Head To Head

Our favourite rapid-rubber rated head to head for racing or just ripping up the trails.

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Maxxis Ardent Race 3C Maxx Speed EXO TR 27.5x2.2in £63

The Ardent Race is an impressively versatile but efficiently swift sweet spot tyre that combines the best of the rich Maxxis rubber menu. For a start Maxxis tyres are our benchmark for easy tubeless fitting. While the bead and fit can seem slack on some wheels they almost always inflate even on the most frustrating rims and pop up first time on most wheels with just a track pump. The Exo carcass is usefully tough and point/impact puncture proof. There’s just enough tread wrap to mean it’s the side lugs that normally take the hits rather than the unprotected carcass. That means while hard use will eventually see the fibres of the carcass showing through it doesn’t go threadbare as fast as the Ikon. The 2.2in Ardent Race is lower in height/ volume than the 2.25in Ardent, so it’s a lot more stable and predictable under peak cornering loads, particularly on the narrow rims that lightweight wheels tend to have. The EXO carcass and triple compound topping still add a decent amount of float and damping over stutter bumps and rocky/rooty trails if you’re running a hardtail of firm compression tune on your full-sus.