by 
As test director for Bicycling, I receive new mountain bike tires to evaluate all the time. And there are many good options out there: I can contentedly ride with any one of a dozen different tires. But every time I get on a bike with the Maxxis DHF front tire ($65.95 at Competitive Cyclist), whether it's on a bike with 27.5-inch wheels or a 29er, I think, Yep, these are my favorites in most conditions.
Once you have new tires, avoid derailing your ride with these mistakes:
In fact, I haven't tried anything that works better for most riders, in most conditions. Racing tires–XC, DH, enduro–are a different conversation; and so are plus tires. But for most riding conditions there's not a better option than the DHF. Its simple, blocky, tread pattern offers consistent performance whether the trail is soft and dry, wet, or slick rock. The DHF provides excellent traction and breaks away smoothly and predictably at its limits. It even rolls pretty well, and the big blocks provide a long useful life.
Lest you think I’m an oddball, I asked Bicycling’s mountain bike product testers to recommend their favorite mountain bike tires: seven of eight included the DHF. (If you want the best tools to go with your new tires, check out this custom engraved Silca hex set from Bicycling.)
The tire comes in several options but the version I recommend is the Minion DHF 3C MaxxTerra/EXO/TR. The “3C MaxxTerra” refers to the rubber used, which has three compounds. It's stickier than Maxxis’s dual compound, but longer wearing than the company's MaxxGrip downhill compound. “EXO” is mid-weight casing option, which I believe offers great tear and puncture resistance, but is lighter than Maxxis's DH casing. “TR” stands for tubeless ready. If you have rims with an innner width of 30mm or more, get the WT (wide trail) version
The DHF also makes an excellent option for a rear tire, with its balanced driving, braking, and cornering traction—but I personally prefer the Maxxis Aggressor ($47.99 on Competitive Cyclist). It rolls faster than the DHF, has substantial corning knobs that let you lean into turns and offers good braking traction (but less than the DHF). For a rear tire, you’ll want the EXO/TR version. For the harder-living rear tire, I usually save $15 or so bucks and get the less expensive dual-compound rubber instead of the stickier 3C.
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Whether you go with the DHF or Aggressor in the back, you'll be happy. Maxxis is just making really great mountain bike tires right now. Almost every model has good flat resistance, longevity, reliability, traction (both grip and stick), rolling resistance, and trail feel. I’ve found some tires that are as good in some ways but few if any that I've tried are as good in all ways as the models from Maxxist that I've ridden.
Another thing that impresses me about Maxxis: I know that one set of Minion DHFs will feel as good as the next. I test a lot of bikes and tires and not every brand offers that level of consistency. Maxxis owns its own manufacturing facilities and seems to have nailed its quality control. I know that when I get on a set of Maxxis tires, they are going to work without any surprises. They’re also widely available online, and in brick and mortar shops, so they’re easy to buy.
Maxxis Minon DHF 3C/EXO/TR
Original Price: $83.74
Buy it now: $65.95 on Competitive Cyclist
Maxxis Aggressor EXO/TR
Original Price: $62.00
Buy it now: $47.99 on Competitive Cyclist
