Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR road tyre review

The speedy Blackbird offers performance and durability in a tubeless-ready package

Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR tyre
Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR tyre
(Image credit: Tim Russon)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

Great performance and good promised durability make the Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR road tyre well worth a try if you like tubeless performance tyres but perhaps be prepared to put some effort into getting them to seal properly initially.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Easy to mount

  • +

    Lighter than billed

  • +

    Zippy feel

  • +

    Decent air retention once sealed

  • +

    Durability

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Struggled to hold air at first

  • -

    Limited sizes available

  • -

    Not quite as plush as some tyres

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Hutchinson’s new Blackbird Racing Lab TLR road tire replaces the Fusion 5 Performance, which was a decent all-rounder but I rarely saw one out on the road compared with the performance models from Continental, Vittoria or Pirelli. The Blackbird, presumably named after the exceedingly rapid Lockheed SR-71 plane rather than the familiar garden bird, is an all-new design that is claimed to be much quicker than the old tire yet offers excellent longevity at up to 4,000km. 

Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR: Construction

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Tim Russon

Tim Russon is a writer and photographer who has worked in the outdoor and cycling industry for over 20 years. He can’t remember a time when he didn’t own a bike and has road, gravel, mountain and retro bikes in the shed. His favourite place to ride is the Dolomites, a simply stunning area which has breathtaking views and incredible roads combined with lovely food and great wine.

He prefers long, hot climbs in the big mountains, but as he lives on the edge of the Peak District he has to make do with short, cold climbs most of the time instead.

With contributions from