First Ride: Goodyear Eagle F1 Road tubeless tires

THE PRESS RELEASE

Goodyear Bicycle Tires has expanded its road bicycle tire offering with the launch of additional models to the existing Ultra-High Performance Road range, for the highest level of performance and competition, along with a new range of High-Performance Eagle Sport tires. First launched in 2018 with an official licensed partner, Rubber Kinetics, Goodyear’s brand presence continues to make an impact within the global cycling market. The additions include Tubeless Complete models of the Ultra-High Performance Eagle F1 and Eagle F1 SuperSport models along and the all-new Vector 4Seasons.

Incorporating leading-edge technology in tread compound development as well as our construction methods, the Goodyear Ultra-High Performance Road range of tires are designed to allow riders to reach the highest levels of performance:
• Eagle F1: All-round road race tire performance for enthusiasts and racers.
• Eagle F1 SuperSport: Developed to optimize rolling resistance and weight for road race, time trial and triathlon competition.
• Vector 4Seasons: Utilizing the latest developments in materials and construction methods the Vector 4Seasons optimizes performance across a wider range of conditions.

The new Goodyear High-Performance Road collection is a new segment in the Goodyear line-up and is currently comprised of the Eagle Sport model, which is all-new for August 2020.
• Eagle Sport: Designed to balance multi-condition grip and robust durability to deliver day-in, day-out precision and control at every turn in an economical package.

The new Ultra-High Performance Road models feature the latest in technology advancements from Goodyear Bicycle Tires, including:
• Tubeless Complete: A multi-compound material layer added to our high-pressure Road-UHP tire casing allowing for improved air retention while providing additional puncture and cut protection with minimal increases in weight.
• Dual Angle Bead: A proprietary bead design provides a better initial seal against the rim bed for tubeless setup while also providing superior air retention at full inflation pressures.
• Forward Facing Fitment: Designed for use with modern rim widths, the tire maintains the correct casing shape and tread cap positioning resulting in a faster, more comfortable ride.

The full range of Goodyear road bicycle tires is comprised of 26 models that cater to a variety of bicycle rim sizes and rider needs. They are also designed with Goodyear Bike’s forward-facing fitment ethos to help ensure each tire profile is efficient and stable when mounted on today’s rims.

THE NEW SELECTION

EAGLE F1 SuperSport

A light-weight race-day tire. 10% lighter-weight than the Eagle F1. Uses the same Dynamic: GSR rubber compound and the same R: Shield anti-puncture belt, but it’s narrower on the SuperSport. The tread cap is also narrower.

Eagle F1 SuperSport
NEW Tubeless Complete: 25mm and 28mm $65
Tube type: 23mm, 25mm, 28mm $60

EAGLE F1

All-day Ultra-High. Same price breakdown as the F1 SuperSport. Shares technologies with the F1 SuperSport, but uses a wider tread cap, with a size-specific R: Shield, and more siping on the tread cap shoulders for better grip in the wet.

Eagle F1
NEW Tubeless Complete 25mm, 28mm $65 and 30mm, 32mm $70
Tube type 23mm, 25mm, 28mm $60 and 30mm, 32mm $65

Eagle F1 Tan-Wall
NEW Tube type 25mm, 28mm $60

VECTOR 4SEASONS

The ALL-NEW Vector 4Seasons brings an ultra-high performance to every rides with a reinforced R: Armor casing and the super-sticky Dynamic: Silica4 compound. Still uses the R: Shield puncture belt, it’s 30mm on all Vector 4Seasons tires.

Vector 4Seasons
NEW Tubeless Complete 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, 32mm $70
NEW Tube type 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, 32mm $65

EAGLE SPORT

More puncture resistant. 60 TPI. Very affordable. Part of the Goodyear High-Performance range, and not the Ultra-High Performance range like the other three tire models here.

Eagle Sport
NEW Tube type 25mm, 28mm $30

THE FIRST RIDE

Installation

To start things off the install went fairly easy. The tires were a bit tight but nothing proper technique and finger strength couldn’t handle. The bead of the tire is a bit bulky so a rime with a wide channel would make things easier. Thanks to the tight fit, inflating and getting the bead on the bead shelf was easy. A few quick pumps of the floor pump got the first on quick and a burst of compressed air got the second on.

We seated both tires on our Enve 45 Foundation wheels without sealant to start. The 45 Foundation wheels have a 21mm internal width with a hookless bead and should pair perfect with the 28mm tires. After getting them seated and making sure things fit well we put about 1.75oz of sealant in through the valve stem after removing the valve. Overall the whole set up start to finish took about 15 min.

On The Road

The expectations for these tires were pretty high since the original Eagle All-Season tires performed excellently. The new offerings and their tubeless nature were a bit more difficult to mount than the tube type. On the road, the traction is very good with very little debris attraction. The 28mm tires measured in at their labeled size on both 19 and 21mm internal width rims. The tread is minimal, just the way we like it on the road, offering more rubber on the ground. Using the TyreWiz app to get a pressure starting point, we did the majority of our 28mm tire testing at 58-65psi.

We have gotten about 400 miles in on the tires and they are holding up great. There has been very little air loss between rides and other than a bit of dirt splatter they show little signs of wear. We have gone through plenty of glass without a puncture or signs of embedded elements. Rough roads have been a delight with the supple sidewalls. Overall this is a tire that is sitting pretty high on the road tubeless list so far.

For more information about Goodyear Bicycle Tires and its products, go to www.goodyearbike.com