First Look: American Classic Re-Enters MTB with Sub-$50 Tire Lineup

Jul 13, 2022
by Alicia Leggett  
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After a successful 35 years in the industry and a three-year hiatus, American Classic returned to the bike world last fall with a new lineup of gravel and road offerings, and today announced its re-entry into mountain biking with a lineup costing between $45 and $50 USD. With four tread patterns and three constructions, the range offers a variety of both 27.5" and 29" options.

The all-around 2.5" Vulcanite model is designed to work as both a front and rear tire, and it's available in 27.5" and 29" versions using either the beefiest 2-ply EN Armor or the midweight 2-ply TR Armor constructions. Weights range from 1010g to 1230g, depending on the version.

bigquotesWhat goes up must come down–and the Vulcanite is ready to tackle both. The Vulcanite is a go-anywhere tire, featuring tall knobs for traction in loose terrain with hatch marks and siping for additional traction in hard-packed conditions, and ramped center knobs for straight-line speed. And its semi-open tread block layout reduces debris build-up, thus increasing bite on rocky terrain and roots.American Classic

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Up or down, front or back, the Vulcanite is made for it all.

Focusing on the front, American Classic has introduced the Tectonite, also available in a single 2.5" width for 27.5" or 29" wheels, and with EN Armor and TR Armor options. Interestingly, the Tectonite has the same claimed weights as the Vulcanite: between 1010g and 1230g.

bigquotesThe Tectonite relies on a directional tread that includes ramped center knobs, angled shoulder lugs, and alternating transition knobs delivering numerous angles of traction in high-speed cornering. Engineered tread block positioning and varying sizes provide consistent and reliable cornering no matter how hard you push into the turn.American Classic

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The Tectonite takes cues from a recent crop of aggressive enduro-focused tires that have emerged in recent years.

Rounding out the trio of aggressive tires is the rear-specific Basanite, which comes in a 2.4" width, again with 27.5" and 29" options. Like the Vulcanite and Tectonite, the Basanite is available in the TR Armor trail version and EN Armor enduro mode. Meant to balance rolling ability with braking authority, the Basanite weighs in a bit lighter than its siblings at 990g to 1200g.

bigquotesLoose berms, choppy trails, and rugged rock gardens stand no chance against the Basanite. The Basanite is specifically designed as a rear tire with ramped knobs for improved rolling speed that alternate in shape and size for braking control. Alternating shoulder lugs and central knobs provide grip at any angle. And the large knobs all include hatch marks, or cupped profiles, improving grip on harder-packed terrain.American Classic

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The Basanite uses what just might be the most tried-and-true tread pattern out there.

Finally, the outlier of the new releases is the - for lack of a better term, I'm sorry - downcountry Mauka, a straightforward tire available in a single 29" x 2.4" version with the light-duty, 1.5-ply TR-L Armor construction that's topped with the Rubberforce G compound that the brand uses for flat protection and abrasion resistance on its gravel tires.

bigquotesMauka is Hawaiian for 'toward the mountain,' and that's where this tire excels.American Classic

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The downcountry-oriented Mauka.

The most surprising detail is that each of the tires retails for about half the price of some competitors, set at $45 USD for the Mauka, $48 for the TR-Armor models, and making the big $2 jump to $50 for the EN-Armor versions.

The tires are now available at amclassic.com and from the company's Amazon store.

I recently received some test tires, so stay tuned for a review once I've spent some time on these reasonably-priced options.

Author Info:
alicialeggett avatar

Member since Jun 19, 2015
743 articles

182 Comments
  • 143 1
 Not only do we have affordable tires, we now have competition in the category. This is awesome, will be watching for the review!
  • 23 0
 If AC can do wheels and components at comparable price points, they'll crush!!!!!
  • 9 0
 I hope this is the new direction of Mtn biking. “Second rate” can still be damn good these days!
  • 116 0
 Ah yes, the price that MTB tires should be at.
  • 15 5
 First of all, I agree that bije tyres are crazy expensive compared to cars or even motorcycles. So, I don't question that.

But, seeing how often guys with American flag are complaining about tyres prices, I wonder if you pay always a full retail price?

Because I never do. 90% of the time I just order tyres from some German web shop. I've just checked, the Assegai in 3C Exo+ is currently on 25% discount (55 Euros for shipment to Ch or 60 for Germany). I'm sure that I could get it even a bit cheaper (this is the first place I looked)
  • 5 0
 @pakleni: you don't have to go to Germany either. Bikeimport.ch has them for 53.45CHF including taxes. But i think for some reason we have just was better prices on tires in Europe.
  • 11 0
 Each brand has tires in that range or even cheaper.

It´s just their best tires which are more expensive.

