Specialized Renegade Control MTB Tire Review

Spring is here! After what seemed like a long winter, the trails are finally starting to dry out and firm up. For me, that means it’s time to switch out my knobby, grippy winter tires for lighter and faster summer tires. I used a Kenda Small Block 8 (SB8) the last few summers, but after …

Spring is here! After what seemed like a long winter, the trails are finally starting to dry out and firm up. For me, that means it’s time to switch out my knobby, grippy winter tires for lighter and faster summer tires. I used a Kenda Small Block 8 (SB8) the last few summers, but after seeing how easily Specialized 2Bliss tires set up tubeless I decided to try the Renegade. As with The Captain I ran as a rear tire this winter, I opted for the “Control” version. A lighter S-Works version is also available but has very thin sidewalls and is considered a race-day-only tire. I moved my Captain tire to the front and put the Renegade on the rear.

Tech Specs

The Renegade is Specialized’s most race-oriented tire. It is very light and has six rows of small square-ishknobs and a round profile. The knobs are so small (only about 2mm in the center, 4mm on the shoulder) they are not ramped like similar tires from other companies, likeSB8s and Geax AKAs. The tread pattern is fairly open, with plenty of space between the knobs, and some braille-like texturing between the knobs for a little extra grip. Here are the specs:

Size: 29″x1.95″ (also available in 26″x1.9″ and 26″x2.1″)
Bead: Folding, Aramid
Casing: 2Bliss
Weight: 510g (1.12lbs)
MSRP: $50-$55

Set Up

I’ve been running this tire on two different wheel sets: with tubes on theWTB LaserDisc TrailI have on test, and tubeless onmy personal set with Stan’s Arch rims. I needed a tire lever to get the Renegade onto both wheels which I think is typical of tubeless-ready tires. Tubeless set up was easy, just as easy as with a tube. Put the tire on the rim, add two scoops of sealant, pump it up, go ride.

The Ride

One word describes this tire: FAST! The Renegade is a third ofa pound lighter than the Captain I was running and the weight reduction was immediately noticeable. The Renegade is much easier to accelerate and get up to speed. And once you get it going, the supple casing andlow profile knobs keep rolling resistance to a minimum – this thing rolls out!

The Renegade isreally designed for dry hardpacked trails, but I found it actually workspretty well in the wet. In fact, I used this tire at the 3rdSnake Creek Gap Time Trial this year, which was very wet. It gripped the slick roots and rocks really well, but did struggle a bit in the sloppy stuff. The open tread did a nice job of clearing mud though and never got packed up likemy SB8’sdid.

In the corners the Renegade held its line really well on hardpack, especially when set up tubeless. With tubes it tended to bounce around a bit, but the lower pressure allowed by going tubeless cured that. In loose/loamy soil you have to be careful though – the little knobs on the Renegade can’t penetrate deep enough to take a good hold, so it’ll slip and slide. It doesn’t just wash out immediately however as the slippage is usually controlled and easy to catch. The good news is I haven’t crashed yet! While Specialized’s pro racers use this tire front and rear, I don’t think I could handle it up front – it’s just not grippy enough for me.

I haven’t found the braking power on the Renegade to be as good as the knobbier Captain but I would say it’s on par with the SB8. Where the Renegade struggled the most is climbing, especially in loose conditions. It’s pretty easy to get it to slip in anything but pure hardpack when you’re out of the saddle really cranking on the pedals. The tire struggles the most in pinestraw. Also, because the knobs are so short, it wont take much wear before the tire needs to be replaced. I’m already seeing wear on mine afterless than 300 miles;I doubt I’ll get more than one summer out of it.

The Verdict

All in all, I really like this tire and plan on using it all summer. It is really, really, really fast! The Control version seems to be plenty tough enough for everyday trail use, tubeless set up is a breeze, and did I mention it’s really fast? Specializedalready has their pro racers trying a new version of the Renegade, hopefully they can add some climbing traction without slowing it down any.