Hutchinson, the French tyre manufacturer with over 130 years of history, has announced the latest evolution of its gravel lineup with the introduction of three new tyres: the Touareg Race, Touareg Race GS, and Caracal Race GS.
Designed to meet the demands of 90% of gravel racing conditions, the expanded offering brings technology from across the Hutchinson road and gravel range to allow riders to fine-tune speed and security depending on their environment and riding style.
The Touareg Race is designed to meet the demands of elite gravel racing. It brings the technology of the Caracal Race, which according to the company is the world’s fastest gravel tyre as independently verified by Bicycle Rolling Resistance, into the brands Touareg tread design.
Hand-crafted in France, the tyre pairs the latest Mach Tread 3.0 compound, which the manufacturer claims to deliver 25% greater rebound and 10% higher tear resistance. This compound aims to minimise energy loss while withstanding harsh conditions. Its SwiftEasy casing reduces weight and features enhanced flexibility that lowers rolling resistance, creating a race-ready tyre that weighs from 480g.
Performance testing has highlighted that the Touareg Race is 35% more efficient than the previous Hardskin version. The Touareg Race DNA balances three performance factors: low rolling resistance, controlled casing deformation for stability, and grip for aggressive racing.
For riders seeking a versatile setup, pairing a Touareg Race front tyre with a Caracal Race rear delivers performance needed for most gravel racing conditions. The Touareg Race provides grip and precise control at the front, while the Caracal Race at the rear maximises speed and efficiency.
The Touareg Race is available in 40mm, 45mm and 50mm sizes.
Martin Chuchu Hutchinson Product Manager, said “Gravel racing has evolved into a discipline defined by pure performance, data and marginal gains. At Hutchinson, we recognised that no single tyre could meet the demands of every modern gravel race. With the Caracal Race established as our fastest gravel tyre, we developed the Touareg Race to complete the system. Together, this pairing covers the vast majority of race conditions and represents the fastest gravel setup we’ve ever created.”
Hutchinson is also introducing GridSkin, a reinforcement technology already used across its road range, into its performance gravel race tyres for the first time.
The GridSkin knitted mesh reinforcement layer provides targeted protection to the tyre sidewall. This isolates cut and tear damage to help prevent punctures with minimal impact on rolling resistance or weight.
Intended as a high-performance option for rougher, rockier conditions where durability is as important as speed, GridSkin technology is available on the Touareg Race GS and Caracal Race GS.
The Touareg Race GS and Caracal Race GS are available in 40mm, 45mm and 50mm sizes.
Acknowledging the trend towards higher-volume tyres, Hutchinson has developed 50mm width versions across the range of new tyres. This expansion also includes the Caracal Race, which will be available in a 50mm version for the first time.
All of Hutchinson’s performance gravel tyres are tubeless-ready, designed for compatibility with wider internal rim widths, and available now through Hutchinson dealers.
Pricing for the new range is as follows:
- Touareg Race: €59.89 | £54.99
- Touareg Race GS: €64.89 | £59.99
- Caracal Race GS: €64.89 | £59.99
Hutchinson designs multi-material solutions for various industries, including aerospace and automotive. Hutchinson Cycling remains a manufacturer of ‘made in France’ bicycle tyres and was a key player in the development of tubeless technology.
