Featured User Review: Hutchinson Intensive Road Tubeless Tire
by dekindy

MSRP Price: $100.00
Overall Rating:
5 of 5
Value Rating:
5 of 5

Strengths:
Good ride, durable, and easy to mount and inflate if you follow the proper technique. Primary reason I switched is the stiffer sidewalk and lower possibility of tire coming off the rim during a blowout. Buddy just had a wreck due to a front tire regular clincher blowout and tire locked up in the forks causing him to wreck instantly. Stan's did not seal two punctures but Caffelatex sealed a recent puncture and retained enough air that I could finish the last few miles of a ride without having to deal with a flat on the road.

Weaknesses:
Prices have increased dramatically in 2012 as msrp is now close to $100 but since I get 3,000 miles on an Intensive rear, which is twice the mileage of a 4000s I am not complaining yet. Tires do cut but unless the casing is compromised it is only cosmetic so do not worry about it. Changing tire with sealant while on the road is messy.

Bottom Line:
A riding buddy that is very technical was quick to adopt road tubeless and also purchased the first generation 7800sl Dura Ace road tubeless specific rim. I watched as they worked well for him and purchased the second generation 7850sl in 2009 so I have 3 years experience. I have had two tires puncture on their initial ride which is very bad luck as I have only had 4 punctures in the last 3 years and I ride 4,000 outdoor miles per year. The first tire puncture was fairly high on the sidewall and patch held for 3,000 miles without incident. Second patched tire has held s psatch for over 2,000 miles and also has a second patch that is holding well. You can use any patch but be sure to use the Hutchinson glue. Since front tires last so long I installed Fusion 3 on the front to see if ride is even better. So far cannot tell a big difference and sure like the Intensive durability. As far as installation, if you make sure the bead is sealed around the stem and work both beads into the middle of the rim the tires will inflate with a floor pump. Have changed two tires on the road and have not experienced the difficulties others have indicated; I have weaker than average hands and used to have great difficulty installing any bicycle tire before I learned the proper technique.

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