Hutchinson Blackbird tyre

[alexanderp1991]

New high performance road tyre from Hutchinson. Looks to be competing with the GP5000s tr.
I've really liked Hutchinson in the past, easiest tubeless tyre 've ever set up. Managed to seat one in field with a hand pump and ride it home with no sealant.

Hopefully it tests well!
https://cycling.hutchinson.com/tires/ro ... blackbird/

[bobones]

Long overdue something to replace the Fusion 5 range. Used to be the goto long before Continental, Michelin, Pirelli etc started making tubeless tyres. Hopefully they'll be reasonably priced.

[C36]

At one point I wondered if they had any intention to provide a top tier product. Fusion 5was launched in 2017!

10% RR improvement (as per claims) won't make the cut to get them to GP5K or Michelin Cup (as per BRR, they are at 11WRR when references are at 9, so that is a full 22% gap to close) and that would be a shame to even consider them when newer tires may be around the corner (power was 2020, power cup 2022, so may have something for this summer).

So curious to get BRR, Aerocoach or Cyclesetforme to test them.

[alanyu]

At one point I wondered if they had any intention to provide a top tier product. Fusion 5was launched in 2017!

10% RR improvement (as per claims) won't make the cut to get them to GP5K or Michelin Cup (as per BRR, they are at 11WRR when references are at 9, so that is a full 22% gap to close) and that would be a shame to even consider them when newer tires may be around the corner (power was 2020, power cup 2022, so may have something for this summer).

So curious to get BRR, Aerocoach or Cyclesetforme to test them.

I believe they are comparing to the 2021 fusion 5 TLR 11storm instead of the 2017 fusion 5, which is, sadly, even slower.

[C36]

Didn't even realized they launched it... outside weight it had very little strong points...

[alexanderp1991]

They had Galatik version which I think was faster than the 11storm. It needs to improve on both of those tyres eitherway.
I actually don't need the millage durability, I bin my tyres each year anyway so would choose grip and RR over that. If it is well priced that is another benefit, although GP5000 have been cheap for me this year with sales.

[TobinHatesYou]

Hutchinson also made the Zipp Tangente Speed, which scored a little better than the old non-11Storm Galactik TL.

[wltz]

I submitted a request to BRR to test the 28c version without specifying the sidewall colour. It will of course lose out to the unbeatable competition - all those infinite widths of the same gravel tyres, ugh.

[alanyu]

Alban released the results. It's much faster than Fusion 5 11storm, but Hutchinson still needs more more more work to catch the leading position of all round class.

https://www.cyclesetforme.fr/test-de-ro ... ird-28-mm/

[froze]

I had a bad experience with Hutchinson tires, and their warranty department.

About 15 years ago I bought a pair of Hutchinson tires, I can't recall the model now, but they were equivalent to the Fusion All-Season tire. Hutchinson glues the tread cap onto the carcass, like a recap semi-truck trailer tire. Well, one of my caps almost came off the carcass on the rear tire while I was riding it, and it only had about 200 miles on the tire, when I got home the front tire was peeling as well. I contacted Hutchinson at least a dozen times and never heard anything back. And on forums I was on there were similar reports.

I just think there are better tires out there, Hutchinson to me, because they failed to respond to my many attempts, is not a company that I would want to risk trying again. But you do you.

[TobinHatesYou]

15 years is a long time and Hutchinson is a huge company that makes tires for several different name brands. 15 years ago Tufo was the butt of all jokes in the bicycle tire industry and now they're making some of the best tires badged as ENVEs and under their own brand name.

[Attermann]

Had a pair of Hutchinson sector some years ago, they were like ice in wet weather, and others had same experience. So it's not a brand I'm looking at again.

[BigBoyND]

I submitted a request to BRR to test the 28c version without specifying the sidewall colour. It will of course lose out to the unbeatable competition - all those infinite widths of the same gravel tyres, ugh.

Votes are looking good now

[Miller]

Had a pair of Hutchinson sector some years ago, they were like ice in wet weather, and others had same experience. So it's not a brand I'm looking at again.

They were, weren't they? Tough as old boots but dumped me off on a damp corner and gave me a sore hip for weeks. Fusion 5 was a nice tyre, felt compliant, but not the fastest.

I have a soft spot for Hutchinson though, they got me started on my 'tubeless journey' in 2014, Fusion 3 road tubeless - in 23mm width! Archive photo below.

[froze]

15 years is a long time and Hutchinson is a huge company that makes tires for several different name brands. 15 years ago Tufo was the butt of all jokes in the bicycle tire industry and now they're making some of the best tires badged as ENVEs and under their own brand name.

The problem wasn't that they made a tire that failed and could have killed me, had I been going fast down a mountain road and that tire peeled like that I could of lost control, but that's now what bothered me, what bothered me was their lack of warranty/service and a total disregard for my attempts to contact them. Do you think their customer service has changed after 15 years? I seriously doubt it, but even if it has, I won't be buying anything from them due to the risk that could have happened and they didn't care the least bit.