Hutchinson has released the Tundra, a new gravel tyre that is said to allow riders to take on muddy trails and rocky descents.
The brand’s journey into the gravel bike tyre category began with the Overide, for use on the road and off it. This was followed by the Touareg, designed for riding on hard-packed surfaces, and now the Tundra caters for the more technical end of the gravel-tyre spectrum.
Hutchinson says its new tubeless tyre is suitable for year-round use on gravel bikes and it achieves its technical capability while maintaining the speed for which the French brand’s tyres are known.
The tyre is available in 700x40mm and 700x45mm widths, and pricing starts at £39.95 / €44.99.
Cross-country inspiration
Hutchinson says it has taken inspiration from its cross-country Black Mamba mountain bike tyre in order to achieve the Tundra’s technical capability, specifically looking at the tread pattern.
The Tundra’s pattern bears resemblance to the Black Mamba’s design, with tall knobs on the edge of the tyre and a ‘bee wing’ pattern in the centre of the tread.
However, Hutchinson says it has removed “all but the most important tread blocks” and reduced the number of knobs overall on the Tundra when compared to the Black Mamba.
It says it has done this in order to help the Tundra shed as much mud as possible and make the tyre suitable for riding in “swampy” conditions.
The tall, lateral knobs on the side of the tyre are a signature of Hutchinson’s mountain bike tyres, having featured on the Cobra, Skeleton and Kraken tyres.
These knobs provide traction in particularly muddy conditions and are made from a softer compound than the central tread to help provide greater traction. They retain a harder internal compound to reduce the amount of flex and provide support for the rest of the tyre, acting “like the buttresses on a cathedral”.
Hutchinson explained to BikeRadar that it has designed the bee wing pattern with little space between the blocks, so the Tundra can roll quickly. There are “male and female” interlocking blocks in the bee wing design, which are said to allow flexibility in the centre of the tyre.
There are still clear lines between each block of the bee wing design, which Hutchinson says helps traction on loose surfaces, especially under braking.
Hutchinson also explained to BikeRadar that the individual knobs within the tread have divots taken out of them. This is to reduce weight, as well as to help improve grip on wet surfaces.
Different puncture protection
The Tundra tyre is available in either black or with tan walls, but the difference in the tyres isn’t just aesthetic.
The tan-wall version is made in France and has Hutchinson’s Hardskin textile underneath the rubber. This runs from bead to bead, providing protection from sharp stones and rocks on the central tread and the sidewall.
The black version is made in Asia, although Hutchinson hasn't specified where, and uses Reinforced+ for puncture protection. Hutchinson explains this makes the black version a little less supple than the tan-wall tyre. It also costs £10 / €10 less.
Otherwise, the two tyres have the same 127-thread count, which Hutchinson says helps create a flexible and light tyre with “high rolling performance”.
Hutchinson Tundra gravel tyre specification, pricing and availability
The Hutchinson Tundra gravel tyre is available to purchase now. It comes with either black or tan walls and pricing starts at £39.95 / €44.99.
Hutchinson Tundra tan wall
- Available sizes: 700x40mm, 700x45mm
- Claimed weight: 490g (700x40mm), 580g (700x45mm)
- Casing (TPI): 127 TPI
- Puncture protection: Hardskin
- Colour: Black with tan wall
- Price: £49.95 / €54.99
Hutchinson Tundra black
- Available sizes: 700x40mm, 700x45mm
- Claimed weight: 490g (700x40mm), 580g (700x45mm)
- Casing (threads per inch): 127 TPI
- Puncture protection: Reinforced+
- Colour: Black
- Price: £39.95 / €44.99
