{"product_id":"maxxis-gravel-aspen-st-700x55c-hypr-x-exo-tr-foldable-120-tpi-e50","title":"Maxxis Gravel - Aspen ST - 700X55C - Hypr-x \/ Exo \/ TR - Foldable 120 Tpi E50","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"halo-feature-tab\"\u003eThe Aspen ST needs little introduction in XC racing circles — nicknamed the \"Fastpen\" for good reason, it's the tyre that Keegan Swenson ran to back-to-back Leadville 100 victories and that Maxxis' World Cup short-track squad have relied on for years.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 700x55c edition takes that race-proven tread and reengineers it specifically for the gravel market, and the result is arguably the most technically interesting gravel tyre Maxxis has produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTread\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Aspen ST's defining characteristic is its ultra-low-profile centre tread — a mix of file tread and shallow chevrons that prioritises contact patch over knob height. Where a conventional gravel tyre relies on taller, more open blocks for grip, the Aspen ST bets on rubber quality and contact area. The side knobs mirror the standard Aspen — progressive height, well-spaced — giving confident cornering traction without the rolling penalty of a more aggressive shoulder. In a 55c casing, that contact patch grows meaningfully, making the tyre well suited to the kind of high-speed hardpack and variable gravel surfaces that define events like the Life Time Grand Prix series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompound\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is where the 700c edition diverges from its MTB sibling. Where the 29\" Aspen ST runs MaxxSpeed — Maxxis' top-shelf XC compound — the gravel version is built around HYPR-X, the brand's new gravel-specific rubber developed for the 2025 season. HYPR-X is a hybrid of two existing Maxxis compounds: the low-rolling-resistance HYPR used on Maxxis' road range, blended with MaxxSpeed from the XC mountain bike world. Maxxis claims the result delivers 25% less rolling resistance and 19% better cornering traction than their previous dual compound gravel rubber. Lab testing on the Reaver — the first tyre to receive HYPR-X — confirmed a 20–25% rolling resistance reduction, putting real numbers behind the marketing claim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCasing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e120 TPI throughout, now built with an upgraded stronger nylon yarn that Maxxis say improves tread durability without affecting suppleness. EXO sidewall protection is standard — the cut and abrasion resistant woven material that has become a staple of Maxxis' gravel and MTB range. Tubeless ready, and at 55c, the volume is there to run pressures low enough to let the casing work properly over rough ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHotpatch\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 700c edition wears Maxxis' revised gravel-specific hotpatch graphic — the subtle grey\/black treatment introduced across the HYPR-X gravel range — distinguishing it visually from the MTB Aspen ST and signalling its gravel intent clearly. It's a small detail, but it matters on a tyre that could easily be mistaken for an XC race tyre fitted by someone who knows what they're doing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Maxxis","offers":[{"title":"700 (622)","offer_id":43545106579569,"sku":"FP_134481","price":79.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0552\/4704\/4721\/files\/MediumProduct_JJRFIRSKU134_298012.jpg?v=1782432938","url":"https:\/\/pedalheads.com.au\/products\/maxxis-gravel-aspen-st-700x55c-hypr-x-exo-tr-foldable-120-tpi-e50","provider":"Pedalheads ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}