So who produces these "American Classic" tires and where?
And are they any good?
  • 4 3
 @pakleni: 100% agree I have never paid an exo dual compound maxxis more than 38 euros. And if you check they are still at that prices in French / German / Italian shops. If you want super mega exo triple iper upper casing with 6c compound you pay full, but what real benefits?
  • 4 0
 @pakleni: Sadly we pay a bit more on this side of the English Channel - can't think why?... That tyre you price checked is £65+ from UK based shops. Quite a lot cheaper from European shops, which is what I'd have done a couple of years ago, but it's not so quick or easy nowadays
  • 2 2
 @mountainsofsussex: Shipping / Import Duty is a huge cost for tyres / rubber.
  • 1 0
 @SleepingAwake: I was on bikeimport's mailing list for 3 months waiting for a set of Maxxis or those new Contis. Germans were faster Big Grin
  • 1 0
 @mountainsofsussex: And Chain Reaction? Before you know what I used to buy from them quite often
  • 15 1
 @pakleni: I think people are used to seeing Maxxis and Schwalbe prices where tires are $90 each. Specialized has tires at around $60 per tire. They often go on sale where you can find them for $30. I recently bought a Butcher 27.5x2.6 for $30 and a Slaughter 2.6 for $15. 29x2.3 Eliminator for $35. Now I don't think they work any better than a Maxxis or Schwalbe...but they are no worse.
  • 4 0
 @mountainsofsussex: CRC usually have pretty much any tyre I've looked for (usually DHR and DHF) for under £40.
  • 5 0
 @pakleni: There is some strange pricing structure at work with bike tyres in North America. Even 10 years ago, bike tyres in Canada were easily twice the price they were in Europe.
  • 2 1
 @redrook: They probably make £5/£10 profit per tyre
  • 3 1
 @Behindthetapeproductions: So? My point is that you can get good tyres from them for £40.
  • 4 0
 @mountainsofsussex: The past 3 tyres I've bought for my bike have been Maxxis tyres either through bike-inn or mantel. They were seriously cheap (they must have pretty much been what would be trade price in the UK), I didn't have to pay any customs duties/import tax, and they arrived within 3 days or so of ordering them.

The specific tyres were kind of niche (DD/MaxxGrip Assegais and DHR IIs in 27.5"), but even so, availability and pricing was good. I expect it'd be different for 29er tyres, but it's definitely worth considering shopping overseas if you can't deal with UK RRPs.
  • 15 3
 Tires spelled with a "y"?


Euros!?


My tiny American mind just exploded.
  • 6 0
 @scott-townes: It's crazy, and for once it was actually us who changed the word, not you guys. The original spelling was tires.
  • 4 0
 @redrook: WTFFFFFF
  • 3 0
 @Ttimer: Forget about buying any bike components in Canada. I have been buying all my stuff from Germany and have never paid any duty or even sales tax.
  • 3 0
 @redrook: no way! Mind blown!
  • 5 1
 Riding the same tires every day that people race on is gonna be expensive. They’re pricy and wear out fast. If you run compounds that perform at 90% of the level that the top level tires do, they last a lot longer and are cheaper.

