Hutchinson Bicycle Tires Griffus 2019
Reviews / Tyres
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At a Glance
There was a time that most bikes on the trails would be shod in one of two or three brands of rubber, but we're well past that now with a plethora of brands and models to choose from. Hutchinson has aimed to produce a tyre for every type of hardpack and dry conditions imaginable. As they would say 'Dust, rocks, roots. nothing can resist the Griffus'.
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Coming in both 2.4 and 2.5, the Griffus has clearly had a design brief to work in the dry, but a quick look at the tread pattern shows it's going to be a pretty good all-round tyre. The 2.4 is faster rolling with a lower profile to the knobs and can be used as a front or rear depending on rider needs. The 2.5 version is not only wider but features larger knobs and a more spaced pattern to provide more bite. Again the 2.5 is front or rear capable, but for testing, we used a 2.5 rear and a 2.5 front.
The tyres are tubeless-ready of course and feature Huitchinsons Hard Skin technology which provides protection for the tyre. the rubber is their own RR Gravity compound which aims to be grippy but keeps rolling resistance low.
Weights are 1100g and 1050g for 2.5 and 2.4 respectively in 29er size and you can even get tan wall options if you like!
On The Trail
Both tyres responded well to tubeless set up, as one would expect these days and popped onto my wheelset easily. The profile of the 2.5 is pretty rounded in the sidewalls but the corner knobs protrude aggressively from the corners, it works best on rim widths of about 30mm. It's a confidence-inspiring tyre and looks ready to attack the trail. The rear 2.4 is less aggressive with closer spaced knobs and lower profile central tread to keep the rolling resistance down
Once on the trail, it was clear that the Griffus would work pretty well in a variety of conditions. Unable to find any dry conditions I just cracked on with my normal weather of wet to very wet rocks and loose ground. The 2.5 has plenty of bite and in loose conditions does a good job of initiating turns and giving confidence to push the front of the bike in and commit. The tackiness of the rubber further helped with confidence on wet bedrock and gave surprising amounts of friction.
Getting onto more rooty terrain the Griffus continued to impress and whilst I was hunting for dry trails it did a great job in the mud and wet roots. Whilst I wouldn't but this tyre specifically for the wet, It's certainly capable enough to not need a tyre swap every time it drizzles. although the centre tread isn't high profile the sides are, so keep turning in the mud and things felt ok.
Once I did get some dry conditions it was clear that the Griffus was at home and ready to fight hard for you in the loose dusty conditions I'm graced with a few times a year. Despite the sidewalls feeling soft and compliant, I've not managed to do any noticeable damage despite my best efforts, so top marks there.
The rear tyre was a bit less impressive than the front, but this was mostly in the wet where the application of the rear brake in a straight line did little to alter my speed, especially when it was steep. The centre profile has very little bite under braking, which is fine in the dry but a bit scary in the mud. however, being fair to the dry weather aims of the Griffus, it just needed to be ridden more like a semi-slick and once the corners were engaged, everything clicked and the grip was there.
As mentioned, the tyres haven't punctured, split or shown the slightest hint of weakness, but the soft compound is starting to show some wear after a couple of months. What little braking support there was on the back has been rounded, and corner knobs and looking worn with a few small chunks missing. This is to be expected with hard use and fortunately, none of them looks like they are going to be ripped off so there is plenty of life left in them.
Overall
Far more than just a dry weather tyre, the Griffus offers a great allrounder that can survive the wet but prefers to play in the sunshine where the trails and rough loose and rocky.
For more information visit Hutchinson Bicycle Tires Related
By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
