Hutchinson’s new Kraken tyre is designed specifically for downcountry riding, pairing the same tread pattern as its cross-country racing stablemate with a sturdier casing and construction.
The new Hutchinson Kraken 2.4 is the latest addition to the brand’s Racing Labs range of mountain bike tyres, which are hand-made in France and designed in collaboration with Hutchinson’s elite athletes.
To make the tyre more capable on loose terrain, Hutchinson has increased the size of the centre knobs while also increasing the distance between them, opening up the tread pattern for better grip and faster mud shedding.
The flagship Racing Lab series Kraken gets a 66 TPI casing and a bead-to-bead layer of Hardskin puncture protection, while Hutchinson’s Racing Ripost XC triple-compound rubber is used to keep rolling resistance to a minimum.
Alongside the flagship Racing Labs series, an entry-level model is also available. It uses a dual-compound casing and foregoes the bead-to-bead Hardskin layer in favour of simpler sidewall protection.
The downcountry bike tyre is claimed to weigh 850g for a 2.4in-wide 29er tyre and is available in either 29in or 27.5in options.
Pricing starts at €45.99 for the entry-level Kraken 2.4 and tops out with the Kraken 2.4 Racing Lab at €64.99. International pricing is TBC.
