Any good?

I run tubeless and I’ve been quite impressed this winter with the Specialized Storm tyres through the mud.

Now looking for something a bit bigger volume for spring including a trip to CyB and wondering about getting the Purgatory Control for the front.

Seems for value for money they can’t be beaten either at about half the price of many of the usual brands mentioned on here (maxis/schwalbe) , with the specialized hardly ever getting a review. They apparently have 60a rubber on the shoulders …does that mean pretty grippy or am I really missing out performance wise by being tight 🙂

I ran them tubeless for a bit on my old Stumpy as they came with the bike. They’re light, and decent enough in terms of grip, but I ripped the sidewall at Glentress – so clearly not that tough

I’ve got them on my 29er as an all-round/mud/winter tyre, they’re much better than Storm’s en everything except actual mud sow ill probably stay on the 29er untill they wear out.

Knoblier than Eskars, but a harder compound so rolling is comparable to them, they also grip better in mud, but the Eskar’s are better in the dry.

Thanks sounds good on the whole then.

I’ve heard plenty of tales of the more expensive maxis/schwalbes tearing so will probably go for either these or eskars when we’re into april

That was the Purgatory S-WORKS version. Dunno if that’s different to the one you’re looking at.

Great tyre though!

Run one on the front of 2 of my 29ers and think they’re pretty good.

Used them as i wanted a better ‘winter’ tyre than the skinny Mud X they replaced.

Got mine at Edinburgh Co-op for £26.99 or Cyclestore do them at £29.99 i think with a free Spesh tube.

I have a Purgatory control tubeless on the front of my 29er at the mo. I think it may stay there for the summer as it suits the loose stuff here pretty well. Might get one on the back too.

BTW, mounted on a Sun Ringle rim with no worries and a track pump first time. No leaks at all.

There was a Purgatory on the front of my FSR when I got it and it’s not come off since.

Seems to be a good all conditions tyre, really. I’ll probably be replacing it with another one.
I’m using a Sauserwind on the rear wheel and they seem to work quite well together.

I replaced the Nobby Nic Evo on the front of my Helius CC with a 2.25″ Purgatory Control at the back end of last year, it’s much better. Just as fast, gripper, more predictable and tougher.

Also it went up first time tubless on 355’s and has stayed up ever since 🙂

Fancy slinging one on my 29’er HT but at the moment my Ground Controls have coped with everything from ultimate Delamere mud to rocks in the peaks

very good tires, have used extensively in 26″ and now in 29″

something to understand about Specialized tires is that they offer their aftermarket range in 2 types

“Control” is 60tpi which means more rubber on the carcass, so more resistant to abrasion cuts

“S-Works” is 120tpi which means less rubber on the carcass, so less resistant to abrasion cuts

typically the weight difference between the same model / size of S-Works and Control is only 60-70 grammes, so not much in it?

after some bad experience running different S-Works tires on the rear with tubeless conversion (stans) I will only run S-Works on the front, and the thicker / heavier Control on the rear

currently running S-Works Purgatory 29″ x 2.2″ on the front and Control Purgatory 29″ x 2.2″ on the rear and very impressed

the rear is certainly better than the Control “Ground Control” which came on the bike – which felt draggy like the Eskar but without the crazy grip of the Eskar, or the grippy and faster rolling style of the Purgatory

I’ve got these on both ends of my Niner, and ran one on the front of my 29er Scandal. I think they’re great. I reckon Specialized tyres are excellent, and have ditched Schwalbes in their favour. Their new Ground Controls are excellent too if you want something a bit more fast rolling. In fact they’re a direct copy of a Nobby Nic, but tougher and half the price.