Review: Specialized Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control Cross Country Tyres
We recently tested the updated Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control XC tyres by Specialized. 4 riders, 4 opinions.
Sporting revised treads and new rubber compounds, Specialized sends its Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control cross-country tyres rolling into the season. Updated with a sharpened tread design, Specialized promises more traction, stability and speed even on more technical off-road terrain. The more robust Control carcass, which the Specialized Factory Racing Team has relied on for a long time, can also be used in the tyres. Four of our bc colleagues from our Customer Service department got their hands on the new XC tyres and tested them on their bikes for several weeks.
Here's what they experienced:
Paul: XC Race Light
Test bike: Orbea Oiz Race Fully
Front: Fast Trak S-Works T5/T7
Rear: Renegade S-Works T5/T7
"After a quick and easy installation process, doing our first test rounds in the Palatinate Forest around the Dahner Felsenland was the top item on the agenda. There you find mainly sandy soils and hardly any sharp stones. At a pressure of about 1.3-1.6 bar, the lightweight tyres were really fun! With the Renegade, I almost never lost traction even on loose surfaces on steep climbs, and the combo also proved its worth on tight descents.
After these initial impressions, I wanted to test the tyres on my hometown trails in the Hürtgenwald. On the first tour, I deliberately sought out muddy holes and passages to ride through, and was impressed with the tyres’ performance there as well. The lug arrangement especially seems to be pretty great, as the tyres seemed to quickly slough off mud.
Unfortunately, after the first few rougher trails, the Renegade slashed about 1.5cm on the side. Not at all unusual - this has also happened more often with tyres from other manufacturers. On the next tour, almost the same defect occurred at the flank of the Fast Trak. For me, however, it’s clear: A lightweight tyre that is fun - but offers me too little puncture protection for racing."
Stefan: XC Race Light
Test bike: Race Hardtail
Front: Fast Trak S-Works T5/T7
Rear: Renegade S-Works T5/T7
"My test started with a super-easy installation on my race hardtail - the tyres were immediately tight! The Fast Trak offers a surprising amount of grip when cornering and braking on loose surfaces - especially when ridden just above minimum pressure. While it offers stability on firm ground especially in corners, it is very controllable on muddy grounds. Same with the Renegade I had mounted on the rear wheel. Here, however, I had to experiment a bit with the air pressure, depending on how much safety and grip was required. I would have liked more traction on steep uphill ramps.
Conclusion: A really fast and light combo (<600g), which is still stable off-road downhill over 50 km/h.
Fun fact: On paved bike paths, I no longer need a bell with these tyres thanks to the outstanding amount of noise they make!"
Stephan: XC Race Allround
Test bike: Hardtail
Front: Fast Trak Control T5
Rear: Renegade Control T5
"I use my hardtail mainly for short, crisp outings through forest and meadows. The surface on my regular routes changes from gravel and field paths to forest highways and sometimes to smaller muddy forest paths. The combination of the Fast Trak and the Renegade fits very well. It impressed me especially with regard to the balance of rolling behaviour, comfort and puncture protection.
The Renegade accelerates beautifully and the Fast Trak provides more than enough grip for my purposes on wet sections. With a little more pressure for dry and less-technical rides, the tyre runs surprisingly smooth.
Critiques? I don't have any after the first few rides! Even after tours over more rugged paths, no significant damage to the carcass can be found."
Sergej: XC Trail Allround
Test bike: Giant Anthem XC
Front: Ground Control Control T5
Rear: Fast Trak Control T5
"First of all, tubeless mounting was super easy, and the tyres can hold in air for a long time!
I was able to test the new combo in all weather conditions: rain, snow, sunshine - Aachen and April make it possible! While the tyres are surprisingly fast on asphalt, they convince on trails with soft forest soil mainly by their grip. Especially as a roadie who rides less often on an MTB, I appreciate that the tyre combo affords me some security without sacrificing speed. Uphill, the grippy compound offers very good traction on dry terrain. This means that very steep, technical uphill passages can be ridden safely without the tyres spinning. Mastering this despite a rather flat tread makes the tyre perfect for XC or down-country riding.
My conclusion after 6 weeks: If the tyres don’t wear out quickly, you can find few equally good alternatives that offer this mix of grip and hold. The only drawback: on wet surfaces, the tyres can get quickly clogged. Due to the very flexible sidewall, I would recommend not under-inflating the tyres, or it can get a little spongy in corners."
