Raze Tyre Test Results
Look to tyre tests for their opinion on the Razr cyclocross tyre:
Bike Rumor
“On the dry courses, they’re phenomenal. Whether it’s grass, hardpack dirt or pavement, I can take corners at full speed, even the somewhat off-camber ones, and they hook up very well. Once you get used to how far you can lean these things, it’s quite confidence-inspiring and lets you maintain more speed through the tightly taped corners and u-turns.” – Tyler Benedict, BikeRumor.com, November 2012
Cyclocross Magazine
“At a svelte 322 grams and with a versatile tread, it’s well-suited for many types of courses and terrain. The Raze features a slightly softer rubber than the other two Maxxis cx tyres, but when combined with changes in tread and volume, I couldn’t tell the difference in rubber hardness. The Raze is lighter and more supple than the Locust, and offers a good ride quality. The tight centre blocks help the tire roll smoothly on any surface, and traction under pedalling or braking was decent…
…The Raze is a better dry surface tyre and is an excellent choice for fast, dry, early-season courses.” – VA, CXMagazine.com, July 2011
Road.cc
Road.cc tested the Raze cyclocross tyre with an overall result of 8/10:
“The tread design features a central ridge of closely spaced square knobs for reduced rolling resistance on harder terrain, while the square side knobs are spaced wider apart.
Like most Maxxis tyres I’ve used they mount really well – I tried them on Mavic tn719 and on Alex XD rims. I like that fixing punctures does not require tyre levers.
According to Maxxis, the Raze uses a slightly softer compound (though they don’t state compared to what), which no doubt contributes to the grippy feel. They are quite happy being thrown into tight corners at speed, and track nicely on off camber sections – no issues with side-slipping. The spacing of the side lugs keeps any build-up of mud at bay, which helps keep the traction turned on.
The tighter spacing on the central ridge comes into play when the course hits a Tarmac section, where the tyres don’t feel draggy at all.
As anyone who’s raced off-road will know, tyre pressure can make the difference between hitting the corners at full speed, or hitting the trees at full speed. I found 35 psi to be about right for wetter conditions (I weigh 80kg), and just on the right side of pinch punctures (I didn’t get any), while for drier conditions I’d stick a bit more air in. Certainly worth experimenting to get it right.
If you’re looking to stick with one tyre for the cyclo-cross race season, the Maxxis Raze comes recommended.” – Iwein Dekoninck, Road.cc, November 2012
