ULTIMATE GUIDE: SPECIALIZED TIRES
A comprehensive look at Specialized mountain bike tires
It can be argued that tires may be the most important (and most affordable) upgrade you can put on your bike. This rings true whether you are riding a long XC loop, descending your favorite local trails, or riding laps in the park. Getting the most out of your bike by matching quality compounds, impeccable construction, and cutting-edge tire tech is firmly rooted in the ethos of Specialized. Tires were the first product that Specialized offered and continues to be a fundamental focus of research and development for the brand.
In order to choose the correct tire for your needs, you'll want to consider your bike setup, trail conditions and terrain, and how you plan to ride your bike. Beyond that, you'll want to prioritize your needs for grip vs rolling resistance, protection vs weight, and several other factors. From XC to DH, we've broken down Specialized tires to help you find the right tire for your ride. Get started by clicking the links below to learn about tire compounds, casings, and tread patterns, or click the link to your favorite riding style to see what tires we recommend.
Specialized Tires Technology
THE GRIPTON® COMPOUND | TREAD COMPOUNDS | TIRE CONSTRUCTION | 2BLISS READY | TIRE CASINGS
Specialized Tires by Discipline
XC TIRES | | TRAIL TIRES | GRAVITY TIRES | SPECIALIZED TIRE FINDER
THE GRIPTON® COMPOUND
The GRIPTON® compound is found within all Specialized tires. Regardless of road or mountain, they all have some element of GRIPTON® in them. GRIPTON® is a proprietary compound technology constructed of synthetic rubber reinforced with activated Silica using a special patented formula. Specialized can differ the composition and layup of GRIPTON® to manipulate the dampening, rebound, grip and rolling resistance characteristics of each tire based on its intended application. The mountain tires use a stickier version of the Grifton compound and the road tires use a harder, faster-rolling version. Each blend is unique for various riding conditions and demands, so you can be confident you’re riding the best tire for your personal riding needs. Overall, GRIPTON® has better rolling resistance and grip than any other compound on the market.
WHY GRIPTON® WORKS
The key to GRIPTON® is how the specific compound blend and tire carcass damps a range vibrational frequency in symphony while keeping tire hysteresis numbers low (low means fast). This provides heaps of grip while still letting you make the most of every watt pedaled. Soft and grippy compounds usually wear out fast and slow you down, but the proprietary blends of Silica in Specialized tires keep you efficiently rolling mile after mile without worry.
THE BEST RECIPE NEEDS THE BEST KITCHEN
Specialized wasn’t satisfied with just having a great tire compound recipe. They wanted to be able to control every aspect to ensure quality of production and have the flexibility to make on-the-fly changes, so they can deliver the best tire products. To do this, Specialized established exclusive partnerships with rubber manufacturers and a tire production factory. Being the sole bicycle tire brand coming out of this factory allows them to scrutinize, control, and adapt every step and process in tire production. This attention to detail has allowed Specialized to produce World Championship winning tires that are available to everyday riders and pros alike for every discipline of riding.
TREAD COMPOUNDS
To simplify the tire buying experience, Specialized has given their compounds easy to understand names from T5-T9. T stands for Tread Compound and the numbers correlate to an increasing level of damping. T5 has the lowest damping and fastest rolling and T9 provides the most damping. T5 and T7 compounds are not new but are now being called out to differentiate them. All Specialized trail tires from last year were T5 or T7 and the new gravity-oriented T9 offers a new level of grip in comparison.
T5 Compound
T5 is a cross-country oriented compound. It offers low rolling resistance and maximum speed. Although it has less grip than T7 and T9, it still has more than enough grip for XC purposes.
T7 COMPOUND
T7 is a standard trail compound. All Specialized trail tires have been using T7 for a while and many riders agree, it's great! However, for riders who are on the steepest trails and need the most grip possible, Specialized created T9.
T9 COMPOUND
T9 is an all-new gravity compound available exclusively in the Butcher, Slaughter, and Hillbilly. T9 brings confidence to the most aggressive riders.
BEAD
The function of the bead is to keep the tire in contact with the rim while the tire is inflated. All Specialized tires have a folding bead but both bead types are defined below:
- WIRE BEAD - A rigid metal wire is utilized as bead material in applications where ultimate strength is needed and transportability is not a factor.
- FOLDABLE BEAD - A foldable bead also keeps the tire secured to the rim but is lighter weight and easily transported. The bead is made of spun aramid fibers.
CASING
The casing is the supple cloth material that arches from bead to bead and it's what gives a tire its shape and primary ride characteristics. There are 2 main types of casings:
- SINGLE-PLY CASING - One layer of nylon wrapped from bead-to-bead. A single-ply casing conforms well to the terrain and is lighter weight. Ideal for XC and trail riding.
- DUAL-PLY CASING - Two layers of casing material are used from bead-to-bead, providing additional protection and sidewall stiffness for enduro and downhill applications.
SIDEWALL
The sidewall of the casing is the part from the bead to the tread and is designed to support and dampen the tread. A more supple sidewall will provide more traction and smooth your ride but can be prone to damage from trail obstacles. Thicker sidewalls with additional protection are heavier but will hold up to rowdier conditions and harder charging.
PUNCTURE PROTECTION
Some tires include an extra layer between the tread and the casing to help prevent punctures either by being tough or simply by being thick. These extra layers are usually associated with higher rolling resistance.
TREAD
The tread is the part of the tire that contacts the ground to provide traction and provides protection from casing wear. For mountain bikes these tend to be composed of knobs of varying height, shape, angle, and durometer (hardness) to provide specific ride characteristics while riding upright or in a corner. Knobbier tread provides more grip, but increases weight and rolling resistance.
