Maxxis Dissector Review - 2.4 3C MaxxTerra EXO

I ran the Dissector as a rear in 27.5 2.4WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO trim, usually at 25-26 psi on 32mm wide (inner) rims, with an EXO+ Assegai up front. It looked like it ticked all the boxes for a fast(ish) rolling tire that would perform well on wet roots due to the grippy 3C MaxxTerra Rubber.

My go to rear tires have been a DHRii 2.4WT EXO MaxxTerra in the wet months (sometimes year-round), and the fast-rolling, long-lasting Aggressor 2.4WT EXO with Maxxis' firmer Dual Compound rubber, which isn't great on wet rock slabs or slimy roots. My hope for the Dissector was something that rolled faster than the DHRii, but retained traction on greasy roots.

The Dissector felt really good the first week I ran it in loamy Seattle winter conditions. Most of the trails were the well-known (but off the radar) tech trails in the Seattle area, and a few in-progress trails such as Lower Physical Therapy that I was helping build at the time.

The tire rolled faster than the DHRii, and gripped wet roots better than the Aggressor. Perfect, right?  Yeah... for about two weeks.

Then I did some rides with off-camber rock slabs. The thin sides knobs gave up and ran away screaming, and the tire felt squirmy and unpredictable.

2 to 3 weeks later, the tire started to scare me on corners when pushed hard, and I was losing confidence in tricky conditions. I took a look and the side knobs were undercut and tearing. Just 3 weeks later, really?

Admittedly, I'm hard on side knobs, it's how all my tires die. The sides get undercut and torn while the centers look reasonably fresh, relegating the tire to the trash bin. But I usually get 3 months of trail riding out of a DHRii with the same MaxxTerra rubber. 

Bottom line, the Dissector's side knobs are not well supported, and this tire is not recommended for any heavier or mid-weight aggressive rider. It may, however, be a great year-round tire for kids and light riders who aren't hard on side knobs and want some wet root traction combined with efficient pedaling. Just taking a stab here, but I'd say the Dissector has a 140 lb weight limit. 

The Dissectors don't work for me, so I'm sticking with DHRii's as my do-all tire, and the Aggressor as my fast-and-dry tire.