Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 29 x 2.3in tyre review

Specialized’s new Butcher tyre features the brand’s soft T9 compound, which is designed to rebound slowly and stick to terrain. It is aimed at gravity riding with an emphasis on traction and steering, and should make a great front-wheel tyre.

However, its casing thickness, overall weight and tread pattern make it well suited to trail riding, too.

• Mountain bike wheel sizes: 26in, 650b and 29in explained
• Best mountain bike wheels | Mountain bike wheelsets rated and reviewed

Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 29 x 2.3in tyre performance

The T9 compound provided plenty of predictable traction over dry rocks and roots, and hardpack terrain. There was also enough grip on offer to reach good lean angles, despite the tyre's relatively square profile thanks to its aggressive edge.

The tread blocks had great stability and didn't squirm even when pushed hard on solid terrain. Because the centre blocks are fairly closely packed, it rolled well at trail centres.

Even though the carcass is thinner than Schwalbe’s Super Trail, which I also had on test, it had plenty of strength for a front tyre and didn’t flop in turns or suffer any rips or tears.

Once the trails were wet, though, the Butcher was less sure-footed and didn't inspire a great deal of confidence over greasy rocks and roots, or on wet ground. On gloopy trails the tyre got packed full of mud and struggled to shed it.

However, it was easy to seat the Butcher on my 30mm (internal width) test rims, fully sealing at 30psi and inflating without a tubeless inflator. They also held air for the whole test period.

Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 29 x 2.3in tyre overall

The new Butcher is most at home in dry conditions but provides just enough grip to be left on year-round, if you don’t want to change tyres.