User submitted reviews
Review by Las Vegas cyclist
It installed fine and the bead seated fine (initially). I've installed dozens of tires. Once inflated to about 90 PSI I set it aside to rest overnight and the bead failed and darn near took my ear drums out with it. Then (after putting on eye and ear protection) it would never seat again without the bead coming off almost immediately.
Never Maxxis, never again.
Review by MTrider
I have been using road tubeless tires basically since they first became available to the general public. Living in Japan at the time I picked up the Dura Ace tubeless wheels before most could get them. I used them for about 5 years with not one flat or problem. Then in 2011 I tried the Maxxis Padrone and have never gone back to Hutchinson. Living in Montana the roads are not great, even many times on gravel. The tires ride great, they grip well and I have never ever flatted with them either. I also do not use Stans or any other sealant (I carry a spare tube, but never have used it). I credit Shimano with a great wheel design. I figure I don't put sealant in my car tire either. I do put sealant in my Mavic wheels but they are not specifically designed for road tubeless like the Shimano, and you can see the difference in the way the bead seats into the rim. I'm surprised that more wheels are not designed properly for tubeless tires. Cars have been tubeless since around 1955. They obviously work.
Review by sdmdmd
Very smooth riding tire with exceptional grip on turns. Easy to install (contrary to so many reports about difficulty mounting). Great riding tire with puncture resistance. Did have a puncture about 8 miles from the finish of a metric century ride and was able to put a little air in and finish the race w/o taking the tire off the rim. Only complaint is cost per tire.
Review by Anonymous
Separation
I put a new set on last fall. The back tire lasted a few rides, before having a strange blow out. No road debris or rough roads, just a large 'H' shaped hole. I thought I missed a large piece of metal or something. A few months later, I notices a bulge under the tread of the front tire, which I was lucky enough to find at home, and swapped it with a spare continental with tube. Bike Tires Direct was going to give me a new set, but I chose to work with Maxxis - hoping the engineers will fix their designmanufacturing. Maxxis replaced one and called it tread separation, no word on any changes that will prevent separation. My brothers Padrone blew out after a few rides this spring.
The first set I rode for about 2000Km, without a flat, when the cords started showing.
They ride great. Not great on longevity. Very expensive per Km.
I'm going to Schwalbe, perhaps I'll have better luck with them.
Review by SDMDMD
Tubeless tires have the reputation of being hard to install. The Padrone went on as quickly as a regular tubed clincher. Excellent cornering and very soft sticky rubber. Don't forget you'll need sealer and a stem. Also, when mounting use a CO2 cartridge to get the bead to seat. A hand pump will not give you the volume needed to seal the bead. Holds air pressure much better than a tubed tire and is very puncture resistant. Love the tire!
Review by sdmdmd
The Padrone went on as quickly as a tubed clincher. Excellent cornering and very soft sticky rubber. Don't forget you'll need sealer and a stem. Also, when mounting use a CO2 cartridge to get the bead to seat. A hand pump will not give you the volume needed to seal the bead. Holds air pressure much better than a tubed tire and is much more puncture resistant. Love the tire!
Review by Anonymous
Before trying Maxxis Padrone, I had used Hutchinson Fusion and Hutchinson Intensive. The Padrone was much harder to mount on the rim than either Hutchinson. The Maxxis Padrone are smaller than stated size. Noticeably more narrow than the Hutchinson 23mm. Now using Schwalbe One Tubeless 700x25. The Schawalbe tire was much easier to mount and appears wider than stated size. Schwalbe provides a very comfortable ride compared to the Maxxis Padrone.
Review by Anonymous
I've only put a couple of hundred miles on the Pardone so far, but so far, so good! These are the 3rd brand of tubeless tires that I have had and the easiest to mount and seal. Mounting was accomplished with just a very little help from the provided tools by following the provided directions. Seating the tires were was easily accomplished with a floor pump.
Review by leroy
This is a long wearing tire, as in 3000-4000 miles on a rear tire. Near twice that milage on the front wheel. Holds inflation pressures. Light, fast, sure footed in cornering. In my book, worth the price. Easy to mount on Campy Shamal wheel set.
Review by Scotty B.
