Maxxis Ikon Tires

Content by Neil Beltchenko I started using Maxxis Ikon tires about two years ago when I bought my first hardtail 29er. I was still new to racing, but it seemed everyone was rocking Ikons. I decided to be trendy and give them a whirl. What started as a trial run has become a bit of an obsession. Ikons hang from every hook on the walls in my house – 2.2’s and 2.35’s. So, why are they so great? Maxxis asserts that the Ikon is their most versatile XC tread, saying it can tackle anything from hard pack to soft conditions. Their assertion holds true, especially with the variety of specific types of Ikon tires. They currently make the Ikon for 26”, 27.5” and 29” wheel sizes, in 2.2” and 2.35” widths, making it possibly one of the widest XC tires on the market.

The Ikon comes in a few different variations – the 3C, 3C/TR (tubeless ready), 3C/EXO, and the burliest version, the 3C/EXO/TR. Just last year Maxxis came out with tubeless ready tires, although I had no issue with previous years Ikons going tubeless, knowing it is built to be tubeless is comforting. The 3C is their lightest version (520g, 29”, 2.2”). The 3C has the thinest sidewall. The 3C/EXO/TR, is the heaviest (645g, 29”, 2.2”), yet has a much more reliable side wall. Each tire is made with 120 threads per inch (TPI). We have tried every single one of those tires except the 3C/TR version and have come to a simple conclusion, heavier is better. Although 645g is not very heavy for a tire in the first place, you can compare it to another popular bikepacking tire, the Geax Saguaro TNT which comes in at a 780g (29”, 2.2”). A few stand out features on the 3C/EXO/TR Ikon is the XC race tread. You will be surprised with the lack of resistance, especially when the tire is upright, yet very please with the way it hooks up to dirt. The tread pattern is designed perfectly for the road, but when you need to put them on their sides the tire has very predictable cornering even in soft, dusty conditions. The Ikons have been on a few long journeys and races in the past few years, and have held up fantastically. Last year, I ran both 2.2” 3C/EXO Ikons front and rear in the Arizona Trail Race 300. I did receive a small slashed sidewall – after a little sew job, some superglue, and a bit of dirt, the tire held for the remaining 200+ miles. It then experience a trip of a lifetime on a portion of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, from Central Colorado to Antelope Wells, NM. If anyone does not know, the Arizona Trail acts as a machete and New Mexico divide route is no slouch either.

A new set of Ikons traveled from Durango to Denver in a very sloppy wet Colorado Trail Race in 2013, the exact opposite conditions of the Arizona Trail Race. No flats and just normal wear and tear.  More recently, I used a 2.35” front and 2.2” rear 3C/EXO/TR on the Arizona Trail Race. The ability to have a little more width up front was a huge confidence booster for me in rocky terrain, as well as turning the tire over on it’s side more. I will be using the same combination on the Colorado Trail Race this August. If you are using Ikons or any Maxxis tire on Stan’s rims… there is no need for a compressor. Make sure the tire is covering the rubber valve piece in the rim, pinching the tire down till you are nearly touching the inside of the valve, and pump…it is a true thing of beauty. This is also a fantastic feature when you are in a situation in the backcountry. Yes the Icon 3C/EXO/TR is expensive, however you are buying a tire that can take a serious beating. If you are looking for a true, do-it-all bikepacking tire, that can withstand the dry desert of Arizona, the wet rockies of Colorado, and everything in between, the Ikon is proven to be the perfect choice. For more information on pricing and specifications check out the Maxxis Ikon page