Hutchinson Fusion 5 Galactik Tire Tubeless

When updating its Fusion 3 tire lineup for 2016, the French rubber masters over at Hutchinson chose to skip straight past four and instead christen their new line Fusion 5. Rather than a bold statement in post modernist self reflexivity, the move is actually in reference to the five characteristics they feel a tire needs to exhibit to achieve the best ride quality: grip, rolling performance, durability, puncture resistance, and comfort. Amongst the Fusion 5 line, the Galactik Tubeless Tire occupies the upper echelon, representing the thinnest, most pared down option for race day speed and resilience. Whether you're whirring around corners and riding at threshold on a closed criterium course or out in an open road race, Hutchinson makes sure that you'll be able to take the Galactik out without holding your breath and waiting for a flat. Though the Fusion 5 line does include an All Season tire option for more consistently challenging conditions, the Galactik is more than capable of managing its share of imperfect shoulders and road grit in a race, maintaining a low rolling resistance with a casing that's far from delicate. That casing is a 127 TPI carcass of densely woven threads that Hutchinson further reinforces with nylon puncture protection to create a plush ride with confidence inspiring durability. Guaranteeing a tire won't betray you in a race is impossible, but the Galactik's tubeless construction, smart composition, and Hutchinson pedigree make it something we'd be pretty confident taking to a starting line.