I’m just in the process of taking off a 2.6” Hillbilly Grid Trail T7 tyre and putting on a 2.3” Butcher Grid Trail T9 - both new style spec tyres I believe.
Hoping I don’t jinx the weather - leaving the 2.3” Dhr2 on the back as we’re bound to have some more rain and it’s not time for the 2.6” Rekon yet.
The Butcher has really firm / stuff sidewalls - more so than any other tyres I have (closest is a snakeskin apex Magic Mary) - and a lot stiffer than the Hillbilly.
Is this due to tyre size or just a conscious decision Spec have made about the use of each tyre (mud vs aggro)?
Wondering if I should have gone 2.6” butcher but every non-ebike in the Bristol concept store had a 2.3” on it - only the ebikes had the 2.6”. Thinking of rolling resistance for the drier trails it seemed prudent to try the 2.3” one.
Bike is a 2022 Sentinel so will see some hammer - but I’m quite light on tyres for whatever reason - either at 75kg I’m relatively light or I’m just not going fast / aggressive enough to trouble the lighter casings.
Terrain is a mixture of stuff - flow trail centres / FOD off piste loamy loamy sort of stuff / Risca off piste recently / couple of bike park trips a year (BMCC / BPW / Windhill etc).
Yeah, I noticed that the t9 grid trail butcher seemed quite stiff for a trail spec tyre. But it's all the better for it. I wouldn't go for the lighter grid though for the same reason I don't like exo. I am 60 something kg and usually run 18/20 psi in a 2.3/2.4 tyre fwiw
@yak - thanks
How’s it been grip wise and what else have you had to compare it to if you don’t mind me asking please?
I was going to go with the default choice of 2.5” DHF that I’ve always run on 650b bikes but decided to save some cash and try a butcher given the T9 compound is meant to be decent. The shop had both the 2.6 and 2.3 and I spent ages debating which size to get.
I usually run a wild enduro gumx3d on the front in the winter. The butcher t9 feels similarly damped, but is faster, at the expense of soft ground grip. It replaces a 2.5 dhf max terra exo. It is far more 'planted/damped' than that tyre. I suspect a dhf with a thicker sidewall and maxxgrip would feel good too, but I haven't tried that.
So summary, I like it for drier weather and rate it better/grippier/better damped than a maxxterra exo dhf.
Sounds lovely then. I liked the gum x 2.4” wild enduro I had on my 650b bike for winter - was a better allrounder then a hillbilly although less good in outright slop. Also liked the dhf - so if this works at least as good as that I’ll be happy.
This is my first 29er and I’m finding it gets comfortably better grip than the 650b bike tyre for tyre. Particularly going up tech up hills either muddy or slop.
Ooo, the 2.3” butcher looks a bit underwhelming after the 2.6” hillbilly. Maybe I should have gone 2.6” butcher 🤷♂️
It's ok! It will measure out to 2.4 on a 30mm rim. Give it a go.
If you really hate it and need 2.6 then I will buy it off you.
Cool ok - it’s on a 30mm inner XM481. Popped in the rim really nicely and seems sturdy. Probably won’t get to ride it until the weekend after next to see what it’s like sadly
I have a 2.6 Butcher T9 Grid Trail on the front of my Banshee Prime.
I like it very much. It comes up quite large, slightly bigger than Maxxis 2.5WT and is very confidence inspiring.
Didn't like a 2.3 BlckDmnd Biutcher on the back it was far too draggy but I'm getting on well with 2.3 Eliminator T7 Grid Trail on the back now.
Sounds like the 2.6” Butcher is a similar size to a 2.6” Magic Mary in that case.
I’ve got a 2.3” dhr2 on the back for now - when we’re properly in the dry ish (for the UK) season the 2.6” exo+ I’ve got will go on the back with a Rimpact for good measure