{"id":63264,"date":"2024-05-02T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cb5d315d-18f9-4ad8-bb6a-e7f74d27b0fa"},"modified":"2024-05-02T08:59:41","modified_gmt":"2024-05-02T06:59:41","slug":"hutchinson-releases-new-caracal-race-the-fastest-gravel-tyre-on-the-market","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/hutchinson-releases-new-caracal-race-the-fastest-gravel-tyre-on-the-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Hutchinson releases new Caracal Race \u2013 “the fastest gravel tyre on the market”"},"content":{"rendered":"

French brand claims to best competitors by \u201cup to 35 per cent in independent tests\u201d <\/p>

By Simon von Bromley\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 02 May 2024 at 06:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Hutchinson has unveiled the Caracal Race, a new gravel bike tyre claimed to be \u201cthe fastest gravel tyre on the market\u201d.<\/p>

The Caracal Race is said to beat unnamed competitor models \u201cby up to 35 per cent\u201d, according to \u201cindependent [rolling resistance] tests commissioned by Hutchinson\u201d.<\/p>

According to the French brand, the Caracal Race achieves this level of performance thanks to technology borrowed from its latest flagship road bike tyre<\/a>, the Blackbird<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

This includes a lighter, more flexible casing and an updated tread compound, both of which are claimed to make the Caracal Race tyre faster rolling and \u201cmore resistant to tearing\u201d.<\/p>

The Caracal Race features a slick central tread paired with \u201dpronounced side knobs\u201d for added off-road cornering grip.<\/p>

The trade-off, however, is that the Caracal Race doesn\u2019t feature a dedicated puncture protection layer beneath the tread. As a result, Hutchinson recommends it’s \u201c\u200b\u200bbest reserved exclusively for races on hard packed gravel or for all-road<\/a>\u201d use.<\/p>

Given this, Hutchinson is also launching a hardier version \u2013 called the Caracal \u2013 which uses the same tread on a thicker casing, with \u201ca Hardskin bead to bead puncture protection layer\u201d.<\/p>

This tyre is claimed to offer \u201ca more versatile balance of performance and durability\u201d, making it more suitable for \u201ceveryday riding\u201d off-road.<\/p>

Available now, in a size 700x40c and with tan sidewalls<\/a>, the Hutchinson Caracal Race costs \u00a354.99 \/ \u20ac59.99 per tyre.<\/p>

The Hutchinson Caracal is available in a size 700x40c and with black or tan sidewalls. It costs \u00a349.99 \/ \u20ac54.99.<\/p>

Both the Caracal Race and Caracal are compatible with hookless rims<\/a> and are claimed to weigh 475g per tyre.<\/p>