I love the dual compound EXO Maxxis tires on front (DHF or Assegai), and an Aggressor in the rear. The DC compound lasts absolutely forever and has plenty of grip and is usually cheaper. Note, I live in CA, so wet roots/rocks aren’t a common sight on my trails.
  • 1 0
 @pakleni: I have a parts order on its way from a German site to me in Canada. 5 items, including a tire, added up to $180 cad. The same 5 items from a major American site added up to $303 cad (both with shipping). A weaker euro helped make this possible but it still illustrates the way pricing differs.
  • 1 0
 @DJ-24: through what site?
  • 3 0
 @abtcup: Depends where you ride. On the Shore in the wet (which is too often lately) Specialized just don't perform as good as Maxxis.
  • 1 0
 My mtb tires cost more than my Prius tires! Also wear out way faster
  • 2 4
 @abtcup: specialized arnt anywhere as good as maxxis or schwalbe ! I destroyed the specialized so quick , I wouldn’t even give them a second chance
  • 1 2
 @pakleni: American guys are running DD or DH casing Maxxis which have been $100+ everywhere since the pandemic.
  • 8 0
 @pakleni: US Flag waiver here. I use CRC out of the UK for a majority of my parts, including tires. Just ordered new Maxxis Assegai and an Aggressor for less than $100. Also picked up some Hayes D Rotors for nearly half price as well. Yes it takes 5-7 days to get shipped over here, but shipping is free and and Im in no hurry. there is never a need to pay full price for anything.
  • 4 1
 @Fishoholics: you are comparing low level commuter car tires to top level mtb race tires
  • 2 0
 @pakleni: It is amazing the difference. Top shelf Schwalbe, Maxxis, and Michelin are $40-50 US from the German shops. Literally 50% of the US price.
  • 1 0
 @pakleni: I buy from Germany as well. Only problem is shipping cost $60 so you have to order quite a few tires for it to make sense. If you buy just one then it is more expensive that MSRP here.
  • 3 1
 @nickfranko what background in manufacturing of rubber components or tires do you have that makes you say that this is the price they "should" be at?
  • 4 0
 @mountainsofsussex: your own coujtry's mistake. Your Brexit is partly at fault for the higher pricing of products shipped from EU to UK.
  • 3 2
 @NorCalNomad: Stop trying to use an ad hominem argument. You don't need to have that background to understand that prices are absurd.
  • 1 1
 @pakleni:
Only a tool pays full retail for tires..
  • 5 1
 @abtcup: I agree. specialized tires are underated. The new T9/T7 compound is as good as any Maxxis tire and 20-25 cheaper.
  • 1 0
 @pakleni: Yeah good point. And yes, we have the same deals over here too… just have to look and be patient. Buy the tire on sale before you need the replacement, you know?
  • 6 2
 @nickfranko: No it's an honest question. Do you have a manufacturing background or do you just think things should be cheaper? I actually know and have seen first hand what it takes at the factory level for high performance rubber components because that is part of my job. So when people like you are spouting out that things "should" be cheaper with no reason behind it, you are trying to shift the burden of proof if we are going to talk about logical fallacies. If I was just calling you names, that would be an ad hominem Wink #knowyourshit
  • 1 0
 A pricing revolution cosigned by John Hankook
  • 1 1
 @Tripmo: I was avoiding saying the B word, as it often leads to online fights...
  • 2 0
 @rrolly: Bike24
  • 2 0
 @abtcup: Where'd you find those prices on the Specialized? I have been running a Butcher and really like it so could dive deeper.
  • 3 0
 @endoguru:
I love Specialized tires..!
  • 3 1
 @NorCalNomad:
When the best MX tires and the best Mtn bike tires are the same retail price, I’d say there’s some price gouging going on.
  • 2 0
 @Clavdivs: Worldwide Cycling has some pretty good pricing on Specialized tires.
Check in with your local Specialized dealer as well, sometimes they have some solid discounts.
  • 1 1
 @ExMxEr: perhaps, but consider that the rubber isn't lions share of the expense. R&D, design & testing, and mold making are all going to cost much higher than materials and likely very similar despite the differences in sports.
  • 2 0
 @pockets-the-coyote:
I can see the lightweight of a Mtn bike tire being a factor, but I can’t see any less R&D going into Moto tires for sheer performance. It’s every bit as competitive.
But here’s one I always found ridiculous- price by size. 1/4” difference in tire width means a manufacturing cost difference? Where again, Mtn bike, Moto and car tires can be comparably priced?
No thanks, they can keep their rational..
  • 1 0
 @ExMxEr: honest question as i don't know - do moto tyres have multiple different compounds as well? I'd think with the bigger knobs and not being worried about pedaling efficiency they can get away with a single compound which probably really simplifies production.
  • 1 0
 @pakleni: Those German sites and even CRC has banned shipments to the US for a lot of products. Or the cost to ship just is not worth it.
  • 1 0
 @road-n-dirt: in terms of CRC, We in the USA, cant purchase Shimano parts for sure, but so far everything else has been shipped no problem. And shipping is free if you spend over a certain amount. My last order was a little over $100 and it shipped for free.
  • 1 0
 @Three6ty: I have not bought from CRC in a while. I actually owned a shop and used to buy Shimano stuff there on a regular. I have not had a reason to purchase from there. But my recent move to Mexico has me looking there again.
  • 2 0
 It’s actually Yurope. @scott-townes:
  • 1 0
 @SleepingAwake:
I’ve been out of it for a bit, but I wouldn’t be surprised. To me the major R&D difference is acceleration. 70hp from a machine seemingly designed to rip your arms out takes a certain knob material with the right flex and carcass strength to hook up without wearing out in a single Moto. Unless you’re on a pro tire!
As an example, cutting knobs to get a sharp edge just doesn’t work because it affects the knob structure- the knobs flex, and you have a ruined tire.
So making a tire for a machine that can dig a ditch with a turn of the throttle makes for a few challenges Mtn bikes will never deal with.
  • 1 0
 @DJ-24: hmm, from who/where exactly?
  • 1 1
 @ExMxEr: AGAIN...do you know what materials and processes are going into each? Like just everything else, it's expensive to try to get strength + lightweight. When you have a motor between your two wheels the need to make things as light as mtb tires are is a bit different.

So just to call out two things

I work with materials that weren't even around in a commercially available state 10ish years ago that have insane strength to weight properties. Now they are showing up in commercial product but are still REALLY expensive. So I'd be willing to bet that the fabric casing layers on say the Michelin StarCross 5 are much heavier and cheaper fabric that what is on say Maxxis EXO+. It's way cheaper even as a consumer to go out and buy 1000D nylon canvas material than the same dyneema fabric that has the same strength properties of that nylon at orders of magnitude less weight.

