Maxxis Ardent - 29x2.4 - Mountain Bike Tire, Dual Compound

I ride a Scott Spark 29er that came with Rocket Ron 2.2 tires. Those were OK, but I noticed that they seem to slip in corners where I had to lean over a bit, and climbing in loose/rocky terrain. I was not confident to lean over much in a turn for fear of sliding and falling. I was a little concerned about putting the 2.4 on and still having good clearance on the fork (rockshox Reba) and rear frame. They fit nicely with no clearance issues. Despite most reviews where riders use this only as a front tire, I decided to use it on both ends. When it arrived, I immediately noticed that the tread is pretty soft and almost sticky. So, I can see why some reviews said the tires wear faster. I ride both concrete and single track. On concrete, I did not notice any difference in rolling resistance from my Rocket Rons. I did notice that on curves, the tires gripped well. Once I hit the dirt, I really noticed a difference. Holding my breath, I would lean into turns and really try to get the tires to dig in. They performed great. Both front and rear did slide a tiny bit in some areas, but at no time did I feel that I would lose control. Most reviews also talked about the tire pressure. I keep mine at 40 psi to avoid pinch flats (my most common issue). I use tubes as well. I have had tube and tubeless and stuck with tubes because i kept rolling the tire off the rim and I could not get it to re-seat. However, I think these would work well with tubeless configurations because it fitts well on the rim. As stated in one review, he was expecting the non-EXO but received the EXO version. The ad does not state either way. I received (and wanted) the EXO version. Overall, I am very happy with these tires. If they end up wearing faster than other tires, I will have no issue buying them again.Update 15 May: After approx 23 rides, I have had zero issues with these tires. I have not even had to add air to my tubes...still at 40 psi (testament to the tire's ability to protect the tubes). I love the grip and log faster times on my usual single track rides. Very happy!

I installed these 29 inch tires on my Gary Fisher. They installed with ease, typical installation. I tend to use about 4 oz of Stans instead of the recommended 2.5 oz to insure a good bead seal. Additionally in the Arizona hot and dry climate the Stans dries up quickly inside the tires so I like to start with a higher quantity and add 1 oz every 3 months. I took my first ride on these tires a few hours after installation. I did ride them about 4 psi higher than normal to be sure I didn't break the bead loose on my first ride. Even though I rode a slightly higher tire pressure than typical, the ride was rougher than typical. The ride consisted of 14 minutes of road, and 44 minutes of trail. The trail consisted of loose decomposed granite over hard pack, sand, and cobble rock conditions. The rolling resistance was not terrible on the street at all, and I found excellent grip in all conditions I encountered. I especially felt confident on the downhill segments in the corners that require care to not wash out on the loose conditions over hard pack. I found my confidence quite high and was riding very aggressive through the corners with no concern of front tire wash out. Climbing out of washes in cobble rock conditions the grip was excellent, with no wheel spin on steep conditions. I found these some of the best tires I have ridden, putting in a personal best time today on my course with these new tires.

I bought these tires to help stick to the trails and provide suspension for my full rigid single speed. I chose the 2.4 to smooth out the ride and provide a larger foot print. The Ardent tires roll fast and bite into the terrain well. I noticed, that this tread pattern seems to chop as it slides in turns. If you like that controlled slide feel, these tires dont give this as well as others. Instead the bike skips and bites an you loose traction. Dont get my wrong here, they grab. I never lost it, and hammered up loose climbs with ease. They well out preformed the wtb tires was running before I bought these. My understanding is that the 2.3 has better side traction than the 2.4. This is due to the extra gaps in the tread to add width. I have not ridden the 2.3, but others that have ridden both made this claim.

I replaced a set of Specialized Ground Control SWorks with the Maxxis Ardents. The Ground Control were a very fast tire with a thin sidewall. It's a great tire for what it was but the thin side walls and the fact that they had several hundred miles on them was making me uneasy. They were really starting to wash out in turns and lose traction uphill. That being said I had used brand new Ground Controls on other bikes and though they did supply adequate traction they were lacking in comparison to the Ardents.I bought a 2.4 for the front and a 2.24 for the rear. set up was easy and the tires seated will using an air compressor. I've had no problems with leaks. We've had lots of snow recently followed by lots of rain and the trails are a sloppy muddy mess so I thought it would be a good opportunity to really test out the Ardents. I have seen a few state that they are not very good in mud, but as long as I kept putting power to the wheels they kept moving me forward and shed mud readily. For as meaty as they are they did not strike me as heavy. All in all I would say it was money well spent.

I rode the Maxxis 29 X 2.4 Ardent tires for one year and loved them. I needed to replace them because they were worn out. Upon installation of the new ones I noticed how small they looked compared to my worn out ones. I got the calipers out and the new ones are 2.25 to 2.3 and the old ones are 2.4. They are also much smaller all the way around. I was very displeased with that and emailed Maxxis about the issue and all I got back was a blowoff email with some crap about the standard they go by and not answering any of my questions. If you expect a 2.4 tire do not buy this one. I would think that for the money they demand for these tires they could at the very least be as advertised.

I love MAXXIS tires but the tread on these wore out a little to fast for my liking. I think they'd be a better fit for somewhere in the NW and not down in the SW. I'll stick with my High Rollers!