inspiring and dependable. The Assegai would be my tyre of choice if I was building a bike and wanted a tyre to run all year in the UK.” – WideOpenMountainBike.com, September 2020

Worldwide Cyclery
“No matter what conditions I rode the tires in, I felt a great amount of grip, control, and predictability. I would say the grip and predictability of the Assegai are what is most impressive. You can push this tire extremely hard in 90% of trail conditions while having the same breaking point every time.” – Worldwidecyclery.com, June 2019

Outdoor Gear Lab
“The Maxxis Assegai is our new Top Pick for Gravity Riders Award winner. This is not a tire for weight-conscious riders or those who earn all of their descents by pedalling; this is a downhill crushing machine. If you let gravity do the work and you’re looking for a tire with outstanding cornering capabilities and seemingly endless pedalling and braking traction, you’ll want to give the Assegai a try. Mount ’em front and rear on your long travel rig for an unbeatable combination for smashing downhill.” – Jeremy Benson, OutdoorGearLab.com, November 2018

Pink Bike
“Somehow Maxxis have managed to pull out the best traits of their most popular tires to create something entirely different, yet very familiar at the same time. My initial impressions are all positive – this is an aggressive, grippy, and incredibly predictable tire” – Mike Kazimer, PinkBike.com, April 2018

Mountain Bike Rider
MBR.co.uk rated the Assegai a solid 9/10:
“From the first ride, the Assegai’s pure grip is unquestionable. There’s a less on/off and almost relaxed feel in turns compared to the iconic Minion DHR II, and the Assegai feels noticeably heavier and slower too – rolling everywhere a bit less sprightly in the same rubber blend.” – Mick Kirkman, MBR.co.uk, February 2019

Bike Radar
“The profile is more rounded, with less of a gap between the centre and shoulder tread. This gives it a predictable feel when tipping the bike into a corner and carving through flat turns where it carries speed well and grips securely through greasy or loose conditions.” – Seb Scott, BikeRadar.com, March 2020

Assegai Tyre: User Reviews

Sometimes the best reviews come from downhill riders just like you.

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, February 2020:
“Already around 1k km on this tyre. I´m using it on my Nordest Bardino 2.0 hardtail on the rear, the grip is excellent under any conditions, even more in wet and muddy as is normal here in Ireland. Planning on buying another one for front.”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, November 2019:
“I just got mine after listening to my friend go on and on about how much he loves his Assegai. He’s had it for a year, and it still has lots of life, and cornering and grip are both significantly improved. In the meantime, I keep wearing through Schwalbe tires. So…I’m switching the DH bike over to Assegai front and rear, and the enduro over to Assegai front and something else rear. Only downside: They’re heavy.”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, November 2019:
“I’ve always use DHF for front and wanted [to] try [an] Assegai out of curiosity, turns out it performs as good as DHF, abit better in cornering.”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, November 2019:
“This tyre has been the best front tyre I have ever used. The intermediate lugs definitely help on the sketchier stuff. Mine hasn’t worn down too much so far despite the soft compound. It’s a seriously good tyre for both bike park and trail riding, though it is obviously a little draggy.”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, November 2019:
“The best front tyre for consistent turn in in most conditions except full clay mud. I have been Dh since 2002 and this is the best front tyre yet. Great in bike park, great on loose DH my go to choice for enduro.”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, October 2019:
“Awesome tyre. Used it on two rides now and the bike feels like it’s on rails. All the rave reviews are true. I’ve found my new go to tyre! Just need my front tyre to wear out now so it’s on the front and rear :)”

Technology

3C MaxxGrip

3C MaxxGrip uses the softest rubber compounds to offer the ultimate in grip and slow rebound properties for unparalleled traction in downhill applications.

3C MaxxTerra

An intermediate compound configuration used in select mountain tires. 3C MaxxTerra is softer and offers more traction than 3C MaxxSpeed, yet provides better treadwear and less rolling resistance than MaxxGrip.

Double Down (DD)

DoubleDown (DD) is the next step in the evolution of the dual-ply tyre casing for enduro and downhill racing. Two 120 TPI casing layers reinforced with a butyl insert provide the rider with the support and protection of an MTB tyre, but in a lighter package.

EXO

An extremely cut-resistant and abrasion-resistant material added to the sidewalls of select mountain tires. This densely woven fabric is also lightweight and highly flexible, ensuring that the performance of the tire remains unaffected. Choose EXO Protection for exceptionally rocky, treacherous trails where the chance of sidewall cuts and abrasions is high.

EXO+

Our EXO+ construction combines two of our best puncture protection materials: SilkShield and EXO. The SilkShield layer runs from bead-to-bead with a layer of EXO along the sidewalls. Combined, these two materials create EXO+ which improves tread puncture protection by 27%; sidewall durability by 51%; and resistance to pinch flats by 28%.

Tubeless Ready

Tubeless downhill set-ups are a great way to shave some weight and spend more time in the bike park or shuttling hot laps on your local runs. Sealant-compatible rubber is used with the familiar Maxxis dual-ply 60 TPI downhill construction and butyl insert for support and rim protection in order to offer the benefits of increased grip and reliability. A Tubeless Ready bead securely locks to the rim and the foldable bead provides additional weight savings.