I'd bet the rubber compounds for MTB tires are also a more expensive mixture than moto tires. That and the StarCross has a single compound of rubber in the tire. Why that maters is that the manufacturing of it is way less labor intensive vs a 3 compound layup that a Maxterra has. And in this day and age extra labor time really drives up cost even in Asia.
  • 1 0
 @NorCalNomad:
Okay fine, I’ll do my research. Maybe the low volume sales of Mtn bike tires compared to car tires makes for a lower profit margin for Mtn bike tires.
NorCal Nomad. I’ve spent a bunch of time in NorCal. I’m ex Tesla Motors, just in case we might know each other..
  • 1 0
 @NorCalNomad:

Here’s some dual compound off road motorcycle tires that weight about 7 times that of a Mtn bike tire.
Hey look, a Maxxis from 2014! Do you know what goes into them?
Each one takes up about the space of about 12 Mtn bike tires and aren’t folded up in tiny boxes, so shipping per unit isn”t even comparable.
So this size, weight, and a whole lot more dual compound is no match for the cost modern Mtn bike tire?

KENDA K786 WASHOUGAL II DUAL COMPOUND REAR TIRE
Sedona MX-208SR
Shinko 520 Dual Compound
MAXXCROSS MX IT circa: 2014
  • 38 1
 Ah. Please reference the following guide when selecting a tire to pair with the Mauka:

Waiʻanae: backcountry
Waimanalo: downcountry
Waikiki: upcountry
Waialae: high country
Iowa: cross country
  • 6 0
 username checks out
  • 27 0
 These vs. the Mike Bear tires Henry got stuck with, we're dying to know!
  • 12 0
 cheap tire showdown please... might not be a good choice to get mainstream media to do it though
  • 5 0
 @HeatedRotor: I round up of the value tires would be awesome. Lots of stuff out there now, but not too sure which is worth it
  • 9 0
 @HeatedRotor: There needs to be a pb-user selected series of vids where we propose the challenges and gear and they do it.
  • 3 0
 @rrolly: GENIUS. SERIOUSLY.
  • 18 0
 Sold out both amazon and their site... were there any actually for sale or did they really get snapped up in 20 minutes?
  • 19 0
 Nothing about compounds or durometer...???
  • 3 0
 Yeah strange no details.
  • 6 0
 Yes, who produces these "American Classic" tires and where?
  • 6 0
 Indeed. Anyone can make knobby tyres with vaguely familiar tread design. The art is in making a rubber + casing lineup that balances dry grip, wet grip, rolling speed and wear rate.
  • 2 0
 That would be nice. Gimme some sturdy sidewalls and a durometer in the 40s and I'll try 'em for sure.
  • 1 0
 They appear to have that slightly blue/green haze that the badass old Michelin tires would get. Hopefully it's a similar compound...they could be good if the casings have the right layup and the rubber mimics (or they are produced by) Michelin. I am curious. These look pretty good.
  • 1 0
 @JohSch: That's the question...there are not many actual tire production companies, a lot more brands.
  • 1 0
 @Ttimer: Given Bill Shooks considerable experience, I am confident he understands compounding. AC wheels were always pretty innovative.
  • 3 0
 @JohSch: They make them on their own in their own factory. They started with gravel/road tires, some info here cyclingtips.com/2021/09/american-classic-is-reborn-as-a-road-and-gravel-tire-brand-focused-on-value
  • 1 0
 @carym: Bill and Ellen sold Am Classic off ages ago, he has zero involvement with it now.
  • 1 0
 @TheseKnobsAreMakingMeThirsty: I thought Bill stayed on in some consultant role.
  • 5 0
 It’s nice to see another less expensive tire option, it will be interesting to see how they are reviewed. I was just about to try some Delium Rugged tires, since all the reviews I’ve seen have been mostly positive. If anyone has experience with them I’d love to hear about it.
  • 2 0
 Make sure you get the reinforced tire for the rear. The all - around folds like a rubber glove. I kept blowing it off my rim and burping it
  • 1 0
 @colto: Thanks for the info. I was thinking the all-around casing was similar to Maxxis EXO, but are you saying it is even lighter than that?
  • 2 0
 Currently running an all-around rugged up front, no complaints at all. Have reinforced rugged and reinforced versatile on the shelf in the garage, I'll be putting one or the other on the rear soon enough. For me, I wouldn't have much concern running the all-around on the rear. My current rear tire is a DHF exo/maxxterra (aka affordable maxxis) and it's fine, a little flexy but nothing burping or rolling off the rim due to also running cushcore on the rear.
  • 1 0
 Rugged is a great tire made even better by the price. I have it on the front of my Ripmo. I personally wouldn't run it on the rear, but i'm not a full send ftw kinda rider. Unfortunately, I can't compare it to an Assegai because I refuse to buy Maxxis tires.
  • 1 0
 @lj17: I'd say yes, Delium "all around" would be about equivalent to Maxxis EXO, except you can get 2 Delium "all around" for the price of 1 Maxxis EXO
  • 1 0
 I've had a Delium Steady on the rear for 100 miles and the side knobs are tearing off. The tire has felt pretty good so far but they absolutely should not be falling apart like this. Sent an email about getting them warrantied... we'll see how they handle it.

