The Lab – MAXXIS Wetscream tested
MAXXIS have been building tires for over 50 years and are one of the top ten tire manufacturers in Taiwan. MAXXIS is actually the brand name of Cheng Shin, the real manufacturer. They produce car, motorbike and of course bike tires and therefore possess a very broad expertise in rubber. In the bike sector, MAXXIS have a very broad portfolio and are represented on many performance MTBs, especially with the ASSEGAI, and Minion models. In addition to the perennial long runners, MAXXIS also offer some specialised tires, such as the tested Wetscream.
As the name suggests, the Wetscream is designed for wet days and damp ground. MAXXIS even goes so far as to recommend the tire for hard racing in adverse conditions. The uncompromising tire is designed for both front and rear and is available in 27.5” and 29” as a folding tire. Only the two very soft and grippy MaxxGrip and SuperTacky rubber compounds are available. These are supposed to provide the best grip, which in turn leads to accelerated wear. When it comes to the carcass, MAXXIS does it in style and provides only the thickest DH casing. The tread pattern of the very long studs is even, yet the Wetscream still has a running direction. In addition, the studs are spaced very far apart so that they can dig into the soft ground as deeply as possible and also offer good self-cleaning.
We tested the MAXXIS Wetscream in 29 x 2.5″ on several bikes in the wet German winter. Despite the nominal specification of 2.5″ width, the tires turn out to be quite narrow: The studs measure only 54 mm at the widest point. For comparison, a 2.5” MAXXIS ASSEGAI measures 64 mm at the widest point – a whole centimetre more. Converted into inches, this is more like a 2.2″ wide tire. So, we are not fooled by the absolute numbers, taking off on the well-watered trails. The long, soft studs give a spongy feeling on hard or frozen ground and tend to buckle. But hard and frozen is not the Wetscream’s cup of tea: when it comes to muddy or sandy trails, the Wetscream’s studs bite into the ground and allow you to ride like you’re on tracks. The softer the ground, the more grip the Wetscream provides, and shortcuts through muddy pits lose some of their terror. Due to its narrow width, the Wetscream allows for very precise line selection and does not push you back and forth as some of its wider counterparts do. The rebound of the tire is slow and fits well with the intended area of use. Only on thick roots does the Wetscream sometimes search for grip in vain. Due to the soft rubber compound and the long studs, we wouldn’t recommend the tire for long distances on a hard surface – these are definitely just a winter tire for core MTB riding..
With the Wetscream, MAXXIS caters to all swamp-dwelling tire fetishists. The special mud tire requires a special user group. However, once it has hit pay dirt (so to speak), it hits the ground running – offering top performance and scoring with excellent grip. The tire is ideal for the wet winter season. Don’t forget to change back to some normal tires in spring, if you don’t want to be sliding around all summer on the long, soft spikes..
Tops
- great grip on soft ground
- only the softest rubber compound – suitable for the intended use
Flops
- niche area of application
Tester Peter, Simon
Test duration 3 Months
Price € 79.90
Weight 1,177 g
Size 29 x 2.5”
More information Manufacturer’s website
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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Peter Walker
About the Author
Julian Schwede
Juli is used to dealing with big rigs. Besides working on his bike, he also tinkered and worked on buses after completing his training as a vehicle mechatronics engineer. Since the development of large-scale electric motors was too slow for him, he went on to study technical business administration while building carbon fibre tables on the side. Though his DJ bike is welded from thick aluminium tubes, his full-susser is made of carbon and it's already taken him to the top of numerous summits. Apart from biking, he likes climbing via ferratas or vertically on the wall. Nowadays, his personal bike gets ridden less as he tests the bikes that get sent to us, pushing them to their limits to see what they're capable of. In addition to bike reviews, Juli also takes care of the daily news and thinks of himself as the Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent.
