HUTCHINSON FUSION 5

£39.95 Tubeless-ready 25mm tyre made in France

Described as a tyre that’s ideal for cyclists wanting to go ‘fast and far’, the tubelessready Fusion 5 Peformance 11 Storm features Kevlar reinforcement under the tread that promises a lifespan of up to 4,000km. This combines with Hutchinson’s ElevenStorm compound. Compared to the previous version without ElevenStorm, it was shown to improve rolling resistance by 14%, durability by 19% and wet grip by 11% in tests at the independent Wheel Energy Lab in Finland.

We’d no problems fitting our 25mm test tyres to our wheels, finding them to be supple and the bead not too tough, and managed to get both tyres fitted and set up tubeless with sealant inside in about 20mins. On the road the Fusion 5 has the feeling of a race tyre that’s on the tougher side; not as buttery smooth as a dedicated TT tyre that’s all about speed, yet faster than a typical all-season option. They inspired confidence in wet and icy conditions, and feel impressively grippy when cornering. For training on the road year-round and racing on rough British roads, we think it’s the ideal in-between and a tyre you won’t need to swap out for over a year unless you clock up serious annual mileage.

The Fusion 5 is also available in a bundle for £99, so that’s two tyres with tubeless sealant, valves, valve core removers and rim tape so you’ve everything you need to go tubeless, providing you have a tubeless-ready wheelset. If you want to go wider, there are also 28mm and 30mm options. windwave.co.uk