Hopefully it's just an isolated incident - I really want to like a $50 tire with a simple shopping experience and a naming convention that's not some baffling secret code.
  • 1 0
 @chacou: My experience with All-Round was different from @jl17 's. It was a super tight fit on my rim (WTB frequency i29) and the sidewall felt a bit more substantial near the bead compared to the Maxxis EXO tire it replaced. No burps yet. I would say the All-Round is like EXO+ or something. I think their "Light" casing is the EXO equivalent.
  • 1 0
 @bkm303: likewise, I’m running it up front and haven’t noticed any “softness” in the sidewalls. It’s really nice, and mine seems to be wearing pretty well, I’m probably about 100 miles in on it up front. Just starting to show signs of wear on the side knobs, but nothing abnormal
  • 1 0
 @chacou: that's good to hear, my side knobs are literally about to fall off in chunks. According to my Strava they've only done around 60-70 miles (the "less than" sign got edited out of my previous comment for some reason).
www.pinkbike.com/photo/22957873
  • 1 0
 Thanks for all the replies. @chacou: I can get away with EXO/EXO+ with a cushcore in the rear, so I think I’ll try the Rugged all around front and rear. I wish they had one similar to a DHR in 2.4 because I like the Assegai/DHR that I run now, just looking for something less expensive. The Rugged on the rear might be a bit of a drag, but for less than $50 I’m willing to give it a shot.
  • 1 0
 @lj17: that was my thinking, worth a try. Good reviews and the Indonesian manufacturer, Deli Tire, has been in business for 50+ years.
  • 9 1
 The tires that I prefer for riding 'toward the mountain', are called 'car tires'.
  • 1 0
 Which Maxxis model do you use?
  • 11 2
 I want to see China classic for 20 dollar made in the same factory.
  • 4 0
 They have a road hazard replacement policy? Could be cool.

American Classic stands by our tires, and want to keep our customers rolling. Our Road Hazard Replacement Policy offers our customers the promise that if you puncture or tear an American Classic tire while riding, and it no longer holds air, you can contact us for a claim form for a one-time 50% off the MSRP of the same or comparable product. The replacement program covers American Classic products purchased through authorized dealers, www.amclassic.com, or the American Classic branded Amazon store, and product included as original equipment components of a new bicycle purchase. The Road Hazard Replacement Policy does not include shipping and handling.
  • 2 1
 This could be huge. I once front punctured an EXO+ tire on the first ride and contacted Maxxis for warranty because 1 ride is just ridiculous when it's supposed to have "extra protection". Maxxis denied my warranty claim and kept my tire I could have patched and kept riding!
  • 5 1
 Strong American Tire. A tremendous accomplishment for this great nation. From the people who created the kung fu carbon and the authors of grab them by the saddle comes a strong endorsement to greatest accomplishment in rubber The American Classic. Grab a pair and ride those nasty trails, turn right with confidence and turn radical left AOC style. Happy hump day.
  • 1 0
 Made in Taiwan
  • 5 1
 Covfefe Fibers
  • 1 0
 Wow, this is such an amazing fun-slap in the face to all of us in the burning meth clown car that is the US that I don't know which group to laugh at first (except for all of us / them). Almost spit out my Double Jolt-Redbull Yeagermeister Bomb I've been sipping on since 530 AM. Well done my man...
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: no insult meant... sometimes the keyboard gets the best of me, combine that with material provided by current climate and I end up putting out stuff like that. Happy trails
  • 1 0
 @ticoslayer: Not at all! I read your post as effin' hilarious, a beatdown to the Hatfields and the McCoys (if not our whole situation which is BS by any standards) so by all means, lay it all down. Additionally - it was subtle and not hamfisted and obvious so regardless of your intent the ambiguity plays well in writing (I thought).
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: well in that case, mission accomplished and I'm glad you read it exactly as it was meant. Keep sipping on your 5:30 am cocktail. Cheers.
  • 1 0
 @ticoslayer: Word on all that. My cocktail was fake, but I will look for your prose more from here out...
  • 10 3
 assegai is copied even more than dhf wtf
  • 14 3
 its a better tire
  • 3 0
 @jaydawg69: i wouldn't say better but grippier (and slower rolling). Most of us will gladly trade that for some speed though.
  • 1 0
 @winko: it's like the choice of high roller vs minion back in the day.
  • 3 1
 @winko: Im confused by this - I have had front assegai for years but when I went double (F& R) I started getting top-10s & a few koms at my nearby mostly-dh / rough) trails (pedal up). Same at some lift-access parks Ive ridden for years specifically trying to get better times. I think its because of better grip F&R.

