If Hutchinson do one thing better than anyone else it's producing high volume/ low weight tyres. The new low profile tread Piranha and full profile Barracuda are available with a variety of widths, bead materials and casing types.
This means there should be something for everyone, from the cross-country whippet looking for a fast but meaty 24-hour race tyre, to downhill racers wanting a fastrolling, dry weather rear tyre, and all are available in tubed or tubeless versions.
We chose the lightest Kevlar-beaded 2.3in tubed Piranha to go on one of our full sus longterm bikes. As with most Hutchinson tyres, the recommended pressures work well on most terrain but are a few psi under for our taste.
The central section of the Piranha is low enough to enter semi-slick territory - intermediate tread merges with significant side knobs to provide plenty of real-world cornering. The centre section also sticks out a little to provide low rolling resistance and make it easy to get the tyre up to speed. Only when you begin hitting singletrack do you notice the side knobs as they chew through loam, spitting out all but the pips.
The Piranha is designed to be rapid in straight lines and reassuring but neutral through turns and it's no shocker to find that this is what it delivers out on the trail.
