Maxxis Updates Forekaster Tire for Downcountry - Eurobike 2022

Jul 13, 2022
by Ed Spratt  
photo

Originally billed as an aggressive XC tire for loose or wet conditions, the Maxxis Forekaster has been given fresh treads for a downcountry revival.

Launched at Eurobike today, the new tire features a redesigned tread pattern with the goal of predictable traction while still keeping fast rolling speeds. The new tread uses taller side knobs for better cornering as well as raised ridges built into the casing for improved mud clearance. Maxxis also says the tire is a bridge between its XC tikes like the Ikon or Rekon and its more gravity-focused options.

The 2.4 29" tire is claimed to hit the scales at 945 grams for both the dual compound and MaxxTerra versions. A 2.6" version is also on the way, with a claimed weight of 1035 grams.

photo
The new tire
photo
The old tire

A few weeks ago at the Fort William World Cup Maxxis kitted out Jackson Goldstone's Santa Cruz Tallboy with the new tires and sent him out for a test ride in the highlands.



Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks Tires Maxxis Maxxis Forekaster Eurobike 2022


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143 Comments
  • 130 4
 Recon with DoubleDown please.

Or this with DoubleDown.

For those of us in rocky terrain, super burly rear tread isn’t that important. Cut resistance is.
  • 9 2
 This
  • 3 1
 agree
  • 9 6
 @rustiegrizwold: Rekon comes in 29x2.4 exo+ my bike came with one.
  • 11 0
 I kinda agree but I’m not sure that would feel terribly different than an Aggressor in DD. Maybe slightly less rolling resistance but it would have comparable weight.
  • 7 0
 @bbqmike: exo+ is +$10, casings still tear on rocky terrain.
  • 3 0
 @rickybobby18: Yep-it would roll a little faster.

For most of the riding I do, sturdy casings and a rear insert are a must. A draggy rear tire isn’t.

The Aggressor is very, very good, but a little more rolling sped would be nice.

Maybe update the Minion SS? Ran that in a DD casing years ago and liked it a lot. A Minion SS DD WT (gotta love the acronym salads for tires) would be awesome!!
  • 9 1
 Dissector comes in DD casing. That's what I have on my short travel ripper and it's been great.
  • 4 0
 @joepax: the maxxgripp in the rear is too slow for me. Dual Compound DD is the best, but that limits you to the aggressor
  • 9 0
 @joepax: My bike came with Dissector. I loved the tyre until I didn't. After 500 km of trail riding on mixed terrain (more soft than rocky) central knobs had still more than enough life in themselves but the side knobs were halfway shaved off and completely unrideable. Went back to DHR2
  • 4 2
 @joepax: i ride it with exo+ on my enduro, absolut nice!
  • 2 0
 @wyorider: minion SS oder Schwalbe Rock Razor or Speci Slaughter?
  • 6 3
 @joepax: I second that, I've been running a Dissector for a few weeks now. Underrated tire, noticeably faster than the Aggressor but still excellent grip.
  • 3 0
 @JohSch: oh man I wish I could still find the RockRazor in super gravity casing.
  • 1 0
 Yeah I agree on the double down. 4 exo+ casings with huge casing punctures in last 2 years. 3 dhr and one dissector. I live in pnw and absolutely believe in maxxis tread patterns but casings unless double down need to be looked at. Switched to Scwalbe for my rear tire needs. Fingers crossed.
  • 1 0
 AMEN
  • 2 0
 @wyorider: The SS is a very underrated tyre - they just need to release it in 2.4 or 2.5 in 29er size!
  • 8 5
 Rekon is a way underrated tire IMO
  • 2 0
 MAXXIS had IKON in DD for a while but it was impossible to get, probably for being miss understood by dealers. Graves rode an EWS with one as a rear. A burly and fast tire for rock slabs and proper hard ground is missing in most tire catalogs.
  • 6 0
 Completely agree with this. In general they need to sack off the relationship between tire rolling resistance and casing. More maxx terra and/or fast profile tires in DD, and more maxx grip tires in exo+
  • 3 0
 @JohSch: yeah the minion SS in DH case is the winner here.
  • 1 0
 Rekon w DD!!!! I’m buying!
  • 1 0
 Maxxis made a DD Ikon a couple years back. It was hard to find but it did exist. No one bought it, they discontinued it. Kenda Helldiver comes in a gravity casing. Probably the closest thing to a MM SG these days.
  • 1 0
 And a wider Minion SS in Double Down as well
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: A dissector DD would be better or try some of the schwalbe casings...they have lots of tough options.
  • 57 2
 I propose PB set conditions for reviewing tires/tyres:

