To say the Maxxis High Roller is a classic mountain bike tyre is a bit like saying Coca Cola is a popular soft drink. The High Roller is pretty much the classic tread pattern that kickstarted the (at the time) Taiwanese upstart into the big time and helped Maxxis become the most popular brands among riders, with numerous models in the list of best mountain bike tyres.

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Originally invented as an in-house brand for a big Taiwanese tyre manufacturer (Cheng Shin Tires/CST), Maxxis grew thanks to iconic tyres like the High Roller winning downhill races. I’m talking about the days when other leading gravity rivals were limited supplies of Michelin, Tioga and IRC (remember them?) rubber and Maxxis’ rise to prominence hinged on delivering the sticky, grippy compounds riders were after, and also actually making enough of them to meet demand.

Gone are the paddles of the old Maxxis High Roller 2, replaced with blocky, MX-style knobs.

Launched in 2001, the High Roller was an instant success, and soon came in firmer, longer lasting, rubber like Maxx Terra as well as the slurpiest DH blend. It became a trail tyre of choice for brands and riders, and a fixture on many new bikes until 23 years (and God knows how many tyres sold) later, Maxxis released its third High Roller tread design last year.

Despite sharing the name, the V3 High Roller is much more aggressive beast entirely. It sits in the Maxxis range between the Assegai and cut-down mud spike Shorty, and is designed as a hybrid tyre that can cut into soft ground, much like a pointy wet weather tyre, while retaining decent cornering control and grip on hard surfaces.

Additional buttresses support those tall side knobs.

Design and specifications

Thinking about the Maxxis MTB hierarchy, I’d have put older High Rollers beneath the Assegai in terms of ascending tread aggression – i.e., knobs getting spikier from tyres like the Forekaster, through the Minion DHR 2 to the Assegai – whereas this new, toothier version looks more like a Shorty (or Specialized Hillbilly) than many dry/mixed conditions tyres.

Developed and tested by downhill racers, this new tread pattern has been kicking about on the DH race scene for a while and has even already won a couple of World Cup rounds thanks to Ronan Dunne, Marine Cabirou and Jackson Goldstone. With taller and more jutting blocks all over, it’s quite a long way removed from a tyre that made its name and reputation as being pretty fast rolling for a gravity model.

The new Maxxis High Roller 3 (L) compared to Maxxis High Roller 2 (R): The differences are obvious with the ramped paddles gone, and a more rounded profile with less space between the shoulder and centre knobs.

Compared to the predecessor

Earlier High Rollers had aggressively ramped central blocks to roll better, as well as a broad gap between centre paddles and shoulder blocks. Overall, they were a bit lower profile than many gravity options, but this also meant faster rolling (albeit with the compromise of not having as much braking bite as some rivals).

In terms of ride character, there was also a distinct on/off cornering feel, thanks to the broad ‘blank’ channel inside the shoulder blocks that railed the circumference. Which meant the High Roller had a band of vagueness before it hooked up when leant over and the edge blocks eventually latched on.

This gave a distinct slip-to-grip sensation and a precise cornering ‘cut’ point that some (but not all) riders were fans off. I liked it on the rear, but (much like the Maxxis Dissector that shares a similarly broad blank channel), was not a fan at all on the front. The negative space felt too hazy, and having so much movement around the grip ‘bite point’ when tilting over could be a bit unnerving.

Those blocky knobs have more than a hint of Schwalbe Magic Mary about them.

That was then and this is now, and the new version is very different. I’ll dive into ride feel more in a bit, but if you didn’t like the High Roller I and II much, then you’re in luck, as this V3 version is totally different.

One clue why the High Roller 3 rides so differently is a more rounded profile with central blocks sticking up and proud of the edges a tad, so the top (the section that connects with the ground rolling along) isn’t as squared-off. This seemingly helps the tread tip from side-to-side easily, despite being big, grippy and heavy, and it’s also very natural and predictable in terms of how it leans in and tilts back, with none of the ‘two-stage’ feel of its predecessor.

The new version also feels a bit more solid and supportive overall; whereas older High Roller edge blocks could smear and twist under high loads, the edges are now a lot more muscular and in the same casing, the shoulders can handle all the weight and leaning on (even on a heavy e-bike) without squirming. I’ve found that the edge blocks wear down a bit slower too with the extra reinforcement.

With very little ramping on the centre knobs and a pronounced tread, the Maxxis High Roller 3 doesn’t roll effortlessly.

All the friction

Most experienced riders know what to expect from Maxxis  in terms of rubber blends and its three gravity casing options. These range from DH (used in my test sample) being the stiffest and toughest, through to Double Down and then EXO/EXO+ being the thinnest, lightest and most supple.

So far, only DH casing High Roller V3s have turned up, so that’s what I’ve tested in a 29in front and 27.5in rear MX set-up. The DH High Roller 3 also uses a redesigned reinforced butyl liner patch around the bead and at the lower part of the sidewall, to offer extra snakebite and cut protection. And that, together with the more reinforced edge blocks, might also explain it feeling more supported than before. The weight has gone up a tad too, and my 29in x 2.4WT was 1,390g, so it’s definitely heavy, but not quite as much of a tank tread as some other modern gravity rivals.

