Every so often in mountain bike tire tread design there seems to be a dominant pattern; from the Panaracer Smoke and Dart combo, to Michelin's DH Comp 14, and then the Maxxis Minion DHF. When it comes to trail and gravity mountain biking, the latter brand is also leading the charge with their Assegai tire that uses a 3-2a-3-2b block pattern. Heaps of other tire brands have followed suit and created look-a-likes, while a few have held strong with a more rectangular block pattern that also bares a similar resemblance to the equally popular Maxxis DHR II, but there are subtle differences.
When you come across tire imprints on your trails, are you savvy enough to decipher which model it might be?
Below are 20 tire treads from various companies - some are popular designs that you're guaranteed to see at your local trail network, while others are much more obscure.
Let us know how well you know your tire treads in the poll at the bottom of the article.
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149 Comments
Please insert a PB link that has a picture of a tire that exactly matches this tread pattern, but for the love of god make them increasingly obscure and unhelpful!"
The doctor looks at his chart, looks at the man, and tells him, “Oh my god, you really swallowed a whole tire?”
“Wheely,” says the rider
Thank,
Carl
Regards,
Carl Wheezer of Gethosington
All of them have the inverted triangle shape of 3 - 2 - 2- 1.
The Assegai/Grappler/Rugged/Kryptotal Fr were also hard to tell apart in this sort of photo.
I think I got 6.
I think I got 2 or 3 correct and only one was a tire I have used.
Answer 1 = Maxxis DHR
Answer 2 = Maxxis DHF