I also continue to improve uphill times on the dbl-Assegai setup (this is even DD casings) tho I don't focus on that, and I still continue to improve my DH times w/ dbl- Assegai. And yeah - this is just the video game that is Strava but Im also booting bad data, etc.

My point is - maybe these are not the fastest uphill, but Im not seeing any speed reductions at all on downs. Ive tried every combo now for rougher riding (Maxxis anyway) and also love Assegai front / Dissector rear, but I think its the better grip and more confidence from the dbl Assegai setup that does it… at least for me where I ride.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: I've run a lot of Assegais on a lot of bikes, both traditional trail bikes, ebikes and dh bikes. I like them, they're the new "do no wrong traction tire," but every single bike I've run Assguys on has felt and timed significantly faster when I swap them out. Eddy Currents on the DH bike and E-bike result in noticeably faster rolling and significant increase in battery life as well as better braking traction. Minion R/R or F/R combos or throwing a Dissector on the back with a Minion has always felt significantly less like I'm dragging an anchor than with the Assguys.
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: same here, Assegai has always clearly been the best front option and I tried a few different pairings for rear, but keep coming back to using it for both and going with maxxgrip on rear and living with the barely-noticeable rolling speed penalty
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13:
You have to ask yourself one thing- is the rear of my bike stepping out since the tire change? If not, then you now have a more efficient bike! Cheers!!
  • 1 0
 @RobKong: Unclear on yr comment with "felt & timed signif faster..." meaning not the Assegai's (assuming that's the case?) Also dunno what Eddy Currents is (?) Funny AF about the anchor though. I guess I've not noticed that (am on a Capra) and on the rough / chucky & often wet stuff around me (western NC) I guess it just feels mint. The Dissector does seem to roll faster though but even w/ switching out and checking my times, I still seem to shedding times with either tire.
  • 1 0
 @EnsBen: Wild. Didn't know anyone else but Henry might do this. Well hey, ya know PB podcast did a Placebo cast a few weeks back and I know at least for me, sometimes I get something in my head and can't shake it and that's the double Assegai (even going for speed / faster Strava times) and so far, it seems to be fine. Even w/ switching off Dissector & Assegai rear, times keep going up normally with either so - seems fine.
  • 1 0
 @ExMxEr: Word on that. I do have a rear 27 I toss on periodically (yeah, I know and no, no triangle change - YT Capra) and its more playful but a bit more schralpy (rear is a WTB Breakout, which I dont' think is even made any longer?) and its just right there on the edge for drier / moist but not muddy days. Holds just fine and also like w/ the dbl-Assegais - cont'd faster uphill and downhill records, even when I change out w/ Dissector or Assegai. Sometimes I think its just all in our heads.
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13:
Ha! Funny you should say that..
I threw a 27.5 on the back of my old Santa Cruz Tallboy and thought it was the cure for old school geometry.
Rode it for about 7 rides, loved it,I switched back to the 29’ed and OMG what was I thinking..!?
The front end was super planted (again) and now I can’t imagine a single benefit to the smaller wheel. It felt fast, and was not!
  • 2 0
 @ExMxEr: Wild - so ultimately it just wasn't as secure feeling (or fast?) - and have you spent any time on a true MX wheel bike (by design?) For us, doing the ghetto version it depends on the bike & chainstays (etc) since these frames are specifically 29s. It has to be less efficient & balanced on our bikes that are not specifically designed as MX wheel.

I do like that whippy, nearly outta control feeling the 27 gives in the rear, esp w/ the right tire (Breakout is just OK as a tire anyway and not good in wet) and my times are as fast as any of my 29'' rear wheel times (and increasing as much as on 29s) so its fun to play around with but I hear you on being planted...29's def best for that. Its especially fun w/ a 180mm fork, 27' in rear, coil shock ,and low flipchip position in parks...much more fun (regardless of speeds) for playing around than the 29s (on mine anyway).