1. They must be released on tire tuesday
2. The release must include a free set of said tires to the top comment posted on said ti/yre tuesday.
3. Companies not following these rules don't get a tire review or press release on PB and said tire is chucked in a barrel and set on fire and only the video of the tire burning goes on-line as part of friday fails. ( bonus points is Tom and Christina cook food on said fire)
4. If 2 companies want to release tires the same week the company offering the most free swag gets the desired date, the others are bumped to the next open tire tuesday.
  • 2 0
 For number 4, they're going to run out of Tuesdays really fast.
  • 3 0
 I’d buy these tires, but the name is not aggressive enough.
  • 34 1
 Here are a few other similar tires and actual weights for all the gram counters out there today:

New Maxxis Forekaster: 919 grams
Schwalbe Wicked Will Super Ground: 892 grams
Specialized Ground Control T7 Grid: 880 grams

Calling the Forekasters boat anchors seems extreme to me, but my tire weight perception probably isn't that finely tuned after all the time I've spent recently pedaling around 1300 gram DH tires.
  • 7 0
 I have the Schwalbe Wicked Will and despite being heavy it's fragile and has gummy bear side knobs.
  • 1 0
 Interesting - I weighed a new Ground Control T7 Grid before going on my EVO, 832g is what my scale said.
  • 2 1
 Pretty sure the gram counters don’t ride anywhere with exposed limestone or granite.

