Review: Specialized Eliminator / Butcher tires – Great performance at a reasonable price

Butcher profile

The tread pattern on the Butcher is a classic all-around model, similar to the staggered 2-2 lug designs that many brands offer. Specialized has given the tire a consistent edge without the leading edge being interrupted by an offset when leaning into the corner. The separate center lugs let the Butcher dig a little deeper in corners than, say, a Maxxis DHR II, which combines the two to provide a stronger braking surface. While both work well as front and rear tires, the Butcher leans a little more forward thanks to this independent lug design.

Eliminator Profile

The Eliminator is geared towards speed, but still offers some stopping power and a strong edge knob for cornering. These edge knobs have a slightly sloping edge that can feel spongy in the wrong situations, but grips well when leaning. The small center knobs alternate in a 3-2-2-3 pattern, with gradually rising leading edges to keep rolling resistance low. The best comparison tire I’ve ridden recently is the Maxxis Dissector, which is also positioned as a fast-rolling rear tire for drier conditions.

PERFOMANCE

I’ve ridden both the Grid Trail and Grid Gravity variants of these tires extensively, both the 29″ and 27.5″ variants – the latter rear only. My pressures for the Gravity casings tended to be 21 psi front and 23 psi rear. For Trail casings, 23 psi front and 25-26 psi rear tend to feel right. While I’ve ridden the Butcher front and rear on a variety of bikes, the Eliminator has always been a rear-only tire for me.

Since I’ve used a lot of these tires, I’ve had the opportunity to put them on a variety of rims and see how consistent the casings are. The short answer? Very consistent, although larger than advertised. Both the Butcher and Eliminator inflate to about 2.4″ (61-62mm) on all 30mm rims and have a nicely rounded profile. I’ve had no problems with wobbly casings and inflating the tires on regular tubeless rims wasn’t difficult either.

ROLL SPEED
In combination (Eliminator rear, Butcher front), these tires feel fast and efficient for both trail and enduro bikes. You won’t mistake them for cross-country tires, but they certainly won’t slow you down as much as, say, a Specialized Cannibal, Maxxis Assegai, or Continental Kryptotal rear. The tread patterns bridge gaps well while providing traction, and the Eliminator’s T7/T9 rubber combo saves some watts while you’re rolling on the centerline.

TRACTION
Specialized has done a good job with its T9 rubber compound, which offers plenty of grip in both wet and dry conditions. While it’s not the absolute softest rubber on the market, T9 tires smear well on rocks and roots without feeling unstable. Braking in a straight line is very good with the Butcher both front and rear, with good bite in loose soil and no skidding on hard surfaces. The Eliminator shows its speed on loose surfaces, but struggles to grip as well as tires with thicker knobs. Still, it does a good job in typical trail bike environments, where it’s more about managing speed than slowing down in the steepest, loosest gullies.

CORNERING
The Butcher is predictable and easy to understand once you find the breakaway point between the center and rim lugs. This point feels far less drastic than, say, a Maxxis DHF and is more like a DHRII in that respect. You know there’s going to be a little give followed by a sure bite and it hooks there every time. As a rear tire, you can kick it out if you want and trust it to hook as the bike leans. I like both the DHR and Butcher and would happily run it as a front or rear tire on almost any bike.

The Eliminator is a little more exciting, with a quick breakaway point that engages further into the lean angle. It’s hard to explain in words, but it feels more like it wants to whiz through corners rather than carve a line through them. If your trails are tight, flat and loose, it can feel a little unsure. If you want something fast that can break away but catches you just before it goes wrong, it’s pretty fun. Overall, for the mix of deep ground and well-supported hardpack I typically ride, it feels well balanced for a fast-rolling tire. I prefer the Eliminator to the weak-feeling side knobs of the Dissector, and find it more in line with something like the Aggressor, which has the edge in terms of tread durability and predictability.

DURABILITY
The durability of these tires is excellent, which further adds to their high value. The tread wears evenly and fairly slowly, with no unusual knob shearing or severe undercutting. Continental’s Super Soft rubber seems to wear a little more evenly, but the Specialized tires hold up well to many laps in the park and many miles on the road. I’ve noticed that these tires feel a little harder as they age – whether this has something to do with the aging of the rubber itself or the exposure of the harder base rubber, I don’t know, but if you’re looking for the best chemical grip, these tires are, unsurprisingly, best when fresh.

The Grid Gravity casing feels very sturdy and has often surprised me with what it can handle at low pressures, even in sharp and rugged terrain. Rim hits, rocky gullies and sharp corners all seem to be handled well, with no flats or failures on the many Gravity tires I’ve fitted to my bikes. I can’t be quite as effusive about the Trail casing tires, which actually feel a little prone to rolling at lower pressures and can deform badly in a good corner unless you’re running very high pressures. This isn’t unique to the Specialized casing, but has more to do with their intended use. I wouldn’t recommend lining up for a long day of enduro racing with these tires, but they feel very suitable for general trail bike use. As with the Gravity tires, I haven’t had any unusual flats.

Pinkbikes opinion

The Specialized Butcher is one of those tires that I would happily run on almost any bike, front or back, rain or shine. It’s reliable and predictable, and the price is right. The Eliminator is more of a specialty product, with fast-rolling tread and just enough traction to handle rougher terrain. — Dario DiGiulio