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What Are The Pro’s Riding That You Can’t?
The new Aspen ST and Maxxis Team Spec Tires are now available for everyone. Formerly, the Aspen ST was only seen on Maxxis' top sponsored riders, along with the 170tpi casing, which Maxxis calls Team Spec. It doesn't take an expert to know that in the USA, Maxxis Tires are the top choice across all things mountain bikes. They are simply the best all-around mountain bike tire brand, from the fastest cross-country tires to the top level of downhill racing and everything in between. So, when Maxxis comes out with a new tire, people start to notice, and this has been happening with both the Aspen ST and the Aspen in 170tpi casings (Team Spec).
Developed for top-level riders who demand every watt savings possible, this new tire tread and casing are exactly that. The best tires for top cross-country performance, so much so that Maxxis claims even the Team Spec tires should be used for race day only!
Aspen ST:
The Aspen ST, nicknamed internally as the “Fastpen,” has been seen on top-level racers' bikes from Nino Shurter to Keegan Swenson and Geoff Kabush. It has been used in everything from World Cup XCC and XCO racing to setting a record-breaking time at the Leadville100 and winning technical races like Moab Rocks. Taking most of its cues from the proven Aspen, the Aspen ST takes rolling resistance a bit further, or should I say less. Made for fast and dry conditions, the Aspen ST adds a type of file tread between the main “arrow” center tread on the Aspen. This claims to help reduce rolling resistance while maintaining the same side tread to keep the same amount of traction in corners. The ST part of the Aspen ST is said to be an acronym for Short Track, a short course racing format that typically precedes a World Cup XCO race. These races are full gas, on about a 1km course that features some dirt, street, and sometimes grass sections. Since the overall technical terrain is removed from these courses, not only can you get away with a faster rolling tire (less grip), but you also need all the speed you can get, as these races are often won by inches in sprints.
That’s not to say this tire isn't more versatile than just Short Track racing; Keegan Swenson used these tires the past two years at Leadville 100, where he won both years and set the fastest time record. For the time record, Keegan ran the Aspen ST in 2.25 width; in 2022, he ran the Aspen ST in 2.4 width. While the Leadville 100 course is often said to be a modern-day gravel course, a 100-mile high alpine race is much different than a 20-minute closed-course race, yet the Aspen ST is at the top of the racing at both.
The Aspen ST is available in both 2.25” and 2.4” width options, as well as the new Team Spec that features a 170tpi casing. The Team Spec is available in both widths as well.
Specs:
Model | Size | TPI | Weight |
Aspen ST | 2.25 | 120 | 670 |
Aspen ST | 2.25 | 170 | 610 |
Aspen ST | 2.4 | 120 | 750 |
Aspen ST | 2.4 | 170 | 685 |
Team Spec Casing (170TPI):
The new Team Spec casing is something really cool to see from Maxxis; it’s been a few years since it started to be seen on racers' bikes on the World Cup Cross Country circuit. Designated at the end of all the tire labels on the hot patch, there is a 170 marking on these tires. And now, the ones available for sale have that along with a Team Spec logo as well. So, you can look extra pro at the start of a race with Team Spec on your Maxxis tires.
The Team Spec is noted for racing only, as Maxxis says; the 170tpi casing is not as durable as the standard 120tpi casing these two tires come in. Why is a 170tpi casing better? Typically, as a tire casing has more threads per inch, the casing is lighter as well as more supple. Think of your fancy bed sheets; the higher the thread count, the more comfortable and expensive they are. The same is true for a tire casing; the higher the TPI (threads per inch), the more supple the tire is, and as a tire becomes more supple, it decreases the rolling resistance. Spending some time on Bicycle Rolling Resistance, you'll find that the casing is often one of the biggest factors in how fast or slow a tire rolls. Tread and rubber compounds also play a role, but it seems that casing is the largest and the first place to look when trying to decrease rolling resistance. Of course, that comes at a cost, as a higher TPI tire becomes less puncture-resistant. Maxxis will even go to a 60tpi tire when you get to a Forekaster tire or anything with more tread than that over the 120tpi casing that is found on all of Maxxis' XC tires from Aspen ST to Rekon.
Specs:
Model | Size | TPI | Max PSI | Weight |
Aspen ST | 2.25 | 170 | 60 | 610 |
Aspen ST | 2.4 | 170 | 60 | 685 |
Aspen | 2.25 | 170 | 60 | 650 |
Aspen | 2.4 | 170 | 60 | 710 |
First Impressions:
We were stoked to get our hands on a Maxxis Aspen ST in the Team Spec 170tpi a week ago. While only enough time for 1 ride, it was interesting to feel the casing differences and tread patterns between a normal Aspen in 120tpi EXO casing.
Right away, you can feel how the Team Spec casing is a bit thinner and less rigid than the standard casing. The large patches of file tread on the Aspen ST are also a bit different than the Aspen, creating a much smoother center tread yet still having some gaps for the “arrow” tread knobs to grip for climbing and braking traction.
The Aspen 2.4 tire is one of the largest 2.4 tires I’ve ever seen; the tire is a balloon and provides a ton of grip. Actually, I did a lot of offseason testing with ALL Maxxis xc tires, and I was most impressed with the Aspen. I'll have a lot more info and a full write-up on that soon. With that being said, I have a lot of time on the Aspen’s and just got back from racing at Moab Rocks using Aspen 2.4 tires front and rear for a very technical 3-day XC race.
The claimed weight of the Aspen ST Team Spec tire that we have for testing is 685g, and our two samples came in at 693g & 706g.
When mounting up the Aspen ST 2.4, it has much of the same shape as the normal Aspen 2.4, which is great; the large volume of the Aspen really helps it conform to the trial, provide grip, and give additional comfort. I found the Aspen ST to have that same feeling on my first ride. I could notice the tire might roll faster, but that is really hard to tell from two very fast-rolling tires, and the Aspen already rolls quite fast. But when climbing, I think the Aspen ST has a bit less traction, and it's pretty clear as to why.
The center tread is much closer together, and the file tread isn't the best for loose over hard grip. Braking is a very similar story; while I didn't test it in anything too steep, the Aspen ST tends to slide a bit more than the Aspen. When leaning it over or braking, the Aspen ST breaks its traction sooner and easier than the Aspen.
That being said, you can carry so much speed on flatter rolling sections of trail with this tire. After you get out of a corner, it almost feels like you have a motor as you get up to speed too fast. Every pedal you put in the bike lunges forward, and that is a very fun and motivating feeling.
I'm stoked to get some more time on the Aspen ST and Team Spec tires; hopefully, I have an opportunity to try the Team Spec out at a race or maybe go for a local segment hunt :)
Worldwide’s Final Thoughts:
We are stoked to see Maxxis has introduced the Aspen ST and Maxxis Team Spec Tires, previously exclusive to sponsored riders, for wider availability. These tires, particularly the Aspen ST, are designed for top-tier cross-country performance, boasting reduced rolling resistance for maximum speed. While the Aspen ST excels in fast and dry conditions, its versatility extends to technical races like the Leadville 100. The introduction of the Team Spec casing, with a lighter and more supple 170tpi construction, further emphasizes performance, albeit with reduced puncture resistance. Initial impressions suggest noticeable differences in casing and tread patterns, with the Aspen ST offering enhanced speed albeit with slightly compromised traction in certain conditions. Overall, these new offerings from Maxxis promise to elevate race performance for mountain bikers seeking optimal speed and agility.
April 18, 2024
Aspen › Aspen ST › Maxxis ›
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