I grew up in the midewest and ran the lightest tires I could. Live out west and have to run double casing rears with an insert.
  • 3 0
 Nobby Nic super ground 800 to 850
  • 2 3
 Precisely - don't eat a box of poptarts before the morning ride (or even better, don't eat them ever lol) and it's all good.
  • 2 0
 @njcbps: a package of PopTarts, on the other hand will fuel you for a decent ride.
  • 1 0
 A maxxis tyre that weights less than advertised? That must be a total outlier. Probably preproduction or something.
  • 6 0
 I have a Forekaster on my BC Podsol, it's a great tire in almost all conditions. It weighted 730g new. This weights 200gr more,which is very noticeable on a XC bike,especially on the front. When the time comes for a new front tire,I'll be looking elsewhere.
  • 1 1
 @njcbps: Pop tarts are wonderful. What on earth are you talking about lol
  • 2 1
 @nozes: The problem is the old Forecaster was fragile. Light weight tire that worked well but on rocky terrain it was just a nightmare. After slicing more than a few I gave up and ran a 2.3DHF instead.
  • 2 0
 @kclw: It works well for me,but tbf my terrain isn't that rocky and I'm not that heavy or agressive on my XC bike.
The way I look at it,Maxxis thought they needed a "light Magic Mary",but shouldn't call this a Forekaster.
  • 7 1
 Anything over 850 grams is a boat anchor.
  • 1 0
 Wild am 815g
  • 1 0
 @mrkumro: Ahoy!
  • 1 0
 @office: if you want your Schwalbe tires to last, you need the Super Gravity ones. The rest isn't really suitable for heavy abuse.
  • 3 0
 outgoing forecaster at 2.35 was 200 grams lighter, almost a pound less! This tire is not going on my XC bike. Time to stock up on the old 2.35
  • 30 2
 Todays forecast: people on the internet will complain about the forkasters weight.
  • 11 1
 And spelling
  • 2 1
 @rickybobby18:
  • 24 2
 The forecaster was fine before. Now it's way heavier. What is the choice for a light xc race tire for wet conditions? How about just giving us the Ardent Race in the same 2.4WT casing as the Aspen and Rekon Race.
  • 1 0
 Rekon is the updated Ardent for wider rims. They’ll never make a 2.4WT Ardent because the whole reason it still exists is for narrow rims.
  • 12 0
 This. The 2.6” Forekaster was one of the best-kept 850g secrets.
  • 7 0
 @dthomp325: Not the Ardent. I said the Ardent Race.
  • 5 0
 @Apfelsauce: .....and now it's gone.
  • 3 0
 @mrkumro: If a Rekon is a wide-rimmed Ardent, wouldn't the Rekon Race be a wide-rimmed Ardent Race?
  • 6 0
 @pmhobson: Nope. The Rekon Race isn't a great front tire. The Ardent Race, however, is a really great front tire. It's a bit more aggressive than the Rekon Race, but far more predictable in the corners than the regular Rekon.
  • 2 0
 @mrkumro: yes! My last XC bike came with Ikons front and rear which was sketchy in standard UK conditions. I took a punt swapping out the front for an Ardent Race and the larger side knobs help so much in corners, I haven't looked back
  • 2 0
 They're launching the new wet weather XC tire soon (hopefully). It was first spotted at the 2020 world XC champs but because of supply chain issues, still hasn't been made for sale.
  • 6 3
 There are tires that dentists want on their bikes, and there are tires dentists want YOU to have on their bikes. Ardent variants are the latter.
  • 1 0
 @Apfelsauce: The 2.6 Forekaster also had one of the least reliable casings. Both mine had wobbles after two days of practice and racing a relatively flat xc course covered in rocks and cactus needles. I still use one of them because I don't want to waste it, but the casing is separating at the join point after 1700 total miles. Though the side knobs are nearly ripping off anyways.
  • 1 0
 @enki:
  • 2 1
 I've never raced, but I like the Ground Control quite a bit for XC.
  • 2 1
 @enki: yeah, never had a tire I hated more than an Ardent. I’d rather run a small semi knobby than an Ardent. I at least know when it will give out.
  • 4 0
 @whambat: I agree. The regular ardent is shit, but the Ardent race is really nice.
  • 18 1
 What Maxxis tyre am I supposed to use for bad weather XC-riding now? 945g is to much.
  • 5 0
 Scott guys has used a new mud tyre for some time now. Hopefully this will be launched soon.
  • 5 0
 Exactly. I'm not gonna put that tank of a tire on my bike. I'm just hoping Maxxis will make the Ardent Race in a 2.4WT casing.
  • 14 0
 I'm very confused. I was under the impression that one could not ride Downcountry in pants?
  • 21 0
 I think downcountry is a jorts specific discipline
  • 10 2
 I don't think they get it. Mezcal/Syerra or Fastrak/Ground Control T7 both are 200/100 grams lighter and are very durable, grippy and fast rolling. Ardent Race/Rekon seems a lot more downcountry to me
  • 16 1
 Those are all XC tires. This is Downcountry; totally different
  • 6 0
 On the paper it’s true but I got two ground control t7 2.4 and they were both over 900g
  • 4 0
 @VtVolk: Syerras have Down Country printed on the side wall.
  • 1 0
 @Brodybro29: Is yours the “Grid” version? Those are reinforced and much heavier than the regular ones.
  • 2 0
 Yup I’m a recent Vittoria convert. Barzo F/Mezcal R in trail casing can cover mixed conditions without being too heavy and sluggish
  • 1 0
 @keeweeism: with barzo front and year you can ride pretty much everything, mezcal is just faaaaast.
  • 7 0
 I like their tires but Maxxis has the most confusing range of at least a hundred MTB tires compared to all tire companies. At least they upgraded the Forekaster instead of adding another tread without removing any other. Is the Dissector not the fast rolling trail tire? The Dissector looks more aggressive to me but now it is lighter? I simply have no clue, which of their tire is the best for which conditions
  • 11 2
 The Dissector is more aggressive, and it's slightly heavier than the Forekaster. A Dissector up front and a Forekaster as a rear tire could be a good faster rolling combination that still has plenty of grip.
  • 4 0
 Dissector (front), Rekon (rear) has been great for my damp-to-dry trail rides the past few months
  • 5 0
 @mikekazimer: Thanks for the advice. If the Dissector is really heavier their webpage is very wrong or they have huge inconsistencies and just measured the heaviest Forekaster and the lightest Dissector ever.
maxxistires.de/produkt/dissector? 29" x 2.40 WT 61 - 622 EXO TR 3C MaxxTerra 60 870g
maxxistires.de/produkt/forekaster-2022? 29" x 2.40 WT 61 - 622 EXO TR 3C MaxxTerra 60 945g
  • 1 0
 This. I wanted a fast rolling trail tyre, ended up with Ardent Race, but only because I couldn’t work out how they were different to the Ikon.
  • 1 0
 Been on Rekon 2.6 front, Ikon 2.4 rear for a while but may have to pick up one of these for more bite on the front. Hopefully it won't feel like riding through treacle on the road.
  • 2 0
 My bike came with Dissector 2.6 and Rekon 2.6. The Dissector 2.6 though excellent on traction was the slowest and heaviest tire I've experienced in a good while. I put a Rekon Race in rear with Rekon 2.6 up front and bike is much more alive now.
  • 8 0
 Meh. The old Forekaster was fine and didn't really need any change. It was my go-to XC tire for the winter season, but this... I dont know. They seem to have re-designed it for a totally different use case.
  • 2 1
 The old forekaster was unpredictable when pushed somewhat hard into corners. The beefier side knobs on the new edition is a fantastic idea, but don't know what maxxis is thinking with adding Soo much weight.
  • 10 0
 Looks like the latest version of the Nobby Nic.
  • 5 0
 The reviewers keep complaining about tire durability, hence we keep getting heavier and heavier tires. Probably great for out West with long grinding climbs and long rocky/sharp rocked descents. Some of us ride in New England with near vertical short climbs and short steep down hill sections. say 200yds each way, accelerating heavy tires on our trails is tough. Perhaps some reviews from folks who don't ride in the desert or lift access all the time.
  • 5 0
 Kind of a shame for the XC folks that liked the old one, but I think this tire will make a lot of people happy. Looks like a Nobby Nic that can withstand the abuses of pretty rough trails.
  • 3 0
 The previous version of Nobby Nic was one of my favorite tires. Fast rolling and predictable. Then Schwalbe updated and made it heavier. So I switched to Forekasters. Now Maxxis does the same thing to the Forekasters.

