Review
Maxxis Forekaster
There's really no way around it here; we're going to talk about downcountry. My first experience in this realm was the Transition Spur, a bike I really enjoyed from my first look piece through to the end of my time with it. However, one thing I struggled with during the review made me feel like Goldilocks*... Tires. Within the overwhelming myriad of SKUs offered by my preferred manufacturer, nothing Maxxis produced seemed to suit the Spur. The right combination of rolling resistance, size, weight, and grip just couldn't be found:
- 2.5 Assegai, right out.
- 2.5 DHF, still kinda big and slow.
- 2.3 DHF profile is weird and I don't like it.
- 2.5 DHRII, a bit aggressive but what to pair with as a front?
- Dissector is a solid rear tire choice, but I hate it as a front.
- Rekon, works in the summer as a rear! What to pair it with, though?
- Rekon Race? Uh, it's not an XC bike...
- Minion SS is an ok rear in the summer, but also just a weird tire.
I was facing an identical conundrum as I built up a new personal bike, a 2023 Rocky Mountain Element.
Queue the new 2.4" Maxxis Forekaster.
*Two days after I wrote this, I've opened up Maxxis' Forekaster page and noted Maxxis also uses this word. They also use downcountry.
The Rocky Mountain Element cuts a sleek silhouette, and is (in my opinion), Best in 120mm Class. I'm running Forekasters front and rear (full build specs on my bike are available here).
What Is It?
The Forekaster was a pretty full-fledged XC tire, however it's been reborn bigger and beefier. It is available for 27.5 and 29 inch wheels, EXO or EXO+, and MaxxTerra or Dual Compound; light and fast only. Listed weight is ~950 grams give or take, depending on your chosen combination. This slots it between the Rekon and Dissector and a full half pound lighter than the EXO+ Maxxgrip Assegai on my big bike. But while rolling weight is important, it doesn't tell the full story of the Forekaster. The real magic is finding the right blend of rolling speed and grip.
Testing started in the winter - proper wet. It sheds mud well. I ran identical tires both rear...
...and front. The 2.4" width looks and feels right.
Install
I mounted the Forekasters up to a set of We Are One Composites Sector rims. As you'd hope, no compressor was required during installation. On these 28mm internal width rims, tire profile again finds a nice balance of round, yet supported.
The 2.3" DHF creates a profile that just doesn't work for me. Something about the narrow version of my "if I had to pick one tire forever" tire just falls flat, especially in the transitions from center to side knobs coming into a corner.
Riding Around
My initial impression of the Forekasters was positive, pedaling up or across they're an efficient tire that rewards pedal strokes. On technical, steep and wet roots or rocks, you can overwhelm the rear with too much torque, but not in an unreasonable or surprising way. It's not hugely lighter than a Minion in similar casing and compound, but it feels significantly more efficient.
A key component of success for a downcountry tire lies in efficiency going up, across, and around; attributes that help a tire excel here generally degrade all out descending performance.
Early morning doubletrack ascents are a lot more enjoyable on a 27-lb bike unencumbered by Assegais.
There are lots of fast rolling tires out there. The real challenge with tire selection for bikes like the Element - yes, downcountry bikes - lies in efficiency and also having enough grip to keep up with the aggressive geometry while descending.
In my mind, a critical difference between downcountry and XC is aggressive descents, where a whole other set of tire characteristics come to the fore: overall grip, cornering, and braking.
Riding Down(Country)
Thus far on my downcountry tire journey, this is typically where things fall apart. Tires appropriately good at pedaling can't hang on the descents; I'm often descending the same trails I'd ride on an enduro bike, albeit linking them together in different ways on longer rides. Traction, cornering grip, and sidewall support are must-haves.
And here, the Forekaster delivers just enough. It's not too much, it's not too little; it finds that Goldilocks zone. It does well in loose over hard summer conditions, and it does as well as can be expected in wet winter grease. Where I'm a big fan is in soft surface trails and loam; the knobs bite hard and between knob spacing and narrow tire give an almost cut mud tire experience.
I tend to be easy on sidewalls, and have had no issues with the EXO casing Forekaster provided; if this is a consistent issue for you, you're a heavier rider, or want to run lower pressures, there's an EXO+ available. Tread life has been solid - the rear is losing some chunks from braking as you'd expect, but front and rear side knobs are holding up well.
