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My 29x2.6” T7 Hillbilly is just ace. Easily beats a Wild Enduro / Assegai / DHF for outright mud grip and I reckon it edges the Mary and Shorty as well.
I’d say the T7 grid trail hillbilly is a better all rounder than the previous 27.5x2.6 Gripton / Grid Hillbilly I had - that was good in mud but as soon as you hit anything firmer the knobs went all wibbly and it wasn’t very confidence inspiring.
I ran my T7 from Nov ish when the Wild Enduro started to get defeated through to March sort of time. It’s also very good on gravelly steep off piste tech like at Risca I find.
“Hm, I should really try out that new Hillbilly 2.4. Are the knobs as tall or taller than the Butcher T9? Has anyone measured the actual width mounted?”
The knobs are at least as tall. The new 29x2.4 Hillbilly T9 measures 62mm from edge to edge of the side knobs on a 30mm rim. The previous 29x2.6 Hillbilly (Gripton/T7) also measures 62mm across the knobs but the carcass is taller and more bulbous.
I’ve been liking the older Hillbilly as an all-conditions front tyre for almost 5 years. But I think the much thicker side knobs and softer slower rebound T9 compound should make the new one a lot better on hardpacked trails, rocks and roots - just need it to stop raining to test the hard ground ability better!
Thank you @chiefgrooveguru! 62mm thread width definitely sounds promising. The prices for these tires are a bit steep in Norway now (around $72/piece), but if they come down to $50-60 I'll put in an order. Also it needs to stop snowing.
Mud & rain at tweedlove was grim, somehow I managed not to crash once at despite some viscous slick roots & rocks
Front slipped out a few times on roots, but I caught it each time, quite rare for me to not crash at all, Butcher T9 gets kimbers seal of approval
Im thinking a hillbilly wouldve been very useful!
Has anyone tried the new purgatory tread? All the reviews seem to be of the older design ( https://www.specialized.com/gb/en/purgatory-grid-2bliss-ready-t7/p/1000161374?color=1000161376-1000161374). Deciding on tyres for an Aether 9. I had old Butcher 2.6 grid/Eliminator 2.3 grid trail combo (with rimpacts) on the 27.5 version but by the end thought they were quite draggy. Thinking of a lighter combo for this build but perhaps T7 rear, T9 front.
@nixie Haven't seen any reviews of the new Purgatory yet, but the tread pattern looks promising. Happy to see that it's available with T9 as well.
Nixie. The Spech Ground Control has surprising grip for its appearance if easy rolling is your priority.
@chiefgrooveguru I've been on a few rides with the Hillbilly's now and I'm well impressed. On my 35mm inner width rims they inflated to approximately 61mm when new. I haven't measured them lately but I believe they have stretched a bit. The grip is fantastic in every way. Hand in hand with the high grip, the rolling resistance is also quite high.
I measured the tread depth to exactly 6mm, which is really quite deep. The knobs are also a bit bigger than on the previous generation (i.e length x width). I bought the 29x2.4 Grid Trail and 27.5x2.4 Grid Trail. They weighed ~1020 and ~980 grams, respectively.
Here are some photos:
Here'a also two videos of me riding with these tires, although in conditions where the Hillbilly's are completely overkill 🙂
I’ve run a hillbilly on the front, but personally wouldn’t run one on the rear / that just take a fair bit of pedalling. For biblical conditions I run the previous t7 grid trail hillbilly front / Continental Kryptotal Re trail-endurance rear. Works amazingly.
“I’ve been on a few rides with the Hillbilly’s now and I’m well impressed.”
Glad you’re liking them! I had four days of dusty, loose, fast, rough and fairly steep riding a couple of weeks back, with a new style Hillbilly T9 on the front and Butcher T7 on the back (both Grid Trail with inserts) and they were faultless. The Hillbilly is such a confidence inspiring front tyre!
That same tyre had been on the front of my hardtail over the winter and I replaced it with a Magic Mary (soft snakeskin) for the summer. Literally had to slow down the fork rebound by two clicks because the T9 Hillbilly sticks to the ground so much better!
I did notice a fair bit of wear on it from just those four days on the front in the dry - your rear one probably won’t last very long! T7 Butcher hits a decent balance of all-conditions grip, rolling resistance and durability.
@joebristol Totally agree! The reason I run T9 tires rear on my Ransom is because I ride mostly steep, wet and rooty forest trails. The climbs are sometimes steep and technical too, and the rear Hillbilly is superb for that. Right now we just entered a dry period, so today I will be instead be riding my super speedy Rocky Mountain Instinct 90 BC Edition with a T7 Eliminator rear and a T9 Butcher front (both 29x2.3).
