User submitted reviews
Review by Art in CO
I bought a set of these to put on a second set of wheels I have for my road bike. I have had them out several times on the gravel trail I ride, and can find no fault with them. They roll well, and seem to have enough grip for gravel riding. The gravel trail I ride is not super challenging, and I have seen guys riding it with skinny tires so I figured why not try a smoother rolling tire, especially since I have to do some road riding to get to the gravel trail. If I encounter any shortcomings, I will update the review, but right now I am happy with them. I did buy a second set to put on my gravel bike.
Review by MrPants
I've been running this as a rear tire for 90% of the gravel I ride and used them at SBT GRVL on the black course with no problems. They roll fast on packed gravel roads and tarmac and are just fine when hitting our normal, kitty litter-type trails in and around Boulder. Running a Reaver up front has been a lot of fun; I do get a little squirrelly on loose corners, but nothing too bad.
Review by Pattrickg
Bought these for a gravel bike that is used on chipped and tarred roads and other poorly maintained roads with occasional rail trail type surfaces. These tires handle the chipped surfaces taking care of most of the vibration you receive. When you get to decent pavement they ride like a dream , fast and handle well in fast downhill turns. The volume handles the clay and crushed limestone trails we have. For a high volume, low pressure tire this tire does extremely well on roads and trails . Have only put on about six hundred miles on them so far. But running through glass on several occasions and other road side debris I am quite pleased with their durability and flat resistance. One of the few items I felt truly needed to be heard about .It certainly fills a niche.
Review by S Philly
Extremely reliable tough tubeless road tire. I've taken staples and glass shards out that never broke the protection layer. Despite all the abuse they've had on my commuteradventure bike I've only noticed them need to seal one tiny pinhole, which they did fast with orange seal. I have the 32s, which measure 33 on a 21mm internal rim. I expected the ride to be fairly wooden and it is if you inflate to 55-60 psi. Another reviewer here said pressure in the 40's works better and I agree very much. Mid 40s is really the sweet spot for these as a plush road ride, that takes the sting out of train tracks and all the worst stuff.
The quality is great and setup was easy (for tubeless anyway). For value to be honest I'd do 5 stars if they were a little cheaper. These start getting into GP5000TL range which are also available in a 32 and have better feel, rolling resistance and in my experience heal just fine. Sort of feels like premium price for commuter tires but at the same time these have really treated me great. Previously ran gravelking 32s set up the same but they were abysmally fragile for me. I began referring to them as fragilekings. IMHO if you're considering the Re-Fuse, go for it. I like them enough to buy them again.
Review by Utah gravel rider
I bought these to mount on my other Wheelset. ( On my first Wheelset I ride WTB Nanos on off road gravel adventures.) I ride these Re-fuse 32c on good pavement, rough paved roads, gravel, hard pack, and a variety of surfaces. I've taken them on two 300 plus mile loaded bike packing trips. They have been great. Several thousand miles-not much sign of wear. I've NEVER had a flat tire-Not once in over 18 months of riding. They seem to be pretty comfy on pavement at 45 to 55 psi (I'm 6 foot and 170-175). On training rides I run these tires at 55-60 psi. Off road, on 2-3 hour gravel rides I run them at close to 40 psi and find them pretty comfy.
(My poor road bike misses me-I'm always out on a mixed surface adventure.)
I'm happy with this purchase and I will buy them again.
Review by LFPPat
I purchased a pair of 32c Maxxis Refuse tires that I run on 700c rims. Setup is tubeless, using Orange Seal tubeless sealant. The ride is plush, and no flats in the first 400 miles or so of commuting in Seattle. Max pressure is listed as 75psi, and I typically pump them to about 65psi. One thing I have noticed about tubeless is that they do lose pressure over time, so it's a good idea to check them daily if you are picky. This is my 3rd set of Maxxis. I previously had 28c on this same bike, but ran them with tubes, and the ride was nowhere near as plush. I have 40c version on my 29er that is set up as a winter commuter. Had no flats last winter on that setup, and will see how long they last this winter. Overall, these tires are fantastic when setup as tubeless.
Review by Anonymous
I decided to go with these tires on my CX bike for an upcoming event - the Grapes of Wrath ride, which is multi-surface. Lot's of tarmac, dirt farm roads and a 30 mile dirt climb. Last weekend I tested them out on some rough roads around San Luis Obispo, including some steep loose rocky terrain. The tires were utterly fantastic, smooth and comfy on the road and they handled almost all of the dirt except for some very rocky sections. No punctures or pinch flats!
Review by Mike H
Have a few hundred CO winter road miles on these so far. They roll nicely and feel very robust. They're a little on the heavy side, but that kinda makes sense for a training tire. I think I found my long-term training tires.