Side knobs and cornering grip are excellent, and the transition from gripping to sliding is predictable and gradual. Which is good, because you can make 110-degree corners like this.
Conclusion
I'm a big fan of the Forekaster. I think it's a tire that fills its design brief very well. It finds a sweet spot between tires in the Maxxis line, right where I was looking for a tire. I like how it corners, I like how it brakes, and it works well as a front and rear. It also pairs well with a Rekon or Ikon rear if you want to gain some extra climbing speed.
Downcountry - same descents, less travel, fewer pads. There's no room for error.
This is a tire that could find a home on a lot of bikes from 110-140mm. Whether you want to beef up your XC bike for a trip or want to make your trail bike more efficient for a race like BCBR, the Forekaster deserves a look (I used these on the Kona Process 134 with success as well).
Comments
Sanesh Iyer
8 months, 2 weeks ago
That last photo is bananas.
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Perry Schebel
8 months, 2 weeks ago
i just love that element. as a one bike shore to sky guy, it's realistically too lean for everyday abuse, but the above pics certainly attest to it's capability (obviously there's a rider skill factor involved; nice work). modern smol bikes are rad.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Yeah - it could be you Only Bike around here, but only if you don't have any interest in the gnarliest stuff. For... whatever its worth, I don't think Fifth ranks up there on that list.
I'm a big fan of the Element, though.
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taprider
8 months, 2 weeks ago
what is smol?
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BadNudes
8 months, 2 weeks ago
This comment has been removed.
whotookit
8 months, 2 weeks ago
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Andy Eunson
8 months, 2 weeks ago
The opposite of swole?
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Shoreboy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
What about all the other brands out there? I know that many riders wont look beyond Maxxis, but there are so many other good ones out there. Nobby Nic SuperTrail in soft compound?
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gubbinalia
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I've spent a LOT of time the last three seasons on that exact tire (front/rear, front w/Wicked Will in back, rear w/Magic Mary or WTB Vigilante up front). While it's a huge step up in grip and casing support from the previous evolutions of the Nobby Nic, it still fundamentally rides a lot like an overgrown XC tread. The profile remains fairly rounded even on 30mm+ internal rims and the side-knob support is more marginal than you'd expect just from looking at the tread. Maybe more importantly, as a rear tire, the "grab" of the Nobby Nic center-knobs under hard pedaling, braking, or straight-line riding isn't super strong – it tends to do better when you feather the brakes / slip-clutch the pedals a bit, á la XC riding technique of yore before we all got on massive 4-pot brakes and super low gearing.
That said, I still have a Nobby Nic SuperTrail/Soft on the back of my hardtail, primarily because the siping on top of the knobs is unbelievable for wet roots – I'd say it rivals Maxxis Maxxgrip rubber in that regard, not because the compound is super tacky but because the sipes work so well to hold traction.
For bikes where I'm trying to keep the tires under (or not much over) 1000g front and rear, I think my top pick is still the Specialized Eliminator Grid Trail T9, which is more frequently specc'ed as a rear but functions great as a front (definitely a cut above a Forekaster). In the past I've also spent a bunch of time on the Vittoria Agarro, which shares some siping traits with the Nobby Nic but lacks the casing support of the SuperTrail carcass inserts.
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Heinous
8 months, 2 weeks ago
The Forekaster was a big surprise for me - it always looked insufficient for a big bike, and for smaller bikes there were better options.
Then I tried them. Super versatile, fast, and comfortable in Exo+ on a hardtail.
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hotlapz
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I use a Forekaster in the rear and an Assegai in the front and they've been a superb combination since running dual Assegais. I ride mostly north shore as well. I haven't been able to ride in wet conditions yet though.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Dual assegais feels like dragging a piano up the hill!
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Tjaard Breeuwer
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Depends which compound. Rolling resistance of Assegais is pretty similar to a DHR or other brands’ tires, as long as they are similar compound.
So although I don’t think you can call an Assegai Maxterra fast rolling, at least not compared to a Daul Compound tire, it’s no more ‘piano dragging’ than the very common DHR Maxterra in the rear.
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Timer
8 months, 2 weeks ago
From the rolling resistance testing i remember, Assegais roll a bit slower than DHRs for a given casing + compound. Possibly due to taller knob height. Doesn't help that Assegais are also substantially heavier than comparable DHRs.
