Just a quick note for other riders that come by this thread -- the blck dmnd versions of the old Butcher and Hillbilly were significantly bigger than the grid version. On a 30-35mm rim you will find that these tires could approach 2.65".
On a personal note, I think the blck dmnd casing and rubber compound was somewhat underrated and very close to being amazing. While the compound was stickier than the regular "Gripton" found on the grid casing, they should have made it even a tad more sticky to fully release the potential these tires had.
It's also very sad to see that Specialized are unable to see what an amazing tyre the Hillbilly could be. If they simply released their current version of it in Grid Trail casing, T9 compound and 2.6" widths, it would probably be one of the absolutely best front tires available for three-season riding in the slippery continental north.
Sept. 18, 2022, 1:29 p.m. - Andreas Ravnestad
Just a quick note for other riders that come by this thread -- the blck dmnd versions of the old Butcher and Hillbilly were significantly bigger than the grid version. On a 30-35mm rim you will find that these tires could approach 2.65". On a personal note, I think the blck dmnd casing and rubber compound was somewhat underrated and very close to being amazing. While the compound was stickier than the regular "Gripton" found on the grid casing, they should have made it even a tad more sticky to fully release the potential these tires had. It's also very sad to see that Specialized are unable to see what an amazing tyre the Hillbilly could be. If they simply released their current version of it in Grid Trail casing, T9 compound and 2.6" widths, it would probably be one of the absolutely best front tires available for three-season riding in the slippery continental north.