Review by mmccormickdev
I use the 40 mm version tubeless on my gravel bike and they're not too shabby for speed down the paved roads either. I'd describe it as a fat road tire with a very shallow (nearly slick) diamond pattern across the entire tread. The center tread section does wear to slick eventually after about 700 miles. If it were real chunky gravel riding then this is may not be my first choice. For a mix of smooth-ish dirt, gravel and broken pavement these are great. Also the tires seem to have pretty good flat resistance. They're good for about 2,000 miles for the back tire and the front is still clicking along. I'm running tubeless, so I just mounted a fresh rear tire. There might be slightly cheaper tires out there, but based on durability and function I'd say they're a pretty good value.
Review by db3
Love how tough these are. My go-to training and commuter tire.
Review by Anonymous
Popped right into place. Feels quick. Seemingly resistant to punctures. I will buy again
Review by Anonymous
I've used the Maxxis Re-Fuse 700x40c for several years now. It's a very durable tire that rolls and definitely wears much better than most any road/gravel tire, including the Maxxis Rambler. This is not a weight weenie tire but those should be reserved for race days only. The Re-Fuse also works very well as rear tire for on-wheel trainers like the Kickr Snap. The convenience of being able to use the same tire for riding and training is tough to beat!
I've had some challenges airing it up tubeless with just a floor pump. You want to use plenty of soapy water with this one. It's not a great tire for low traction conditions.
This is one of those Maxxis tires that doesn't run smaller than marked - it's true to width (700x40c). Overall this is a great choice for anyone not needing to podium.
Review by Jersey Bike Guy
I ride my gravel bike on both gravel trails and asphalt and this tire provide a nice ride with little resistance on both surfaces. The tire replaced a slightly thinner tire with thicker more aggressive tread, so it was kind of an experiment, but I'm glad I made the change. Sounds silly but this tire gives me extra joy when I'm riding my gravel bike.
Not great in mud or loose gravel but I have a different bike for those conditions.
PS. I rated these tires a steal because I got them when they were on sale.
Review by Anonymous
I run these tires tubeless and have yet to have a flat on them. I guess if you look at sites that test rolling resistance, etc. they do NOT score well on that front. However, for me the puncture resistance and longevity is well worth it. I can ride chunky, rocky stuff, glass-strewn urban streets, freeway shoulders, etc. all with confidence that I'm not gonna flat. Prior to using these tires, I used Continental Gran Prix 4Seasons, which are "puncture resistant", but I would still get a flat at least once every 1000 miles or so. These tires wear out completely before I get a flat, I've gotten over 5000 miles without flatting. They're also fairly affordable, especially compared to other tubeless options, and the tan sidewall option looks great too!
Review by jarofclay
The roads that I ride have a variety of surfaces. There is new gravel, old gravel, smooth roads, sandy areas but very little mud. The only surface that I feel safe when using these tires is totally smooth surfaces. The tires are unstable on any other off road surface. When there is any gravel present, it feels like riding on marbles. They lose grip very easily. I weigh 125 lbs and I run the tires at 22-25 lbs of pressure and they still feel unstable and they do not maintain contact, especially when out of the saddle. I have switched back to the best tire for me and that is the Maxxis Rambler. The SilkShield is heavier and slightly less compliant than the Exo/Tr version which is also lighter and probably does provide quite as much puncture protection. I prefer the Exo/ Tr version because it seems to give better feel and it is very stable.
Review by Steve O
Great every day gravel tire. Easiest tubeless tire I have ever mounted. Super durable.
Review by Anonymous
These are the best gravel tires I've had!
Review by Manthe
I have roughly 400-500 miles on these tires now and I just could not be more pleased with them! I've also put them on my wife's bike and she feels the same. They are fast rolling and fast launching, yet very comfortable and stable. They provide outstanding traction on roads, paved trails, tight and loose gravel, hard-pack and grass. They are even adequate on wet surfaces. I feel confident on tight turns and have never had a slip or stutter. I've also received more compliments and inquiries about these tires than any others I've ever had. I'll definitely be using this model for a long time!
Review by feidbo
These tires are great! Easy to install, very comfortable on bad pothole-filled roads, and relatively speedy. I'm even comfortable on light gravel or packed dirt for short durations.
Review by Dennis S.
I have a few hundred miles on these( 700x40's) now and they have been holding up great. They mounted tubeless with no issues and run them at 40psi (I weigh 180). I have them on my 'do anything bike, they are nice and fast on the road and have the volume for gravel, dirt, and rough roads. The traction in the dry is fantastic! My teammate even made a comment about how much traction I have after he saw me rail a downhill turn. Traction in the rain is adequate, but not the tire's strong point. On hard packed gravel they are good, loose gravel is also not a strength of this tire but they will do the job.
Overall I love them and would recommend for a very versatile tire, for long road rides or mixed terrain rides these will do a great job, I also really like how smooth the ride is with 40mm width and the ability to drop the pressure low.
Finally, on top of the performance, they simply look rad!