THREADS PER INCH (TPI)
The number of threads that cross through one square inch of a single ply of the tire’s casing. Lower TPI gives better puncture, cut and abrasion resistance but is heavier. Higher TPI conforms better to the terrain, offering a smoother, more comfortable ride while reducing the weight of the tire.
2BLISS READY (2BR)
Specialized 2Bliss tires are ready for the demands and expectations of modern cycling. As the name implies, 2Bliss Ready Tires are tubeless ready, meaning they will hold air without a tube inside. This allows you to run lower air pressure for improved traction without the fear of pinch flatting. Tubeless ready wheels are standard on almost all modern-day mountain bikes and gravel bikes. Also, don't forget to install tire sealant into your tubeless tires to quickly seal any punctures looking to end your ride.
S-WORKS
The S-Works Casing is the lightest tire casing that Specialized offers. Designed for competitive XC and Road racing, S-Works tires provide the grip, speed, and control needed to stand on top of the podium. The new generation of S-Works mountain bike tires have been developed with one goal—to win races.
- Supple XC Race Casing
- T5 Center Compound
- T7 Shoulder Compound
- 120TPI Nylon for supple ride and decreased weight
- Overlap panels for puncture protection
CONTROL
The Control Casing creates the perfect all-around XC tire. With upgraded sidewall protection, Control tires provide improved support, increased flat protection and better control during braking. A slight extension in the casing overlap provides the best prevention of pinch flats. Control tires are the perfect choice for any XC or down-country bike.
- All-around XC casing
- T5 Single Compound
- 60TPI Nylon
- Overlap panels for puncture protection
GRID
The GRID Casing creates the perfect all-around trail tire. It features increased strength, improved protection, and more aggressive tread. GRID tires are supple yet durable, perfect for anyone seeking increased flat and sidewall protection, or additional stability. GRID tires make great front tires for trail and all-mountain bikes.
- Light yet tough trail casing
- T7 Single Compound
- New T9 option
- 60TPI
- Sidewall panels
- Increased pinch-flat protection
GRID TRAIL
The GRID Trail Casing is GRID extra. Designed for aggressive trial riding, the GRID Trail features even thicker sidewalls than GRID. This delivers better handling at lower pressures—all while increasing pinch flat protection by 15% and puncture protection by 30%. It's the perfect choice for all your gravity excursions.
- All-purpose trail casing
- T7 Compound
- New T9 option
- 60TPI
- Bead to bead protection
- Anti-cut panels for puncture and pinch flat protection
GRID GRAVITY
The new GRID Gravity Casing gives you indestructible performance without an indestructible weight penalty of a full DH tire. With a heavy-duty two-ply design, the new GRID Gravity casing is redefining what an enduro tire is capable of. Designed to smash through rocks day after day, the new GRID Gravity casing is perfect for a front or rear tire.
- Strong gravity casing
- New T9 Single Compound
- T9/T7 option for Enduro
- 60TPI
- Designed for Enduro, Park, and Downhill
- Folding, 2-ply protection
BLCK DMND
At the top of the mountain is BLCK DMND. It’s a bombproof tire casing designed for gravity applications and e-bikes. With extra thick sidewalls, BLCK DMND tires strike the balance between suppleness and extreme pinch-flat protection. In order to descend all-out, you need as much traction as possible.
- Strong gravity casing
- Designed for Enduro, Park, and Downhill
- 2-ply protection
Specialized XC Tires
Cross-country riding is all about being lightweight, fast and agile, and XC tires are built to match this focus. These tires tend to forego extra protection, additional layers and larger knobs to ensure a lightweight carcass with low rolling resistance.
FEATURES
- Thinner casings for a lighter weight construction
- Lower profile knobs for lower rolling resistance and weight savings
- Less protection saves weight and isn't as necessary on smooth and fast tracks
Back to Top
Specialized Trail Tires
Most mountain bike riders will find themselves looking for tires from this category. These tires look to balance the benefits of light weight, low rolling resistant tires with more aggressive knobs and extra protection. Like this style of riding, these tires are aimed at being good in most conditions and terrain. On the enduro end of this spectrum, many of these tires will share the same tread patterns of their DH siblings with just a bit less protection and weight.
FEATURES
- Casings feature additional layers for more puncture protection
- More aggressive knob profiles make these tires competent in a wider array of terrain and conditions
- Multi-compound rubber gives a balanced mix of grip and longevity
Back to Top
SPECIALIZED GRAVITY TIRES
Enduro, park, and freeride bikes have blurred the lines between trail and gravity riding. A DH bike is still the best tool for true gravity lines but many modern bikes are taking on downhill trails while still being able to pedal to the top. For riders of these bikes, choosing a balance of durability, protection, grip, and weight will be dependent upon how much pedaling they'll be doing and how gnarly the terrain is. Protection and predictable grip tends to win out over light weights and low rolling resistance.
FEATURES
- Dual Ply Casings feature tough additional layers for even more puncture protection
- Most aggressive knob profiles designed to dig deep in loose terrain and muddy conditions
- Single and Dual Compounds make for longer durability and let the knobs profiles provide the grip.
Back to Top
Still Need Help Finding the Right Tire?
We get it! There are a dizzying number of treads, casings, puncture protection tech, and tire widths to choose from, not to mention all the different options from great tire brands. Luckily, we got you covered. Our employees spend a lot of time getting to know the vast array of tires that we offer and can give you personal knowledge, let you know what other customers have liked, and the lowdown on the latest and greatest tire tech that's coming from our brand partners, so you can find exactly what you need.
Follow Jensonusa