Hutchinson Fusion 5 ElevenStorm Tubeless Performance Road Tyre

Hutchinson invented the first road tubeless tyres back in 2006 in a partnership with Shimano. It has continued to evolve its tyre range in the intervening years, and the latest Fusion 5 Performance tyres are the best yet. They're fast, grippy, supple, durable and easy to fit, and a rival for any other tubeless tyre currently available.

The Fusion 5 is a successor to the Fusion 3, but what happened to the Fusion 4? Well, Hutchinson reckons it has made five key improvements in developing the new tyre, so the leap to five was made. Those five key improvements are listed as being 10% better traction, 18% better rolling resistance, 22% more durable, and improved puncture resistance and comfort.

Big claims indeed. That's why I've been testing these tyres on different wheels and bikes for the past couple of months to really get to know them and put them through a proper test including lots of different road surfaces and conditions. And the verdict? I'm impressed. They deliver a fast and supple road feel, they have proved to be durable, highly resistant to punctures and grippy in all conditions.

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The new Fusion 5 comes in three flavours. I've been testing the mid-range Performance model, which is probably the most suitable all-round tyre for general riding and racing. It's offered in 23 and 25mm widths and I've been testing the latter, a width that has largely become standard on road race bikes these days. A 28mm version is going to be added soon.

There's also an All-Season (which comes in 28mm) that has a tread pattern and is designed for wet weather with increased durability and traction. If you want the lightest, the Fusion 5 Galactik weighs a claimed 180g in the 23mm width.

Puncture resistance has been superb. In fact, touch wood, I've not had one flat. Compared to the Galactik, the Performance tyre adds a layer of Kevlar puncture resistance material, and while it also adds a bit of weight, it's a fair compromise for peace of mind when riding in a range of conditions and racking up decent miles.

Durability has been excellent as well. Inspecting the tyres recently, they're still in very good condition, with no discernible cuts or gashes to show for the miles I've put into them. That's good to know if you are riding at this time of year when the roads are often covered in muck and debris that can very rapidly take its toll on tyres that simply aren't up to the task.

Adding sealant to the tyre is one of the big advantages of a tubeless tyre setup, and in most cases small holes or cuts of about 2-4mm will be sealed by the sealant. Tyre pressure is a personal thing – I opted for between 80 and 95psi depending on conditions; I usually go a bit lower in the front and higher in the rear.

Tubeless tyres are often heavier than regular clincher tyres because an extra layer of rubber has to be added to make them airtight. Hutchinson claims a weight of 315g, but I measured the tyres on the road.cc scales at 328g. That's comparable with the Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tyre, for many considered the current benchmark race tubeless tyre.

Installation of tubeless tyres is a bit trickier than a regular clincher and inner tube setup, and I know how daunting it can seem at first. There are many horror stories on the internet, and I've had more than my share of hiccups. Generally, progress is being made towards simplifying the whole process, but there are sometimes compatability issues with different tyre and rim combinations.

> Tubeless tyres: is it time you switched?

I fitted the tyres to a range of different wheels through the test period and never experienced any problems. Sometimes they inflated with just a regular track pump, but occasionally I had to resort to using a dedicated tubeless inflator, of which there are now many options on the market at a range of prices.

Hutchinson offers a pair of Fusion 5 tubeless tyres with rim tape, valves, sealant and a Convert' air kit for £99.95, which seems a good way to get entirely converted to tubeless if you already have tubeless-ready wheels. It certainly makes going tubeless much easier because you have everything you need in the box to get you converted.

Once inflated, the tyres maintained good pressure with no leakage to report over the course of days and weeks. I make a habit of regularly checking tyre pressures (I ride my bike every day and as part of the test procedure it's optimal to ensure the tyres are adequately inflated).

For a long time the Schwalbe Pro One has been the benchmark performance tubeless tyre against which all others are measured, but the traction of the Fusion 5s out of the box in a range of conditions, especially in the wet, surpasses the Pro Ones. Factors like speed and rolling resistance are trickier to compare, but they certainly don't feel any slower at all, and puncture resistance is superb.

Grip from the ElevenSTORM compound has been a highlight of the Fusion 5 Performance. In the wet, it is markedly better than the Pro One, with the sort of predictability you want when riding tricky terrain and challenging descents with varying grip levels. In the dry they are superb, you can really push the tyres hard into corners and the tread compound latches onto the road surface.

Overall, I've been really impressed with the Fusion 5 Performance tyres, and I have no hesitation in recommending them.

Verdict

Fast, grippy and durable tubeless tyres that might have just set a new benchmark