Professional Reviews
Looking for a wet-weather tyre and not sure which to choose? Turn to the opinions of the experts.
“Rather than being purely an out-and-out mud plugger, we’ve always found the Maxxis Beaver a better all-round trail tyre. The dual-compound construction sees a softer layer applied over a firmer base, making the Beaver pretty fast rolling for a wet-weather tyre, yet it still excels in damp and slippery conditions.
The rubber compound and tread is surefooted on roots, rocks and wet trail-centre kitty litter, and the widely spaced small blocks are great at continually clearing out cack — they even double up as great loam scrapers in the drier months. Another Beaver highlight is its tenacious climbing traction — its ability to winch up slippery banks is every bit as impressive as its namesake’s.” – Simon Collis, Mountain Bike Rider, MBR.co.uk, January 2016
“…the rolling resistance of the Beaver is a trade-off for remarkable grip on the flats and on uphills, on roots, wood and slippery surfaces.
The Beaver is indeed a remarkable tyre in terms of the all-important characteristic of traction… The bottom line is that Maxxis hit a home run with the Beaver’s grip.
Soft rubber meant that slow speed downhills weren’t a heart-stopping adventure. Perhaps more surprisingly cornering at moderate speeds was confidence-inspiring…
In summary, the Maxxis Beaver is the best wet weather tyre I’ve ever had the privilege of riding. It’s quite light; has tenacious grip, and is predictable. It clears mud remarkably well and punches well above its weight on the downhills with the exception of steeps where it lacks a certain punch of braking power.
Other than these minor quibbles my conclusion is that I’d be happy to leave the Maxxis Beaver’s on my bike all fall, into winter and perhaps even into spring. They’re a fun, light, confidence-inspiring tyre.” – Lee Lau, MTBR.com, November 2011
“We’ve been running our tyres in a multitude of different muds – from rooty and sloppy to thick, claggy stuff – and they perform brilliantly.
Forward traction and braking is consistent and, although not as good as a more paddle-based design, they still roll quickly and more importantly, clear well. You don’t want to be riding big wheels clogged with mud – the extra rotating weight is hideous. Despite the casing being exceptionally light, we haven’t yet managed to puncture or pinch ours.” – Andrew Dodd, BikeRadar.com, April 2011
“Putting the sub-500g Beaver tyres on was a revelation. Rolling speed is phenomenal, they spin up fast and maintain high levels of momentum along the trail. I’ve used them on trail rides and at a cross-country race and they’ve excelled in both situations.
Great traction and rolling speed makes them a good choice for the winter. My new favourite tyre.” – David Arthur, BikeMagic.com, December 2012