Just put these on my Nukeproof Reactor - 2.35s, Grid casing and T7 rubber. Compared to the original Assegai/Dissector they are much better in every respect - more supple, possibly more grip on natural trails, lighter of course so more agile. But they seem rather balloon-like and need a lot of air - anyone else found this?
I'm 95kg, I run 22.5psi in 2.35 Racing Ralphs on my rigid bike with narrower rims, which is firn enough to eliminate bounce, but the Ground Controls at that pressure felt almost flat. I started with 25 and put it up to 30-35 on the trail. But it feels like there is very little support from the side walls and you get all your support from the air. I'm not sure this is a bad thing or not. The last time I had Specialized tyres was in 2015 on the rigid bike and I had a similar discrepancy - I ran 35psi.
I normally run 29x2.35 FastTrak / Renegade on my XC FS (BMC FourStroke) on 30mm internal rims and have them at 20(f)/22(r) 90% of the time, when I do swap to the GC's I use the same pressures and have never felt what you're experiencing I'm 84kg kitted up FWIW.
When you run them in the low 20's do you ever bottom out the rim or feel like the tyre is rolling? The GRID is pretty tough casing so in theory you should get away with lower pressures, even at 95kg on a relatively chunky bike.
I'm not running quite the same setup, but pretty close... On my Bird Aether 9c I have 2.4 Purgatorys, T9 Grid front/T7 Grid Trail rear and I'm about 92kg. I actually run around 22psi F and 25psi R.
I'm also enjoying these latest generation Specialized tyres, but find that if anything they work best at lower pressures. Maybe I'm just not hardcore enough - I live in the south east and find myself in woodland mostly and I'm too old for big jumps, etc.
What I would concede though, is when I look down at them while riding they do look perilously soft. At first I was just waiting for rims strikes or a burp, but they conformed to the terrain so well I thought I'd chance it and see. So far they've held up completely. I'm used to how they feel now too... they do feel a bit softer moving around underneath you than an heftier tyres, but I think that's just how a relatively small lugged tyre finds grip.
I had to quit Specialized tyres again. Yes, they are a huge improvement over the old models but they're still not as good as the competition.
When I bought the Levo SL in September last year I was pleasantly surprised by them on dry, dusty trails. The new Butcher's are admittedly miles better than the old ones.
Then I got used to the bike and started winching and plummeting on manmade trails with jumps and berms and was disappointed, especially when it got cold and wet. They feel skatey and plasticy on cold, greasy trails.
Even with nearly 30psi and Rimpact inserts I had 3 complete dismounts of the rear tyre.
I swapped them for enduro casing Kryptotal's which are better in every single way. Absolutely no issues now with grip or burping.
If I wanted to just pedal around on easy trails they'd be fine but I don't so they're not. I'll put them back on when the wife wants to start riding again.
Photo from a very short trip to Wharny.
But it feels like there is very little support from the side walls and you get all your support from the air.
Sidewalls are noticeable thinner than Grid Trail/Exo+, so that's exactly what you'll need to do.
I'm enjoying the current gen of Specialized tyres. Hillbilly T9 Grid Trail up front (with worn down centre nobs in summer) with a Purgatory T7 Grid Trail out back.
I have never managed to burp them unlike some other combos. Burping isn't just the tyre, it's combo of rim and tyre.
They have renamed the Purg the "Trail Control" now for some reason.
Running Butcher Grid Gravity on ours and before them Blck Dimond. Tried other brands but never got on with them.
Just comming to the end of our 3rd week of riding in Europe and the tyres have been excellent.
Put a new Radial on mine for the trip and Its hard to tell the difference.
Running front and rear both at 18 psi at the moment no inserts.
Recently had a bad experience with a 2.4 grid purgatory on the rear of the ebike where it completely blew off one side of the rim while riding at very slowly across a road. It was quite tight to get on the bontrager rim which made it more surprising. But definitely correctly seated all around on both sides. Tyre is ****ed as the bead is now far to loose and stretched on one side. Not that I'd have trusted it again after that experience. It's a shame as I have spesh tyres on various rims and never really had any trouble with them. I remembered sharkattack's post about his butchers blowing off the rim. Not sure I'll be buying any more of them.
But it feels like there is very little support from the side walls and you get all your support from the air.
Sidewalls are noticeable thinner than Grid Trail/Exo+, so that's exactly what you'll need to do.
+2 to that. I find the Trail sidewall fairly flimsy feeling, probably on par with EXO. But I like the Ground Control tread combo of grip vs rolling, so I've whacked a Rimpact insert in when running a Control Control Grid T7 on the rear for summer.
