The same tires we loved, now with even more grip.

Specialized is coming into the Spring 2025 release season hot with updates to all four of its tire lines. According to its marketing, Specialized's road tires are now 33 seconds faster, its gravel tires 30-percent stronger, cross-country tires 55 grams lighter, and its trail tires have 12-percent more grip. 

That’s perhaps a slightly less exciting headline for trail than the other disciplines, but the ubiquitous Butcher and Eliminator tires now feature tweaked tread patterns that should deliver more traction, more effectively. The old Butcher/Eliminator combo has long been one of my default tire configurations, so I’ve been riding the new versions back to back with the original. Beyond just comparing the two generations of tire though, I’ve also got some thoughts on why this update matters.

Specialized Butcher/Eliminator Tire Overview

• Sizes Available: Butcher 29x2.4", 29x2.6", 27.5x2.2", 27.5x2.4" ; Eliminator 29x2.4", 27.4x2.4"
• Compound: Butcher Gripton T9, Eliminator Gripton T9 or T7, Dual Gripton T9/T7
• Casing: Grid Trail, Grid Gravity
• Weight: 1,012 g (Butcher, 29x2.4" Grid Trail) 948 g (Eliminator 27.5x2.4" Grid Trail)
• Price: $70

Specialized bills the Butcher as the brand’s "front tire of choice for a wide range of trail and park riding” and it backs that up by putting it on the front of Stumpjumpers and Levos, as well as on the front and back of more aggressive bikes like the Status, Enduro, and Kenevo. The Eliminator is spec'd on the rear of Stumpies and Levos, and they say it’s “the rear tire of choice for riders looking for their best day on aggressive and technical terrain.”

That means that this tire combo is spec'd on the majority of mountain bikes that "The Big S" sells. There are a whole bunch of bikes rolling out of shop doors shod with Butchers and Eliminators. And that’s a very good thing. Anecdotally, Specialized’s tires are the only frame-company-house-brand options that I, or anyone I know, has been willing to spend our own money on. These tires are typically quite affordable, and compare very favorably with stalwarts from Maxxis, Continental, and Schwalbe. The previous Butcher and Eliminator leave large shoes to fill for this new generation.

What’s New? (Tread Updates)

The short version is bigger, meaner blocks. Specialized says that the Butcher gets a new tread height and volume, along with redesigned shoulder knobs that add up to 12 percent more block to ground surface contact. The Eliminator follows a similar formula with taller, bigger shoulder knobs and square-edged center knobs for better traction.

In isolation each change is pretty subtle. I measured the new Butcher’s center knobs to be a little less than a millimeter taller than the old ones. Similarly, you have to look at both tires for a moment like some sort of childrens’ “spot the difference” game to find the new shoulder knob pattern. Additionally, there’s new, smaller siping lines on each knob. Subtle changes. But the sum total is tires that look vaguely burlier on the bike.

Beyond the knob changes, both tires switch from a 2.3” stated width to 2.4” But there’s more to it than that. With both tires inflated to 30 PSI on a 30-millimeter wide rim, the old Butcher’s casing measures 2.43” while the tread measures 2.31” However, the new version’s casing is much narrower at 2.35” while the tread is wider at 2.4. That’s probably part of why these tires look burlier, there’s more knob and less sidewall.

Performance

My body is not calibrated to notice 12-percent changes to tread block contact. I ran the new Butcher/Eliminator in the same Grid Trail, T9/T7, 22/24 PSI setup as I ran the old ones and I can’t tell you definitively that these tires are, indeed, exactly that much grippier than the old ones. What I can say is that they are quite grippy, just like the old ones were.

I think the new Butcher feels a touch more composed as you transition into or out of a corner between the side and center knobs. I think it’s a little less "on/off" than the old one, and that those side knobs are a bit more supportive for more grip on edge. I also also think the new Eliminator has more braking traction than the old one, possibly at the expense of some rolling speed. But also, it’s spring, and my legs are weak. The sum total of both tires is a more precise, more locked in feel. That takes Specialized’s default trail combo in a more-gravity, less-XC direction.

I don’t think that it’s a big enough change to justify tearing your current tires off your bike and running out to get the updated ones. But, when you do wear your current Butchers and Eliminators out, the new ones will feel familiar and intuitive, but instill more confidence when pushed hard. That’s a win. I haven’t had any durability issues yet, and if I do, I’ll update this review.

Finally, anytime I see a tire performance upgrade quantified in percentages I feel obligated to include a reminder that traction and rolling speed are incredibly affected by pressure. If you aren’t running consistent tire pressures, you can’t expect consistent performance from your tires. Get a good gauge. Use it. A few PSI will affect your tires’ traction more than these tread changes.

Why Specialized Tires Matter

Whenever I see off-brand tires on a review bike I prepare to swap them out for something from Maxxis or Schwalbe. Historically, when bike brands make tires, they tend to hamper a bike's performance, not enhance it. Specialized is the exception to that rule. It’s the only brand speccing its own tires that I’m consistently impressed and happy with. It’s the only brand that I’d consider upgrading other bikes with.

In fact, I have a review bike in hand right now that’s about to get Butchered. I’m swapping its (terrible) house brand tires out for the Butcher and Eliminator, because with the stock tires I’m nowhere close to the edge of the potential the frame promises. Combine that performance with Specialized’s ubiquity and an affordable price tag, and you have a winner.

The old Butcher and Eliminator were solid tires. They came spec'd on a whole bunch of bikes, and those bikes benefited from that choice. Specialized could have rested on those laurels and let those tires coast on. But it’s encouraging that the brand didn’t, that it’s not being complacent with its tire lineup. The new Butcher and Eliminator are even better tires. They’ll probably come spec'd on even more bikes. That’s a net positive for mountain biking. Less upgrading new bikes right out of the box, less throwing away stock tires immediately, more riding.

For Now

Specialized’s new Butcher and Eliminator build on the solid foundation the previous iteration set and deliver more grip, and a more confident ride, at the same price. These tires are a great example of marginal gains done right.

Specialized Butcher/Eliminator Tires

MSRP: $70 USD

Learn More: www.specialized.com