The Long-Awaited Arrival of Specialized's Tubeless Cotton Tires
After a nine-month-long tease, Specialized has finally unveiled its highly anticipated tubeless cotton tires. But here's where it gets controversial: these tires have been spotted in the wild for quite some time, with logos discreetly covered up, dating back to the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2025. So, what's the story behind this long-awaited launch?
Specialized's tire range can sometimes be a bit confusing, so let's break it down. The original Turbo Cotton, with its iconic golden sidewalls, is still available in 24, 26, and 28mm sizes and is tube-only. There's also the HOTN (Hell of the North) version, offering more protection and tread, but it's no longer available on the website.
Then we have the 'Turbo Cotton Folding Racing Only' tire, a 320TPI tire with T2/T5 compounds and a cotton casing, but again, it's tube-only and comes in 26 and 28mm sizes.
Last year, at the Opening Weekend, teams were spotted using the S-Works Turbo TLR tire, easily identified by its unique sidewall color and logo. This model is tubeless-friendly and goes up to a 30mm size.
And this is the part most people miss: the demand for a tubeless tire with the characteristics of the cotton sidewalled model but in a larger size. Enter the Cotton TLR. These tires have a polyester core with a cotton wrap, which Specialized claims helps contain tubeless sealant.
Specialized boasts that these new tires offer the feel of cotton with the speed and precision of modern tubeless technology. An intriguing detail is that the press material reveals only six pairs of these tires originally existed, and Bora Hansgrohe allegedly refused to return them, prompting Specialized to produce more and go into full-scale production.
But wait, there's more! At Opening Weekend, a clear sealant applied to the outside of the Cotton tires at Red Bull Bora caught my attention. The team mechanic claimed it was for protection, but we're digging deeper to uncover the full story.
The Cotton TLR tires will be available in 38, 30, and 32mm sizes, with weights of 280, 290, and 320 grams, respectively. They feature a 320 TPI construction and utilize the Specialized Gripton T2/T5 compound. Specialized launched five new tires almost a year ago, including the S-Works Turbo TLR, which uses the same compound but with a 120 TPI casing.
The brand also assures us that the tires are manufactured to ISO standards for seamless tubeless setup, although they don't specify which standard.
So, there you have it, a comprehensive look at Specialized's new tubeless cotton tires. But here's the real question: do you think these tires live up to the hype? Or are they just a clever marketing ploy? Let's discuss in the comments and share your thoughts on this controversial launch!
