It’s no secret that the Minion name has become legendary in the gravity mountain bike world. For years, the DHF and DHR II have been the benchmark tyres that countless riders have trusted, from weekend warriors right through to World Cup racers. So, when Maxxis announces an all-new Minion, people tend to pay attention…
Meet the Minion DHX – a completely new tyre that’s already proven itself on the World Cup circuit, collecting podiums and race wins over the past two seasons before finally making its way into production. But is it simply the next evolution of the Minion family, or has Maxxis just raised the bar yet again?
At first glance, the DHX looks like someone has blended a DHF and DHR II together… but spend a little more time looking and you’ll quickly realise it’s much more than that. The new tread borrows some of the best traits from both tyres while carving out its own identity. The centre knobs feature large ramped edges designed to roll quickly while still delivering impressive braking traction, and the side knobs have been made noticeably larger than those found on the DHF. Maxxis has also reduced the gap between the centre and side knobs, making the transition from upright to full lean feel much more predictable.
The company also talks a lot about reduced “siping” in the side knobs. If you’re wondering exactly what siping is, you’re probably not alone. In simple terms, it refers to the small cuts moulded into the tread blocks. Reducing them makes the knobs stiffer, helping them flex less when you’re really loading the tyre through fast corners.
The result is a tyre that promises more support, more stability and more confidence when things start getting rowdy. Looking purely at tread depth, the DHX sits somewhere between an Assegai and the High Roller III. It’s aggressive without being over the top.
Compared to the existing Minion tyre family, with the new DHX the biggest changes, however, aren’t actually visible. Maxxis has completely redesigned the downhill casing, and according to the company, it behaves almost like an extra layer of suspension. That’s a bold claim. The new casing features a harder butyl insert, an additional protection layer in the sidewall and a move from the previous dual-ply 60 TPI construction to a new dual-ply 120 TPI carcass.
While that might sound similar to the existing DoubleDown casing, Maxxis says the new downhill construction uses different materials and extends the overlap between casing layers much further across the tyre. The end result is what Maxxis calls “Progressive Casing Stiffness.”
Essentially, the tyre is designed to better absorb trail chatter while still providing exceptional sidewall support and puncture protection. In fact, Maxxis recommends running the DHX around 2-3psi lower than you normally would because you no longer need to rely on tyre pressure to keep the sidewalls stable. Lower pressures, more grip and a smoother ride? That certainly sounds promising.
For now, the Minion DHX is available exclusively in a 2.5-inch width, with both 27.5-inch and 29-inch options available. Australian pricing sits at $124.95 for the 27.5-inch version and $129.95 for the 29-inch tyre. Claimed weights come in at 1,454 grams for the smaller tyre and 1,550 grams for the 29er.
Okay, enough of the theory, how do these new tyres actually ride? Our buddies over at Lusty Industries sent us a couple of sets to test ride a few weeks ago/ahead of todays official launch and Scotty and JT fitted them to their daily drivers right away.
There’s no denying that Maxxis are most peoples ‘go to’ tyre brand, and here at [R]evo for the most part we are no different – with that said both Scott and JT were already running Maxxis tyres on each of the bikes that they fitted the new DHX’s to, which served as a handy platform for direct comparison… Fitting the DHX tyres proved to be a breeze due to the tyres bury DH casing/sidewalls, and with a little sealant inside they inflated first go just using a track pump – no need for a compressor. Just inflate and ride. It’s always nice when things start well.
From the very first corner it was obvious these tyres meant business. Even though it was the middle of winter, conditions around Western Sydney and the lower Blue Mountains were surprisingly dry. Our local trails are a mix of loose sandstone, rocky ledges, sandy corners and plenty of square-edged hits—perfect terrain to find a tyre’s strengths and weaknesses.
Casually choosing to ignore Maxxis’ recommendation, our test team decided to set-up the DHX’s with their usual tyre pressures of 26psi up front and 28psi in the rear… Dropping into the first trail, the amount of grip was immediately noticeable. Cornering traction is genuinely among the best I’ve experienced from a downhill tyre. The more I leaned the bike over, the more the side knobs seemed to dig into the trail, encouraging me to push harder with every turn. Over loose rocks and awkward roots, the DHX never felt nervous or vague. Even when deliberately taking poor lines and smashing through sections I’d normally avoid, the tyres simply kept tracking exactly where I wanted them to go. One thing that really stood out was how compliant they felt through slower technical sections. There’s almost a softness to the way the tyre conforms to rocks and trail chatter, which no doubt has plenty to do with the redesigned casing.
Upon reflection of that first day out riding, and after chatting with one and other about how impressive the DHX’s felt right out of the gate, Scotty and JT agreed that they should probably take Maxxis’ advice and try dropping the tyre pressures a could of PSI. Both lads did just that for their next ride and they never looked back. “The level of grip is mind blowing – those new sidewalls and casing are insane” they commented.
Looking at the aggressive tread pattern, you’d expect the DHX to sacrifice some rolling speed. It doesn’t. If anything, it rolls faster than expected. The tyre accelerates quickly and carries speed remarkably well, making it feel lively despite its substantial tread pattern. Then, when it’s time to pull the anchors, those large braking edges bite hard into the trail and scrub speed with confidence. Fast when you want it. Predictable when you need it. That’s a combination that’s hard to fault.
After several weeks of riding, it’s fair to say the new Minion DHX lives up to the hype.
If you’ve always loved the confidence of the DHF and the braking performance of the DHR II, the DHX feels like the natural next step. It builds on everything that made those tyres so popular while delivering noticeably more support, more grip and a more refined ride feel.
As Maxxis’ claim, these tyres were developed for the worlds fastest racers, proven by multiple World Cup and World Champ wins, and they’re now available just for you from your local Aussie Maxxis dealer.
Talk about an upgrade – hands down these are the most impressive tyres I’ve ridden in recent years! The new Maxxis Minion DHX is a stunning gravity performer which will instantly turbo charge the handling and performance of your gravity sled. With a tread pattern perfect for the front or the rear of your bike. Right from the very first ride, I felt a whole new level of trail grip which then beckoned me to stay off the brakes, push faster, and trust that I wasn’t about to ‘wash out’ or crash. The new sidewall tech that Maxxis have developed really works as well – I found that my usual ‘go to’ PSI settings needed to be dropped down which made the tyres come to life and perform even better.”
Minion DHX Key Features:
- New tread pattern – ideal for front or rear
- 27.5” or 29” sizing – both 2.5” width
- New progressive casing construction featuring a ‘firm’ butyl insert
- New sidewall technology also reduces trail vibration
- This allows you to reduce ‘usual’ air pressure by 2-3 PSI for way more grip without sacrificing stability.
- Reinforced shoulder knobs that resist folding under extreme cornering loads/speeds.
- •Larger centre knobs for braking with reduced gap between them for rolling speed
- •Smaller gap between centre and shoulder knobs for predictable cornering
- Improved puncture protection.
- MaxxGrip and MaxxTerra compounds
- Weight 1454grams 27.5”, 1550 grams 29”
- Price (Aussie) $124.95 (27.5) $129.95 (29)