Maxxis Xenith Hors Categorie

Price Paid:  $5060.00 at my shop

Favorite Ride:
uphill

Bike Setup:
2007 Fuji Roubaix LTD -- DA 7800 with a GP4000 rear tire

Summary:
I've run these as front tires for two years with superb results. I ride them in the front because of the puncture resistance (GP4000 rear for sticky icky power response).

They really never flat until they are just totally worn out, low rolling resistance, and super grippy. I ride in a college town filled with broken bottles and gnarly potholes, I can see all the marks from glass in the tire, but still only 3 or 4 flats in the two years of abuse.

I have seriously ridden these in snow with success. I don't even know how many thousand miles I put on them, but they finally gave up and started getting flats from small stones and sand (lame).

Overall I would recommend these to anyone who needs a low resistance daily training tire. You CAN race them, but there are better, more supple tires for that. Excellent excellent excellent tire for daily training rides!

Trust me I ride the piss out of these tires and call them a success!

Strengths:
Pretty supple for the durability, dual compound rubber (SiO2 -- softer on the outside for cornering; C based center tread -- better durability, but harder), high pressure capability 130 PSI

Weaknesses:
expensive (kinda), once they are old they will flat all the time (~2000 miles maybe?)

Similar Products Used:
GP 4000, Vittoria Rubino slick, race, and pro, Gatorskins, Specialized all season, bunch of other stuff I can't remember.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at maxxis

Favorite Ride:
gaps in n. ga.

Bike Setup:
current- felt f2- dura-ace w/easton wheels.

Summary:
I have used this tire for 4yrs+ along w/ courchevel and vittorias. found hc's best for price- great ride, wear, rolling resistance and weight. cut issues and leaks are not this tires fault! great tire for all on budget wanting high performance tires.

Strengths:
great value!

Weaknesses:
none.

Similar Products Used:
vittoria, michelin.

Price Paid:  $118.00 at Ride Brooklyn

Favorite Ride:
Undulating hills, bridge climbs, straightaways, i.e., anything. :)

Bike Setup:
Default Specialized Tarmac Expert 2009 + Maxxis Xenith Hors

Summary:
I replaced the Specialized Tarmac Expert 2009's default tires (Specialized Mondo S-Works) with the Maxxis Xenith Hors last week.

Unlike the Mondo's which punctured at least once a week on NYC's gravel/glass/metal-laden streets, the Xenith Hors have rolled over all obstacles like a champ.

In addition, the rolling resistance of these tires are also significantly lower than the Mondo's. I'm able to sustain higher speeds and attack climbs much easier than before.

Lastly, while these tires have the puncture resistance I've experienced with Specialized Armadillo's, they are far less stiff and roll much easier. Definitely a must buy!

Strengths:
Nice smooth ride, great contact with the road, very fast, puncture resistant on gritty NYC streets

Weaknesses:
none so far.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Rubino Pro
Specialized Mondo S-Works
Specialized Armadillos

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Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Cervelo Soloist Carbon, Ksyrium SL

Summary:
put these on my bike to replace my continental 4000's after they had worn out. Installation was easy. First ride was shocking how grippy they were, actually picking up tiny grains of sand etc. In the corners they were perfect. Raced them in dry conditions on an 8 corner, technical criterium, and they felt great. I could lean in, be more aggressive in the corners and they felt fine! I would say this is a superb crit tire, but does wear quickly because of that

Strengths:
best cornering traction, confident!

Weaknesses:
wears quickly at the expense of superb traction. they lasted a little over a month of very heavy use

Similar Products Used:
Continental 4000 S, Michelin Pro 2, Kenda Kaliente(the worst).

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Bianchi Freccia Celeste

Summary:
Gave this tire a 5/5 last Aug ('07) based long-term use. Mounted a new one two days ago (to replace a different brand of tire that had shredded the day before), pumped up to 125lbps psi (rated to 130), and the tire blew (rear wheel) 8 miles into the first ride, on a clear, asphalt shoulder. Gash in tire casing required the dollar-bill trick to allow me to limp through the next 22 miles of the ride.

Strengths:
ride; puncture resistance; grip; low rolling resistance; easy to fit over rim

Weaknesses:
quality control

Similar Products Used:
several other Hors Categorie; Michelin Krylion; WTB Solera; Continetal GP3000