MAXXIS DISSECTOR & REKON TIRE REVIEW

Words & Photos by Nic Hall

Few tires have the longstanding love and reputation of the Maxxis Minion, but that doesn’t mean Maxxis doesn’t have a smorgasbord of other tires designed to suit the needs of different types of riders and terrain. Newer Maxxis mountain bike tires like the Rekon and Dissector have been showing up on more and more of our test bikes so we decided to take some time to scribble down some notes on how they perform.

THE LAB
The Rekon is a newer trail tire with low profile central knobs and larger closely spaced side knobs for low rolling resistance and consistent cornering grip. It is available in 24-inch,  27.5 and 29″ diameters with widths from 2.2″ to Wide Trail 2.6-inch. Like all Maxxis tires, the Rekon is available in a variety of compounds including 3C Maxx Terra, which is the flavor we received. Maxxis recommends the Rekon for hard pack, medium, and loose trail conditions and says it can be either a front or rear option, although we ran it as a dedicated rear tire.

The Dissector was developed by Maxxis in conjunction with Troy Brosnan as a faster rolling race tire for dry and fast tracks. It has highly ramped middle knobs and a consistent line of side knobs with a Minion-esque channel between them. Like the Minion, the channel allows for some aggressive cornering when you really drive the shoulder knobs into the ground. The Dissector is available in 3C Maxx Terra and 3C Maxx Grip and comes in both EXO and Double Down casing. Width options range from 2.4″ to 2.6″ and Wide Trail offerings. We received a 29×2.4″ WT in 3C Maxx Terra, which is recommended for all mountain trails from hard pack to loose over hard. We ran it as a dedicated front.

THE DIRT
The Rekon is very reminiscent of it’s progenitor, the Ikon. It carries speed in all conditions and has very little rolling resistance. Compared to the Ikon, it has vastly improved cornering characteristics with predictable loss of traction thanks to those slightly larger L-shaped side knobs. We were impressed with the performance in dry and loose conditions but as soon as things got slick, the Rekon started to slide, as expected from an intermediate, dry tire. Around Bend Oregon, and other dry/fast trail systems, the Rekon is a solid rear tire option as it rolls quick and offers confidence in the corners and while standing up to put the power down. If you regularly ride wet roots, or rock slabs in the winter months, this probably isn’t the way to go and Maxxis has designed plenty of other offerings to better suit those conditions.

The Dissector may be one of our favorite new tires. It rolls quick on hard and loose conditions but retains the magic feeling of confidence in corners and off-camber sections like the cherished Minion, just with shorter, faster knobs. The highly-ramped center knobs roll almost as quickly as the Rekon, but the tire offers much more grip in all conditions. We even had it out on a few wet days and it performed nicely in decomposed granite. Cornering support is outstanding for such a low-profile tire. We liked it so much, we will be trying it as a rear as well.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The Maxxis Rekon/Dissector combo is a solid choice for aggressive trail riders in dry and fast conditions. If you’re looking to minimize rolling resistance but still have the support of a grippy front tire, the Dissector is a great option and is more versatile than the Rekon if you have mixed conditions. It offers braking performance, cornering confidence and versatility.

The Rekon is a purpose-built tire and if you use it on dry, hard pack and firm conditions it will roll, and roll fast! Even if you have some nice soil that’s been compacted over teh years, the wide pattern will give plenty of traction until you hit wet, greasy rocks or roots. Keep the Rekon where it’s designed to shine and it’ll make you feel like a superhero, taking your speed to the next level.

Dissector Price: $75-90;
Rekon Price: $65-90
Website: Maxxis.com

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