The Hutchinson Overide is a tyre designed for gravel riding that takes in a considerable amount of tarmac, and its performance on both surfaces is impressive. Even though it’s not one of the most extreme off-road options, it is definitely one of the best gravel tyres for bikepacking and all-around gravel riding.
Hutchinson Overide gravel tyre - Technical details
Hutchinson's hardpack and tarmac all-rounder gravel tyre Overide comes in four widths catering for the different needs of gravel riders. The narrowest 35mm size is ideal for more pavement use or perhaps commuting, with a fast-rolling semi-slick centre section and diamond-shaped side knobs for cornering traction. From 38mm up, the slick centre is changed to a pebbled centre tread that Hutchinson says offers better grip in loose conditions.
>Buy the Hutchinson Overide from Wiggle for £29
The Overide comes with bead-to-bead Hardskin flat protection and is offered both tubeless-ready and tubed. The tubeless options are made with Hutchinson's bi-compound, which means that the side and centre of the tyre are made of slightly different materials. The flexible side compound reinforces the grip and deformation, and a harder central compound improves rolling performance.
The colour options are black, and tan sidewalls are available for the 38mm wide option and the only 650b option in 48mm width. The tyre has a claimed weight of 400g.
Hutchinson Overide gravel tyre - Performance
It’s been a good while since I’ve had a tyre narrower than 40mm fitted on my bike and, at first, looking at the 38mm, black Overide tyre made me feel like there was something missing, with what looked like a whopping amount of extra frame clearance. But once I got on the trails, this tyre quickly made me like - and even love - it.
Falling in love with the Overide started with the easy set-up. It seated on the rim beautifully, and in no time with just a track pump, and there was very minimal sidewall sealant loss after the initial set-up.
When riding, my bike no longer felt like a tractor on the tarmac and it remained surprisingly comfortable on the off-road trails, too. I am not saying that the Overide offers the same level of grip - especially in the wet - as a knobbly 45mm tyre, but it got me around my local blue trails and smoother gravel roads very comfortably. And that is what it's made for.
The rather low tread pattern does not gain much traction in mud or grass, but if you are lucky enough to have some hard-packed gravel around you, I found these tyres excellent. And let’s be honest, most UK gravel riding includes a hefty amount of tarmac every time, unless you drive to the start point, so Hutchinson has pretty much nailed the target market here.
The bi-compound of the tyre is really grippy and I felt it was more confidence-inspiring on corners than some of the wider tyres I've ridden. The transition between the more traction-inspiring side tread and the centre is rather unnoticeable and smooth, and you simply feel the tyre maintaining grip when you lean into a corner - both on tarmac and gravel. Tyre pressure helps with this: the tubeless-ready 38mm version I was testing has a minimum pressure of 43psi, which for me (at 52kg) is relatively high, and I found that I definitely preferred the feeling of something closer to 35psi.
The Hardskin bead-to-bead casing in these tyres claims to offer additional protection from punctures, and it really worked as during the testing period, I had zero punctures and the tyres barely show any signs of wear despite having gone through some questionable bin alleys and paths filled with thorns. And, I hate to say it, but I am very prone to slitting tyre sidewalls but did not manage that with these tyres!
Hutchinson Overide gravel tyre - Verdict
The Overide is a perfect tyre for bikepacking or for your commuter bike that you sometimes want to take on the trails. It offers plenty of grip, puncture resistance and comfort and because it is available in multiple sizes, you can choose the width based on the tarmac-gravel ratio of your rides.
It's not the only all-road gravel tyre in the market. Panaracer's Gravel King SK is one with similar qualities, as is Vittoria Terreno, and the Continental Terra Speed is definitely matching the Overide in grip. But in terms of price, the Overide comes in at £43 a pop, whereas Gravel King SK is £45 and the Terra Speed is considerably more expensive at £66. But based on the durability and the performance of the Overide this far, I argue it is really good value for money.
