When hammering through rock gardens or threading the needle on steep, loamy chutes, your tires are the make-or-break contact between staying upright and eating dirt.

Photo: Specialized

Specialized knows this all too well, and they’ve gone back to the drawing board with their Butcher and Eliminator tires, working with World Cup pros to fine-tune the grip, stability, and speed needed to push the limits of modern trail and enduro riding.

(Photos: Jordan Villella)

What are the latest updates? Optimized tread spacing and design that delivers serious traction and control—whether you’re seasoning your local flow trails or dropping into the gnarliest EWS-style terrain. Plus, Specialized offers two casing options to suit your riding style. Let’s dig in.

Butcher: Ultimate Grip & Control for Any Trail, Any Condition

If you’re looking for an aggressive, high-traction front tire that thrives in various conditions, the Butcher should be at the top of your wish list. Specialized tweaked the tread design to put 12% more block surface in contact with the ground, which means better grip, superior cornering confidence, and improved vibration damping for a smoother ride.

29 x 2.24 Grid Trail weight Specialized Butcher – Key Features:

• GRIPTON T9 compound maximizes grip and control.
• New tread pattern with Block-In-Block shoulder knobs rolls fast and grips harder when leaned over.
• Two casing options:
  • Grid Trail: All-purpose trail casing with bead-to-bead protection.
  • Grid Gravity: Two-ply downhill casing for maximum durability—perfect for e-bikes and aggressive riders.

Tread Highlights – Specialized Butcher

• Increased tread height and volume for enhanced grip in loose and wet conditions.
• 12% more contact surface on the ground.
• Stable alternating shoulder knobs for predictable roll-in and high-speed cornering confidence.

2.25 spec on 29mm internal rim Specialized Butcher – Specs & Weights:

• 27.5×2.2 Grid Trail T9 – 1000g
• 29×2.4 Grid Trail T9 – 1048g
• 29×2.4 Grid Trail T9 (Tan Sidewall) – 1048g
• 29×2.6 Grid Trail T9 – 1110g
• 27.5×2.4 Grid Gravity T9 – 1260g
• 29×2.4 Grid Gravity T9 – 1307g
• 29×2.6 Grid Gravity T9 – 1330g
• Price: $75 (Grid Gravity) $70 (Grid) 

Eliminator: The All-Around Weapon for Technical Terrain

The Eliminator is the Swiss Army knife of Specialized’s gravity lineup, built to excel in technical terrain, whether it’s loose over hardpack or full-on enduro chunk. The tread pattern gets a refresh with squared-off leading edges for extra bite on steep climbs, plus an updated Block-In-Block knob design that enhances both traction and stability in corners.

27.5 x 2.4 Grid Gravity weight Specialized Eliminator – Key Features:

• New tread pattern with increased knob volume for better grip.
• Block-In-Block outer knobs dig in for extra confidence on the limit.
• Smooth center tread keeps things quick on the flats.
• Two casing options:
  • Grid Trail Casing: GRIPTON T7 compound for speed and efficiency.
  • Grid Gravity Casing: Dual compound (T7 center for speed, T9 shoulders for grip) for max confidence in the roughest terrain.

Tread Highlights – Specialized Eliminator

• Non-ramped edges increase climbing traction.
• Taller, chunkier shoulder knobs boost cornering stability.
• GRIPTON T7 compound on Grid Trail & dual T7/T9 compound on Grid Gravity.

Specialized Eliminator – Specs & Weights:

• 27.5×2.4 Grid Trail T9 TAN – 975g
• 27.5×2.4 Grid Trail T9 – 975g
• 29×2.4 Grid Trail T9 TAN – 1004g
• 29×2.4 Grid Trail T9 – 1004g
• 27.5×2.4 Grid Gravity T7/T9 – 1240g
• 29×2.4 Grid Gravity T7/T9 – 1330g
• Price: $75 (Grid Gravity) $70 (Grid) 

www.specialized.com