Blackbird-inspired<\/h2>
Hutchinson’s new Caracal Race gravel tyre borrows tech from its high-performance road bike tyres. – Hutchinson \/ Widen Prod<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Hutchinson says the Caracal Race was designed to be \u201cthe fastest gravel tyre<\/a> on the market\u201d.<\/p>
The brand boldly claims the Carcal Race is \u201cthe fastest gravel tyre on the market\u201d and exhibits \u201cup to 35 per cent\u201d less rolling resistance than unspecified competitor tyres, according to independent tests it commissioned.<\/p>
As such, the brand looked to its recently developed Blackbird road bike tyre \u2013 said to be the fastest road bike tyre it has ever produced \u2013 for inspiration.<\/p>
$\"\"$
Hutchinson’s new Caracal Race gravel tyre is claimed to be “the fastest gravel tyre on the market”. – Hutchinson \/ Widen Prod<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The first technology ported over from the Blackbird tyre is the \u2018SwiftEasy\u2019 casing, constructed from a 127 TPI (Threads Per Inch) fabric.<\/p>
Hutchinson says this features only two layers of overlapping fabric beneath the tread compared to three on the sidewalls, which improves the flexibility of the tyre and reduces rolling resistance.<\/p>
According to the brand, this change alone led to a 40 per cent reduction in rolling resistance compared to other similar gravel tyres in its range.<\/p>
$\"Hutchinson$
The Caracal Race features a slick central tread with shoulder knobs for added grip. – Hutchinson \/ Widen Prod<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The tread on the Caracal Race is also said to be optimised for the lowest rolling resistance possible.<\/p>
This is due to its new \u201chigh performance” Mach Tread 3.0 compound and semi-slick design.<\/p>
Hutchinson says its Mach Tread 3.0 compound is the most efficient it has developed, claiming it offers \u201c25 per cent rebound\u201d, meaning more of the energy put into compressing the tyre is \u201creturned into forward motion\u201d while riding.<\/p>
More tear resistant<\/h2>
$\"Hutchinson$
Hutchinson says the Caracal Race gravel tyre is designed for dry, hard-packed gravel and all-road racing. – Hutchinson \/ Widen Prod<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The new tread is also claimed to be \u201c10 per cent harder and more resistant to tearing\u201d than Hutchinson\u2019s previous best compound.<\/p>
This is claimed to result in \u201c75 per cent better performance in tear tests\u201d, without sacrificing grip.<\/p>
As noted, the Caracal Race gravel tyre eschews a dedicated puncture protection layer beneath the tread.<\/p>
The central tread area is also completely slick (in order to reduce rolling resistance), with knobs only on the shoulders for off-road cornering grip.<\/p>
As a result, Hutchinson recommends it only for all-road use or hard-packed gravel racing<\/a> on dry days.<\/p>
$\"Hutchinson$
Hutchinson’s Caracal Race gravel tyre uses a flexible casing and the brand’s fastest tread compound. – Hutchinson \/ Diedre Design<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Hutchinson\u2019s Caracal Race tyre is available now and costs \u00a354.99 \/ \u20ac59.99 per tyre.<\/p>
Handmade at Hutchinson\u2019s factory in France, the Caracal Race is only available in a size 700x40c and with tan sidewalls. A single tyre is claimed to weigh 475g.<\/p>
Hutchinson Caracal gravel tyre<\/h2>
$\"Hutchinson$
Hutchinson’s new Caracal gravel tyre uses a Hardskin bead-to-bead protection layer underneath the tread. – Hutchinson \/ Diedre Design<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Because the Caracal Race is intended only for racing, Hutchinson has also developed a version of the Caracal tyre with improved puncture protection and durability.<\/p>
Compared to the Caracal Race, the Caracal tyre uses a thicker, 3×127 TPI casing combined with a bead-to-bead \u2018Hardskin\u2019 puncture protection layer.<\/p>
$\"Hutchinson$
The Caracal gravel tyre gets added puncture protection for ‘everyday’ gravel riding. – Hutchinson \/ Widen Prod<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Casing aside, the Caracal uses the same tread pattern as the Caracal Race, but swaps the Mach Tread 3.0 compound for the bi-compound found on Hutchinson\u2019s existing range of gravel tyres<\/a>.<\/p>
This compound is said to combine a harder central portion, for improved durability and reduced rolling resistance, along with\u00a0a softer compound on the tread shoulders for improved grip.<\/p>
$\"Hutchinson$
Hutchinson’s Caracal gravel tyre uses the same tread pattern as the faster Caracal Race, but has a different casing and compound. – Hutchinson<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Hutchinson says this results in a tyre that is \u201cstill incredibly fast rolling\u201d but is more suitable for \u201ceveryday riding\u201d thanks to its added puncture protection.<\/p>
The brand doesn\u2019t specify an exact performance differential between the Caracal and Caracal Race, however.<\/p>
Like the Carcal Race, Hutchinson\u2019s Caracal tyre is only available in a size 700x40c, with a claimed weight of 475g per tyre.<\/p>
It is slightly cheaper, though, at \u00a349.99 \/ \u20ac54.99 per tyre.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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