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Hutchinson has announced the launch of the Challenger Tubeless, an all-season endurance and training tyre.
Designed to offer safe, confidence-inspiring handling in all conditions, the Challenger Tubeless offers a claimed 10,000km lifespan and “unrivalled comfort”.
As one of the originators of the road tubeless standard created in 2006, Hutchinson has a history of developing new tubeless technologies.
The Challenger Tubeless continues that and represents the culmination of years of research and development from Hutchinson’s team in France with two new technologies introduced on the tyre.
First is an entirely new puncture protection technology called “Hardshield”.
Formed of two separate protective layers working in tandem, Hardshield offers puncture resistance while retaining flexibility and comfort.
One protective layer is formed of a flexible wide polyamide reinforcement that covers the width of the tread, while the second is a slightly narrower strip of strong Aramid threads, concentrating protection at the ground contact patch.
To gauge the tyres ability to resist punctures Hutchinson subjected it and a range of competitors tyres to a testing regime.
It found that of the tyres it tested, punctures typically occurred at a force rating of 80 to 120 Newtons, the Challenger Tubeless resisted punctures up to a force of 170 Newtons, an over 100% increase in some cases.
The second advancement in tyre technology is “Airshield, a new construction technique that represents a shift in tubeless setups.
Hutchinson claims this completely eliminates the common issues of air loss by integrating two high performance sealing compounds that coat the inside of the tyre and the bead.
At the core of this innovation lies a flexible butyl layer that extends to the rim line, distinguishing it from conventional textile reinforcements.
This attribute allows it to deform and flex in sync with the tyre’s movement, effectively maintaining an impenetrable seal against air leakage.
In addition, an abrasion-resistant coating encircles the tyre’s bead, connecting the tyre and the rim.
Hutchinson says that this breakthrough eliminates the necessity for traditional bead fabric reinforcements, preserving the flexibility of the sidewall and, consequently, elevating ride comfort.
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The combination of Airshield anti-air loss technology and Hardshield puncture protection introduces the possibility of running the Challenger Tubeless tyres without sealant.
Available from Hutchinson’s UK distributor Windwave, the Challenger Tubeless retails at £59.95 and is available in 25, 28 and 32mm versions, weighing in at 385g, 400g and 450g respectively.