So what takes the spot of the lightish, fast rolling, predictable tire now?
  • 1 0
 Vittoria Agarro
  • 5 0
 I think they look great, but Levy's going to be so mad they made 'em heavier.
  • 2 0
 All you folks claiming how light the new specialized ground controls are need to check another key aspect they are not good about. Their widths. All the new generation specialized tires yes come in or even lower than advertised weight. However, their 2.4 width is a reach at best. All my new specialized tires barely measure to 2.3xx on 30mm IW rims. However, slap any maxxis 2.4WT on the same 30mm IW rim and I get anywhere from 2.42-2.51 after 24hrs of 40psi. So yes heavier for the maxxis, but they are also much much wider. So you really aren't comparing apples to apples. Now the previous generation of specialized ground controls blew up huge! They were awesome on weight and width. Now just good on weight. YMMV also that stoppy in the video was dope.
  • 3 0
 It is very true that the tire makers fool around with widths and casing size to game the weight, to the point where you can't trust the specified measurement. Older Kendas were almost always narrower than a competitors tire of the same specified width. Their road tires were ridiculously narrow. Specialized for sure, as combfilter writes. Even WITHIN a brand (Maxxis) - an Ikon is narrower on the same rim as an Ardent Race of the same size.
  • 1 0
 The claimed width of the new ground controls is 2.35, not 2.4. Also they come in wider than my old forekaster 2.35. Your point still stands, though, not really apples to apples when comparing weights.
  • 2 0
 I’m amused that so many people complain about the acronym salad that is tire features, but then still want THEIR preferred diameter/width/compounds/casing to be the remaining default choice.

