Hutchinson expands its Blackbird range with new Race and All Season tires

Hutchinson has just announced the expansion of its tire range route high performance Blackbird with two new models: the Blackbird Race and the Blackbird All Season.

Source: press release

Blackbird Race

The Blackbird Race embodies Hutchinson's expertise, designed to satisfy the most demanding cyclists, whether they compete on the WorldTour circuit or in local races. This tire marks a major evolution in Hutchinson's competition tire offering. Taking the DNA of its tire route the fastest, the “Blackbird”, each component has been refined to create a lightweight and even faster tire, positioning itself among the most technologically advanced on the market.

Developed in collaboration with WorldTour team Intermarché-Wanty and elite athletes from Hutchinson, a prototype was used by British triathlete Alex Yee to win gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Every aspect of the Blackbird Race has been carefully tuned to achieve the perfect balance between speed, grip and puncture resistance.

The tire incorporates a new Ultraswift carcass, pushing the limits of current manufacturing techniques. Hutchinson has reduced the weight of the rubberized fabric used in the carcass by almost 22%, while reducing the thickness of the center section of the tire by 23%. Perfect sealing in tubeless version is achieved by wrapping this 127 TPI carcass fabric around the bead and then bonding it directly to the central polyamide protection strip. This results in three layers of 127 TPI on the sidewalls, but only two in the center, thus improving compliance and reducing rolling resistance.

This Ultraswift technology provides an incredibly flexible and lightweight tire, delivering exceptional grip, a smooth driving feel and an increased sense of speed.

The rubber used on the Blackbird Race is also an innovation. The Mach Tread Ultimate compound builds on the lessons learned from the previous generation (Mach Tread 3.0) to further improve rolling resistance and grip. This makes the Mach Tread Ultimate the fastest compound ever developed by Hutchinson, combining speed, grip and abrasion resistance.

These combined advances make the Blackbird Race the fastest tire Hutchinson has ever produced. It offers a 10% gain in watt efficiency over the existing Blackbird, with the 30mm version even more efficient than the 28mm. Weight has been reduced by 17% on the 28mm model, reaching a base weight of 240g (255g for the 30mm). This versatile tire will be the preferred choice for the majority of Intermarché-Wanty races throughout the year.

Handcrafted in France, the Blackbird Race represents the culmination of Hutchinson's expertise, developed through decades of collaboration with the world's best athletes and their 'Racing Lab' program, which includes talent from all disciplines of cycling.

The Blackbird Race is available at €79,99. Compatible with hookless rims, it is available in 28 and 30 mm versions (wider versions are in development).

Blackbird All Season

The Blackbird All Season completes the Blackbird ecosystem by offering a high-performance tire suitable for all conditions, increasing speed, safety and peace of mind all year round.

Several new technologies have been integrated. A dual compound is used on the tread, to maximize efficiency and protection, with the Mach Tread 3.0 in the center and a new Safetread compound on the sides, maintaining grip even in cold and wet conditions. Tread thickness has been increased by 24% to 2,1mm, extending tire life to 6000km and providing improved protection against road debris.

The Blackbird All Season returns to the Gridskin technology, an innovative knitted fabric for the sidewalls, offering increased protection against cuts and pinches, comparable to Hutchinson's Hardskin protection, but with a much lower weight. Combined with the polyamide protective strip, puncture resistance is unmatched for a performance tire.

The result is a tire capable of high-speed performance all year round without sacrificing grip or comfort, ideal for winter rides without compromising summer performance. Weighing in at a competitive 340g for the 28mm version, the Blackbird All Season is the perfect choice for riders tackling winter Gran Fondos, cobbled races or those looking for speed on routes of poor quality.

Handcrafted in France and available in Black or Tan Wall versions, the Blackbird Allseason is hookless compatible in its Tubeless version. The tubetype construction of the tire is different from the tubeless, more focused on serenity, while the tubeless version is very performance-oriented. The Blackbird All Season is available in sizes 28, 30 and 32 mm, starting at €49,99 for the Tube Type version and €69,99 for the Tubeless version.

The Blackbird Ecosystem

With these new additions, Hutchinson now offers a complete range of high-performance tires suitable for all racing and outing conditions:
Blackbird Race: A tire designed for demanding connoisseurs, looking for pure performance.
Blackbird: A versatile tire offering a balance between high performance and everyday durability, with a longevity of over 4000 km.
Blackbird All Season: For demanding cyclists looking for a high-performance tire that combines speed, safety and reliability, even in the harshest winter conditions, without compromise all year round.

=> All our articles New products