Road Bike Tire Test: Specialized S-Works Turbo 2Bliss Ready T2/T5 28

Specialized recently released their Gripton Tx compounds, and they've now arrived at updating their S-Works Turbo tires. The new versions of the S-Works Turbo all come with a dual T2/T5 compound, with the harder T2 compound in the center and the softer T5 compound along the edge of the tire. We already tested the S-Works Turbo RapidAir 2Bliss Ready T2/T5 (read our review) a couple of months back, and we're now going to take a look at the S-Works Turbo 2Bliss Ready T2/T5.

Maybe, just like we were, you're confused by the naming of these tires as the only difference is the RapidAir part in the name. We learn from Specialized's website that the RapidAir is the ultimate race day tire and comes with a lighter 120 TPI 2-layer casing instead of a more traditional 120 TPI 3-layer casing that we find on the non-RapidAir version. How the casing will make a difference to the overall performance is hard to judge; as some might know, the number of casing layers is open for interpretation depending on where you count the layers.

Something we can easily find on Specialized's website, and can give a good initial impression of a tire, are the specified weights of both versions. When we look at both tires' 26-622 sizes, we find the RapidAir comes in at 230 grams while the non-RapidAir comes in at 260 grams. The 30 grams difference doesn't seem all that much, but at least we know the RapidAir probably is the more performant tire.

However, given these tires' casing designs and specified weights, we're still puzzled about the differences between the RapidAir and non-RapidAir versions of the new tubeless S-Works Turbo tires. Luckily, that's where our tests come in, and our test results show clear differences between these tires; while both are good, they are more different than you might expect.

Something easy to spot is that the RapidAir version is only available in the 26-622 size, while the non-RapidAir is available in the 26-622, 28-622, and 30-622 sizes. Again, after you're done with our test results, it becomes perfectly clear why Specialized made these choices.

We've tested the 28-622 size of the non-RapidAir, and we'll compare it to the 26-622 RapidAir and a bunch of competing tires from other manufacturers. Aside from the obvious weight and size measurements, the slight difference in the tested sizes shouldn't significantly affect the test results.

The Specialized S-Works Turbo 2Bliss Ready T2/T5 is a spectacular performer in our tests, which shows no corners were cut on casing and compound technology. Although it's not the fastest rolling tire, we clearly see how it complements the RapidAir version, as this is the go-to tire from Specialized when you don't need every last bit of (rolling) performance out of your tires.

In short: the non-RapidAir offers a 50% better tread puncture resistance while rolling 20% slower. Based on the casing design and measured tread thickness, we also expect the non-RapidAir to last roughly 50% longer as there is much more rubber on the non-RapidAir version.

Wet grip is also strong on both tires, although the non-RapidAir scores slightly lower in the center and edge grip tests. We attribute the somewhat lower center grip to the stronger casing of the non-RapidAir that's less flexible than the thinner 2-layer RapidAir casing. We also see the same issue in the edge grip test, which comes in lower than expected for a dual compound tire. Just like with the RapidAir, we attribute the lower edge grip to the tread design consisting of tiny knobs along the edge of the tire. This tread pattern reduces contact patch and flexes under pressure in our grip test.

Even when we compare it to tires from other brands, the new S-Works Turbo 2-Bliss Ready is the top choice for some use cases, even for those not specifically looking for Specialized tires. If you're ok with the high price, this one might be worth a try.