Another fun of the recent Specialized range. Hillbilly Trail Grid T9 fronts for me over winter. Purgatory good on the rear as is Eliminator or Butcher for a bit more grip. I had a few wobbly Maxxis tyres which put me off them, especially given the cost.
Running Butcher Grid Gravity on ours and before them Blck Dimond. Tried other brands but never got on with them.
Just comming to the end of our 3rd week of riding in Europe and the tyres have been excellent.
Put a new Radial on mine for the trip and Its hard to tell the difference.
Running front and rear both at 18 psi at the moment no inserts.
Just for disclosure you've been banging the drum for Specialized tyres on here for probably 15 years. During which time it was universally agreed that they were alright for the money but a bit crap overall and all of their sponsored riders including the factory team refused to run them.
Except Jared Graves who suffered in the EWS and now complains on podcasts about how he couldn't win a race on those shitty tyres.
There's absolutely no way you can't find a better tyre from another brand.
Also a personal point, if I put 18psi in a tyre I'm basically sitting on the rim. It's completely unridable. So if you need more support than that they're probably not for you.
I think Tracey is sponsored by Specialized 🤣
Only joking Tracey - you know I'm a Spesh fanboi too 😉.
I too though, can't understand how you haven't migrated to something better. I've had various iterations (ok, maybe not the very latest) and they've ranged from trying to kill me to just ok. But if they work for you...
I find anything (that I've tried) from Schwalbe and Conti to be much better. Even the Hutchinson's I run that are awful in winter are better for three seasons than anything I've had from Spesh
Can't help the OP, but I've never had an issue with Specialized tyres. Always found them to be a good balance of price & performance.
Seem to be a marmite tyre choice.
I'm not sponsored by Specialized but I worked in a few dealers years ago and I could get tyres for about £17 so I've tried them all.
I still used to get frustrated and spend much more money on better stuff.
Can't help the OP, but I've never had an issue with Specialized tyres. Always found them to be a good balance of price & performance.
Seem to be a marmite tyre choice.
I agree, they're pretty good for the money and the newest ones are the best yet. They're probably fine for 90% of people.
If you're fat and clumsy/aggressive and you like slapping berms and diving into gnarly trails buy something else.
I suppose it's down to personal preference on how a tyre feels for me.
Over the years I've thrown silly money away on trying Its the best thing since sliced bread and in the end found nothing in my opinon thats changed my mind.
Tried almost every brand and composite out there. Most have been given away after been disappointed for someone else to try. Some have been binned as in my opinion I wouldn't give to my worst enemy
I think everyone wants something different from a tyre and for me it delivers for me in most of the instances and I'm satisfied that for me they are the right choice.
Same with inserts tried them and cant get on with them.
Same with tyre pressures in the UK I always run them in the low 20s but find over in Europe they feel a bit better in the high teens. Again it's whats right for me.
Unfortunately I'm not sponsored by anybody. I also dont fall for all the hype that those who are fortunate bandy about
Back to the initial question
There are different sidewall casings on Grid tyres. From Grid through to Grid Trail and Grid Gravity.
Dependant on which version you have will depend on the flexibility of the sidewall and as such will more than likely need more air in the Grid than the other two. The same with the wall thickness so the Grid will be more fragile than the Grid Trail or Grid Gravity.
Hope this helps to explain it a bit more
They as like other manufacturers have also released a Radial version but after 3 weeks of trial in various conditions I'm still to be convinced.
I've mostly been on specialized tires for ages. Mostly because they have all been half price.
I've tried other tires but prefer the specialized.
170mm bike hillbilly f butcher r
160/130mm bike has been on purgatory/ purgatory with a old slaughter swapped in for 100 miles of bike packing.
Tandem with a 26 butcher up front, the 2.3 butcher is too wide at the back and rubbed the frame.
My hardtail has mostly run butchers and purgstory's for 6 years. I've put on some cheap 2.6 Vittoria's and they are also fine.
Pressures are mostly 22 front 25 rear. I did have a nasty off about 5 years ago where the front butcher rolled off the rim. I put that down to not checking the tire pressure and it being too soft
35 psi is too hard for me on any MTB tire.
I'm on mezecals on my commuter that is mostly on the road with some hardback gravel. That is 30/30 psi. 35 is too much for me off road.
My Chisel Comp FS came with a Ground Control on the front.
Founded it perfectly suited for the job & no punctures in its lifetime. Pressure was 25 psi, so nothing extreme.
Decided to just get the same again when the time came but in the Grid Lite casing assuming the OEM Control casing would be heavier.
I was wrong there by 100g.
Same as kiwijohn, my Chisel Comp came with a ground control - control - t5 on the front and its fine for me, 85kgs and I hard charge on the chisel like its my enduro bike and have had no issues, running 21PSI.
I note your on the grid and t7 though so not exactly like for like.