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Velocipedestrian
8 months, 2 weeks ago
This is the combo I was waiting to try, but disappointed the Forekaster doesn't seem to exist in 27.5x2.6, despite offering the 2.6 in 29er.
My mullet hardtail has an Assegai 2.5 on the front, but I'm keen to keep the volume up in the rear. Anyone want to suggest something similar and available? Brand agnostic, don't care about matching hotpatches etc.
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Timer
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Schwalbe has the Nobby Nic and the Hans Dampf in 27.5x2.6 in various compounds and casings.
Speedgrip rubber if you want the rolling of Maxxis dual compound, Soft rubber for a Maxxterra equivalent.
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Offrhodes42
8 months, 2 weeks ago
WTB Trail Boss comes in 27.5x2.6 in the tough/fast rolling casing.
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Grinder
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Specialized Ground Control Grid T7 rolls well and is grippier than it looks.
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Agleck7
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Seconded. Beyond impressed with this tire
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DBone57
8 months, 1 week ago
As someone who has had 29 x 2.35 v1 Forekasters, 29 x 2.4 v2 Forekasters and 29 x 2.35 Ground Control T7 GRIDS mounted front and rear on my SC Chameleon in the SoCal high desert, all I can say is the Forekasters can not come close to the GCs.... and it's not even close.
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Velocipedestrian
8 months, 1 week ago
Cheers y'all, I'll see what's available.
Suns_PSD
8 months, 1 week ago
All tire experiences are local I guess. I found the GC T7 severely lacking in traction as a front tire (but I'm not that picky about rear traction on my Spur).
The Element is just such a cool bike.
Anyways, this is as good a place as any to post my preferred DC tire combination: Front XR4 Team Edition & Rear Conti XKing Protection rolls quite fast, holds up well, are inexpensive and have enough traction in my dry rocky conditions. I plan to stick with this same combo on my upcoming Smuggler build which will essentially replace the Spur but will occasionally find it's way to a bit more aggressive terrain.
The best traction vs. low rolling resistance I've ever felt was the Onza Ibex. When it was super fresh it was insane up front rolling as fast as a Racing Ray I tried while have way better traction. However when it wore just a bit it just wasn't grippy enough for my particular needs.
ccmski
8 months, 1 week ago
@DBone75
In what regard do the Forekasters not come close to the GC?
I just purchased a SC Chameleon with the same GC T7 on them but have never run the tires before. How do you like them and how have you found the sidewall durability?
Thanks!
A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
The new Forekaster is not currently offered in a 27.5x2.60, just the 2.40 width. 27.5 sales have pretty much leveled off.
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Velocipedestrian
8 months, 1 week ago
But mullets are everywhere, and this looks like a great rear option.
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Chavit Denninnart
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Forkaster seems to be a good middle ground tires, both in grip and built.
I think there are some value in decoupling tread aggressiveness and built toughness.
In Maxxis fashion, low tread tires are always built light. Aggressive tires not only gain weight on the knob size, but it built tougher as well.
However, there are other combination that are under-served.
A) High grip tire without extra heavy sidewall? -> for wet mud forest without rocks.
B) Low knobs fast rolling tire with reinforced built? -> Hero dirt with sharp rocks.
For A) I found Kenda Karma 2 (TR version, not SCT) to serve that role well.
For B) Maybe Specialized Renegade with Grid casing? I live nowhere near an area that need this combination so I don't know.
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
This is something we hear a lot at Maxxis. We do offer the Minion DHF and DHR in EXO casing with MaxxGrip rubber which helps cover A. As for B, we have EXO+ options for the Rekon and Forekaster. What's your ideal tire for this scenario? We used to offer the Ikon in a DD casing back in the early enduro days that the Yeti team would use for certain races. We didn't sell very many of them, though.
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DMVancouver
8 months, 2 weeks ago
@A.Ron Burgundy - 60 tpi EXO versions of the ~2.4 variants of XC tires would be on my wish list. The Forekaster/Rekon combo on my Spur has a pretty high limit before things fall apart, and I’ve been tempted to try an even faster/sketchier tire setup (something crazy like dual 2.4 Aspens). But a 120 tpi EXO 2.35 Ikon I used in the past had multiple holes after not very many rides, so I’m hesitant to run that casing again.
