Specialized has launched its new Air Trak, Fast Trak, Butcher and Eliminator mountain bike tyres, each of which comes with some seriously competitive pricing.
Tyres are nothing new to the Specialized brand, having launched its first – the ‘Touring Tyre’ – back in 1976 and for the most part, here at BikeRadar, they’ve always reviewed well.
Yet still, it seems, many riders will gravitate to tyre specialists such as Maxxis and Schwalbe rather than the ‘big S’.
Once you've clocked the prices of the latest offerings, you may be persuaded otherwise.
With the new cross-country tyres costing £40 / €50 / $TBC and their trail and enduro rubber starting at £50 / €60 / $TBC, maybe it’s time people paid more attention to Specialized rubber.
Specialized has announced a range of new tyres in this announcement and we've also covered the launch of its new road and gravel tyres.
What’s new?
Specialized has focused on updating its cross-country, trail and enduro tyres for 2025 and we have all the details below.
Air Trak cross-country tyres
Specialized claims the new Air Trak is its fastest tyre ever and is made for cross-country riding and racing.
It’s designed for hardpack trails and uses two rubber compounds – firmer T5 for the fast-rolling centre and grippier T7 for the more pronounced shoulder treads.
Options for the Air Trak include the 60 TPI Flex Lite or Grid Lite casings, and a choice of 2.2in or 2.35in widths, and only to fit 29in wheels. Both options feature sidewall protection.
Comparing the Flex Lite and Grid Lite casing options, both in the 2.35in width, there’s nearly 100g difference (585g versus 680g) according to Specialized’s claims.
Pricing starts at £40 / €50 / $TBC, which is impressive.
Fast Trak cross-country tyres
The new Fast Trak tyre is said to be 5% faster-rolling than its predecessor, thanks in part to the shorter centre knobs, made from Specialized’s T5 rubber compound. This is also said to help shed 55 to 110g in weight, depending on the casing.
The fast-rolling lower-centre treads are designed to work with the ‘block-in-block’ shoulder knob pattern in mixed trail conditions and offer decent, all-round traction.
Like the Air Trak, the Fast Trak uses a dual-compound, with stickier T7 rubber used on the shoulder treads to boost cornering traction.
There are 60 TPI Flex Lite and Grid Lite casing options to choose from, both of which offer additional sidewall protection to help prevent awkward pinch flats and tears.
Both tyre casings are available in 2.2in and 2.35in options.
Fast Trak tyre pricing starts at £40 / €50 / $TBC.
Butcher trail and enduro tyres
The Butcher has long been a staple of the Specialized line-up and is now the subject of some important updates.
Specialized say the Butcher works on any trail and in any condition. It has proven itself a solid performer in the past, but with room for improvement.
In a bid to boost performance, Specialized says it has upped the amount of tread contact with the trail by 12%, while continuing to use the brand's stickiest T9 rubber compound throughout the entire tyre to enhance traction as much as possible.
Specialized says the T9 rubber offers the best balance of durability, damping and grip.
The lighter casing option, the 60 TPI Grid Trail, features ‘bead-to-bead’ and sidewall protection, which should mean it can take a fair bit of abuse before losing any air.
In the width you’ll most likely see being used (2.4in), the Butcher T9 Grid Trail weighs a claimed 1,048g.
What’s key, though, is the tyre will only set you back £50 / €60 / $TBC. For trail riders and enduro racers who have a habit of killing tyres, this is notable, especially when you consider equivalent tyres from Maxxis and Schwalbe are likely to be £15 to £20 more expensive.
Specialized is also offering the Butcher T9 in the Grid Gravity casing, which is tougher still.
This is aimed at electric mountain bikes and aggressive riders, thanks to the two-ply downhill casing and sidewall apex protection, which should make it a tough tyre to kill.
The 29x2.4in Butcher T9 Grid Gravity tyre tips the scales at a claimed 1,307g.
Again, this tyre won’t break the bank, at £55 / €70 / $TBC, which is great news if you like skidding a lot or have a habit of tearing tyres.
It’s worth noting, Specialized only lists the Butcher in 29in, so only those running a 29in rear wheel will have the option of slapping it out back.
Eliminator trail and enduro tyres
This revised rear tyre now features squared-off leading edges of the tread blocks in a bid to boost braking and climbing traction in technical terrain.
Specialized offers the choice of either the faster-rolling, single-compound T7 rubber, or a dual-compound option with T7 rubber through the centre and tackier T9 used on the shoulder treads.
Like the Butcher, it’s available with the 60 TPI Grid Trail or Grid Gravity casings.
Unlike the Butcher, though, you can get the Eliminator in the 27.5in size because it is, after all, a rear tyre.
Specialized claims the Eliminator Grid Trail T7 in 29x2.4in size weighs 1,004g, while the same-size tyre in Grid Gravity T7/T9 (there isn’t a single-compound option in this casing) is 1,330g.
Pricing for the Grid Trail T7 tyre is £50 / €60 / $TBC, while the heftier Grid Gravity dual T7/T9-compound tyre is £55 / €70 / $TBC.
