Hutchinson has added new wider tyres to its Blackbird range, with 32mm and 34mm widths now available for all Blackbird variants: the Blackbird Race, standard Blackbird and Blackbird All Season.
There are two pieces of good news. First, the wider tyres are the same price as narrower options and, second, Hutchinson says independent testing shows the 32mm tyres roll 5% faster than the same tyre in a 30mm width.
According to Hutchinson product manager, Martin Chuchu: “The industry believed that wider tyres would hinder performance. We wanted to challenge that. With the 32mm and 34mm Blackbirds, we want to demonstrate precisely that this vision is outdated.
“A wider tyre performs better: it filters vibrations, provides damping, and, above all, delivers a level of stability you feel immediately, especially in high-speed corners.“
Faster than a 30mm tyre
Wider tyres are increasingly taking over, not just for amateur riders but for the pros, too. However, rather than launching a me-too product, Hutchinson wanted to prove its new widths offer an advantage over narrower tyres.
So, it sent its 30mm and 32mm tyres for independent testing, which found a 5% gain in efficiency for the wider tyre. There were also measured improvements in comfort and grip, as you might expect.
Hutchinson highlights three benefits of its new wider tyres: rolling resistance, grip and stability, and ride comfort. It says the energy saved from the lower rolling resistance and reduced fatigue far outweigh any aerodynamic penalty from the increased tyre width. It's also a proponent of wider rims to enable you to lower your tyre pressure further.
It suggests riders should choose a 32mm tyre for performance or a 34mm tyre for training or racing on damaged or cobbled roads.
That ties in with our opinion here at BikeRadar. Only last weekend, Warren Rossiter documented his move to tyres of 30mm or more, with his newest bike fitted with 32mm rubber.
For him, it’s not about rolling resistance though, but the abysmal state of UK roads, where a wider tyre can help with ride comfort and stability.
It's not only Hutchinson that's going wider, with Continental launching a 35mm option for the GP5000 S TR in February and Pirelli puffing up its P Zero Race TLR to 40mm at the end of 2024.
Blackbird tyre widths and prices
The new tyre widths are available across Hutchinson’s three Blackbird tyre types. Hutchinson was a pioneer of tubeless and all three are tubeless-ready.
The Blackbird Race tyre is now available in 28, 30, 32 and 34mm widths, priced at £69.99 / €79.99.
The Blackbird all-rounder tyre adds a 26mm width if you’re still old-school or your bike lacks the clearance to go wider, as well as black and tan sidewall options, and is priced at £61.99 / €69.99.
The Blackbird All Season tyre, aimed at wet and cold conditions, has the same 28, 30, 32 and 34mm widths as the Blackbird Race and is priced at £61.99 / €69.99.
