CX/Gravel Tire Test: Hutchinson Caracal TLR 40

Hutchinson has introduced both the Caracal Race (read our review) and the regular Caracal this year; at first glance, there is very little difference between these tires. When we look at the two tires side by side, they appear identical except for the labeling, and we can imagine that this might be confusing for many people. Our tests indicate massive differences between the Caracal in Race version and the regular Caracal.

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Even when we examine the specifications of both tires, we don't see significant differences at first glance. Both tires have a 127 TPI tubeless-ready casing and weigh 475 grams in the 40-622 version. However, upon closer inspection of the casings, we see that the Race version has a "Swift Easy" casing, while the regular Caracal features the more common "Hardskin" casing by Hutchinson.

What also becomes clear from the specifications is that the Caracal Race comes with Hutchinson's state-of-the-art "Mach Tread 3.0" compound, while the Caracal has to rely on Hutchinson's well-known "Bi-Compound." Our tests show massive differences between the two tires, with the Caracal Race being superior in almost every aspect.

This test also clearly demonstrates that the old belief that a faster compound has less grip is not always true. We see with the Caracal (Race) that a more advanced compound has lower rolling resistance and offers more grip on our wet test surface.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Hutchinson
Model	Caracal TLR
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	PV532781
EAN	3248382096236
TPI	127
Compound	Bi-compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	475 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	51
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c)

Hutchinson Caracal TLR 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	475 grams
Measured Weight	477 grams
Measured Width Casing	39 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	40 mm
Measured Height	36 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.2 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.80 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	39 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (50 psi / 3.4 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (42 psi / 2.9 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (33 psi / 2.3 bar)	26.3 Watts CRR: 0.00788
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (25 psi / 1.7 bar)	33.3 Watts CRR: 0.00998
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	41 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.80 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	71 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.2 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

After our excitement over the Caracal Race (read our review), which we declared in our review as the fastest gravel bike tire on the market, the regular Caracal is a significant disappointment. The Caracal is inferior in nearly every aspect, with just a single bright spot regarding both the puncture resistance of the tread and the sidewalls, where the Caracal performs slightly better.

We find the difference in the rolling resistance tests particularly shocking, as we see at the lowest tire pressure that the rolling resistance of the regular Caracal is double that of the Caracal Race. The Caracal performs adequately in the wet grip tests, but the Caracal Race again proves to be significantly better with a superior score.

If you care about performance, go for the Caracal Race and forget the regular Caracal.

Compare the Hutchinson Caracal and Caracal Race on our comparison section.

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RATING: 2.7 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Not Recommended

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