Ikon vs. Rekon... Any recommendations?

Discussion in 'Maxxis Tires' started by Cyclotourist, Nov 3, 2020.


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?

  1. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Thinking of giving Team Maxxis a try in the near future. Both of the above tires look like they will meet my needs for general riding in SoCal. Smooth trails, sand, ball bearings over concrete, lots of road miles between the above. Occasionally going to Big Bear, SART or Exploration, but the other 90% tame local trails. Mud is mostly a non-issue. I don't rail corners, but don't mind opening it up if there are good sight lines.

    From what I've picked up, Rekons have a bit more cornering and braking traction over the Ikons, while Ikons are a bit faster rolling and faster wearing. Sound about right? I'm settling in on the 2.35/2.4 widths. The larger 2.6 is just more than I need I think. This is for my SS, but also probably my rigid geared bike. I ride both the same way/conditions, so similar tires should work. Also thinking a little about the Tallboy, but considering going to DHF/R for that. But would the Rekons be grabby enough to use on there as well? Also probably get some 2.8 Ikons for the B+ wheelset, as I have one on the back now and am quite happy with it. So opinions sought... it's the internets, and you are all entitled to one, as bad as it may be!

    Thanks!
     
  2. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    2.4 Rekon on the front.....

    2.35 Ikon on the rear.....


    Fast combo. Plenty of traction up front.....plenty of traction out back, but low rolling.

    Then again, Rekon 2.4 F&R.....great traction...no penalty for weight, no penalty for rolling resistance.
     
  3. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    I never tried the Ikon and probably would consider it only for a race. I have tried the Rekon (last night actually) and believe it is a great front and rear tire when new. I was riding a 29x2.6 Rekon in front last night and never slipped it because it is a foreign tire/bike and I was scared to really rail. My point is I can’t comment on the Rekon’s cornering limits because I didn’t find them. Also, I do not know how well it holds up over time and how it behaves when the knobs begin to wear, but it held air despite my riding on a hardtail through El Prieto at night.

    I figure if you are into comfort and durability instead of speed and weight, you would go with DHF/R so you could worry less about reliability and traction at any speed.
     
    Luis, Faust29, Bluesrider and 5 others like this.
  4. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Having run them both this all sounds about right.
    The Ikon is fast, light, durable and surprisingly predictable for what it looks like. The 2.35 will probably measure bigger than a 2.4 Rekon. They last forever. When I ran em I always just bought one new tire for the front and moved the used one to the rear.
    The Rekon is definitely more confidence inspiring and still rolls fast. It has tons of edges that find traction. It is a more capable tire than I am a rider so I don't see a need for more tire than a Rekon. Don't rule out a 2.6 up front...
     
    Luis, Faust29, Bluesrider and 5 others like this.
  5. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    So basically can't go wrong is what I'm hearing?

    2.6 in either sounds interesting, but maybe not necessary? Then again I hit enough sand in the washes that I do like the B+ tires when it happens. DHF/R durability is a plus, but my rides are >50% road... I don't think I want to pull around the extra meat/resistance. Durability is really not an issue other than goatheads.

    I like the vote of confidence for both there! Like I said above, the 2.6 aren't out of the question as I like plus tires. But I only have 25mm rims, so pushing more than 2.4 might not be that great without wider rims. Maybe on the Tallboy though, as it has 30mm rims.

    So big question: The Rekons don't really have any more rolling resistance than the Ikons? If they don't, is there a downside to the Rekons I'm not seeing?
     
    UPSed, Old&InTheWay, Faust29 and 2 others like this.
  6. Bluesrider

    Bluesrider Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newbury Park Ca.
    Name:
    Todd
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower
    2.4 Rekon front and 2.4 Rekon Race rear. So far a good comb0
    smooth and fast rolling with great traction. I considered the Ikons but like the more aggressive tread of Rekons
     
  7. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    So how does the Rekon Race compare to the Ikon? Isn't a faster Rekon simply an Ikon?
     
    Faust29 and Bluesrider like this.
  8. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Correct.....they are both solid options.

    The Rekons do roll a little slower than the Ikons.....but it's not like comparing a DHR to an Ikon.

    Like @Bluesrider mentioned, the Rekon Race is fast, but I think the Ikon still does a bit better job as a trail tire.....and I love the Rekon Race. Then again, the Ikon is a classic.

    The Rekon 2.4 works great up front or rear.

    The Ikon 2.35 is a big volume tire. I have run this front and rear....I have no reservations doing it again.
     
    UPSed, Old&InTheWay, Faust29 and 3 others like this.
  9. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Hey @mtnbikej - you know me and how I ride. If I were to stray from my beloved DHR II in the rear, what should I consider running back there? It's wearing out and will need replacing in another 10 rides or so (approximately next March :confused: ). I wouldn't be against putting on something a smidge lighter and faster, as long as I still get my cornering and braking traction.

    Don't say Bontrager. I want to stick with Maxxis. Looking at the site, it looks like the Rekon 2.4 dual Exo might be that tire.
     
    bvader, UPSed, Faust29 and 3 others like this.
  10. Bluesrider

    Bluesrider Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newbury Park Ca.
    Name:
    Todd
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower
    I haven’t run Ikons, but as said was a consideration. At the time Rekons were cheaper but might try a Ikon combo next time
     
  11. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Really appreciative of the comparisons, and that basically they're all good!
     
