MAXXIS update EXO+ tires – New EXO+ with improved puncture resistance
No more punctures and as little rolling resistance as possible – it’s every mountain biker’s dream. MAXXIS have updated their product range to get a little closer to making this dream reality. The EXO+ casing technology has been updated, giving it a few upgrades to make it more robust. Read on to find out more.
MAXXIS EXO+ tires are among the most commonly specced models on the bikes we get to test. When EXO+ was first introduced, it promised to fill the large gap between MAXXIS’ EXO and Doubledown tires, which it only managed to do to a certain extent, as the big MAXXIS tire group test in our sistermagazine ENDURO proved. EXO+ wasn’t just closer to the EXO model in terms of weight, but also in terms of puncture resistance. All that could change with the new model. The EXO+ casing has been updated to make it more robust. It’s claimed to have become 50% more puncture resistant and up to 20% less prone to snakebites compared to the previous EX0+ generation. Therefore, MAXXIS promise to have closed the gap between the EXO and the Doubledown casing, placing the new EXO+ right between the two in terms of puncture resistance while increasing the weight by just 1–5%.
To achieve this, MAXXIS have doubled the thickness of the threads used for the webbing. The casing thickness is indicated via the so-called TPI (threads per inch) number, which is the webbing density. Whereas the previous EXO+ generation had a 120 TPI casing, the updated model uses 60 TPI. This might sound like it’s half as thick, though, counterintuitively fewer threads mean they’re twice as thick and therefore twice as robust. Moreover, the new EXO+ casing features a butyl insert around the tire bead to make the tire less prone to snakebites.
The update was introduced as a running change, so it could be that you’ve already got the latest generation EXO+ casing on your tires. To find out, all you have to do is check what it says on the hotpatch: if there is no indication of the TPI, you can be sure that you’ve got the latest model.
We’re big fans of robust tires. As such, this is a welcome development and we hope that MAXXIS have achieved their aim to close the gap to the Doubledown casing. We’ll have to test the tire to see if their promise holds true and if you’ll be able to run the tire at a lower pressure without increasing your chances of puncturing.
By the way: Everything you need to know about mountain bike tires can be found in the big mountain bike tire comparison test by our sistermagazine ENDURO, in which we put over 50 tires to the test in the lab and in practice. Enjoy reading!
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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: MAXXIS
