Nearly every tire company now has a few gravel tires in its line nowadays, and France’s Hutchinson Tires can now check this box with its new Overide tire and the currently-available Sector 32.
The company also has gotten creative in its branding in an attempt to differentiate from its competitors. We have plus-sized mountain bike tires, WTB’s Road Plus line of wide, 650b tires, and now thanks to Hutchinson, a new cyclocross plus (CX+) tire categorization.
The Black Mamba tire now comes under a Black Mamba CX+ size, a 650b x 50mm option for monster cross or mountain bike use. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
Do we need a new category of tires? Sure, there’s confusion with letters and numbers with tire sizing, but tires are trending wider and a 650b x 50mm is only 3mm larger than the popular “Road Plus” 47mm size.
The Black Mamba currently is one of three current treads Hutchinson offers for cyclocross, with 34mm tube and tubeless options and 32mm tubular versions. Now the line has blown up with a whopping 50mm option for 650b wheels.
Hutchinson already had the 32mm and 34mm Black Mamba cyclocross tires, but now there’s a CX+ labeled 52mm version. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
Hutchinson is aiming at the growing fat-tire 650b drop bar bike segment. The CX+ Black Mamba is currently only available in Europe, but Hutchinson is evaluating U.S. demand.
By adding the 700x52c designation, Hutchinson may now attract drop bar cyclists to the 29×2″ fast-rolling Black Mamba offroad tire. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
There’s also the 700x52mm or 29×2.0″ option if you’ve got room on your 700c/29er bike. That option should be a fine way to add more tire volume or shed grams compared to heavier, narrower gravel and adventure tires.
Hutchinson did more than invent new labels, however. It unveiled a new Overide tire in three configurations and two widths. The smooth-rolling tire features progressively taller side knobs and comes in both 38mm and 35mm widths.
The Override combines a fast-rolling center with bigger, taller side knobs. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
The 35mm size comes with both Hard Case tubeless ($76.99) and tube-type ($57.99) configurations, and a 38mm option that only comes in a tube-type casing and bead.
Hutchinson also bucks the trend of making tubeless tires heavier than their inner tube-specific siblings. The tubeless version of the Overide features a higher thread count (127 tpi compared to 66 tpi) casing and saves 25g over the 375g tube-type model.
The Override comes in three options with two casings and 35mm and 38mm widths. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
Find the Overide to be more knob and volume than what you need? The Sector 32, first seen last year at Sea Otter, is now available. The 32mm Paris Roubaix-inspired tubeless tire features a 127 tpi Hard Case casing, weighs 315g, and retails for $86.99.
We first saw the Sector 32 tubeless tire last year, but the 315g $86.99 Paris Roubaix-inspired tire is now available to conquer cobbles and gravel. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
See the full photo gallery of the new Hutchinson cyclocross and gravel tires below.
More info: Sector, Overide and Mamba 2″
See our ever-growing stream of new cyclocross and gravel-oriented bikes, wheels, tires, components and cycling gear from 2017 Sea Otter here.
New Cyclocross, Gravel, Pavé and Adventure Tires from Hutchinson:
The Black Mamba 29×2 tire now comes under a Black Mamba CX+ size, a 650b x 50mm option for monster cross or mountain bike use. 2017 Sea Otter Classic. © Cyclocross Magazine