@chiefgrooveguru That's funny, I also had to fiddle around with rebound a bit to match it better to these tires. The grip is really something else 🙂 If the current dry period continues I will put on either a 27.5x2.6 Butcher Blck Dmnd on the rear of the Ransom (it's configured as mullet), or a 27.5x2.6 Eliminator T7 that I recently picked up.
I just put the Butchers that came with my bike back on for a local ride which has some inevitable tarmac - not wanting to destroy the edges on the Michelin DH22 and Enduro MS I generally ride this season.
Cripes, the Butchers pedal easy! it’s a bit slimy here still on the South Downs even on the tops - front T9 was OK, ready T7 a bit slidey - e.g. off camber grass with wet ground beneath.
Just my 2p
Appreciate this thread is a bit old but it's helped me put things in perspective. Let me explain.
After years of xc on older fs and hardtail I moved to a hillier area, the Shrops Hills, and got a 2022 Orbea Oiz 120/120. Still ride xc but more and more trail, and added a 2019 Transition Sentinel carbon 140/160 earlier this year. Love the 'new' bike, riding trail much more confidently, lots still to learn. This is my experience on trail tyres so far:
I bought the bike locally, lightly used but a fairly burly build with Hope Fortus 30 wheels (strong/braced/near-mint, now for sale) with Maxterra 3C HR2 Exo+ 2.5" front and a worn Maxgrip 3C Dissector DD 2.4" rear. Great confidence straight away, as a trail novice, but the Maxgrip DD rear felt draggy as hell (overall weight towards 15kg didn't help; I'm 59kg with age-group endurance background).
I swapped out the Hopes for Hunt trail wide 30 with Butcher T9 Grid Trail 2.3" front and Elim T7 Gripton 2.3" rear. Much better, and now more nimble at 13.5kg. Most of my learning was on this combo - one-hour laps of Hopton Woods red, other Shrops trail, Glentress, SW Lakes. Typical pressures 16/18psi tubeless.
I replaced the (worn) Elim T7 rear with a new Purg T7 Grid 2.4" rear and again loved it. The lightish carcass seems fine at my light weight and inexperience, handling the rocky Lake District just fine.
The front Butcher T9 was a bit worn too, so I refitted the Maxterra 3C HR2 Exo+ 2.5". Now, riding more confidently but with wetter conditions, the front feels horrible - I think my main problem is the gap between centre and side knobs, and I'm having near-misses all over on nadgery singletrack (Hopton again). For tomorrow and the weekend I could refit the Butcher T9, but here's my plan...
Going on the front now is a new Purg T9 Grid Trail 2.4" which I have on the shelf. So, tomorrow I'll be riding Purg T9 front, Purg T7 rear. Any advice on any of this, anyone? Before winter sets in I'll ride Shrops, mid Wales and maybe FoD.
The HR2 is going to require a committed lean to work well. I don't mind learning it over but prefer to do it at my own pace. Sounds like you're the same. There's a link for butcher t9 in the psa thread for cheap.
The HR2 is going to require a committed lean to work well. I don't mind learning it over but prefer to do it at my own pace. Sounds like you're the same. There's a link for butcher t9 in the psa thread for cheap.
Thanks Del. Yes absolutely, happy with a fair lean angle but what happens when you're learning a new trail, or it's really narrow, or you're following someone at their pace etc? I don't see how anyone can ride committed through the whole lifespan of a tyre
That’s why the HR2 isn’t very popular anymore and was mostly used as a rear tyre where the drift and catch is much less problematic (and can be useful.) The HR3 is nothing like it! The Tacky Chan is similar to the HR2 - pros love it front and back but most of us aren’t committed enough.
I haven’t ridden the new Purgatory yet (although I got some for my elder daughter’s bike). I like the knob layout, I think I’ll work well in all ways - it’s just on the shallower side for knob height vs the Butcher (and further still vs the Hillbilly) so it won’t be as good in mud, especially as it wears. I hear it rolls quite fast!
i'm happy running dhf, assegai, and butcher fwtw, all in their sticky varieties with exo/ grid trail flavours around 1kg on the front for my level of mincing about. hth as much as any other tyre recommendation (-:
My Levo came with Butcher T9 front Eliminator T7 rear both grid trail. Used with cushcore
They've been ok through the summer, definitely better than the old versions that tried to kill me
Used in some autumn slop but not experienced them in really bad conditions and grip seemed fine
Had about 770 miles out of them and they are about ready. Still useable but wouldn't want to do the winter on the rear. And the sidewalls are weeping a bit
Changing for Kryptotal DH soft/supersoft and losing the cushcore
Looking back at this old thread I wasn’t a massive fan of the Butcher T9 2.3” I tried and my memory was of a tyre that gripped well until it didn’t - and that drop off in grip happened suddenly without warning. I think I switched to a 2.5” DHF 3c maxx terra exo+ for a while after that - it telegraphed the grip running out better.
