Aggressor

Danny Hart
British downhill mountain biker, Danny Hart currently rides for Madison Saracen on Maxxis tyres. He won the 2011 and 2016 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.

Mountain Bike Rider
MountainBikeRider.co.uk rated the Aggressor a very respectable 8/10:

“The Aggressor lays down a lot of rubber and isolates vibration and chatter well when you’re going really fast. The dense tread provides good protection against impacts and cuts and bites on blown out terrain and loose rocks, but is also surprisingly good on greasy uphills in terms of pure climbing grip. Braking traction is also sorted, with the small-ish central tread blocks doing a better job than you’d expect scrubbing speed off quickly, unless trails are especially muddy.

This tyre works really well on the back if you ride a lot of rough, armoured trail centres or fast rocky bridleways.” – Ric Jamieson, MountainBikeRider.co.uk, August 2018

Outdoor Gear Lab
OutdoorGearLab.com tested the Aggressor with an impressive result of  80/100, dubbing it “an excellent do-it-all rear tire for any kind of riding”:

“It’s pretty darn likable because it seems to be down for anything. It has a nice moderate tread profile that rolls easily but still offers plenty of traction in a variety of conditions. We’d just as soon mount this tire on our XC bikes as we would our longer travel enduro rigs. The dual-compound tread gives this tire excellent rolling characteristics, with a firmer center tread and slightly softer cornering knobs that enhance traction and bite. Due to the moderate height of the tread knobs, it might not be the best choice for mud, but anywhere else, you’ll find yourself asking, “Where has this tire been all my life?”” – Sean Cronin and Jeremy Benson, OutdoorGearLab.com, November 2018

Pink Bike
“As far as overall grip goes, I’d place the Aggressor in between the Minion SS and the DHF. It’ll hook up in places where the semi-slick Minion would have trouble, but in wetter or really loose conditions the shorter lugs aren’t able to dig in as well as a tire with a more aggressive tread. The compound is soft enough that there’s still traction on wet rocks, but there’s not as much room between the lugs to shed thicker mud.” – Mike Kazimer, PinkBike.com, October 2016

Bike Radar
BikeRadar.com reviewed the Aggressor with an impressive result of 5/5:
“The Aggressor hits the bullseye for balancing traction, rolling resistance, weight and durability. While the Aggressor does a lot of things well, it positively shines as a rear tire in dry conditions.” – Josh Patterson, BikeRadar.com, August 2016

Enduro MTB
“The name says it all. The MAXXIS Aggressor could hardly be more knobbly. Interestingly, it still rolls very well on the climbs, due to the arrangement of the centre knobs that form a tightly spaced tread pattern. As a result, the Aggressor with its grippy shoulder knobs is an ideal choice for a fast rolling rear tire on an Enduro or Trail bike. Paired with a grippy front tire (a Minion, for example) it’ll also make for a good companion on alpine adventures that involve a lot of climbing. It is only available in the harder dual rubber compound, which is absolutely sufficient for the rear in dry conditions. A good choice for budget-conscious riders.” – Felix Stix, Enduro MTB, August 2019

Worldwide Cyclery
“Looking for a great all-around 3 season tire? Try the Aggressor on the rear. I’m impressed and will put on another one after my current Aggressor wears a little more. I would say the EXO version I’m running has proven to be enough protection for me. In my opinion, I’d run the Aggressor for the hero dirt and dry conditions. Fast, confident and reliable, the Aggressor has lived up to its expectations of the new standard in enduro tires!” –  WorldwideCyclery.com, April 2018

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, April 2020:
“After a very wet winter of mud and a Maxxis DHR the Aggressor feels loose and not as sure footed but I soon realise I was comparing it to a tyre with massive amounts of grip (and drag). However it’s 5x faster rolling than the DHR and it’s dry, so it’s doing it’s job.

There’s few ‘British summer’ tyres out there (full stop) but this ones up there with the best and would be just at home in the Alps where the weather can change in a moment.”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, March 2020:
“I mostly ride trails that are dry, very rocky and gnarly (lots of roots). The climbs are usually a mix of roots, loose rocks and somewhat loose soil. Bought it to replace the WTB Ranger in the rear that came stock on my hardtail, as I felt I was losing grip too often on steep and loose climbs. I use it with a Minion DHF in front.

After about six months of use, I absolutely love the tyre. It rolls well, has excellent grip on steep and loose climbs, and is taking punishment without any issues on rocky descents when I don’t manage to get the best line. I’m even starting considering whether I should use it in the front.” 

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, September 2019:
“Really sturdy, fast rolling and really grippy on all terrain.” 

Rider, ChainRactionCycles.com, April 2019:
“Traction is very good. Clinbing traction is strong. Corner knobs are massive so it corners very well. When the rear of the bike slides it just drifts but no snap oversteer. Overall excellent all mountain tire.” 

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, September 2018:
“What a purchase, currently out in Cyprus where the trails are dust, dry rocks and roots most of the year round. The aggressor has taken on the challenge of grip even in the loose dust much better than the high roller 2 I had on the rear before. The traction is amazing but it doesnt hinder the rolling resistance, which as most reviews state is very minimal. All rounds brilliant summer dry tire, yet to test in the wet. Currently running aggressor rear 2.3 and minion dhf 2.5 front, great combo!!!”

Rider, ChainReactionCycles.com, May 2018:
“Takes off nicely, great for the drier months but still aggressive around the edges for when it’s a little wetter in places than you would like.”