Gear Reviews
April 20, 2026

Specialized Fast Trak and Ground Control Tires Review

Jared Kukura

Executive BIkefisher

I’m not one for mountain bike tires with the lowest rolling resistance or most aggressive tread. I want tires that suit my local trails and my riding style.

Here in Bend, the trails I frequent are loose, dusty, and flowy with lots of corners and punchy climbs frequently interrupted by lava rock islands. I’m not chasing KOM’s, but I like to climb more than I like to have both wheels off the ground.

I picked up multiple sets of Specialized Fast Trak and Ground Control tires for my two bikes. While one tire was confidence-inspiring, the other was unreliable in performance and durability.

Specialized Tire Configurations

The Fast Trak is Specialized’s all-around XC tire for racing or recreational riding. I used the Fast Trak tires in the Control T5 configuration. The Control casing is 60TPI Nylon and features sidewall protection for flat protection and braking control. The T5 compound is optimized for XC trails and prioritizes speed over grip.

Specialized describes the Ground Control tire as a versatile all-rounder for XC and light trail duty. I used the Ground Control tires in the Grip T7 configuration. The Grip casing is 60TPI Nylon and features more aggressive tread than the Control casing. The T7 compound offers more grip than the T5 compound at the expense of higher rolling resistance.

Both tires are 2Bliss, which is Specialized nomenclature for tubeless. There are stark differences between the tires. The Fast Trak has shallow, open-spaced knobs and a round profile. The Ground Control has large, aggressive knobs in the center and on the shoulders, giving it a square profile.

On The Trail

I used the Fast Trak and Ground Control tires in 29×2.35 on my Ritchey Ultra. My go-to tire pressure combination for 29-inch mountain bike tires is 17-18psi front and 19-20psi rear. I experimented with two different tire setups: Fast Traks front and rear, and Ground Control front and Fast Trak rear.

I quickly discovered the Fast Trak was not the ideal front tire for my local Bend trails. I washed out my front tire multiple times in corners. I don’t ride particularly fast, and the trails I like aren’t particularly technical. But the Fast Trak just didn’t cut it for me as a front tire as soon as it encountered any loose dirt, or was forced to lean into its shoulder knobs.

The lack of front tire grip was resolved with the Ground Control, though. The square profile and raised shoulder knobs gave me the confidence I needed to carve corners and stay upright even at the end of summer when the trails turn to moondust.

The Fast Trak also proved problematic as a rear tire. I slashed my rear tire’s sidewall after only a few rides when riding up a switchback and scraping a sharp rock on the inside of the trail. The Fast Trak is the first and only tire that I have punctured the sidewall of. The puncture was bad enough that I had to trash the tire after I made it home.

I also lacked braking confidence with the rear Fast Trak on tight, technical switchbacks. I had many instances where I could feel the rear of the bike sliding beneath me when I was pointed downhill. I run 180mm brake rotors front and rear with Shimano SLX brakes, so I’m inclined to blame tire traction for sliding, given that I am not a heavy rider.

While the Ground Control front tire provided ample grip and confidence in corners, the Fast Trak rear tire was squirrely late in the season with the aforementioned moondust. I didn’t completely wash out the rear as I did with the Fast Trak in the front, but it wasn’t confidence-inspiring.

I used the Ground Control tires in 27.5×2.6 on my Surly Grappler. My go-to tire pressure combination for 27.5+ bike tires is 15-16psi front and 17-18psi rear. I can run lower tire pressures, but my Grappler is typically heavily loaded for bikefishing, bikepacking, and dadpacking.

Contrary to the Fast Traks on my Ultra, running Ground Controls front and rear on my Grappler was very confidence-inspiring. Grip is the name of the game for the tires. The tires may not be the fastest, but I’m not concerned about speed.

I often find myself biking off-trail or up and down very loose, rocky terrain when I’m on my Grappler exploring fishing and camping spots. I never had any issues with sliding going up or downhill, no matter how steep.

The Ground Control tires have proven durable, as well. I didn’t get a single puncture between the three tires across my two bikes.

Final Thoughts

I’m unimpressed with Specialized Fast Trak tires. I found the tires lacked any meaningful grip in semi-loose or dusty trail conditions. I also wasn’t happy to puncture the sidewall on one of my tires after only a few rides. The possibility of another sidewall puncture happening again was always at the back of my mind.

I certainly would not recommend the Specialized Fast Trak tire to anyone. Look elsewhere if you are in the market for a fast-rolling XC tire that can handle some light trail duty.

I would recommend the Specialized Ground Control tire, though. I loved the grip and confidence the tire gave me on the trail and especially in corners. The tire is too aggressive for XC racing, but it does a fine job as a front tire for everyday mountain biking.

I think running the Ground Control tires front and rear makes a great trail setup for all but the gnarliest trails. I personally feel a more aggressive tire would be overkill for my trails and riding style.