But since then I’ve been through a Michelin Wild Enduro 2.4” magic x and settled on a Continental Kryptotal 2.4” enduro / soft. The Wild Enduro was good but the knobs started to undercut and fall off which I’ve never really had before with a front tyre - so I warranteed it and sold the replacement still in its packet.
For me for 3 seasons on the front the Kryptotal can’t be beaten. Good grip / predictable / decent mix of casing and compound rubber. I’ve tried a DH super soft and it feels magic the level of grip - but too draggy for most of my riding.
As the winter hits I still switch in the Hillbilly T9 - it’s just so confidence inspiring in the winter mucky conditions. It grips really well at my local (Bourton Combe - red clay type mud that’s very slick), also at Leigh Woods in the off piste stuff and all the off piste at the Forest of Dean. It also digs in to the loose stuff at the off piste at Risca I find.
On the rear it’s Conti Kryptotal 2.4 enduro / soft for about 3/4 the year and Conti Xynotal 2.4 enduro / soft when it’s a bit drier. I’m really sold on Conti these days.
I love specialized tires, mostly especially on 50% off sales.
T9/T7 purgatory sounds a super combo for those rides. Grippy and quick ISH.
Big bike is running 2.4 hillbilly T9 grid gravity , with a butcher 2.6 in T9 grid gravity on uplift Days and t7 grid trail if I'm pedaling about.
Medium bike is running a 2.6 butcher T9 trail and either butcher 2.6 t7 trail, 2.4 purgatory or 2.3 slaughter ( in the dry of summer).
Hardtail is running 2.3 butcher and 2.3 v1 purgatory.
The T9 purgatory 2.4 is very grippy. I was surprised it was so close to the 2.6 T9 butcher.
Next time it's on sale I'd like to try
Going on the front now is a new Purg T9 Grid Trail 2.4" which I have on the shelf. So, tomorrow I'll be riding Purg T9 front, Purg T7 rear. Any advice on any of this, anyone? Before winter sets in I'll ride Shrops, mid Wales and maybe FoD.
Dunno about the Purg, let us know how it goes, but I'd suggest you just grab a Hillbilly T9 for the front wheel during wetter seasons.
I've just put a t9/t7 Eliminator grid gravity on the E bike rear, with Hillbilly T9 front. Always ran Butcher T7 on the rear but cant get those now on the new version. Seems good on early slippy season woodland trails, hasnt got any slip /catch when leaning over, which is nice.
My Levo came with T9 Grid Trail/T9/T7 Elimators, I think, and I haven't once given them a second thought over the last 6 months but it has been dry ever since.
For reference I usually run a Magic Mary/DHR.
Slop is coming, do I try these cheat code Shredda's or will the Hillbilly suffice?
I think the new Eliminator is a good winter rear - it's very like a DHR2. The old one just spins uphill once its muddy (tested on both my singlespeed and my ebike) but the new one works as well as can be expected for something that isn't super spiky (and thus works in the dry and rolls pretty well).
Hillbilly T9 is a great winter front, I've haven't tried any of the very latest mud-ish tyres but vs the previous Hillbilly, the Magic Mary, the previous Shorty, Baron, DHR2, DHF, Trail King, Butcher, Rubber Queen, old old XR4, Mud-X, it's comfortably in the lead and I trust it a lot so I ride it well and have stopped buying other tyres (for now!)
The old one just spins uphill once its muddy
Shush, I've only just successfully mounted a previous-gen one on the rear 😀
Guess I'll be able to judge for myself anyway.
"Shush, I've only just successfully mounted a previous-gen one on the rear 
"
If you have gears and no motor you may be fine! (Or grippier mud...) 😉
If you have gears and no motor you may be fine! (Or grippier mud...)
Haha, yeah ISWYM.
I have multiple rear wheels so it may just get limited use until spring if need be.
Bloody Butchers. I was ready to give them a fair chance but they dropped me right in it today.
Inserts on the way.
Probably some Continental tyres soon afterwards.
Gravity or Trail versions?
Gravity. Left the house with about 28psi in it and it rolled on the first proper berm. Bead popped off and that was that. Absolutely impossible to reseat on the trail. I even struggled at home with the track pump.
It's actually years since I had a proper ride ender followed by a very long walk back to the car. I've had worse days out though. At least I came home rather than going to hospital.
