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German tyre manufacturer Schwalbe caused quite the stir when it released its Albert Radial tyres back in 2024. By orienting the casing plies closer to 90°, Schwalbe was able to introduce a whole lot more compliance and grip, without the reduction in stability and puncture resistance that you’d probably expect.
We’ve gotten along well with Schwalbe’s radial casing tyres, and their success has clearly set a trend in motion amongst the wider mountain bike tyre industry. Vee Tire Co. introduced its first radial casing tyres earlier this year, and we’ve heard rumours of several other brands that are working on their own iterations.
As of right now, it’s Specialized that’s the newest member of the radial party. It’s bringing the venerable Butcher and Eliminator along for the ride, both of which feature the brand new Grid Gravity Radial casing.
The Grid Gravity Radial Casing
Joining the existing Grid Gravity tyres, the Grid Gravity Radial is an additional casing option for both the Butcher and Eliminator.
The new Radial casing still uses a 60TPI construction with bead-to-bead protection, but the ply orientation has changed from the usual 45-50° to 70°. Obviously this means it isn’t a true radial tyre like you’d find on a car, though neither are Schwalbe’s tyres for that matter. However, it does allow the tyre to flex more radially (front to back) compared to a regular mountain bike tyre.
For a given pressure, this is claimed to increase the tyre’s footprint by 30%, thereby boosting grip. More tread blocks in contact with the ground helps to spread the load on the tyre, which also enhances durability. That does mean there’ll be an increase in rolling resistance too, though there is no reference to this in the press kit and we’re yet to ride the new tyres so can’t comment on the real world performance.
By keeping the ply orientation at 70°, Specialized says it has reduced the amount of lateral flex in the Grid Gravity Radial casing. Compared to the regular Grid Gravity tyre, lateral stiffness is only reduced by a claimed 7%.
The idea here is to remove some of that undesirable tyre wobble that you can experience when loading the bike up into a high-speed, banked corner. That being said, Specialized still recommends bikepark riders stick to the regular Grid Gravity casing, which will be stiffer and more sure-footed on machine-built flow trails.
Really the Grid Gravity Radial tyres are designed for trail and enduro riders who are frequenting rougher and techier terrain. Here they’re said to offer improved vibration damping and more traction to deliver a smoother ride. We look forward to trying out the new Specialized radial tyres in the near future to put those claims to the test.
As of right now, Specialized will be offering both the Butcher and Eliminator tyres with the Grid Gravity Radial casing. You’ll be able to get 27.5in and 29in diameters, both in a 2.4in width. Each tyre will cost $130 AUD, which is a $30 premium over the regular Grid Gravity tyres. Claimed weight is basically identical to the regular Grid Gravity tyres.
Specialized Butcher Grid Gravity Radial T9 Tyre
- Sizes | 27.5×2.4in & 29×2.4in
- Weight | 1,240g (27.5in) – 1,330g (29in)
- Price | $130 AUD
Specialized Eliminator Grid Gravity Radial T7/T9 Tyre
- Sizes | 27.5×2.4in & 29×2.4in
- Weight | 1,240g (27.5in) – 1,330g (29in)
- Price | $130 AUD
The post First Look | Specialized Butcher & Eliminator Grid Gravity Radial Casing Tyres appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.
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[[{“value”:”German tyre manufacturer Schwalbe caused quite the stir when it released its Albert Radial tyres back in 2024. By orienting the casing plies closer to 90°, Schwalbe was able to introduce a whole lot more compliance and grip, without the reduction in stability and puncture resistance that you’d probably expect. We’ve gotten along well with
The post First Look | Specialized Butcher & Eliminator Grid Gravity Radial Casing Tyres appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.”}]] Read More Flow Mountain Bike
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