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demo7_rider
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I'd really like to get a faster rolling tread in Double Down MaxxTerra in 27.5x2.4. Either the Dissector or the Forecaster would be ideal!
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Thanks for the input. I'd like to see a revamp of the Minion Semi Slick for this role.
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demo7_rider
8 months, 1 week ago
Yeah I can see that being popular. Not enough braking traction for round here though.
I do quite like the Schwalbe Hans Dampf in Super Gravity for this purpose, but Max Terra is a way better compound than Schwalbe Soft (orange) and it looks like the shoulder knobs of the new Forecaster are also much better than the HD. Plus of course, it's way better for those of us with OCD to have matching brands front and rear!
So Forecaster DD 3CT rear (27.5) to go with the usual Assegai DD 3CG front please :)
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 1 week ago
"Plus of course, it's way better for those of us with OCD to have matching brands front and rear!"
I feel seen.
Lynx .
8 months, 1 week ago
Hey Ron, as someone who teste for you guys a bit back to give a "different" demographic/riding "style", I tried the Minion SS and had to end up cutting down the side knobs because they basically were always engaged to the terrain unless you ran them on stupid silly <23mm IW rims.
Since you're asking, although a bit OT and I know Andrew Major might agree, but 29+ ain't dead and I'd love to see a 29"x 2.8" or even 3.0" Forekaster in EXO+ as a all round trail tyre for my rigid.
Currently just mounted up some old V1 Forekasters on i25 rims to run on my Phantom for a more XC type setup for longer, more pedally rides and loving them, although have not hit up the more aggressive trails yet with them F&R. Did used to run a 2.3" V1 FK paired to a 2.3" DHF and liked it.
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 1 week ago
Hey Lynx, thanks for the comment. Yeah the Minion SS was a bit of an odd one. The 2.30 size was good, but 2.30 was soon replaced by 2.40 and 2.50 as the go-to widths. The 2.50 size of the Minion SS had too square of a profile which is what lead to those side knobs always being engaged.
I doubt we'll see anymore new 29+ tires. There just isn't a large enough demand for them.
DancingWithMyself
8 months, 1 week ago
Not responsive to your question, but any word on the 2.5 DHR II ever being available to the public? Think they're a lot of people that run the DHR II on the front and would be interested in the 2.5.
Sorry if you get this question all the time. And thanks for asking for input.
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 1 week ago
It's a question we get a lot and we are discussing bringing it to market.
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DancingWithMyself
8 months, 1 week ago
Thanks for the reply! Fingers crossed.
I think people want a front tire without the dead zone of DHF 2.5 but that isn't as draggy and heavy as an Assegai for pedaling. Don't know if that's a feasible and large enough space for a new tire that's similar to the DHR but with subtle difference like maybe the direction of siping of the center knobs, or if it's simply a DHR. But I think the demand is there.
And to respond to your question about other additions, I'd be pretty interested in a Dissector 2.9 x 2.4 DD in dual compound to complement a DHR DD in maxxterra, swapping them on the rear tire depending on conditions. I think for when and how I'd use the Dissector, I could live with dual compound for durability and speed. But I haven't ridden a dual compound tire in a long, long time, so I'd take that with a grain of salt.
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 1 week ago
We could definitely use some more dual compound options intended for rear use.
DancingWithMyself
8 months, 1 week ago
If your comfortable sharing, I'd be curious about the philosophical approach regarding inserts, which is somewhat inherent in an EXO maxxgrip offering.
I'm not sure EXO+ does anything with a CC pro or trail. And, for example, the assegai is not offered in EXO maxxgrip, on EXO+. I've always interpreted that as a decision not to offer tires with inserts in mind? Or maybe it's a more practical decision that the market isn't that large and the insert crowd will accept EXO+?
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 1 week ago
As a company, we are insert agnostic.
My personal take on inserts is that most people would be better served by riding a heavier duty casing. In my mind it doesn't make sense to ride a lightweight casing and then add an insert in for durability. I realize there are other reasons to run inserts, but for me personally, the upsides weren't enough to overcome the increase in weight.