With dual coarse-threaded 60tpi layers, the DH tyre retails for £75, and it’s a fiver less for the single 60tpi EXO+ tyre and a fiver more for the dual 120tpi DD version. That’s a ton of cash, but similar to other leading premium gravity tyres like Continental or Schwalbe.

I also only have these new tyres in the stickiest, slowest rolling, MaxxGrip compound, but as far as I know Maxxis will also be offering the High Roller 3 in Maxx Terra, and likely even standard dual-ply rubber, which is its hardest and most durable blend suitable for bike park use.

With the DH casing, the 29in tyre weighs almost 1,400g.

Ranking treads

Zooming in on the tread, the overall impression is of moto-style square blocks, with the middle section using sets of two knobs in succession. One pair has slightly tighter spacing then the next row with a slightly bigger gap. Blocks are siped (cut) with an alternating orientation too; both across the rolling direction and then parallel to it. Edge knobs are slightly more angled, and again alternate in terms of block shape and siping. These blocks are pretty tall and use Schwalbe-style reinforced scaffolding rubber supports on the outer side. These resist peeling and pushing outwards too much under cornering loads (and help with sheering).

Performance

After using the High Roller 3 a lot, my one-line review might be, ‘Christ, this tyre is grippy!’ But it’s also a chunk slower rolling than many regular mixed/dry tyres. As explained, the tread pattern is more continuous than older High Roller models and, guess what, there’s much more of a continuous feel to the grip – like an Assegai – rather than a tyre that tilts over to its edges with a momentary pause.

Christ, this tyre is grippy!

With those big square blocks and MaxxGrip rubber, grip and braking traction on loose surfaces is huge. The High Roller 3 really claws into the ground to slow you fast and hook up if you slot it into slimy bucket turns or loamy pockets. Less obvious from looking at it is how the tyre can also hold its own on harder surfaces, and I didn’t find it sketchy at all, or pingy crossing over off-camber root webs or awkward embedded rocks.

I used the new High Roller at Dyfi Bike Park for two days, and anyone that’s ridden there in the wet knows that some of the polished, slatey sections can be pretty dicey on the ‘wrong’ tyres. Even with quite a spiky tread, the High Roller 3 surprised me by being very consistent and controlled and absolutely rock-solid. It felt like I could push and push on the tyre on all surfaces, and at any lean angle it was always there, which (much like an Assegai), was really reassuring.

Siping helps ensure the knobs spread predictably under load.

One aspect that was patently obvious on wet and sticky surfaces though, is how much extra resistance is caused by the tread pattern being pointy and widely spaced. Compared to other tyres like Continental Kryptotals, other Maxxis models like the Minion DHR 2 and Schwalbe Albert Radials I’ve used at Dyfi, it rolls slow, and almost caught me out coming up short on jumps I’d regularly sail over. I also found myself watching my (lighter) riding buddies roll away on high speed tracks out in the open, when it’s usually the opposite way round.

it rolls slow, and almost caught me out coming up short on jumps I’d regularly sail over

It might have been a particular consequence of saturated sticky winter trail surfaces, but on the second day at Dyfi in the wet, I got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about how slow the High Roller is compared to my mates, and decided to swap tyres to see what difference it might make. With only 29in tyres in a thick/grippy enough casing in the van with me (I was on an MX bike), I could only change the front and fitted the latest Schwalbe Albert Radial tyre (in Gravity Pro Ultra Soft compound at 1,310g), figured that only swapping the front end might not even make that much difference.

Blimey, how wrong was I? From the first run on the same tracks and jumps, there was a night and day difference, even without changing the rear, which I usually find has a greater effect. I was suddenly not struggling to clear tabletops I’d tagged half an hour earlier, and rolling down a flat-out fireroad section, I was keeping pace with my mates again.

I’m not a DH racer, but it did make me think about giving away precious seconds compared to faster-rolling options like the Schwalbe or a Continental Kryptotal on race tracks that aren’t continually fall-line steep. I didn’t time it, but it felt very obvious to me.

Downhill tyres obviously prioritise control over speed, and apart from this rolling issue, there’s nothing to reasonably complain about with the High Roller 3. Grip levels are genuinely massive and there’s a lot of value in a tyre that’s as consistent and predictable as this one. The High Roller 3 is also comfy and well-damped, so small vibrations didn’t rattle me or the bike too much. I really liked how there’s loads of support on the side knobs, so it never felt vague or mushy even in massive bike park berms or high speeds either.

That the High Roller 3 working well in everything from loose mud to loam to hardpack, without spitting the dummy, makes it a great UK year-round tyre, so just about the only thing stopping me awarding it top marks is the sticky rolling speed on wet surfaces, and the fact it’s a bit of a dog to drag around and pedal uphill off-road, even compared to other heavy-duty Maxxis tyres. You really need some serious terrain to call on to require a tyre with this much capability, and for the majority of UK trails that aren’t that steep, a Minion DHR2 at both ends, or an Assegai up front, will likely save energy on flat traverses and climbs, as well as giving a more exhilarating sense of speed on open sections.