# Butcher vs Minion/Highroller



## rugbyred (Aug 31, 2006)

Time for new tires and I am interested in the new Special Ed ones.
Does anyone have any experience on the Butcher's and how do they compare to the Minion/Highroller combo that many run?
Have any of you tried the SX versions of the Butcher?

Thanks,
Eric


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## Iggz (Nov 22, 2006)

As someone that used to swear by Maxxis the Butcher is pretty schweet. It rolls a tad faster than the Highroller and is really comparable to the Minion (I wonder why....) Drifts predictably, corners well. It's a good tire, you won't be disappointed.


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## rugbyred (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks for the feedback. 
Have you used the SX casing? There are no 2.3DH casings left in Canada, only the SX or a 2.5, which from what I have read, are huge, similar to a 2.7 Maxxis.

Eric


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

rugbyred said:


> Thanks for the feedback.
> Have you used the SX casing? There are no 2.3DH casings left in Canada, only the SX or a 2.5, which from what I have read, are huge, similar to a 2.7 Maxxis.
> 
> Eric


I've currently got butchers in a dh casing but I have ridden the Clutch and Chunder in the sx casing and have been pretty impressed. I wouldn't say these are quite as thick and durable as a full blown dh casing but at the same time I haven't had any problems with shredding sidewalls or popping a bead. I wouldn't say I'm the most aggro dh rider out there, but I've lasted full seasons on them at ski resorts without any problems.


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## rugbyred (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks for the reply.
I think I may give the SX casings a shot. Hopefully they will survive a week on the North Shore and Whistler.

Eric


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## tiSS'er (Jan 6, 2004)

I really like the Butcher, especially the SX. I have yet to try the Minion 2.5 Exo though for comparison. The Butcher SX is wearing very well so far.

The Butcher DH is also very good. It seems to work better in looser conditions than the Minion. I find the rubber compund is good, but on the granite we have in Phoenix, the Minion is better. I will be hitting Wistler in a few weeks for a week and would normally trash a set of Minions. I will be curious to see how the Butcher holds up in Whistler, my bet is they will be great.

Here is some more info on the topic.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=707323&highlight=butcher


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## rugbyred (Aug 31, 2006)

tiSS'er
Thanks for the reply. I have read the thread you linked.
Will you be using the DH version or the SX version in Whistler?

Eric


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## tiSS'er (Jan 6, 2004)

rugbyred said:


> tiSS'er
> Thanks for the reply. I have read the thread you linked.
> Will you be using the DH version or the SX version in Whistler?
> 
> Eric


DH version in Whistler.


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## morandi (Jun 20, 2008)

I love the Butcher SX 2.3. I prefer it to the MInion 2.5 EXO tires I was running. The casing on the SX is plenty durable/strong for most purposes, definitely heartier than the EXO casing. Maybe because of the rubber compound, but the butcher to me has much better feel than the Minion(60duro) I was running. In the loose stuff they really dig in.


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## Calhoun (Nov 11, 2008)

Must be my luck...

I read tiSS'er's raving review of the Butcher and wanted to see what it was about. I went to the local Specialized dealer to pick up a Butcher, but all they had was a DH Clutch. The tread pattern looked good and having read postive things about the tire I went ahead and bought it. The tire set up effortlessly tubeless on an 823 rim for the backend of my Scythe.

Saturday morning we did shuttle runs at our local FR/DH spot and I made it halfway down my first run and puncture the tire through a knob. The section was real fast and chunky but no sharp rocks. I stopped and tubed up and finished the run no problems. I made it through one more run with no issues. The tire felt like it had great grip and was predictable. In the parking lot right as I was going to take off for the third run I hear a rolling/scraping sound and this is what I saw:



















Took it back to the bike shop and they were all dumbfounded. Could not believe that I destroyed one of their best selling tires in hours. But they made it right and took the tire back. I put up a couple more dollars and got the Chunder (which was stashed in the back room.) Ran that tire all day yesterday and never noticed it. And that is the way I like a tire to be. We will see how well it holds up though...


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

hmmm butcher 1360 grams and you could save almost a pound a tire switching too Big Bettys which weigh 870 grams


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## JefedelosJefes (Jun 30, 2004)

The sx casings are good and I run them on my Enduro. For full on downhill riding, you're going to want the DH casing unless you are riding smooth trails. I know some light people who can get away with it, but I would be changing lots of flats if I rode them at N*. 

Basically they are awesome tires, but hold off for the DH.


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## Jesus (Jan 27, 2004)

2.3 Butcher SX is 938g. (Weighed it). It is slightly smaller than a 2.5 Minion. (Measured it, but you can see diff with naked eye). Butcher is slightly rounder, but mostly just a straight up knock off otherwise. 

Overall after the 2 months that I've had the Butchers I think i would rather try a Minion EVO and just hope that the walls are beefy enough. I wish Maxxis would get it together and make 1.5ply casing. The Minion tread is a little better everywhere imo.


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## Pedal Shop (Dec 14, 2006)

speaking of Butcher...

sweet!!!


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## thrasher_s (Oct 5, 2009)

Butcher looks like a minion copy to me. The question is did the big S do a better job than Maxxis? 

I have a 2.3 minion exo on front right now. I will try a butcher sx next and see which I personally like better.


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## hottroddr (Jan 4, 2009)

*catastrophic tire failure*

Calhouns tire failure is due to tire pressure too low indicated by the way the bead was cut. Good tires and the right compound for the terrain and you dont need to run excessively low pressures to hook up.


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## morandi (Jun 20, 2008)

hottroddr said:


> Calhouns tire failure is due to tire pressure too low indicated by the way the bead was cut. Good tires and the right compound for the terrain and you dont need to run excessively low pressures to hook up.


True...I find with the Butchers SX I can run 35-40 psi no prob and still hook up really well. If I did this on a Maxxis Ardent EXO I was previously running I would be all over the place.


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## schoolisbad1 (Dec 17, 2004)

i was thinking about trying the 2.5 sx butcher. heard all good things besides calhouns experience.


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

I ran the minion 2.5 EXO for a while and nor the butcher sx 2.3 on the front of my enduro. I like the butcher more th compound has not let me down and feels better in the loose. I say get a butcher you will like it.


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## rugbyred (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks for the all the feedback everyone. I am trying to find a set and have put a an sos as well.
Hopefully two will be found.

Eric


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## Transition Bikes!!! (Apr 19, 2011)

I liike the highrollers


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