Of course, there are riders out there who smash shit a lot harder than I do and they need to run inserts just to keep their wheels in one piece, but most of us would benefit from adding a couple PSI to our current tires or bumping up to a more durable construction or picking better lines.
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DancingWithMyself
8 months, 1 week ago
Appreciate the response on this.
For trail and lighter enduro, would be looking to run EXO front (hopefully a DHR 2.5 EXO Maxxgrip ;) ) with CC trail, because it gives me more damping and grip while still performing pretty good in high speed berms. For the sake of superstition, I'll forgo any comment about whether I've ever torn a sidewall on a front tire.
Would go DHR DD Maxterra (or hopefully sometimes a Dissector DD dual) in the rear.
I know no one cares exactly what I want to run, but at least a data point on what one person wants that's not already in the thousand different combos y'all currently offer.
Again, super cool to see y'all engaged in the comments. Thank you for listening.
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Andy Eunson
8 months, 1 week ago
For me at 143 pounds that is totally the case. I tried Tannus tubeless inserts and there was no benefit for me. Those inserts don’t provide any (or enough maybe) sidewall support so I ended up with similar pressures to no insert to avoid squirm. I don’t think I have ever pinch flatted with tubeless in over 20 years. I haven’t damaged a rim in ages either. I’m running xynotal at 2.4 on my Fuel ex at 18 rear 16 psi front. Enduro casing is substantial enough at my weight.
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Allen Lloyd
8 months, 2 weeks ago
It looks like the old Specialized Ground Control, that in 2.6 was an amazingly versatile tire. It rolled fast but found grip in a wide variety of conditions. I remember being highly skeptical of the short knobs but they ended up being grippy and very progressive when they did lose traction.
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Timer
8 months, 2 weeks ago
It’s not stated in the article , but I assume you ran the Maxxterra version front and rear?
Would you be able to compare it with the Dissector? Perhaps elaborate on what makes the Forekaster a better front tyre?
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DMVancouver
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Looks like the Dual Compound version in the photos.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Correct - I got these before there was a Maxxterra version.
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Timer
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Thank you for the review.
It leaves me a bit confused. If the Dual Compound Forekaster gets very high praise for riding Shore XC, then the Maxxterra version must be unbelievably amazing, right? That sounds a bit too good to be true?
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
It'd be better in the wet, absolutely. But I don't think summer descending performance would be massively different, and maxxterra is demonstrably less efficient.
FWIW, I tend to run Maxxterra rear most of the time on most bikes.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I struggle with the Dissector as a front, I can't get it to turn in and corner the way I like. I think the wide gap between center and side knobs contributes to this.
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Also, the side knobs on the Dissector are pretty tall compared to how wide they are at the base so you can get knob squirm when loading the tire up in a turn.
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DMVancouver
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Nice review, @cooper. I agree that this tire strikes the right balance as a front tire for fun short travel bikes. Also, I always assumed that rolling speed was mostly governed by rear tire choice, but going from DHRII/Rekon to Forekaster/Rekon has livened up my bike far more than expected. And, while the Forekaster requires paying attention a little more than the DHRII, it can be pushed hard.
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
As a dual DHR guy, I was really impressed how the Forekaster hung in on gnarly steep trails.
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Glenn Bergevin
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Really surprised you don't like the Dissector... It's my go to Minion Lite, I've been running 2.4 3C EXOs off and on for a couple years now. 95% of a DHF/DHR2 around corners, maybe 90% of the braking and drive in the loose, but at 75% of the rolling resistance... I feel like they're a much faster tire, except at the limits of traction in any direction.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Maybe I wasnt clear enough.
I like the Dissector quite a bit - as a rear tire when its dry! I just don't like it as a front tire.
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Jerry Willows
8 months, 2 weeks ago
they also don't last long in the rear compared to other SKU's
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Suns_PSD
8 months, 1 week ago
I bought the Dissector when it was first released to test as a front. Removed it after 2 rides as it just can't hang on.
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JVP
8 months, 2 weeks ago
How heavy are you? I tried a Dissector MaxxTerra in the rear and the side knobs were undercut mush within 10 trail rides. That’s crazy fast even by Maxxis standards. Probably an ok tire in dual compound for the dry
This was always my issue with the High Roller s as well.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I'm like 160-165 sans gear. I do find this issue with the Dissector sometimes.
