I finally got a chance to take a really good look at the Maxxis Ardents…mounted, weighed and measured.
- Bike: Ventana El Terremoto 6.0
- Front Wheel: Chris King 20mm Hub with DT Swiss 5.1d Rim (27.8mm wide)
- Rear Wheel: Chris King HD Fun Bolt with Mavic EX 823 (30mm wide)
- Front Fork: Rock Shox Lyrik Coil U-Turn 115-160mm
- Front Tire: Maxxis Ardent 2.6 DH 3c
- Rear Tire: Maxxis Ardent 2.4 DH 60a
Note: Results will vary depending on tire and rim.
MAXXIS ARDENT INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
They are relatively light for DH tires. Both the 2.6 and 2.4 weighed in at 2 lbs 14 oz (roughly 1304g) which really isn’t that bad for tires this large with thick DH casings. After the weigh in, I removed the Maxxis 2.35 High Roller UST’s and mounted up the Ardents. The Ardents went on much easier than the High Rollers they replaced. I didn’t even need to use tire levers. In comparison to the High Rollers, the Ardents are much larger with a lot more volume. This is a welcomed change because the “claimed” 2.35 High Rollers really only measured out to about 2.2 and the volume was much less than the other 2.35’s on the market. It appears that Maxxis is really making an effort on claimed vs. actual specs this year.
HOW DO THEY MEASURE UP?
Measurement Specs (pictures below):
- Front 2.6 Casing Width: 2.210 in. @ 28 psi
- Front 2.6 Tread Width: 2.522 in. @ 28 psi
- Rear 2.4 Casing Width: 2.175 in. @ 28 psi
- Rear 2.4 Tread Width: 2.317 in. @ 28 psi
Now, these measurements will vary slightly depending on rim choice. My 2.6 is measuring out smaller on the 5.1d (27.8mm wide) than it would on an 823 (30mm wide). The rear 2.4 width on the 823 is pretty close to what you should find on most DH rims. The full labeled production versions should be very close to this set.
198’S THOUGHTS
So far, these tires look great. The tread pattern is the best that I have seen out of the Maxxis camp so far, and I am really hoping that they rail the corners with lower rolling resistance than the High Rollers or Minions. I will be taking the bike to the Big Creek freeride area to check their rock garden and drop performance and then a couple of laps around the cross country course for some overall performance testing. These tires have increased my patience line on the UST Big Betty’s that were supposed to be in our hands Jan. ’08. I am starting to think Schwalbe meant Jan. ’09. Stay tuned for full ride reports and final thoughts.
Side note: For those of you with Lyrik’s or Terremoto’s, I included stay and fork clearance pictures.