    Faust29 and mtnbikej like this.
  12. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    Consider the Dissector. I plan to install a Rekon on the rear of mama’s XC Rumblefish and a Bontrager SE4 on the rear of the Squiggle Bug. DHF for both helms.

    @herzalot , I too have a DHR that is close to exhaustion. Certainly by the time the trails dry out come spring time. Please share a photo of your DHR. I’m curious what you consider a worn rear tire.
     
  13. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Rekon 2.4 WT 3C MaxxTerra 780g

    or

    Aggressor 2.5 WT Dual Compound 915g


    Both have EXO sidewalls. The Aggressor will be closer to the DHR. The Rekon is going to be closer to the Bonty XR4.
     
  14. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    For whatever reason, I see this as a front tire.
     
    herzalot, Faust29 and DangerDirtyD like this.
  15. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Rekon. The 2.4 DC version in the rear and alphabet soup in the front. I never liked the Ikon. It always felt squirmy to me. The Rekon, on the other hand, was love at first sight. Newer casing composition? Better tread pattern? Not sure... But I do know that it was tough enough for Kokopelli. And fast enough to race at True Grit. It also doesn't feel squirmy at lower pressures...

    I have the 2.6 on the front of the single speed right now, and it's lighter than the 2.4 SE4 that it replaced, even with the EXO+. I don't notice any penalty with it...

    On a side note, I think my experiment with Bontrager is coming to an end. When I moved to Canada, I had 3 Bontrager SE4 tires between the two bikes. Two out of the three did not survive the San Gabes, while the Rekons are still going strong.
     
  16. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    This is the second mention comparing Rekons and Bonty "4" tires... that gives me some perspective as I have 2.4 XR4s on the Tallboy right now. That actually seems overkill on the other bikes, but the praise makes a point!

    The DC rear is the first mention of not going full-alphabet... what is your thinking on that?
     
    DangerDirtyD and mtnbikej like this.
  17. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    The DC tire on the back is mostly about durability. It will last longer then the 3C tire. Otherwise you wouldn’t really notice much of a difference.
     
  18. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    As a rear the DC seems to last longer, is usually cheaper and I believe it weighs 40g less. Never tried it up front.
     
  19. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    2.6 Rekon: Plush. Great traction. Pig on anything above 10mph.
    2.4 Rekon: Rugged. Great traction. Rolls fast.
    2.35 Ikon: Huge, almost plus size volume. Good traction. Rolls fast.
    DC is good for the rear as it will last a little longer.
    Jennifer is running 27.5×2.6 Rekons with @Faust29's alphabet soup front and rear and they're wearing quite well.
     
  20. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Grok the DC/3C differences, thanks!
     
  21. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    Last season on my old bike I got a set of Ikon's and decided to try them out. I was amazed at how a tire that looks worthless worth so well. I will be putting some back on soon as the Aspen's are definitely perfect conditions tires only.
     
  22. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Looks worthless, performs well... I resemble that comment!
     
  23. HBkites

    HBkites Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Huntington Beach
    Name:
    Sharone
    Current Bike:
    Why S7, Revel Rascal, Spark RC
    I'm not sure I have much to add to the discussion, but here is my take.

    The Ikon has been my go to tire for the last 3-4 years. My standard "race" setup was 2.2 front and back.

    In 2019 I raced the BCBR on 2.35 Ikon rear and 2.4 Rekon front. I was looking for more traction then the 2.2 could provide. In the wet condition I found the Ikon to be challenging as a rear tire on wet surfaces (fucken wet roots!!!).
    I loved the traction of the Rekon in dry conditions, but the side knobs fell apart (quicker then any Ikons I ever had). I replaced it with Forecaster 2.35, and to this point I like it as a trail tire.
     
    herzalot, Old&InTheWay, UPSed and 3 others like this.
  24. bvader

    bvader iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    HB
    Name:
    Mr. Brown
    @herzalot Ya know just to add more choices and make it harder I run the Aggressor 2.35 on a 30MM ID Rim for rear... nice in between not too much and just a bit more than not enough, I need more tractions than the Faust and J crew especially right now in the endless silts etc where we ride.... just a thought.
     
    herzalot and mtnbikej like this.
  25. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I'm the opposite! :whistling:
     
  26. singlespeedrider

    singlespeedrider Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Phoenix AZ
    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC advanced single soee
    Another vote for the 2.4 Rekon front and 2.35 ikon rear. I switched when moving to Phoenix from ikon 2.35 / 2.2. The rekon is nice in the always loose conditions and the bigger 2.35 gives me more cushion for all the rocks.
     
  27. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Those are both combos I am zeroing in on. Along with Ikon 2.8s for the plus wheels.
     
    mtnbikej and UPSed like this.
  28. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    It's a great combo, I just couldn't get over the back tire being bigger than the front.
     
    Cyclotourist and mtnbikej like this.
  29. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I can see my OCD have a problem with that... but as long as the stated size is larger by .05, I'll probably get away with it!
     
    UPSed and mtnbikej like this.
  30. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    I ran it with a 2.6 Rekon on the front. That helped with my own OCD. It was actually a great combo.
     
    mtnbikej and Cyclotourist like this.
Loading...
Similar Threads - Ikon Rekon recommendations
  1. mtnbikej
    Replies:
    22
    Views:
    13,108
  2. blixet
    Replies:
    1
    Views:
    3,600
  3. mtnbikej
    Replies:
    124
    Views:
    62,356


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?