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Glenn Bergevin
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Maybe I'm just an outlier... I'm about 205-210, haven't had issues either as a front tire or with what I'd call premature wear. They wear about like a Minion.
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Jerry Willows
8 months, 2 weeks ago
that landing is FLAT! I stopped doing that one.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I don't find that one particularly flat! Maybe you should try it with a SidLuxe?
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93EXCivic
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I am currently trying out the Forekaster in 29x2.6 EXO dual casing in the rear with Minion DHF EXO 29x2.6 EXO front on my hardtail. Want something with a bit more bite then the rear Rekon. So far so good.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
What width rims are you running them on?
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93EXCivic
8 months, 2 weeks ago
IDK. The front is a random Stans that was left over from my broken full sus no idea on width and the rear is Spank Spike Race 33 I think but don't really remember.
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Fat_Tony_NJ
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I'm a huge fan of the original Forekaster as a front on my Ripley. I actually bought a few spares when the new model was announced. Pairs great with a Rekon rear as a 2-3 season combo. But I'm thinking the new Forekaster might be my winter rear here in New England.
But the Maxxis SKUs kill me! Anyone know the difference between a TB00472400, and a TB00460700? 28g and something called E50? What the heck is E50?
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Chavit Denninnart
8 months, 2 weeks ago
E50 = Certified for E-bike up to 50 km/h.
Naturally, it'd weight more than tire intended to be use with organic leg powered bike with lower speed rating.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Yep, ebike speed rating. I assume this exists mostly for legal reasons. Either that, or I've been in grave danger pinned down paved roads on tires that could have exploded at any moments... because I've certainly been over 50 km/h on non "rated" tires.
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Chavit Denninnart
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Are you on road tires? or MTB tires?
Road tires usually are rated for higher speed but lower load on smooth road.
I think mtb tires have to perform the rated speed rating off road as well.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I mean road, gravel, and mountain I have certainly exceeded 50kmh and never given speed ratings a second thought. Or even a first thought.
Rating bicycle tires for speed smells of lawyers and motorized vehicles to me.
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Fat_Tony_NJ
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Thanks all for the help! I'll call you if I ever hit 50kph on my pedaly bike. :)
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
We don't do ourselves any favors on our SKUs. Cooper is right that the E50 is a rating for e-bikes. Basically, there are two levels: E25 (25 km/h) and E50 (50 km/h). All the Maxxis bike tires are at least E25 rated meaning they are approved for use on lower power e-bikes that are limited to a max speed of 25 km/h.
The E50 testing is more rigorous since those bikes have a lot more power and have a top speed of 50 km/h. These tires must be sent off for testing and the tire molds have to include the E50 mark.
There is no difference between the two part numbers other than the E50 badge. The weight discrepancy is likely down to the batch the tires came from.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
So clearly I'm risking life and limb by occasionally exceeding 50kmh without a badge on my tires. This is good to know!
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A.Ron Burgundy
8 months, 1 week ago
No worries (As long as you did it on a bike without a motor)!
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 1 week ago
The max speed recorded on my cargo bike is 83kmh.
This... was dumb, and you shouldn't go that fast on a cargo bike. Especially if you're in Adidas slides with no socks.
But, in an effort to stave off a Cease and Desist from the Maxxis legal department, I was not on Maxxis tires.
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AndrewR
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Continental Trail King Protection APEX 2.4" is the best all round trail tyre for grip (> MaxxGrip), rolling speed (fast), wear (just about to hit 1000 km on the rear tyre on my Optic) and supportive side wall without being too stiff.
They work well as a front and a rear.
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DancingWithMyself
8 months, 1 week ago
It's a bit off topic, but I'm super curious about your love of the 2.5 DHF and dislike of the 2.3.
I've always thought the conventional wisdom was that when they upsized that tire to 2.5, the dead zone got bigger, and even more people started running DHR's up front and then the Assegai came on the scene with transition knobs in all that real estate between the center knobs and cornering knobs. Never heard someone disliking the profile and transition of the 2.3. Not saying you're wrong, just curious.
Great review of the forecaster.
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ukkona
8 months, 1 week ago
Lets see this Forekaster in a brown/tanwall option!
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itsky21
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Nice review! I have one in my cart to pair with a Rekon in the rear on my Ibis Ripley. The one thing that is holding me back is that I read the Forekaster is super narrow. Did you measure the width or find it lacking volume?
