SPECIALIZED BUTCHER GRID GRAVITY T9 £60

Five years ago Specialized had some of the most desirable tyres on two wheels: grippy, nicely damped and at stupid-low prices.

Then something changed and Specialized lost its edge – sure, we liked the original Gripton rubber compound the brand switched to, but it just wasn’t class-leading anymore.

Now there’s a brand new rubber compound out. Called Gripton T9, it’s the secret sauce that Specialized is hoping will put it back to the top of the rubber tree. T9 uses 48a durometer rubber, which is just a shade harder than Maxxis’s Super Tacky compound, meaning things are looking good from a numbers perspective. Of course tyres are much more than the softness of the rubber; the damping and rebound characteristics of the lugs digging into the dirt are part of what generates your grip, alongside the shape of those lugs, and it’s here Specialized claims superlative traction.

There’s a new carcass too. Called Grid Gravity, it’s a 60TPI two-ply construction that replaces the old Black Diamond casing. The Butcher Grid Gravity T9 comes in 2.3in and 2.6in across both wheel sizes and the 29x2.6in weighs a hefty 1,350g.