Hutchinson's New Gravel Tires Want You to Stop Using One Tire for Everything
Hutchinson's new Touareg Race and GS gravel tires borrow tech from the Caracal Race. Fast on paper, but the system approach means more swapping.
Hutchinson just dropped three new gravel tires built around a simple premise: most gravel races don't need a single do-it-all tire. They need a system. The Touareg Race, Touareg Race GS, and Caracal Race GS are designed to cover 90% of gravel racing conditions—if you're willing to swap based on terrain.
The Touareg Race is the headline here. It borrows the Mach Tread 3.0 compound from the Caracal Race (independently verified as the fastest gravel tire by Bicycle Rolling Resistance) and drops it into the proven Touareg tread pattern. Hutchinson claims 35% lower rolling resistance compared to the old Hardskin version, thanks to the SwiftEasy casing and improved rebound. It starts at 480g in a 40mm. The pitch: pair a Touareg Race up front for grip and control, Caracal Race in back for speed. That's their 90% solution.
The GS versions (Touareg Race GS and Caracal Race GS) add GridSkin—a knitted mesh reinforcement layer borrowed from Hutchinson's road range. It's meant to isolate cuts and prevent sidewall tears on rocky courses without tanking rolling resistance. Here's the catch: you're paying €5 more per tire and adding a bit of weight for protection you may not need on smoother gravel. If your local races are hardpack or dirt roads, skip the GS. If you're racing sharp limestone or desert rock, it's probably worth it.
All three are now available in 50mm widths, which aligns with the trend toward higher volume and wider rims. Tubeless-ready, hand-built in France, priced at €59.89 for the Race and €64.89 for the GS versions. Not available in North America yet, which is frustrating if you're stateside and want to test the claimed speed gains.
I haven't put miles on these yet, but the spec that matters is the compound and casing combo—if the Caracal Race data holds, the Touareg Race should be legitimately fast. What I can't verify: whether the front/rear pairing actually delivers in mixed conditions, or if you'll end up swapping tires more than you'd like. If you race gravel seriously and already rotate tires by course, this makes sense. If you want one tire for everything, look elsewhere.
