Today, Specialized’s in-house tire range covers everything from lightweight XC racers to burly gravity treads – often specced as stock but just as readily available from your local bike shop. So it’s not just Specialized bikes that benefit from their rubber. But how do the current models perform once they’re off the showroom floor and put through their paces? We mounted up the five most important models to find out.
| Model | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Eliminator T7/T9 GRID Gravity 29 x 2.40 |
1,363 g | € 70.00 |
| Butcher T9 GRID Gravity 29 x 2.40 |
1,334 g | € 70.00 |
| Purgatory T9 GRID Trail 29 x 2.40 |
1,042 g | € 60.00 |
| Butcher T9 GRID Trail 29 x 2.40 |
1,082 g | € 60.00 |
| Cannibal T9 GRID Gravity 29 x 2.40 |
1,369 g | € 70.00 |
| Hillbilly T9 GRID Trail 29 x 2.40 |
1,065 g | € 60.00 |
Specialized’s casings at a glance
Specialized currently offer five different casings for mountain bike use.
S-Works
With its single-ply 120 TPI construction, the S-Works casing is the lightest and most supple option in Specialized’s lineup – which makes it the go-to choice for XC racing. A large overlap of the casing material is designed to provide solid protection against pinch flats.
Control
Control is Specialized’s all-round XC casing. Compared to the S-Works casing, it uses a denser 60 TPI fabric, which provides improved puncture protection. The trade-off, however, is a slight increase in weight.
GRID
The GRID casing is also a 60 TPI construction but features added sidewall protection. This makes it a tough yet relatively lightweight option. Specialized recommend the GRID casing for light trail use, especially when descending grip isn’t the top priority.
GRID Trail
At Specialized, GRID Trail is the casing designed for more demanding trail riding. It features a 60 TPI construction with a puncture protection layer running from bead to bead, plus reinforced sidewalls for added stability. According to Specialized, this setup should offer solid puncture resistance– and our lab tests confirm it: the GRID Trail casing performed well in puncture tests, especially considering its low weight. However, when it comes to impact protection, the single-ply construction does show its limits, with the casing sitting toward the lower end of the test field in impact resistance.
GRID Gravity
GRID Gravity is Specialized’s go-to casing for rough, aggressive terrain. Built as a dual-ply construction using 60 TPI casing material, it’s naturally equipped with additional reinforcement layers for extra protection. In our lab tests, the GRID Gravity casing delivered a standout performance – it scored the best impact protection result across the entire test field. It also proved to be highly resistant to punctures, both on the tread and the sidewalls. Out on the trail, the GRID Gravity struck a great balance between support and damping, giving riders confidence without feeling overly harsh.
Specialized’s rubber compounds at a glance
Specialized offer three rubber compounds, each labelled with a “T” followed by a number. The “T” stands for “Tread Compound,” and the number refers to a proprietary scale created by Specialized, ranging from 1 to 10. The higher the number, the more grip and damping the compound delivers – but with that comes increased rolling resistance and faster wear.
T5
T5 is the XC compound in Specialized’s rubber portfolio. Its main focus is speed – designed to roll fast, it also promises low wear and high cut resistance. You won’t find this compound on any of Specialized’s trail or enduro tires, though – it’s strictly for cross-country use.
T7
T7 is Specialized’s trail compound, designed to strike a balance between rolling efficiency and grip. Not only does this allow you to charge descents with confidence, but also makes climbing slightly less punishing. Specialized even claim extended battery range for e-bikes using this compound. And the lab backs it up – T7 rolls well. This makes it an excellent choice for the rear wheel, offering solid traction and braking performance on the way down, while helping conserve energy on the way back up.
T9
Even though Specialized’s rubber compound scale is meant to run from 1 to 10, T9 currently sits at the top as the softest compound in the lineup. Whether T10 is being saved for the future or kept exclusive for the World Cup squad – who knows? Either way, T9 is designed to maximise grip and damping. Its slow rebound is intended to reduce trail chatter while boosting ground contact – and with it, grip. On the trail, our hands-on testing confirms the claims. The damping is among the best we’ve experienced, and paired with the high grip levels, it delivers a very predictable ride feel. Yes, rolling resistance is high – but for front wheel duties where downhill performance is key, T9 is the clear winner.
Specialized’s tread patterns at a glance
In our real-world testing, we put five models through their paces, covering everything from trail to gravity-focused riding.