I can only imagine the bikes actually designed for mixed wheel are even better and more balanced - probably worth a try. And of course, in terms of speeds, the DH pros are pretty much all on MX now except the occassional switch back to 29s pending conditons (like Amaury did recently, Ft William?) but - I don't pretend I'm at all on that level. Mostly its just fun.
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: sorry, I meant they were faster withOUT the assguys. Great tire, but man it drags. I had DH, DD and EXO+ casings on the same bike (front) and while each one was progressively less anchor-y, the lightest casing was still pretty slow rolling. But who cares on some of the bikes and steep terrain we ride, right? The Eddy Current is Schwalbe's magical unicorn e-bike tire, very moto-tread block looking. They're crazy, fasty rolling, tough casing, amazing braking and corning traction. They don't last a super long time, but again who cares they work so damn well. Literally an extra bar of battery life on the ebike over having Assguys front and rear on the ebike (same loops, same power settings.)
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13:
Yeah I didn’t go any further with that experiment.. I just want to get the specific feel. But, the Tallboy was bike of the year for years running, back in the day, and so I expected it would be Russian roulette with a loaded gun..
But I have a very different riding style that can be described as downhill on an XC bike (Tallboy). I don’t steer, I lean. I don’t avoid, I get loose and go over the top. I actually preferred my MX bike to be stable (Kawasaki, Yamaha), so I feel unsafe on bicycles. But, bicycles it is!
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: I have to say the only takeaway from my 27.5 rear experiment was how much front end grip I lost. That is priority one on my bike, and I didn’t have any to spare!
  • 2 0
 @RobKong: Well damn - killer intel. I'm not on E yet but sounds like you've done some homework. I've mostly ridden Maxxis, and a few e13 & WTB so - still needing to explor. Much obliged on the input.
  • 1 0
 @ExMxEr: Interesting notes my man...DH on an XC (conversely I am forced to XC on a YT [Capra] at times - its sad). Good wit here - I like it. Will look for you for banter & jabs here in the future. Lean heavily - and lean right. Move over bacon, now there's something leaner.
  • 1 0
 @ExMxEr: Well damn, that answers that. However...but, see, have you tried an actual MX bike? I still have not - just my ghetto rigged version. So - I don't know. Downtime pod did a super well done test on them back in Nov or Dec 2021 - interesting stuff. I'm not lobbying you to ride or switch though, just curious if you've tried an actual MX designed bike vs. the hackjob style we seem to be talking about. PS, I should say I added 50mm carbon riser bars (which I oddly snapped the F out of today and nearly killed myself on a rock slab in a park - holy balls!) and that was working nicely to help keep my weight centered but w/ the bar break ,I'm back on a 35mm and not sure how this is gonna work.
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: LOL!
Damn Sizzlean commercials..!
I’m not really out to win here. Good exchanges and some knowledge to pick up along the way will do.
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13:
I’m assuming an actual MX bike works, unlike my kludged together attempt. Never tried one, but I’m kind of stuck with the bike I have (2021 Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon CC. Poor me..)
I can say that anytime I’ve ridden a “faster” bike it usually turns out anywhere from “meh” to horrible. I just dont have the balance for something that quick. I was running pro speeds on my MX bike, and would have turned pro if I could. They say I made it look easy. But I’ve never been good at even jumping bicycles. No clutch lever, no throttle, no weight! But I love the heavy feel at the bars from my new Tallboy. 4 degrees slacker than my last bike!
I have to go inspect my carbon bars now.. Because, yikes.
  • 8 2
 Yeah... but do they have a Maxxis logo?
  • 4 2
 Only maxxis thread patterns
  • 2 0
 Buyers notice: company website - everything sold out. Amazon link - no mtb tires listed. Conclusion: SOL. Maybe vendors picked them all up ans are conveniently marking up to sub-Maxxis prices (?) I didnt search Amazon for the mtb versions tho… maybe something there
  • 2 0
 Weights and tread patterns seem decent, prices look great. Wish they'd do the downcountry tread with the beefier casing though. Low rolling resistance rear tire that can handle hard use is a great combo.
  • 5 0
 I dub the Vulcanite, “Dissectegai”
  • 1 0
 Is weight not a factor any more? I admit that I spent a lot of years assuming lighter tires = faster riding and am only just now coming around to psi, traction and compound being more of a factor.

That said, I've got a pair of American Classic semislicks on my town bike. They're decent but what I like the most is the price.
  • 2 0
 Depends on your focus. The tires I go uphill fastest on, I got a LOT slower downhill on. The gap on really rocky, chunky terrain going uphill isn't actually as big as I thought it would be going uphill with dh tires, though. They definitely feel nicer and don't spin out. I would say compound / tread more of a factor than 200g or so
  • 2 0
 It's still a factor, but a light tire with a hole in it will always roll slower than a heavier unpunctured tyre. The old wisdom about rotating weight being most important is, as far i understand, not entirely incorrect but maybe a bit overhyped. If you're chugging up a smoothish gravel road at a steady pace, 200g extra on the tyres doesn't really make any more difference than 200g anywhere else. The heavier tyre will however have a better chance of making it back down unscathed.
  • 2 0
 Their 1.5 ply casing seems pretty interesting. Get an extra sidewall layer without adding an overlap to the tread. Should add some support without making it wooden like some full 2 ply casings.
  • 2 0
 Maxis still makes 2.35 and 2.5 Minions in 26 inch . Will these be offered in 26 ? Kind of prefer my 850 gram EXO s . Faster acceleration , faster turning response. Lighter , stronger .
  • 4 2
 Mauka is Hawaiian for 'toward the mountain,' and that's where this tire excels.. I want a tire that excels DOWN the mountain.
  • 2 0
 That one would be called the “makai”.
  • 11 0
 @ckcost: think you're wrong, I think it's pronounced Minion
  • 1 0
 First test of American Classic is from a completely different continent. Coincidentally, Europe does not have Outside MegaCorp.
  • 3 0
 I imagine there will be a rather significant mark up once (if) these tyre hit the UK and Europe
  • 4 0
 Where are these being made? And who owns the company now?
  • 2 1
 At this price it's gotta be Innova or Vee making them. Maybe CST in China. Either way, none of these companies have good rubber compared to Maxxis or Schwalbe. And yes I know CST owns Maxxis, but the rubber used at each factory has incredibly different qualities.
  • 2 1
 @GTscoob: I’m not sure that’s true. Have you seen Maxxis prices at OE, or even Schwalbe retail prices in Germany? They’re pretty affordable. I have no doubt Maxxis could comfortably match these prices if they cut out distributors and dealers (and marketing spend lol)
  • 2 0
 They make them in their own factory. More info on the brand in this article cyclingtips.com/2021/09/american-classic-is-reborn-as-a-road-and-gravel-tire-brand-focused-on-value
  • 3 0
 They are American Classic. Tremendous tires made in this great nation. A big win for the country. You ride them on them nasty trails, even in races and you'll win - BIGLY.
  • 1 1
 Made in Taiwan
  • 1 0
 @GTscoob: It's their own factory in Taiwan.
  • 1 0
 Its cool to see another decent option in the mountain bike tire market. oddly enough I just received and installed two tires from this brand for my gravel bike yesterday and they seem to be alright for the money.
  • 2 0
 Basanite, Tectonite, Vulcanite: $50
Being able to run Assegai/MM or MM/DHRII without cross-branding your tires: priceless