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Fat_Tony_NJ
8 months, 2 weeks ago
The 2.6 would fit in that Ripley. If the previous version is any indication, it's a chunky 2.6
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HMBA106
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Glad to hear the new Forekaster's don't suck. Might I add, don't sleep on a 2.4" DHR2 up front paired with a Dissector out back for a slightly more down, down-country setup. I just wish that the 2.4" EXO+ Dissector in a dual compound was available for those of us who don't care to replace rear rubber thrice a year.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I think its the orientation of the center knobs for the Dissector and DHRII that I don't love up front (the Dissector also has quite the gap over to the sideknobs), neither work that well for me as a front. That said... I love a DH-F as a rear!
Its amusing, despite having a bazillion SKU's, Maxxis still manages to miss a few that I'd really like, too. There's no 2.5" DH-F EXO+ Maxxgrip.
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Pete Roggeman
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I also don't love the DHR II as a front tire. Somehow it just lacks a bit of directional bite for me. Recently tested a bike with one for three days and was able to get along with it, but if it were my bike, I'd replace it and use it out back (where I love it). It wandered for me a bit and felt slightly vague.
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HMBA106
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Agree with you on DHF as a rear for an enduro-type bicycle. To each their own, I find that the DHR2 is a good versatile front tire on my trail bike.
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Cee Cee
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Also popular for urban downhill. DHR2 29/2.3" is same weight as Forekaster and isn't too vague when paired with 28mm iw rim, especially in dry, loose, sandy conditions. Front and rear
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JVP
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I too tried the DHRii up front and didn't like it. It was amazing at most things, but scared me going down steep slabs, it wanted to slide sideways when braking. Also had a way of sliding sideways on roots when on the stoppers.
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DancingWithMyself
8 months, 1 week ago
Seems like there's a space for a 2.5 front tire that rolls better than an Assegai and has less of a dead zone than a DHF? Aside from maybe more braking performance, isn't that what people are chasing when they run a 2.4 DHR II up front?
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Perry Schebel
8 months, 2 weeks ago
was eyeing that combo up as a slightly lighter / more efficient alternative to my standard assegai/dhr2. i've run dissector MT rear in the dry season (MG front year round), but waffling on the DHR front. hesitant to make the wrong choice given the price of tires these days (tho there's a few very fast people making front dhr's work). hmmm...
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 1 week ago
Exactly. Picking tires is hard, because if you're wrong, they're basically worthless even lightly used. And swapping is annoying AF.
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Kerry Williams
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I ride a last gen Trek Fuel EX in the Okanagan, and don't want to get sendy, but love riding at decent speed and in the tech. Last year I used the Vittoria Syerras and they had a surprising amount of grip and rolled well. But, they sometimes felt like they weren't quite enough tire. So this season I went with the Agarros. Such an amazing middle of the road tire. I'm curious how it would compare to the Forekasters. The Forekasters were definitely the other tire I was very curious about. Maybe once the Agarros wear out, I'll have to check out the Forekasters.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Yeah I've tried the Syerra, and after my eyes rolled back around from a tire that says "DWNCNTRY" on the side, i decided they were a moderately aggressive XC tire more like a Rekon.
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Suns_PSD
8 months, 1 week ago
Both of those tires worked poorly as fronts for me, however the Agarro is a great rear tire on my hardpack rocky terrain.
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Tommaso Gomez
8 months, 2 weeks ago
How about some mention of durability or lack there of? I've got a Forekaster EXO on the back of my Spur and it's toast after like 100 miles. I mostly ride fog-soaked trails around San Francisco but I have one or two short paved climbs to clear on the way there. I've never seen a tire fall apart faster. I think it's the small lugs spaced too far apart. Given how well the new Conti's hold up, I want to try a Xynotal Enduro Soft rear.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
"Tread life has been solid - the rear is losing some chunks from braking as you'd expect, but front and rear side knobs are holding up well."
Strange. I've got several hundred kms on mine and I'd say the wear is totally acceptable to me. That's riding a fair amount of dry trails too, rocks, and all the like. And a fair amount of pavement, too.
