Review – Hutchinson Tires Tubeless Touareg Gravel Tyres

Hutchinson Tires Touareg Gravel Tyres Review

Hutchinson bicycle tyres have taken me across continents, to the podiums of mountain bike races in the Italian Dolomites, and now it seems they are set to conquer the gravel scene…

"Touareg" means 'free folk'—it is the name of a nomadic tribe in the Sahara Desert. The French brand Hutchinson Tires selected that name for this tubeless gravel tyre because of its special ability on rugged (mostly dry) off-road trails. This is a gravel bike tyre for back-of-beyond adventures.

Hutchinson Tires maintain a build quality level that from my experience is second-to-none. They were one of the pioneers of tubeless bicycle tyre technology, way before it became mainstream; over the years they have perfected the balance of protection, weight, grip and immaculate fit that is sought after in all tubeless set-ups.

The Touareg tyres are a mixed-surface gravel tyre, intended to be used primarily on dry and loose terrain. The tread pattern is a file-style arrow pattern that strikes a balance between reduced rolling resistance for road and cycle paths, and grip and traction for serious off-road trails. I have previously assessed the Hutchinson Override tyres, and the Touareg is a step up in terms of grip and traction—intended for the rough stuff.

Gravel bike tyres need to be robust, especially if like me you tend to ride everything on a gravel bike—including rough flinty mountain trails. The Hutchinson Touareg has bead-to-bead Hardskin protection to offer superb cut-resistance against even the sharpest of flints and rocks. This, working in tandem with the small and compact lugs on the tread, make for a resilient and robust all-surface tyre.

On dry roads they roll fast. On wet roads they offer excellent grip. When you head off-road, they really excel—holding their own on rocky sections and performing well on dry hard-packed sand and mud. Like most gravel tyres they do clog up when the ground gets soft and muddy, but it is asking a lot to have a tyre that is both mud-capable and fast rolling on hardpack and tarmac.

Robust, durable, grippy, and fast. Hutchinson Tires seem to have nailed it again with the Touareg. These are gravel tyres that can take you well beyond 'gravel'. 


Hutchinson Tires Touareg Gravel Tyres Review

Disclaimer: Hutchinson Tires UK supplied a set of Hutchinson Tires Tubeless Touareg Gravel Tyres for test and review

Labels:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SwissStop Disc Brake Pads Comparison Test Review – Are All Disc Brake Pads Made Equal?

Image
The market for disc brake pads for gravel bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes is saturated; there are hundreds of different brands producing disc brake pads claiming to last longer and perform better than the competition. So, what is the difference between a set of low cost disc brake pads from eBay/Amazon versus the high-end pads from SwissStop? Are SwissStop disc brake pads worth the extra money? To find out, I have been doing some extensive disc brake pad testing over the last few months. October to February is obviously a period of wet winter riding, and I have been testing the following list of brake pads on road, gravel and mountain bikes—to create the ultimate test for any disc brake set-up. The disc brake pads on test:  SwissStop Disc 34 RS (Shimano Road/Gravel)  SwissStop Disc 32 RS (SRAM Road/Gravel)  SwissStop Disc 31 E (MTB SRAM Avid)  Superstar Sintered Shimano Road Disc Brake Pads (Shimano Road/Gravel)  SOMMET Resin and Semi-Metallic Disc Brake Pads (SRAM Road/Gravel
Keep reading

Recipe – The Ultimate High Energy Flapjacks

Image
This traditional flapjack recipe is packed full of energy for long days on the bike. The oats supply a great low-GI fuel source, while the dried fruit offers instant energy and sweetness. Whether on or off the bike, these flapjack bars are a great high-energy snack for cycling. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. I particularly like pumpkin seeds and chopped crystallised ginger added to the mix. Ingredients 200g butter 100g brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ tbsp black treacle 300g porridge oats 100g raisins 75g soft-dried figs 50g soft-dried apricots Method Set the oven to 150°C or 140°C for fan-assisted oven. Place the shelf in the middle Stick a big pan on the scales and measure in the butter and brown sugar Heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are all melted Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of treacle to the mix Add the porridge oats and y
Keep reading

Review – Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle S3

Image
The Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle is designed for gravel bike riding. Featuring gel inserts to reduce vibration, titanium saddle rails to absorb trail buzz, and a sleek low-profile design to offer style and performance—this is a saddle made for adventure. The SLR Boost Gravel is Selle Italia's latest offering for the growing Gravel segment of the market; engineered specifically to enhance riding comfort on difficult terrain and during endurance gravel events. Available in two sizes, I opted for the smaller version (S3), and have been testing it out over the last month… I have become a great advocate of the cut-away design for saddles—it offers greater flexibility in the centre of the saddle and reduces pressure on the sensitive perineum region. The SLR Boost Gravel Superflow is a superb example of this kind of saddle design; with a cutaway section, short nose, and flared sides to effectively support your seat bones. To improve comfort on rough terrain, Selle
Keep reading

Review – TRP Spyre SLC Cable Disc Brakes

Image
Cable actuated disc brakes get a lot of bad press. There is some justification for that — most of the systems lack the modulation and performance of their hydraulic counterparts. There is however one set of cable disc brakes that shines above the rest: the TRP Spyre SLC Disc Brake. This lightweight and sleek cable disc caliper excels in both design and functionality. My Kona Private Jake arrived in 2016 with a set of TRP's Spyre-C disc brakes fitted as standard. Those brakes worked very well for over 25,000 kilometres of use and abuse; I rode the bike for daily commutes (including a salty daily ferry journey), and I rode the bike fully loaded over the highest cols in the Pyrenees on the #CoastsandCols tour. The Spyre-C took all this abuse in hand and always produced the stopping power I demanded. This year, with the Kona Private Jake hitting a 25,000 kilometre anniversary, I decided it was time to upgrade and replace a number of the parts. To be honest, most of the component
Keep reading

Best Gravel Bike Cycling Routes on the Isle of Wight

Image
I ride a gravel bike on the Isle of Wight more than I ride any other; it is the perfect way to explore the vast network of quiet roads and exciting open trails. In this post, I have tailor-made a selection of the best gravel cycling routes on the Isle of Wight, with suggested pit-stops and highlights. The Isle of Wight roads, trails, and tracks are my home. I have toured all over the world, but whenever I come back to this small island off the South Coast of the UK I am amazed at how diverse and beautiful the riding is here. 'The Island' is very easy to get to with a bike—use one of the three car ferry routes from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton; or come as a foot passenger and bring your bike for free on the Wightlink FastCat  from Portsmouth Harbour train station. You can get to the Island from Central London in just a little over three hours. Once you are here, there is a plethora of bike-friendly accommodation: from hotels and B&B's to campsites and Eco-l
Keep reading