So what else have Hutchinson got in their latest range?

DZO

“Perhaps the most aggressive MTB tyre ever” is how Hutchinson describe the DZO and maybe they’re right.

There are plenty of applications for these types of tyres, from uplifting on wet days through to racing on torn-apart off-camber tracks that never seem to dry out. We’ve found favourites in the Schwalbe Magic Mary and the Specialized Hillbilly DH, both picks in the 2016 Dirt 100. These are both versatlie treads that go beyond the wet weather applications that are at the top of their design briefs. At 2.25″ the Dzo is a touch narrower than both of these tyres, especially when comparing the it to the VertStar version of the Schwalbe and as such weighs in at a lighter weight of 1053g. The Magic Mary hits the scales at 1100g for the an equivalent 2.35″ with Supergravity casing (or 1400g for the wire bead DH model). At 1290g the wire bead HillBilly DH has a wider carcass at 2.5″.

With a double-ply carcass (2 x 66TPI), reliable tubeless compatibility and Hutchinson’s ‘Race Riposte Enduro’ dual compound tread (as per the Toro above), this DZO has a lot on offer. The time has almost passed for immediate testing (with local tracks now drying out nicely) but if the rains arrive for more than a few days we’ll be fitting these for some back to back testing.

PRICE: (27.5 x 2.25″ RR ENDURO) £49.00

WEIGHT: 1053g

PYTHON 2

If you’re looking for a rear tyre to add a dose of acceleration and pace to your bike over the drier months then this revised version of the Python could well be one for your list. Like the Toro, it’s been in the Hutchinson line up for years and as such has just needed an update to stay up with the leaders of the pack.

With the new wave of harder hitting semi-slicks such as the Schwalbe Rock Razor and the Specialized Slaughter become established larger volume choices, the Python 2 has some stiff competition. So what doe it offer?

Hutchinson list the Python 2 as a tyre designed for dry, mixed and/or rocky terrain. In the past, a faster rolling tyre was usually built around a lightweight XC carcass and there was always a risk that when mounted to the rear of a bike and used on more punishing trails they would be easily damaged. The Hardskin construction appears again with this tyre and squeezing the sidewall between finger and thumb shows a reassuringly robust (yet flexible) carcass. Good news, as drier conditions allow faster speeds and often harder impacts on and off rock and roots. Again, this tyre has grown up with rise of enduro racing and as such is offered in a higher volume 2.25″ width (as well as a 2.1″) as well as options for a regular compound tread or a Race Riposte (RR) XC version. Tubeless ready is a given on most versions of the Python 2, with Hutchinson making their own sealant too.

The tread on the Python 2 is an almost continuous alternating central tread, with a closely spaced shoulder of chamfered knobs for cornering grip. The main tread pattern has a higher profile than the semi slicks from Schwalbe, Specialized and Maxxis, with more ability to bite into loose ground and this along with a good outer edge of raised knobs should give the Python purpose in mixed terrain with careful tuning of air pressure.

A rear tyre only for us here at Dirt and one that should come into its own over the next few months. We’ll report back on this tyre and the rest of the Hutchinson rubber that we’ve got in to test.

PRICE: (27.5″ x 2.25″ RR ENDURO) £49.00

WEIGHT: 930g

hutchinsontires.com

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