Product Review: Maxxis Holy Roller MTB Tyre

The Maxxis Holy Roller, is the most versatile MTB tire features a tightly spaced knob pattern. A unique design that rolls extremely well on pavement and still hooks up in hardpack conditions. Hooks up in medium density soil and trails via a deep-cut center groove for straight-line control.

Features:

Foldable Bead – Foldable beads also keep the tire secured to the rim but are lighter weight and easily transported. The bead is made of spun aramid or Kevlar® fibers.
M126
Inverted semi-knob design
Dirt-to-pavement versatility
Excels in both the front and rear
Weight: 800g
Max PSI: 120

Maxxis Holy Roller MTB Tyre Review:

In the past few years I have become a real fan of the 3 inch wide MTB tire. As a flat-land rider, I had never used wide tires before. Most of the trails that I ride are extremely rocky, with lots of twisty and turning stuff. I was looking for a wider, ultra-light setup that would allow me to maintain traction in the rocky sections without risking pinch flatting. I tried both the Maxxis Ignitor and Trax, as well as the S-Pedals. I went with the Holy Roller because I wanted a lighter, foldable, more street-proof tire. I wasn’t ready to give up traction and wear resistance to go super-light. What I like about the Maxxis Holy Roller

Pros:

It’s light. The tire is 800 grams for the 29×2.2.
Maxxis is known for great rubber. They really know how to make a tire that wears well.
I like the 3 inch wide profile. I find that the new 3 inch wide MTB tires hook up better than the 2.3 and can still fit into the treadless 2.1 frames.
This tire is 23% more supple than the Ignitor and Trax and 50% more supple than the S-Pedals. Maxxis says this is due to the vulcanization process. So, if a supple tire is important to you, then this tire is a good choice.
The Holy Roller uses a 1.95mm thick aramid or kevlar thread for the tread. With kevlar you don’t have to worry about sidewall cuts as you do with normal nylon threads.
The Holy Roller is a durable tire. We didn’t have a lot of rain this summer, but it killed me to see so many of my friends tearing up their high dollar tires after only a few rides. They simply didn’t have a durable enough tread compound for this three-punch combo of hardpack, rocks and roots. But the Holy Roller shrugged off this summer’s lack of rains.
It is a single ply and it has a folded bead. That means you have to re-seat the tire onto the rim each time you air it up. This is normal for folding bead tires. I chose to go with a standard casing because I want a more supple tire. I simply fold the tread in half around the tube, air up and then trim the extra tread with a pair of scissors. This is pretty easy and makes the tire a lot more stable.
I like the thread pattern. The tightly spaced knob pattern rolls really well on pavement and still hooks up in hardpack conditions.
This tire hooks up in medium hardpack, roots and loamy soils. It’s not designed for loose sand and deep loam.
The Holy Roller is an excellent front tire. The tread pattern is not overly aggressive, so it isn’t going to be a mud-plugger. You will still get some looseness in deep loam, but that’s pretty standard for any mountain bike tire. Slack and low pressures are the key to climbing well in the mud.
This is a tire that likes to run moderately pressure. If you set it too high you won’t like it. Think of this as a light DH-type tire. The Extreme Pro is the heavy DH tire in this lineup.
Sipes. Maxxis uses a unique sipe system to improve traction and wear resistance.
If you want a tire that is going to go fast in the dirt, in the rocks and on pavement, this tire is the ticket. It is one of the more versatile tires I have used. If your trail system has a good variety of conditions, it’s nice to have a tire that can handle everything. I’d call this my Super-All-Mountain tire.
It has excellent tread life. The thread pattern rolls so well that it doesn’t hit anything on the front wheel. The rear tire does wear out quickly, though. You can look up the psi rating for your weight on the Maxxis website.
If you are in need of a high-volume, folding bead, 3 inch wide tire, I’d give this a try.
If you need a light, tough, DOT-approved tire, then this could be the ticket. It’s lighter than the S-Pedals and can handle burlier terrain than the Ignitors and Trax.

Cons:

The tread pattern collects pine-needles, moisture-rich soil and rocks like no other MTB tire I have ever used. It’s not designed to be a mud-plugger, and I don’t ride it in loose stuff, but still… it’s a really big tire, and I don’t like cleaning it.
The tire is not loud. I like making noise.

Things I would change if I could:

The tire is too quiet. I would make it louder.
I would make it cut loam better.
I would make it use a 2.2 casing. I want it to last longer.

I like traction, and while I didn’t have any issues with it, there are slick-roots and the bike did slide slightly on wet roots. If you are looking for total traction at all times, then this is not the tire for you. If you are concerned about keeping your rubber side down, the Ignitor might be a better choice.

This is a really good tire that I think most riders will enjoy. It’s strong, light, rolls well and is a very good value. It’ll roll over anything in its path without hesitation. It’s a great front tire and if you need a lighter, burlier tire in the back, then add an Extreme Pro.