Good mud specific tyres and trail riding were once two things that didn’t mix very well and often resulted in making do with a set up that induced a fear of wet roots, rocks and the mud itself. The problem with tyres that are designed to go up as well as down, is that they often end up failing somewhere along the way and compromises have to be made, especially when they were designed with a specific task in mind. Thankfully modern mud specific trail tyres have come on in leaps and bounds over recent years and these offerings from Specialized definitely caught our attention…

Words & Photos: Olly Forster

Essentially what were looking at here is a tamed down version of Specialized’s popular Sam Hill influenced Storm DH tyre. With the tops of the knobs cut off, the diameter reduced and compounds stiffened up to reduce resistance, Specialized have taken a world cup winning DH tyre and handed it to the week end singletrack shredder. Sound good?

Mud tyres are designed for one thing and for one thing only – keeping you upright in the brown stuff and the smiles coming regardless of mother nature doing her best to stop you. That’s not to say testing them is easy, far from it. Mud tyres aren’t for everyone and they’re usually adopted by riders who frequent the path less ridden, far away from man made trails and in the forest and on the hillsides where shit gets real. I ride a lot of rolling forest singletrack, some natural some cut out and mixed in with some DH tracks, so a tyre that performs well through the gloop and keeps things upright when things are bonus. Working amongst wet roots and rocks is a must and the Storm Controls never gave me any concerns, due in part to the 60A compound, which is tacky enough in the wet to aid grip where needed, but also helps to keep the inevitable drag of a spike tyre down to a minimum.

Essentially a tubeless, folding tyre and weighing in at the crazy feathery weight of 590 grams each, the Storm is also essentially an XC tyre and does lack the burly nature of an enduro /  all mountain specific carcass and something I think Spesh should look into… The profile of the Storm Control’s is pretty small at best, especially with all the crazy sizing were seeing from the Euro brands right now, but 2.0 is about right for a mud tyre in all honesty allowing to glide through the ruts, but a 2.3 AM version would be favorable for those who ride their ‘XC’ rigs a little on the wild side!

Conclusion.

Overall these tyres have proved to be successful in the environment they were intended for and even with the associated risks of riding in the wet, the Storms certainly enforced my desire to let go and trust in them. If your a nervous rider who brakes at the first sight of wet roots and rocks, then these might not be for you, but riding in the wet does carry risks and if mastered, can be very rewarding, just like these tyres.

On the climbs, descents and generally everywhere where the ground was loose and moving, the Storm’s were in their element and made all the difference making the high accolades they have received since their arrival on the market, very justifiable. In the dry, they held up pretty well in all honesty although on hardpack and man made trails proved to be hard work, but loam and fresh dirt proved no bother at all. My only criticism would be the lack of a more ‘enduro’ friendly model in their line up with beefier sidewalls and perhaps a dual compound more suitable to some of the riding this tread pattern would certainly excel in.

Overall, I really liked the Specialized Storm Control’s and they certainly came in handy with what has been one of the wettest Summer’s to date here in the UK. Coming in at a very respectable price of £25GBP each, they are worthy addition to your tyre collection and depending on where you live, they could very well be an essential one at that. Check ’em out and happy trails!

Specialized Bicycles, parts and accessories are exclusively distributed on this strange little island by Specialized UK. Hit the logo below and check the range out, it’s good!

Trail bike tyre testing continues here at FJ while we clock the miles in on the Mega, with reviews dropping over the coming weeks featuring the WTB Bronson & WTB Moto, but next up is the beastie Schwalbe Hans Dampf’s, so stay tuned…

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