Maxxis Re-Fuse gravel tyre review

If you’ve got a bike with the clearance for 40mm tyres, the Re-Fuse is a good option for mixed terrain riding. With a high air volume, the tyre rides over bumpy and uneven ground well, providing a degree of compliance to the terrain and some additional cushioning to the rider.

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It has a semi-slick pattern, with a small diamond tread which extends around half way down the tyre’s sidewall. Coupled with the large contact patch this gives enough grip to tackle drier bridleways, although it slips in wetter mud. So it’s a good tyre for the summer months, but you will probably need something with a bit more grip to get you through the UK winter if you’re riding all but the best-laid off road trails.

The tyre rides well on tarmac and hard packed surfaces though, with little more rolling resistance than a standard road tyre.

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Maxxis say that the Re-Fuse has bead to bead puncture protection along with a Kevlar composite layer. It’s also tubeless ready. Getting the Re-Fuse on and off the rim is easier than with some tubeless ready tyres.

But the tyre is still a close enough fit to seal well. I was able to set the tyres up quickly on a tubeless ready rim, with the sealant giving an extra degree of reassurance against flatting. With such a wide tyre, a wider rim is an advantage though, to ensure good sidewall support.

I didn’t have any problems with punctures and the tyre’s sidewalls are relatively robust, so they should be reasonably resistant to sidewall damage.

Maxxis quotes a maximum tyre pressure of 75psi, but the Re-Fuse is much better ridden at around 40psi to 50psi, giving a subtle, comfortable ride without impacting rolling efficiency. It’s available as 32mm and 27.5 x 2 inch versions too.