...And they're sold out...
  • 1 0
 I check out their site & each of these 3 tires has 'enduro' & 'trail' options so I left feeling more confused. I don't see why a biz can't just break it down with a couple of single or paired options so something like "try these for downhill and/or enduro" or "enduro-friendly" or " general trail tires" - whatever. Its like they'd rather toss you a 4 sided rubiks cube and act like you can figure it out quickly. Make it easy for me so I don't have to spend 25 mins wondering about it, tire companies! This is not hard.
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: You don't understand that the TR tires are for trail and the EN tires are for enduro? Do you need them to write out the entire words?
  • 1 0
 @Rubberelli: No s*** but I'm talking compounds, terrain, etc. Also, one of the types might particularly be better DH, wet or dry, etc.
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: I didn't see anything in the story about different compounds, just different tread patterns and casings. Nothing about DH casings, so buy the EN if that's the intention.
  • 1 0
 @Rubberelli: Good points. But - given that it's all "sold out" I'll expect to either be waiting or looking for marked up versions online once all that sold out gear goes up for sale - in which case I'll likely be skippin' out on it. I'm fine kicking down perfectly good $$$ on tried & true tires for my area, but do like to experiment, just like to do that with just about the correct setup.
  • 1 0
 Tried quite a few different brands of tires... can't beat Maxxis. Love or hate - they get the job done - predictably and reliably. The DHF might be the greatest tire ever created.
  • 3 1
 All I care about : does it come in an extra hard compound and stiff dh casing? If not, meh,
  • 3 0
 Michelin DH34 Bikepark, Schwalbe Magic Mary & Big Betty Bikepark all in the same price range. The Schwalbe casing is heavy, the Michelin is more like a double down.
I'm using the DH34bp this summer and the rubber feels slightly harder than maxxis dual compound, though the braking edges may be chunking slightly faster than DC would. It's not like Maxxis makes a DD/DC DHRII so the point is moot.
  • 1 0
 For the guys that like comparing the prices of barely-legal car tires to race -ready bike tires, these are the bike equivalent of Sumitomo or Kumho garbage.
  • 4 2
 Only interested in 2.499” tires. Will have to pass on these
  • 1 0
 The new and improved SRAM Dub tires.
  • 1 0
 The Vulcanite looks oddly similar to a Specialized Eliminator... will be waiting for reviews tho!
  • 1 0
 Excited to see the vulcanite and basanite tires. Prices seem great, hopefully good compounds and casings.
  • 1 1
 If their tires perform as well as their hubs......Might want to stick to quite literally anything else....This brand is wack.
  • 1 0
 It wasn't mentioned in the article and I didn't find it in the comments, but the weight of the Mauka is 840 Grams.
  • 1 0
 Interesting… will wait for review
  • 1 0
 You'll have to, at least… no stock available via their website or Amazon via links provided. Classy move AC!
  • 4 3
 Every tire cost less than 50$ in Europe....
  • 6 0
 No sadly not. The 3c maxxgrip maxxis or new contis in supersoft are over 50 bucks. But at least far from the us prices
  • 1 0
 any plans to be available in the UK?
  • 1 0
 The tread pattern looks fine. Hopefully the rubber isn't rock hard.
  • 1 0
 Discount Assegai, Dissector, DHR 2, and rekon Smile
  • 1 0
 So it's the Maxxis Assegai, Maxxis Dissector and Maxxis Rekon but cheap?
  • 1 1
 Oof…
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