Purgatory
Specialized classify the Purgatory as a versatile trail tire – and for good reason. It’s only available with either the GRID or GRID Trail casing, both designed for more demanding terrain. The generously sized centre knobs are built to deliver solid traction, making the Purgatory a great option not just up front but also at the rear. The shoulder knobs are staggered rather than aligned in a straight row, which, according to Specialized, makes them more predictable in corners. That’s exactly what we experienced during our trail testing: the Purgatory remained composed, offering reliable grip and traction even in challenging situations – something that really boosts your confidence on the bike. You can get the Purgatory with either the T7 or T9 rubber compound, depending on your needs. It’s always 2.4” wide, with the T7 version available in both 27.5” and 29” sizes. If you’re after the grippier T9 compound, best suited for front tire use, that one’s available exclusively for 29” wheels.
Eliminator
While the Purgatory already performs well as a rear tire, it’s the Eliminator that Specialized themselves consider the ideal trail rear option. The shallow-profiled centre knobs are a dead giveaway – and they deliver: in our lab test, the Eliminator posted the lowest rolling resistance of all Specialized models. That’s thanks not just to the tread design, but also to the compound used. The version we tested, featuring the GRID Gravity casing, features a dual-compound – a smart combination of the faster-rolling T7 compound across the centre and the grippier T9 compound on the side knobs. The result? Even on descents, the rear wheel never felt twitchy or unpredictable. Unfortunately, this well-balanced blend of uphill efficiency and downhill control isn’t available for the GRID Trail casing, which is currently offered with the T7 compound only, and just as a single compound – a real shame. Let’s hope that Specialized fill that gap soon. If you like the look of tan sidewalls, you’ll be happy to know that the Eliminator is also available in a limited “Soil Searching” version, which supports Specialized’s trail-building programme of the same name. The Soil Searching version comes in 2.3” and 2.6” widths, while all other variants are offered in 2.4”.
Butcher
The Butcher’s tread pattern is designed to handle everything from trail riding to full-on downhill racing. And fittingly, it’s available with three different casing options: GRID, GRID Trail, and GRID Gravity. What sets the Butcher apart is its large contact patch – something Specialized achieves with their block-in-block tread design. Here, smaller centre blocks are embedded within larger base knobs, allowing them to dig into the ground for improved bite, while the supporting outer blocks add stability and structure. In the 2.4” version we tested with the T9 compound, the Butcher impressed as a versatile all-rounder under all conditions, offering plenty of grip and traction – regardless of whether it was equipped with the lighter GRID Trail or the more robust GRID Gravity casing. The Butcher is generally supplied with the soft T9 compound. Only the version with the lighter GRID casing is also available with the firmer T7 compound. The Butcher comes in three widths: 2.3”, 2.4” and 2.6”. Like the Eliminator, there’s also a Soil Searching version with tan sidewalls.
Hillbilly
The Hillbilly is clearly aimed at the gravity crowd. With its aggressive tread pattern featuring deep knobs and generous spacing, it’s built to shine on loose terrain. Naturally, that comes at a cost – the Hillbilly delivers the highest rolling resistance of all Specialized tires. But we didn’t mind that one bit during our front wheel testing. Quite the opposite: compared with other tires designed for soft and wet conditions, the Hillbilly quickly became our favourite thanks to its impressive predictability and the plush damping of the T9 compound. Grip and traction were consistently excellent, too. The Hillbilly is available with either the GRID Trail or GRID Gravity casing, in 2.4” width and both common wheel sizes.
Cannibal
With the Cannibal, Specialized are unleashing the biggest weapon in their tyre arsenal – the very same model trusted by Loïc Bruni and his teammates on the Downhill World Cup circuit. No surprise, then, that this dedicated gravity tyre comes in just one version: a robust GRID Gravity casing paired with the soft T9 rubber compound, available in a 2.4” width. The Cannibal’s tread features a mix of three different block shapes across the centre, with especially wide braking edges designed to bite aggressively into the ground – perhaps that’s where the name comes from? As with the Purgatory, the side knobs are staggered for more predictable handling. On the trail, the Cannibal delivers loads of grip and control. Only when directly compared to the MAXXIS High Roller does it feel slightly vaguer and less defined – particularly on hard surfaces. Still, with its excellent damping performance, the Cannibal is a great pick as long as you’re not riding exclusively on hardpack.
Our recommendation
Enduro – full send (f/r): Hillbilly GRID Gravity T9 / Eliminator GRID Gravity T7/T9
Trail – grip (f/r): Butcher GRID Trail T9 / Eliminator GRID Gravity T7/T9
Trail – low rolling resistance (f/r): Purgatory GRID Trail T9 / Eliminator GRID Trail T7
For more information, visit Specialized’s website.
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Words: Lars Engmann Photos: Peter Walker
