Maxxis

Rambler Tubeless Tire

Pavement OK. Dirt Mediocre. QC bad.

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

700x45

Weight:

165

I bought 3 of these tires. 2 from backcountry and 1 from another vendor at the same time. Of the 3 tires, 2 had weeping sidewalls when setup for tubeless (Stan's standard sealant). Maxxis replaced both under warranty and now I have 2 good tires installed. One is an original that I purchased, the other is a warranty replacement. The second replacement tire sits waiting as a backup and I'm optimistically assuming it won't have problems as it came direct from Maxxis warranty. After 4 months of riding I have had no further quality issues with the 2 tires I've used. Pressure loss is usually minimal dropping from 40 to 35 psi after 2 days. Pretty typical compared to others I've used. I do about 50/50 mix of pavement and dirt on my typical routes. On pavement they run smooth and relatively quiet. Cornering is quite good. I don't feel like I'm dragging an anchor which is the feeling I've had with some cyclocross and "gravel" tires on the road. On dirt (typically loose over hardpack) they run true without much drift or squirrelliness on straightaways. Cornering is another matter. On hardpacked flat corners the tires drift somewhat predictably. On descents, corners are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get. They might dig in and carve. They might break loose and put you off the trail. Totally unpredictable. I like the sizing and weight. The 45's have great air volume and are pleasingly light despite having reinforced SilkShield sidewalls.