Hutchinson Atom Road Tubeless Clincher £34.99 each

The latest addition to Hutchinson’s now three-model stable of road tubeless tyres is the Atom. Like its Fusion 2 and Intensive siblings, the Atom uses a carbon-fibre bead to ensure a secure, air-tight fit along with ease of fitment; the carbon-fibre does not stretch appreciably as the tyre is inflated, allowing Hutchinson to manufacture a tyre with a less tight-fitting bead that nonetheless is tight enough to retain air.

Weight is a claimed 270g, making it the lightest of the three. Some of this is down to the fact that is is also, at 21mm section, the narrowest, but it also features a slick tread with less depth of rubber further to save weight.

Otherwise it is much like the others, with a ‘heavy’ feel in the packaging thanks to the layer of butyl rubber on the inside needed to make the carcass air tight.

The tread uses a single rubber compound mixed, according to the manufacturer, with a thermoplastic material for enhanced longevity. The carcass is built using a 127tpi fabric.

First impressions, gained during the Hutchinson Open Tour and at a Lydden Hill training session, are, as might be expected, of a lighter, bumpier-riding and less grippy version of the 23mm Fusion 2 RT. The narrow section cuts wind resistance and will make the Atom a fair TT choice once road tubeless deep rim TT wheels become widely used.

Sadly, the rear test tyre suffered a terminal sidewall cut during the Lydden session, which claimed several tyres by the same means thanks to the large stones scattered around the circuit. Impressively, it took a good 10 seconds to deflate despite the size of the hole and allowed the tester to ride safely back to the pits.