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Dogboy
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I have probably five times that many miles on a set of DC 2.4 Forekasters and they are wearing great -side knobs on the rear in particular have impressed me with wear as a lot of tires (Dissectors) get undercut really quickly.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Agreed, I'm seeing braking wear, but not significant sideknob issues.
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Caspar Beronius Christensen
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Ur link is to the old Forekaster... and another reference to a 2.5 DHR :-) ..... and yesterday I got to see one in the wild (shop in Nice France..) : an actual tire with the label saying DHR 2 , DH casing , Maxxgrip , 29 x 2.5 wt .. ! (didnt look any bigger than the 29 x 2.4 DHR2 right next to it though..) But why isnt this on maxxis site ?
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Strange, I'm routed to "The new version of the Maxxis Forekaster is aimed squarely at modern short travel (100mm-130mm) trail bikes – aka the “downcountry” segment. "
Maxxis SKUs are a mystery. Ever-changing, a bazillion of them, and the ones you want are always unavailable.
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Cee Cee
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Manufacturer has different sites for tires and tyres
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Pete Roggeman
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Caspar, are you logging on from Europe somewhere? Cooper's link is to the Canadian Maxxis site. It's possible it's re-routing you based on location and that the national site you're seeing has different SKUs loaded based on warehousing, availability, etc...
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
It can't be a Maxxis review without extensive discussion of SKUs.
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Agleck7
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Why do you prefer the Element to the Spur (other than being a Homer)?
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taprider
8 months, 2 weeks ago
far better looking ;-)
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
Its just that little bit burlier than the Spur. Overall chassis is a little stiffer, the geo adjust with Ride4 is nice, and its not really any heavier.
The Spur is a great bike, but its just a touch too far left for me personally on the bicycle spectrum (I think of things from left to right as like.... going from road>gravel>xc>trail>enduro>dh
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Agleck7
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I’m surprised but haven’t ridden the Element so can’t argue. The Spur over forked is insanely capable so the Element must be quite a beast
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 2 weeks ago
I believe it - its not that the Sid really holds the Spur back, but a Pike is definitely welcome up front on my Element. But overall I find the chassis a bit more... confidence inspiring? Its marginal gains, though, not night and day.
At some point here the Element is getting a 120mm fork for review, so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Watch this space?
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gubbinalia
8 months, 1 week ago
Element with 120mm fork is something I'm VERY curious about. I know some of the RM race team has been on the Element chassis with the 34SC, but not sure if they're running a crown race spacer or maybe just using the High(er) Ride-9 chip positions.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 1 week ago
Yeah I'm tentatively planning on using a 10mm spacer to preserve geo?
But I should probably also try it in Full XC mode by removing said spacer, and cranking the Ride4 to steep...
Suns_PSD
8 months, 1 week ago
I have my most fun yet sort of out of control rides on the Spur, but I'm starting to believe that a flex stay suspension design just isn't great for absolute constant chunk like i ride. Not sure if the relentless harshness is a result of the suspension design, or just the nature of all 120mm travel bikes?
Either way, I'm moving on to a Smuggler in large part for the HL rear suspension.
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lewis collins
8 months, 1 week ago
Great review,
certainly got me wondering how they would compare to a Bontrager XR4/SE4… as they have been my reliable “downcountry” do anything, while still rolling fast enough for longer days on the slack hardtail.
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Cooper Quinn
8 months, 1 week ago
I tried the TR4 Team on the Top Fuel... I didn't love them? But they weren't bad by and stretch.
https://nsmb.com/articles/trek-top-fuel-review/
https://nsmb.com/articles/2022-trek-top-fuel/
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Lynx .
8 months, 1 week ago
Cooper, timely article, have been wondering how the V2 FK go after recently mounting up my old V1s F&R for a more pedally XC setup on the Phantom and loving the rolling speed, but would maybe like a tad more bite for the front. Only thing I really didn't like about the V1 FK was that they were only offered in the DDDC version, which was/is not so great in the wet.
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GH1987
7 months, 3 weeks ago
Not sure how I missed this one! The new Forekaster is amazing on the Element. I’ve had mine paired with the newish Ibex up front and it’s an awesome combo. The ibex rolls super quick, but has most of the cornering grip of a minion. But yeah, Maxxis nailed the new Forekaster. When rainy season eventually hits I’ll probably swap the Ibex for a minion but keep the Forekaster out back.
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