This is my new best tire ever. After 2 12 years of using Hutchinson (both Fusion and Intensive...and loving them both), I have found my new favorite! I find the ride quality to be amazing. After 1500 miles, they are in great shape (with the exception of a sidewall nick that I patched). Cornering is also the best I've experienced in 40 plus years of cycling. The Padrones are DEFINITELY worth a try.
Review by Sean
New bike with fulcrum wheels and tubless fusion-3 tires, exactly 38 miles side wall blew out-factory defect. Maxxis have been air tight for hudreds of miles (no flats, even in tack weed country). Seem tacky and stable in corners. I watched the bike shop mechanic put them on, looked easy - he set bead with my small frame pump. I haven't had to seat them myself.(bonus!) I'll buy another set.
Review by Acrophylos
Great supple feel, holds air better than any tube setup. Just wish they were a little less costly.
Review by Bill MacMillan
I have now purchased two sets of Maxxis Padrone Tubeless Tires and they installed very nicely, first on my Campagnolo Shamal 2-way rims and are holding air without using sealant. The second pair of Maxxis were installed on regular Campagnolo Eurus rims with Stan's rim tap and required a shot of Stan's sealant, but are working very well. The Maxxis are durable and ride well.
I developed a small leak in one sidewall, but Stan's sealant did the trick to stop the leak!
P.S. The included tire levers are a nice bonus, and don't break like some I have used.
Review by charlesksurf
These road tubeless are my favorites, overall. Similar to the Hutchinson Fusion 3', but better in one key respect (see my review of the F-3's for my background info.). Best aspect of these is the combination of ozone resistance, handling characteristics and puncture protection. I've had no probs at all mounting and inflating Padrones on Shimano tubeless wheels - both Ultegra and DuraAce. I run them at 7 bars pressure front and a skosh over on the rear. Minimal air loss with sealant (lately I've been using the same stuff I run in my motorcycle tubeless tires - called Ride-on by Inovex). Maxxis could make them a bit lighter, but then the puncture resistance would be the likely trade off.
Review by Anonymous
I switched to tubeless 1.5 years ago and will never go back to regular clinchers. Padrones are the best tubeless tires I have tried more reliable than Hutchinsons as well as better road feel and handling. Padrone's are easier to put on in my experience.
Review by DaveC
First go at tubelesss road, and I've been a Maxxis fan for a while. Mounted on Stan's Alpha rims, generally run about 90-95 psi (I'm 150 lbs). Great so far after a couple months of use. Great grip, can really feel it on the twisty descents, hit the curves with confidence. No flats, no loss of pressure (even less than I saw with tubes) although I am running with Stan's sealant. Very tight mount (which it should be with a tubeless IMHO), had to use levers for the last little bit. Note that the value rating is lower more as a knock on tubeless road in general, not really on Padrone vs. others.
Review by Anonymous
Excellent tubeless tire. I've got around 500 miles on the pair, and they seem to be wearing similar to Hutchinson Fusion 3. Overall ride quality and handling are much better than typical clinchers (I also ride both Continental GP 4000S and Vredestein Tricomp). A bit heavy, weighing in at around 310 grams, and don't be fooled, all tubeless tires perform best when using a small amount of sealant. I use 2009 Fulcrum 2-way Fit Racing 1's and these did not hold air very well, but a bit of Stan's, and no problems. The value rating suffers because of the overall very high price (BikeTiresDirect has the best price on these though!). Not sure if they are really any better than Hutchinson Fusions 3 Tubeless.
Review by Jeff
I mounted these tires to Shimano Ultegra tubeless wheels. Compared to my previous experience in mounting Hutchinson Fusion tires to these same wheels, these tires are easier to mount (without tools), but it look quite a bit of fussing to get the new tires to seat ... even when using a shop air compressor at 120 psi. I think if would be impossible to mount these with a hand pump or co2 cartridge. The weather has not yet permitted me from getting these on the road.
Review by Anonymous
I switched to tubeless 4 years ago and will never go back to regular clinchers. Padrones are the best tubeless tires I have tried more reliable than Hutchinsons as well as better road feel and handling. Padrone's are easier to put on in my experience. I weigh about 165, so the rear tire lasts about 3K miles.
Review by Maui biker
Easy to install. Needed air compressor to initially seat tire. Tire grips well, feels confident. Have over 150 miles on them. Only problem I had was small 5mm tear from glass. But tire was easily patched from inside. Over all great tire compared to Hutchinson fusion.