Review: Maxxis Ikon 26x2.35 Tyres

Without doubt tyre choice is one of most important decisions to be made before setting out on your bike. Whether you’re the type of rider who changes rubber everytime the wind changes directions to suit conditions or the kind of rider who sticks on one set of tyres and runs them until the side walls blow off… Having something you can rely on is pretty important.

We received ownership of a pair of very flash Maxxis Ikon 26x2.35 tyres at the office a while back which is a completely new width than previously offered by Maxxis.

First Impressions

The original Ikon with it’s 2.2 inch width was certainly aimed squarely at the XC race market but this new 2.35 version finally has the added volume that helps it to cross over onto the more lightweight trail/all mountain side of the market making it a very versatile tyre indeed.

The Ikon is all about low rolling resistance but with a pretty aggressive tread pattern that helps it to hook up supremely well on hardpack!

Technical Details

The Ikon tyres we had on the test were the all singing, all dancing 3C Maxx Speed models with the EXO Sidewall protection which means consequently they come in at a cool £53.99 each.

Maxxis say that their 3C Maxx Speed is “used primarily in cross country and enduro tires, the two compounds in the outer layer are specially formulated to lower rolling resistance and optimize treadwear and traction.” In simple terms, they roll like a runaway train.

The EXO sidewall protection means the Ikons are extremely robust thanks to the additional material woven into the sidewalls that resist scuffs and tears that could ruin your ride. This is one of the many places where you can see that tyre technology has come a long way!

The tread is very consistent from the fast rolling middle to the shoulders but with an intermediate middle/outside knob to help out in the turns!

At the moment in the 26x2.35 variety, Maxxis only have the top end slots filled with both models being around the 50 quid mark but expect to see a trickle down with some cheaper folding and wire bead varieties later in the year.

The Ride

I ran these tyres on the NS Soda Air that we tested recently. I would say since their arrival I’ve spent about 90% of the time on bone dry dusty trails and the remaining 10% in what I would describe as mizzle. It’s like a combination between mist and drizzle that we specialise in down in Devon near the coast.

The time I spent riding in the mud was about the only time I spent wishing I had something a little more aggressive on the front. It was by no means a deathtrap but I found on the downhill’s it just didn’t feel quite as assured as they had previously in the dry.

Despite that I came to the conclusion that in the dry the Ikon was far more versatile than I ever dreamed it would be. I even ran it on both the front and back for a day of uplifting at the Forest of Dean. Some would say I was absolutely mad running a single ply beefed up XC tyre for riding what is essentially pure downhill but I didn’t puncture, have any real scary moments and never found myself wishing I was running something beefier.

Now we all know that the recommended tyre pressures printed on the sidewalls should be taken with a pinch of salt. The 65psi recommended pressure seemed pretty unrealistic for anything apart from hammering the hardpack. As a pure XC race tyre, running 65psi would create one hell of a fast rolling tyre but if you’re of a more trail riding persuasion I would be looking at more in the region of 25/35psi and you’ll really feel them begin to hook up!

In the dry they proved to themselves to be one hell of a tyre!

Conclusion

I couldn’t think of a much better tyre for the fair weather trail centre enthusiast. In the dry on hardpack trails or fireroads, these badboys are lightening quick and they generate a decent amount of grip in the shoulders when turning.

They probably aren’t the best if you are a "fit and forget" type of rider as they aren’t exactly ideal in the wet but as a tyre for the summer they will do just nicely!

Fast rolling, with a surprising amount of support on offer in the shoulder when you really push. The 26x2.35 Ikon from Maxxis has fast become my dry trail centre tyre of choice.

The new breed of large volume 26” Ikon’s are not yet available but you can find out more information and Pre-Order them here on Maxxis’s swanky new website!

Here...