The Hutchinson Blackbird All-Season TLR road tyres bring added durability and reliability compared to the company’s standard version for when the weather conditions turn a bit more inclement, but without too much of a sacrifice when it comes to summer performance. They’re the ideal choice for riders who don’t want the faff, or cost of running different rubber at different times of year.
Last year I rode on Hutchinson’s Blackbird Race tyres and I was very impressed with their ride feel, grip and low rolling resistance, so I held out high hopes for this All-Season version.
The All-Seasons use a dual compound with something called Safetread on the shoulders, which is supposed to give impressive grip, while the Mach Tread 3.0 compound in the centre is supposed to lower rolling resistance.
I couldn’t detect any difference in the two on the road, but both sections nevertheless felt as though they were doing their respective jobs. Cornering grip whether in the wet or dry was reassuring and for an all season tyre they rolled quickly too.
Many tyres like this don’t offer as much feedback as those built for good weather due to the harder compounds used in their construction, but the Hutchinsons feel lively and offer plenty of communication about the road surface.
At 344g on our scales for this 30mm width, they are about 100g heavier than the Blackbird Race with some of that coming from and increase in tread thickness of about 25 per cent to 2.1mm. They are comparable with other tyres of similar ilk though, like Continental’s Grand Prix TRs which weigh 362g in the same size.
In a real-world situation, they certainly don’t feel heavy and have a responsive nature to them. Plus, the compound construction and thickness mean that Hutchinson give a claimed lifespan of 6,000km.
On the whole, these tyres offer a great balance of performance and longevity. I rode them on all kinds of routes from smoothly surfaced A-roads to broken country lanes through autumn, winter and now into the spring and they never let me down in terms of punctures or being sliced or cut from the various debris scattered about.
For protection, the carcass is made up of Gridskin, which is sidewall reinforcement and layers of 127 TPI (threads per inch) Swifteasy casing – two layers in the centre and three on the sides. Sitting between these is a polyamide reinforcing layer for added puncture resistance.
These specs are for the TLR (tubeless ready) version which is available in a 28mm, 30mm, 32mm and 34mm width and is hookless compatible. If you want to go with the standard tubed model, you get Hutchinson’s Aramid Pro Tech protection for both the 26mm and 28mm offerings.
I found the TLR version to be really easy to fit on a couple of different wheelsets and the sidewalls are well sealed as I had no weeping of sealant once they were fitted and inflated.
From a performance point of view, I think these are great tyres for anything other than your race bike if you’re a competitive rider. They’re light enough to be responsive, grippy enough to allow you to attack corners regardless of the weather and they roll just as well as many summer tyres.
On top of all of that they offer great wear rates and a good amount puncture resistance.
They lack a bit of suppleness due to their construction, but that’s a trade-off I’m willing to make for the durability on offer.
Priced at £61.99 they aren’t cheap, but neither are they as extremely priced as some on the market, like Pirelli’s Cinturato Evo TLR at £74.99.
The Continentals I mentioned earlier are £54.95 a tyre, while Vittoria’s Rubino V Tubeless offering costs £59.99, so the Blackbirds are in the right ball park.
Conclusion
The Blackbird All-Season tyres are brilliant all rounders that will suit all kinds of road riding without costing a fortune. The highlights are their longevity and durability and the fact they don’t really sacrifice anything in terms of performance besides a little extra weight.
Test Report
What does the manufacturer say about this product?:
“The Blackbird All Season is Hutchinson’s ultimate all-weather tyre, designed to deliver unmatched performance in every condition.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of this product:
Compound: Safetread and Mach Tread 3.0
TPI: 127
Fitment: Tubeless and clincher type
Sizes: 26/28/30/32/34mm tubeless, 26/28mm clincher
Protection: Swifteasy casing, Polyamide layer
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested?:
It’s cheaper than some, like Pirelli’s offering, but in the same sort of ball park as many others, like those mentioned in the review.
Any comments about ride quality? Are they comfortable? Do they feel especially quick, or slow?:
The ride quality was good with them feeling reasonably supple for the intended purpose and the type of construction.
How easy were the tyres to fit? If you ran them tubeless, how easy was that to set up?:
The tubeless set up was easy with them popping on the rims with just the use of a track pump.
Did you have any punctures during testing?:
No.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
Use this box to explain your overall score
The All-Seasons offer a well-balanced combination of responsiveness, grip and durability, making them one of the best all rounders on the market.
About the tester
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1 thought on “Hutchinson Blackbird All-Season tyre”
@Stu How do they compare with the Pirelli Cintuaro (new and old version)? I had them on my bike for winter and couldn’t be bothered to take them off for summer tyres!