The name may be the same, but there aren’t many similarities between the new model and its predecessors when it comes to the actual tread pattern. Instead, the tire is more of a mix of Shorty and Assegai, taking cues from the former’s center knobs and the latter’s side knobs, a combination that aims to create a tire that can penetrate loose ground while maintaining good grip for high-speed cornering. It was developed with direct input from World Cup DH racers and has already amassed a resume that includes numerous World Cup wins and podium appearances.
• Dimensions: 29 x 2.4″ and 27.5 x 2.4″
• MaxxGrip rubber compound
• 2 x 60 TPI DH casing
• Claimed weight: 1400 grams (29″) / 1335 (27.5″)
• Price: $105 USD
• maxxis.com
Initially, the tire will only be available in a DH casing with a 2.4″ wide MaxxGrip tire for 29″ or 27.5″ wheels, but DoubleDown and EXO+ casing versions are in development.
Driving impressions
Mid-summer conditions are in full force at Whistler Bike Park, meaning the brake bumps are getting higher every day, wheel-swallowing holes are appearing in even the best-built berms, and the layer of dust just keeps on it gets deeper. In other words, pretty ideal conditions to test a tire like the High Roller.
I’m a fan of the Shorty in the wet, but it’s not a tire I’d want to ride in the bike park due to the softer shoulder knobs – they tend to fold when pushed on hard pack, which can lead to to unwanted wheel washes. On the Highroller, the slightly shorter middle knobs compared to the Shorty and the more substantial side knobs make it much more solid on the hard pack. There wasn’t any vagueness when pushing into the cut berms of A-Line or Dirt Merchant, and it wasn’t long before I could fully trust the tire and really lean into those high-speed corners.
It hasn’t rained in a while, so I can’t comment on how the tires perform in the wet, but they were very nice to have when navigating steep, muddy trails. The 2.4-inch width helps keep them from feeling too fuzzy or floaty, and the rubber does a great job of hooking into the soft stuff. A few of the trails I tested them on had long stretches of sharp braking and there was enough grip to keep it from accelerating out of control.
The Highroller feels a bit more precise than the Assegai – you can really tell what the tire is doing as those knobs get stuck. There’s still a good sweet spot to play with; it is precise without requiring absolutely perfect placement all the time. I’m not a DH racer, but it’s easy to see how this would make a good race tire – the Canadian Open DH race track is a prime example of where it would fit right in, with lots of steep, loose sections that were full of sand, roots and stones.
It’s worth mentioning that these are designed more like a racing tire than something you can stick on your bike and ride for months and months without any degradation. My rear tire is starting to show some wear after a few days of park riding and some pedaling, mainly in the form of chewed center knobs. This is to be expected when you combine sticky rubber and firmer conditions, but something to keep in mind, especially given the price of DH tires. A Highroller in the front with a MaxxTerra DHR II in the back would be a good combination that is geared a little more towards longevity.
Overall, the Highroller fits well into the Maxxis lineup, although I wonder if the Shorty will start to fall away due to the added versatility the Highroller brings to the table.
