Updated in 2022 to coincide with the rise of down-country, the Maxxis Forekaster is designed to roll fast while bringing a heightened level of traction compared to the brand’s cross-country-specific range. The result is a tyre that does exactly what it’s designed to do, bringing an easy-going pedalling characteristic and mighty impressive grip in a range of conditions. It is a little weightier than XC-specific tyres, but if you’re after one of the best MTB tyres for trail-centre shenanigans, look no further.
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Maxxis Forekaster 2.4in 3C Maxx Terra EXO - Technical details
Starting life as a wet-weather cross-country tyre, Maxxis has jumped on the down-country bandwagon, giving the Forekaster a well-deserved facelift. This time around, the Forekaster is designed for modern mountain bikes with suspension travel ranging from 100 to 130mm.
With that, the brand has aimed to create a Goldilocks tyre that rolls faster than the Minion DHF and Dissector, which are most often used on trail through to downhill bikes, but grips better than the Aspen or Rekon XC tyres. That’s in all conditions too, so the Forekaster is no longer designed for just wet-weather riding.
It’s available in two rubber compounds, the Dual Compound that Maxxis says is best for dry and hard conditions, and the 3C MaxxTerra compound that’s slated to work at its best in mixed conditions. The latter is present on our test tyres. Maxxis also covers an appropriate range of casings, offering the lighter-weight EXO casing, the EXO+ casing for heavier rides and the more recent E50 EXO+ casing, adding e-mountain bike readiness to the range. The tyre can also be bought in 29in and 650b sizes, as well as 2.4in and 2.6in widths.
With the 2.4in widths coming with Maxxis’ Trail Wide tread pattern, the brand states that it’s optimised for wide rims from 30mm up to 35mm. Speaking of the tread, it’s low-profile compared to tyres like the Minion DHF, but it’s taller than the brand’s XC offering. It’s well-packed with mini-knobs on the casing to help shed mud should the need arise. The shoulder knobs are super uniform and taller than the rest, so this should rustle up some good and predictable cornering traction.
As for weights, Maxxis claims that the EXO-equipped Forekaster tips the scale at 905g, whereas I weighed it at 975g. I also ran the EXO+ E50 tyre at the rear, and that weighed 1,016g - Maxxis claims a weight of 999g, so it’s safe to expect the Forekaster to be heavier than claimed.
There is no MaxxGrip option currently on the market, and while I would like to see that for experiments’ sake, it makes perfect sense that it’s not available. This tyre suits longer distances, and a softer rubber would hurt rolling resistance and longevity.
Maxxis Forekaster 2.4in 3C Maxx Terra EXO - Performance
As the tyre dons the EXO casing, tubeless setup was pain-free. It simply slipped onto the rim and inflated onto the Fulcrum Metal Carbon rims I’ve been testing. For the test, I rode the tyres on the 120mm Carbon Wasp throughout the winter, although I have experience with the tyres in the dry, having ridden them on the Merida One-Twenty 700.
The general impression I was left with after my time with the Forekaster is that it’s a tyre with so much to give. Although it slips in conditions where you would expect it to, namely wet roots, the level of traction that it provides, even in the wet, came as a serious surprise. Flat corners with a bit of lean angle introduces those pronounced and sharp shoulder knobs to the ground with a heft of predictability, despite the conditions showing anything but. And as the tread pattern in general is fairly sharp, it’s more than capable of biting through an albeit thin layer of grease over firmer ground.
It does have its limits, understandably, that are found when tackling steeper and looser terrain, which is where it felt nervous but not totally undergunned. The comparatively shorter knobs aren’t as capable of producing the amount of braking power that’s required to navigate such terrain comfortably, and the comparatively short knobs are easily overwhelmed when the track gets particularly soft. However, putting this kind of riding upon the Forekaster isn’t a lost cause, especially for those who like to underbike themselves.
Although I’ve had great success riding better-groomed downhill runs with the Forekaster, it really shines through trail centre loops where it plays its rolling speed card very well. Granted, we’re not talking cross-country tyre level rolling resistance, or the lackthereof, but given the traction it provides, the Forekaster rolls impressively quickly. In fact, the tyre’s got me questioning the use of others, such as the Minion DHF for trail centre riding, as it’s such a capable tyre in all respects.
In fact, if your riding focusses on trail centres, there’s very little about the Forekaster that’ll put you off. If you’re fussed about weight, it is heavier than the few similar tyres on the market, but when it comes down to it, it’s one tyre that can very much do it all, unless you’re looking to push into more gradient-heavy terrain. But that said, it has been fun trying to push beyond the Forekaster’s limits.
Maxxis Forekaster 2.4in 3C Maxx Terra EXO - Verdict
Priced at £65 a pop, Maxxis has placed the Forekaster in its 3C MaxxTerra EXO guise very competitively. It’s right in line with Vittoria’s Syrerra, which is one of the few tyres designed for down-country use. It’s a lighter tyre at around 850g, but it’s not quite as capable in the wet.
Schwalbe’s Wicked Will is a tyre that’s designed to bridge the gap between XC and enduro, and it’s priced at £63. It works in a similar range of conditions to the Forekaster, it’s lighter too, but it doesn’t get the range of size choices as Maxxis’ entry.
The Maxxis Forekaster is a tyre that’s surprised and impressed in equal measures. It confidently balances a level of traction and rolling speed that’ll keep any trail rider happy, whilst pushing its capability well into the wet. The weight-conscious may be upset by its heavier weight when compared to the competition.
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