TESTED MAXXIS MAXXCROSS PRO IT M/7304/7305 TYRES www.maxxis.com
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bout six months ago, after seeing and replying to an ad in Motorcycle News (MCN) seeking ‘normal’ folk as influencers for Maxxis tyres, I threw my hat into the ring. And lo and behold, I am now an official micro or even possibly nano influencer. Why is this, you ask? Perhaps it’s because of my social media presence all over Instagram, Linked In and Facebook (occasionally). Okay, maybe I’m slightly in Kim Kardashian’s shadow in terms of bare numbers, but it’s quality not quantity, you know. Or perhaps it’s because of my qualifications: Cycling Proficiency badge, 25m Breaststroke certificate, or even my BAGA star jump Grade 1 gained in primary school. All these add up, you know. Or perhaps I just sounded keen and can write a coherent sentence. Anyway, being a nano influencer is not that onerous, it’s a simple yet effective marketing ploy – get folk who actually use your products to put a few words down to articulate why
Tyre on the Honda CRM (without puncturing the tube for once) and ready for action
they tested and endorse the product. There is always something alluring about new tyres! Everyone has an opinion on the subject. Check any forum and you’ll find a 100 different views. That’s because tyres are important. Over the years I have, at some point or the other, ridden on most of the poplar brands and types from Metzeler Saharas and Six Day Enduros, Trellesports and the ubiquitous Pirelli MT43s. Tyre performance, particularly on the trail, is subjective with the big influences (as opposed to influencers) being bike chassis design, riding style and of course terrain. Not everyone is going to love the same tyre for the same job. Additionally there’s the value equation to consider. However, being careful with my money, my eye was caught by the Maxxis MaxxCross Pro IT (M7304/5), which are street-legal intermediate terrain tyres. Front and rear hoops cost not much more money than the MT43 rear alone. Worth a try, I thought. The front is standard for
24MX 2.5-litre hydration system £21.99 (was £29.99); www.24mx.co.uk
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ave you ever passed out due to dehydration? I have, in fact, to my knowledge I’ve only ever gone ‘sparko’ twice in my life and the other time was very long ago and due to imbibing incompatible stimuli. A few months back I was out on a group ride
(fortunately for me), scouting a route for an upcoming Long Distance Trial. We’d only been riding for a couple of hours when we stopped for a shut gate. I was sitting on the bike, feet touching the ground, when suddenly I felt really rough, head spinning, flashing lights, oh dear. The next thing I knew, I heard my riding buddy saying “Rick, are you okay?”. I was still sat astride my bike only in a horizontal position. In the ‘too much info’ department you can check for degrees of dehydration by
70 Trail Autumn 2021
