[Shyrmp]

Hutchinson First Out with Road Tubeless Tires

SEPTEMBER 07, 2006 -- TRENTON, NJ (BRAIN)—After five years in development, Hutchinson is launching two different road tubeless tires to the market in 2007.

The 23-millimeter wide Atom comes with a single-density black tread and weighs 250 grams. The 25-millimeter wide Fusion 2 with multi-density tread weighs 295 grams. Both models will sell for $55.

“Bead stretch was a big issue, especially at high pressures road riders use. But developing carbon fiber beads fixed that and our Air Light casing technology took the weight out and improved ride quality so now they’re ready,” said Marc Gullickson, Hutchinson’s marketing manager.

Armed with testing feedback from Gilberto Simoni and Damiano Cunego, Pro Tour teams Agritubel and Saeco as well as U.S. development team TIAA-CREF, Hutchinson engineers feel the time is right to get the tires out to the public.

Retailers will get their first peek at the new tires at Outdoor Demo. There Hutchinson have teamed up with Shimano to offer folks the opportunity to ride Dura Ace 7801 SL tubeless ready wheelsets mounted with Hutchinson’s Atom or Fusion 2 tubeless tires. Shimano’s Dura Ace wheels are the only wheelsets Hutchinson has approved for the new tires.

“There has been a lot of anticipation about getting tubeless road products onto the market, and now that we have we hope that encourages more companies to come out with tubeless road products,” Gullickson said.

See you at the Dirt Demo in Vegas baby!

 

[rooftest]

I want more info - 250 grams is a little lighter than my current tube/tire combo, but what about the sealant that needs to be used? And Dura Ace wheels aren't the lightest out there - how much more will the tubeless-specific ones weigh?

 

[Ozzer]

This development, along with the new 29" tires, were not in our arena as we focus on development of the new DH/FR tires so we don't know much about the road tires other than hearsays from Gully and Adam at Hutch.

I'm positive that there will be more writeups about the new tubeless road tires comes Interbike in Velonews and that type of publications.

 

[bjanga]

new DH/FR tires

I want a python for my rear . . . ETA?

 

[Ozzer]

I want a python for my rear . . . ETA?

Pythons are available in 2.3 with MX MRC Medium casing.

 

[Pau11y]

Is this a clincher setup running w/ a sealant? How does this compare w/ the Tufo tubular clinchers that's coming in at 235 or so? I've blown bead off rims on a mountain rim using Stans before, and lost a substantial amount of air. There's not much to loose in a 23mm skinnies...

 

[Internal14]

A team I worked for at a few races had a few paires they were testing. Can't say much about the weight factor cause these were being used as training wheels and get to and from the venue wheels, but they seemed to hold up very well against glass flats and such. We were not using any type of sealant. Air loss over weeks was not an issue.
The riders did say they could feel the difference in the straights of all places. They said they just had this way of just floating along not deflecting off small rocks and stuff.

It'll be great to see where this goes in teh next few years.

 

[Internal14]

A team I worked for at a few races had a few paires they were testing. Can't say much about the weight factor cause these were being used as training wheels and ge-to-and-from the venue wheels, but they seemed to hold up very well against glass flats and such. We were not using any type of sealant. Air loss over weeks was not an issue.
The riders did say they could feel the difference in the straights of all places. They said they just had this way of just floating along not deflecting off small rocks and stuff.

It'll be great to see where this goes in the next few years.

 

[Ozzer]

Here's more info....

http://www.roadtubeless.com/accueil.html