Considering how different tire demands can be, different feature combinations are needed. I’m all about firmer rubber, sturdy casings, fairly fast rolling treads BUT with sturdy shoulder knobs, 29er only, and a width of 2.4-2.6 on a 30mm internal rim.

That might not be ideal for everyone…..and so we need 500 varieties of a versatile tread like a DHF.
  • 3 0
 The original Forekaster is my favorite trail tire. Came on my 17 Scott Spark OEM and fell in love with them. Been running them ever since in all conditions. Hopefully the new version is just as good...............
  • 6 0
 The 27.5 downcountry community has once again been forgotten
  • 4 0
 Was a their booth today and they now do offer the Minion in hard compound too as a park specific tire ...
  • 1 0
 Nice, it's about time! Which casing are they using for that?
  • 1 0
 Kinda liked the original version, but had a couple of bad washouts on it. Traction was unpredictable on flat corners for me. It's nice they beefed up the side knobs, but not at that weight penalty. Might as well ride a trail Boss tire instead of the new forecaster if used on the rear. Same weight, beefier side knobs, and rolling resistance should b the same. Best DC tire I've found so far... Victoria Syerra, lightish trail tire weight, really good grip, good rolling resistance, great casing.
  • 10 6
 Wtf is down country riding?
  • 64 2
 It's like trail riding but twice as expensive.
  • 5 2
 that's PinkBike's cringe-inducing term, not Ed's
  • 23 9
 Well you know how some people pedal uphill in order to ride really fun downhill, directional trails on the way back? This used to be called "all mountain" because you're riding all over the mountain. The French took this style of riding and turned it into a multi-stage racing format called "enduro". Sure enough, a bunch of gapers who just started MTBing thought "enduro" was a style of riding and not a racing format. Predictably, the industry decided to advertise towards these gapers by using the term "enduro" to describe products. The internet gods (small "g", son) soon after made up the term "downcountry" to make fun of this bullshit and it seems Maxxis is either adopting this term seriously, or using it ironically.

Either way, its stupid and not worth your time worrying about. They're good tires for pedaling uphill and hammering downhill.

Cool?


Cool.
  • 1 8
flag pink505 (Jul 13, 2022 at 12:37) (Below Threshold)
 It's what non-ebikers do when they cant get to the top with all their ebike "friends".
  • 4 0
 @scott-townes: I’ve been waiting for “all-mountain” to make a comeback so I can wave my 2008 all-mountain bike in everyone’s faces… but unfortunately it’s actually called “Enduro, the all-mountain bike”
  • 2 0
 Nobody actually knows.
  • 5 1
 @scott-townes: more like a magazine editor came up with a name for XC bikes that aren’t full-on XC race bikes.
  • 8 0
 @scott-townes: "Downcountry" is the fault of @mikelevy, and no one else.
  • 2 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: Norco actually brought 'all mountain' back for the new Sight.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: spot on cheers
  • 1 0
 It’s riding trails without an overkill bike.
  • 3 0
 Well, I'll say this: I definitely couldn't ride like Jackson the previous version of the Forekaster.
  • 2 0
 A nobby nik ?just make the ikon with some a little bigger nobs,cause it is the best rear tire for xc/gravel/all mountain/and stop . In the back wheel
  • 2 0
 I’ve been running Bontrager XR4’s for years. Even with the rocks here I’ve had good luck with them. Great balance of weight, traction and feel for most trail riding.
  • 1 1
 @Mtn-Goat-13 a Down-country tire? Really I think that's what an american tire was... Does this one only need to be inflated to 9.1 to be able to gas out like one stole it? I bet it goes down as fast as anyone's 401K's these days. Get your 2.4 or 2.6 and don't lose hope it'll only get better. Believe me when I tell you. Carbon, pedal, camera, helmet, Redbull TV
  • 1 0
 Uh, ya know you're not supposed to type "downcountry' here...the word angels (can't type that either) will (can't type that) and down-v*** (can't type that either) you. Check yr downvote already...yr treading water pal...soon it'll be no PB bro's & you'll have to nuke yr account.

