During its lengthy tenure on the market, Specialized’s Butcher has seen a range of revisions. In its latest form, the brand promises a range of improvements, but in action, it’s an excellent bit of rubber. Mounted to the front wheel, it provides dependable grip through a range of surfaces while not being unbearably weighty. As a tyre built to perform in such a spectrum of conditions, it does have its limits, but you won’t find a better tyre at this price.
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Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 TLR – Technical details
This is the very latest revision of the Butcher. As such, its tread pattern has seen a bit of a tweak. It still follows the same overall style as Butchers of old, but gone are the serrated edges to the knobs. Now, the tyre uses larger blocks, and a ‘block-in-block’ layout, which Spesh says puts 12% more tyre in contact with the ground.
The Butcher’s tread pattern is made of a mix of smaller blocks for initial bite, whereas the large base blocks add stability, says the brand. They’re then made using the softest Gripton T9 rubber.
Although it’s available in a burlier Gravity casing, we’ve got the 60TPI Trail casing on test, which benefits from reinforced sidewalls that are said to boost stability and tear resistance. Despite it not being built for gravity riding, Specialized says that it’s primed for trail and enduro riding.
The Butcher can be picked up in 27.5×2.4, 29×2.4 and 29×2.6 sizes, and it’s only available with black sidewalls. There is no option for a firmer rubber, however. As for the weight, Specialized claims that this tyre weighs 1,044g, and it weighs exactly that on my scale.
Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 TLR – Performance
I’ve been riding with the Butcher inflated on my front wheel for a good few months now. That’s through the bulk of the UK’s summer, with a good dashing of wet weather riding thrown in for good measure. Through all of that, it’s proven to be rather impressive.
Blown up on a rim with a 30mm internal width, it’s certainly a rounder tyre, which hints at its use in a range of conditions.
However, in its roundness comes its main flaw. Despite its proper chunky shoulder knobs, I’ve found that it doesn’t cling quite so well through steeper off-camber sections. Granted, such conditions test even the very best tyres, but the Butcher tends to break away a little sooner than I would expect.
Elsewhere, the tyre is incredibly tough to fault. Using a tread layout that’s similar to the likes of the Maxxis Minion DHF, and perhaps even the latest Highroller III, you might expect the Butcher to feel inconsistent as it transitions to its shoulder knobs, However, as the knobs are so large, there’s not tonnes of space between them. Because of that, the move from centre tread to shoulder knobs is even, predictable and mighty consistent.
It’s a solid performer under braking, too. Whether or not it actually puts 12% more rubber onto the ground than before, that’s up for debate, but in the real world, braking traction is certainly nothing to sniff at.
Where the Butcher is designed to be an all-rounder, Specialized has done well to achieve exactly that. From the dry to the wet, grip is consistent and predictable. It’s only when that spectrum is widened is where its limits begin to show. In seriously dusty and loose terrain, I’ve been left wanting for a little more bite. The same goes for the wet. However, those conditions aren’t necessarily what the Butcher is about, but even then, the tyre hasn’t become a total handful when pushed to the extremes.
That said, when the trails are filled with sticker mud, traction does wane, and the Butcher could do better to clear mud. Again, that’s at an extreme end where you would naturally choose a tyre that’s better suited to such terrain.
As for rolling, I’ve not been disappointed. It is a tyre that’s destined for front wheel use, and a hit to rolling resistance when used at the front isn’t nearly as defined as when inflated to the rear. Generally, rolling speed is good, but as the tyre uses Spesh’s super sticky T9 rubber, there is a little bit of a compromise that’s struck.
Though certainly soft, the rubber compound is surprisingly resilient. It’s lasted incredibly well throughout all of the riding I’ve done with it, showing no sign of chipping on any of the knobs’ faces.
Wrapping up with the Trail casing, I’ve found little to grumble about there. It’s not overly heavy, and it hits an excellent balance between vibration reduction and puncture resistance. The casing has managed to cope well when riding through rocks and sharp objects rolling through unscathed, while providing decent comfort.
Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 TLR – Verdict
The Butcher costs £50. In a market where a decent performance tyre can easily cost £70 to £80, the relatively meagre asking price says it all. That’s not to say that the Butcher outperforms more expensive tyres, but it is on par with many, which is the real draw.
But to compare, the Maxxis Minion DHF will set you back £70 with an EXO casing and MaxxTerra compounds. Although it’s become overshadowed by the Assegai as a front tyre, it’s still a good choice. It rolls well and provides decent traction. Though braking traction isn’t quite a match to the Butcher, and it doesn’t perform quite as consistently when things get a little looser.
Other comparable tyres are the Maxxis Assegai. It provides a more consistent feel when transferring from centre tread to the shoulder knobs, as there are just more knobs. An EXO+ cased, MaxxTerra rubbered Assegai costs £75.
Dependable traction in a wide range of conditions doesn’t get friendlier on the wallet than Specialized’s Butcher. It’s reasonably light for its intention, it’s versatile, it provides good protection and decent vibration damping, all at a very friendly £50.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
Trail, Enduro, e-MTB
Terrain
Mountain – Wide Spectrum Conditions
Compound
GRIPTON T9 for maximum grip
Casing
60TPI Grid Trail casing with bead-to-bead protection
Type
Tubeless
Approximate Weight
27.5×2.4, 1000g
29×2.4, 1048g
29×2.6, 1110g
Product construction
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product weight
Product comfort
product value
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