Maxxis Highroller III: New edition of the gravity tyre with race tread

The High Roller from Maxxis has been a firm favourite in gravity sports for over two decades. However, it has almost completely disappeared from the scene in recent years. Recently, it has hardly been found on production mountain bikes at all and has not been used on the racing circuit either. This is not surprising, as the second generation was introduced back in 2011 and has therefore already been around for a few years. Now generation three is in the starting blocks: The Maxxis Highroller III.

What Maxxis says about the Highroller III

Changing requirements and increasing speeds in modern downhill racing and the feedback and wishes of our top World Cup teams laid the foundation for our latest project at the beginning of 2023. The aim was to create a tyre that offers the best braking, lateral and cornering traction on deep and loose ground and at the same time withstands the extreme cornering forces on hard surfaces. After more than a year of development, the High Roller III is now complete and will be unveiled just in time for Crankworx Whistler.

The High Roller III is positioned in the Maxxis portfolio between the well-known enduro and downhill tyres Assegai (all-round) and Shorty (wet, deep ground). To achieve this, Maxxis has opted for a hybrid lug design. The new tyre is intended to cover a wide range of applications from soft to hard ground, with precise control and exact line holding. It should show its strengths on rough tracks in particular.

The tread is characterised by two distinctive features: The centre lugs are arranged very openly. They are designed to penetrate deep into wet or soft ground and ensure good self-cleaning. The side lugs are large and designed for extreme lean angles. They should not give way even on hard surfaces and thus ensure versatile tyre performance and maximum grip when cornering. Special feature: The tyre will only be available in the particularly soft 3C MaxxGrip rubber compound. This should provide good cornering control, especially on harder surfaces. For all-round use away from racing, this means that the tyre could be an exciting option for the front wheel in particular.

The facts about the Maxxis Highroller III

• Completely redesigned profile
• All models Tubelessready
• Only available with soft rubber Maxxgrip
• Carcass variants: Exo+, DD, DH (revised)
• Available wheel sizes: 27.5 and 29 inch
• Available width: 2.4' WT
• Weight: between 1110 and 1400 grams

Race-proven: The development of the Maxxis Highroller III

Even before the market launch, various racing teams in the Downhill and Enduro World Cup were already using the new Maxxis Highroller III tyre. And the tyre has already claimed several victories. Jackson Goldstone won on the Highroller III back in 2023, followed by Ronan Dunne, Marine Cabirou and Richie Rude in 2024. A dream for the storytelling of the Maxxis marketing department. Even if we are quite sure that the fast ladies and gentlemen would have performed well with another tyre from the Maxxis portfolio.

The variants of the Highroller III

Considering the variety on the tyre market, the Highroller III's line-up is almost manageable. One width (2.4'' WT) and the two wheel sizes 27.5 and 29 inches. Plus three carcass variants from Exo+ to Doubledown and DH. Depending on the variant, the tyres should be available in stores from Q3 or Q4 2024. The first tyres could therefore soon be on sale at the bike shop around the corner. The tyres will cost 79.90 or 84.90 euros.

New packaging design

In addition to off-road performance, Maxxis has also thought about the issue of sustainability and developed new packaging for the tyres. Previously, Maxxis tyres came with a plastic flap for hanging in the shop and the tyres were additionally secured with cable ties. The packaging for the High Roller III is made entirely from recyclable materials. The hanger is now made of cardboard, which consists of 75% recycled paper. The cable ties previously used have been replaced by recyclable plastic straps.

CONCLUSION on the Maxxis Highroller III

So far, we've only seen the Highroller III in photos and on professional bikes. But it's already clear: alongside the Dissector, Minion DHR II, Minion DHF, Assegai and Shorty, the Highroller III is the sixth tyre to poach in the downhill-oriented segment. Plenty of choice, which can be confusing when in doubt. We are curious to see how the bike manufacturers will react to the newcomer and whether the Highroller III will make the leap from the race tracks to complete bikes in the enduro or even all-mountain category. - EMTB test manager Florentin Vesenbeckh