But yeah, I seem to only be be destroying rear wheels now so I'm just looking for solid (I mean acutally completely solid) rubber with tear-offs so I can get down to the next layer when the top one is knob-less, thus making it lighter (and more 401k-reduction-like) as I ride...also going downhill. Wow...2.6. Does anyone ride those on loam? More of a rock crawler typa thing. Good stuff man...PB podcast needs to interview you.
  • 1 0
 I'm loving the Ground Controls on my new Epic Evo - coming from DHF/DHRs on a bigger bike. According to my gram scale T7 Grid in the front: 832g, T5 in the back: 790g.
  • 2 0
 Yes please, give me the fast tires with pinch protection for the party in the back.
  • 4 3
 These boat anchros won’t come anywhere close to my DC Epic Evo… One does not buy 120g carbon saddle and then mount something like this on a DC bike Smile
  • 2 0
 What made the previous version great was the grip to weight ratio. Adding 200 grams is ridiculous.
  • 2 0
 So where do these fall on the rolling resistance scale compared to their other tires?
  • 1 1
 So it's a heavier Schwalbe Wicked Will, which ring in at 830 g (ish). I've only got about 50 miles on those for my Top Fuel, but I dig them so far.
  • 4 0
 Wicked Will is the worst cornering tire I've encountered in a long time
  • 1 0
 Kenda Boosters are great tires. l wish they had more volume to them though.
  • 1 0
 They made these too heavy! The lighter previous version was a great should season tire for a mid travel downcountry bike.
  • 1 0
 These look really good. If I had a trail or down country bike they'd be going on.
  • 1 0
 haha in the video "perfect for those with a bmx background"
Even Maxxis is making fun of pinkbike now
  • 1 0
 Looks like it would be great F and R pair for something like a Stumpy
  • 2 0
 Cairngorms ♥
  • 1 1
 Can’t lie, after all this time I still don’t know what downcountry is supposed to mean.
  • 1 0
 is there a 20" bmx-country version?
  • 1 0
 *laughs in new Specialized Fast trak*
  • 4 4
 Just make it in a damn tan wall
  • 7 0
 So it can leak the moment you put a drop of sealant in it?
  • 2 0
 @pisgahgnar: yeah from the day I mounted them up my Ardent skinwalls were damp and blotchy looking. Looked pretty badass for the first couple hours tho.
  • 2 0
 @bkm303: skinwalls were prone to leaking. That's why they stopped and introduced tanwalls, which are the same es normal EXO with a painted sidewall.
  • 2 0
 @jzPV: did not know there was a difference. TIL.
  • 1 0
 @jzPV: Is it really just paint? I had no idea.
  • 1 1
 @pisgahgnar: ive ran tan walls for years and i cant say ive ever struggled with that... knock on wood
  • 1 0
 @pisgahgnar: yes. Not all skinwalls were leaking though, I had good experiences with a set of Ramblers. They also changed it because skinwalls were getting yellowish with UV light.
  • 1 0
 The black carbon makes for better performance-tan walls can look fun, but don’t work as well. None of the other materials tire companies can add work as well as a pinch of carbon in the rubber mix.

Same as ski bases.
  • 1 0
 @pisgahgnar: I've had really good luck using these skinwall tubeless adapters, they're basically a thin airtight butyl layer that attaches to the valve stem. They make mounting the tires easier too.
  • 1 0
 Nobby Nic knockoff.







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