Like all forms of off-road bike racing, downhill is progressing at a rapid pace both in the tech employed to take podiums and the increasingly demanding terrain. Lots of brands have developed products to suit the new wave of downhill riding, and now, Maxxis has stepped into the ring with the all-new DHX tyre and an updated DH casing. Here are all of the details.

The DHX is another of downhill’s worst-kept secrets

We’ve seen that Maxxis has been cooking up something rather interesting for months now. The DHX in its earlier forms has been spotted on Jackson Goldstone’s bike, having contributed to his 2025 Champery and Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup podiums. Plus, the eagle-eyed will have noticed the tyre inflated onto riders’ wheels on social media.

Maxxis says that the new DHX is built especially for its top athletes and to provide more control and support over the world’s most demanding downhill tracks. And there’s a lot going on here.

2026 maxxis dhx 2
2026 maxxis dhx 2 (Image Credit: Maxxis)

Primarily, it’s a dry-conditions tyre that’s developed to provide traction everywhere and support during high-compression moments. Additionally, Maxxis reckons that it can be equally as capable mounted to the front and/or rear wheels.

While it’s promised to provide a similar level of rolling resistance and braking power to the DHR II, which is by no means a bad thing, the DHX benefits from better-supported side knobs for better knob stability. While more support could impact trail conformation, Maxxis has addressed that by adding shallow siping to the shoulder knobs to help them conform and grip.

In fact, the DHX looks like a mash-up of the renowned DHF and DHR II, but it aims to fix their main downfalls – the dead spot between the centre and shoulder knobs. This has been achieved by a rejigged tread pattern that borrows from the DHF, but with stretched portions that act as a transition to the side knobs. So this tyre should be more consistent as it leans.

At the moment, the DHX isn’t available in loads of options, but it can be picked up with a soft MaxxGrip compound, or a firmer MaxxTerra rubber. It’s then available in 29″ and 650b sizes and with the new DH construction…

The new ‘progressive stiffness’ casing allows for lower pressures

At the moment, Radial casings are all the rage, but Maxxis hasn’t yet jumped on that bandwagon. Instead, it’s developed a new DH casing with a progressive casing stiffness which is said to improve compliance over rough sections and provide more support, but without sacrificing puncture protection. Maxxis goes as far as to say that setting your tyre pressure for this casing is more about performance and traction than preventing pinch flats.

2026 maxxis dhx dh casing
2026 maxxis dhx dh casing (Image Credit: Maxxis)

The brand then states that this casing can accommodate lower-than-usual tyre pressures of around two to three PSI less than previous iterations of the DH casing. That, Maxxis reckons, results in a slower tyre rebound and a better-damped feel.

We’re also told that the new DH casing isn’t that much heavier than previous versions. However, it’s still weighty, with the new DH-equipped DHX weighing over 1.6kg on our scales.

Perhaps the best bit is that the new construction isn’t just reserved for the DHX. It’s also available on the High Roller III, Assegai and DHR II.

As I’ve alluded to, we’ve got a set of the DHX tyre in the new DH casing in for test, so keep an eye out on the website for a review coming soon.