Never got on with butchers, but think the cannibal is a brilliant tyre for all but the depths of winter, just wish they’d make it in the lighter casing too
“Gravity. Left the house with about 28psi in it and it rolled on the first proper berm. Bead popped off and that was that.”
You clearly shred the berms quicker than me! Is it a bad tyre:rim pairing? It’s pretty chunky casing, Kevlar bead and 28psi isn’t exactly low pressure (if your gauge is accurate).
“Gravity. Left the house with about 28psi in it and it rolled on the first proper berm. Bead popped off and that was that.”
You clearly shred the berms quicker than me! Is it a bad tyre:rim pairing? It’s pretty chunky casing, Kevlar bead and 28psi isn’t exactly low pressure (if your gauge is accurate
I had a not particularly old 27.5 Slaughter pop off the rim, riding in a straight line on tarmac.
I think it was a poor rim/tyre combo (Superstar Isotope). To be fair I usually struggle to seat tyres on that Rim, an insert solves that now.
I have burped a Butcher on a different tighter fitting rim, that was as I was crashing with the front washing out though. Replaced it with a Magic Mary which has never burped.
Love spez tyres - have used a mix of butcher, elliminatotor and slauhter over a few years and for 2/3 price of the supposed better brands v happy.
I did have maxis OE (which may not be as good as aftermarket maybe?) supplied on an Orange hardtail but wasn't that impressed. Curretly have Butcher Eliminator Grid Gravity T9 on the full suss and once the pressure is dialled in they were epically grippy in the Alps and more recently a wet Antur Stiniog.
“Gravity. Left the house with about 28psi in it and it rolled on the first proper berm. Bead popped off and that was that.”
You clearly shred the berms quicker than me! Is it a bad tyre:rim pairing? It’s pretty chunky casing, Kevlar bead and 28psi isn’t exactly low pressure (if your gauge is accurate).
Standard bike fresh out the shop with some kind of Roval alloy wheels. I assumed they'd be a perfect match. They were really easy to set up initially but it was hopeless when I got home. It took a few attempts with the compressor to reseat it and it was still flat the next day. No chance of doing that with a mini pump. I was going to go looking for a leak in the tape but it's sitting at a steady pressure now.
I was riding Wharncliffe. I don't know my way around very well but on the man-made stuff there's lots of tight berms, steep chutes, compressions etc. Its quite easy to deform a tyre but I've never had a problem with my Continental's and I've ridden that bike much harder than this one on dozens of uplift days.
Rimpact inserts are in the post. Currently 30% off on the website if anyone is interested.
I'll persevere with the tyres for a while. I might even try a Hillbilly T9 before I fully renounce the big S again.
Standard bike fresh out the shop with some kind of Roval alloy wheels.
Take the rimstrips off and put a couple of layers of rimtape underneath then re fit the strips.
I've had burping problems on the same rims.
Tried a Kryptotal instead of the standard Spech tyres first and had the same problem.
Added the tape and re fitted the Spech tyres and it's been fine since.
Thanks, I'll definitely do that before I spend big money on tyres.
I dented the stock Roval rims within a couple of rides and put Rimpacts in at that point - it was the depths of a muddy winter riding local trails so no berms got ridden hard before the inserts went in. I’ve gone insert-free on that bike recently but it’s got EX511 and EX471 rims and DT Swiss seem to know what they’re doing!
Another day, another failure. This happened in the road about 3 miles away from home.
I don't know if the problem is the Roval rim or the tyre but something is going in the bin.
Luckily I had a Rimpact in today so I just pedalled it home. Bloody grim end to a decent ride though.
That’s shit! At least it was at the end, not the start, though!
Another day, another failure. This happened in the road about 3 miles away from home.
I don't know if the problem is the Roval rim or the tyre but something is going in the bin.
Luckily I had a Rimpact in today so I just pedalled it home. Bloody grim end to a decent ride though.
I've had zero problems with Spesh tyres and (carbon) Roval rims with cushcore. Now on Kryptotals with no cushcore and seem ok so far.
What I did notice though when inflating to 40+ psi, the bead seating with a 'pop' - as soon as I let the air out again, the beads left the rim, whereas other tyres on other rims would stay in place. But I'm new to all this tubeless nonsense. It could be more the evil tyre to blame than the rim in my instance
I had butchers fitted on my levo and kept them on till they wore out, never felt as confident on them as I did with MAXXIS or wtb. I really wanted to like them and even concede a bit of grip but now the rear has worn to the point the knobs are all undercut it’s time to replace them with a tried and tested combo. For what it’s worth they were used on everything from loamy trails to rocky trail centre to clay. They really didn’t stand out on anything. Sadly tire experiments are expensive