World Champion Christophe Sauser’s signature tyre will give any speed fiend an advantage in adverse conditions. The tread slays all the old racers’ favourites on the trails.
The sloped low-profile tread blocks sit in a 2-1-2-1 centreline pattern with a relatively hard 65 durometer compound. Regularly spaced 55 duro shoulder knobs lift out sideways for more bite in cornering and off-camber situations.
Benchmark race tyres like the Panaracer Fire XC 1.8, Continental Cross Country 1.5, Geax Barro Mud 1.7 and even the Schwalbe Nobby Nic 1.8 all felt slippery and sketchy compared to the astonishingly surefooted Sauserwind.
The open tread never clogs and it rips through short sludgy/boggy sections without losing much momentum. It sticks better than expected on rocks and roots and blitzes any road sections you mix into your ride. The Control version adds a reinforced carcass to the menu for rock swiping survival.
It’s proved a tough tyre for its size and Specialized’s 2Bliss tubeless-ready system allows lower pressures than would be wise normally, making it a viable – and fast – option for smoother/ lighter riders.
