I’ve been running a Butcher Control on the front on my bike for a while now and have found it to be a great tyre.

I’m changing to the all singing, all dancing new wheelsize and am wondering if it is worth the extra money and weight for the Grid casing?

I’m looking at Butcher front and Purgatory rear. My local riding spots are not places where I rip or tear tyres much (south downs) but any other advantages like running lower pressures or less squirm with the Grid casing?

I ride butcher control front and purgatory grid rear on pretty rocky trails.

Don’t think I’ve flatted the front yet.

Hope that helps in some way.

Butcher and Purgatory Controls on ours. Have used them all over the Peak and in the Alps with no problems.

Had purg controls in 26″ then went purg grid in 650b. Prefer the extra support of the grid when running lower pressures. Never flatted on either. If I was buying again it would definitely be grid.

Not sure you have any choice with 650b anyway? When I bought my butcher, the grid casing was all there was. Fantastic tyre though, I’ve just come to accept that the tyres I want to use are circa 800g. I don’t get any issues with them though

, I’ve just come to accept that the tyres I want to use are circa 800g

I wouldn’t trust a tyre that weighed less (even in 26in).

I agree, if buying new and if you ride fast just get the grid version.

I bought a storm control – flimsy IME, very easily cut if you ride anywhere with sharp stuff like flint

Jsync +1. I really like spesh tyres, and after using purg grid, I wouldn’t go back to control.

I’ve been running 26″ Purgs front and back for nearly a year now. The front is a regular Control casing and the rear a Grid.

The Control weighs 682 grams and the Grid 735. I ride on very rocky, loose natural trails in the north of Italy and neither tyre has missed a beat.

I’d highly recommend going with the Grid casing though as the weight penalty is only 50 or so grammes. I’m running tubes but Specialized tyres are super easy to set up tubeless with no issues getting them to go up on tubeless compatible rims.

@scaredy, not all controls are the same- the XC ones are much thinner than the AM ones.

Control is fine for me, but I’m not that hard on tyres and I have a sensible amount of air in them so I don’t have to worry about pinchflats. But it’s definitely not a tough tyre, just adequate.

Isn’t the Butcher Grid also stickier? Hard rubber with a supertacky hat on? As opposed to the 50a of the Control. I’d definitely like that for the front, I love the Butcher but I Reckon the rubber’s just a wee bit hard.

Aw your letting it slip a bit, I expect you to have that knowledge filed away in your extensive tyre compound are real world tyre widths folder.

How do I tell if it’s a xc or am casing then ? 🙁

Specialized Storm Control 26 x 2 Tyre Introduction
Storm is the tyre for wet, challenging conditions and the riders who won?t shy away from an environmental challenge. With soft rubber compounds that stick to wet roots and rocks and large, well-spaced knobs to allow the tyre to clean well, this tyre offers traction for sections that most riders wouldn?t consider hiking over. Comes in 2Bliss configuration, so the tyre can be used with a tube or sealant.

Specification and Features of Specialized Storm Control 26 x 2 Tyre
PSI 35-65
Bead: Aramid
Casing: 420/D1 for 15% improved cut resistance
Butyl wrapped bead = 2Bliss Ready
Compound: 60a

@Steven, The Grid doesn’t seem to be buyable in 26, I can’t fap to 650b

@scaredy, Control basically just means “normal tyre, tubeless”, it’s not really a weight or particular durability or whatever. Best bet is to go off weight and size I think

Northy, slight off topic, what have you put on the rear with the shorty?.

Almost always a Butcher on the back for me now mate. Butcher for slow, Captain for fast, slant 6 for skidz.

I’ve used Butcher and Purg controls and never torn or ripped a sidewall, but I’ve found after a few months the creasing in the casing causes the threads to be exposed and therefore some tubeless leaking.

I’ll go grid next time but having said that bought another Purg control recently as at £18 it seemed rude not to

I tried a Butcher on the back briefly but it leaves about 2mm mud clearance in my ASR5 so a no go unless bone dry for me.

Not sure you have any choice with 650b anyway?

I thought they did both Dave, but I’ve just had a look and I don’t think the controls are available in the UK at the moment in 650b.

Not that impressed with the 930 gram weight for the Grid Butcher.

Ideally I’d like Control front and Grid rear from the feedback.

Meh, same old thing, no such thing as the perfect tyre. Minion 650b is about 100g lighter. Decisions, decisions……

Edit: I’ve found the Control Butchers in 650b. On the new stumpjumper. Good old Specialized, speccing tyres you can’t actually buy.

You can buy the Butcher 650b in the Control casing, I’ve been running one on the front of my bike.

Run a Butcher Control on the front & a Purg Grid on the back.

You can buy the Butcher 650b in the Control casing, I’ve been running one on the front of my bike.

If you know of a secret store that sells them, do tell…………

I can only find them in the US.

Hibike. They were about 40 Euro’s shipped.

Cheers Northy, Might give a butcher a go on the back. I had a HR2 on the back, but after 6 weeks and about 120 miles, it’s falling to bits – Ramped knobs are all cracked and coming off, so it’s going back.

I’m not bothered, as I wasn’t particularly impressed with it anyway, hopefully they don’t send me a replacement!.

My local riding spots are not places where I rip or tear tyres much (south downs)

I mostly ride on the south downs around Brighton and tore through my Ground Control Grid on the 2nd ride. That flint can be pretty lethal.

One weekend in the lakes pretty much wrecked the sidewalls of a purg control, exposed all the casing and left the side walls so thin that the liquid content of the stans was permeating through.

Grid version has had many lakeland rides now, and all taken in it’s stride.

Hibike. They were about 40 Euro’s shipped.

Managed to find them last night. Cheers.