Goodyear Optigrip

Conscript · 29 Oct 2008 at 12:02

I was browsing through the Telegraph magazine this morning when I came across an advert for a potentially interesting new tyre design from Goodyear called Optigrip. Apparently, its a specially designed tyre that exposes a different tread compound as it wears down, the idea being that it essentially loses hardly any performance over time and should theoretically have better worn perofrmance than some brand new competitor tyres (albeit,t hey didn't state which ones). Anyone else heard anything about this product yet? I did a quick Google and about the only further information I could find was here, a short review of the tyre.

What do you think....interesting new design, or clever marketing disguised in claims of revolutionary technology?

Conscript · 29 Oct 2008 at 12:55

Also, more info on the official site, which wasn't working when I first posted.

Jono · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:49

That *is* interesting...wonder how much they'll cost comapred to F1 Asymmetrics.

[TW]Fox · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:50

Looks more like a midrange Hydragrip replacement.

esK` · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:51

Was at fleet services the other day and saw a billboard promoting the "fuel saver" tyre ? how does that work ?

OllyM · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:51

Lower rolling resistance = higher fuel economy.

However as a side affect of this they generally have less grip.

esK` · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:53

Cheers olly i think i get what your saying

Conscript · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:55

[TW]Fox;12792860 said:
Looks more like a midrange Hydragrip replacement.

Indeed, wouldn't imagine its aimed at the performance market.

Lowe · 29 Oct 2008 at 13:57

OllyM said:
Lower rolling resistance = higher fuel economy.

However as a side affect of this they generally have less grip.

Pretty sure I read recently that they don't have any less grip, it's just a different design.

[TW]Fox · 29 Oct 2008 at 14:00

Lowe said:
Pretty sure I read recently that they don't have any less grip, it's just a different design.

Of course they have less grip, they are a harder compound.

Stop from 100mph on a set of Michelin Energy Fuel Savers and do the same with a set of Pilot Sport 2's and tell me they dont have less grip.

Lowe · 29 Oct 2008 at 15:46

[TW]Fox;12792948 said:
Of course they have less grip, they are a harder compound.

Stop from 100mph on a set of Michelin Energy Fuel Savers and do the same with a set of Pilot Sport 2's and tell me they dont have less grip.

Fox, be sensible here, comparing a performance tyre to a fuel saver isn't exactly fair though is it. Compare like for like and there's not *that* much difference. The fuel savers on my wife's Saxo run around are the Avon CR322's, and compared to similar tyres of their size/spec the difference in grip is minimal. Hell, Caterham use them for their race series.

Coming back off the tangent, the Goodyear looks like an interesting tyre, will await some more independent reviews.

Jonnycoupe · 29 Oct 2008 at 16:11

Lowe said:
Fox, be sensible here, comparing a performance tyre to a fuel saver isn't exactly fair though is it..

Yeah ones biased to grip the other towards rolling resistance. Which kinda makes your statement in post #9 not true doesnt it. Control tyres rarely are the best tyre, in that caterham series if they are used in OEM applications then it means the smaller wallets in the field are better matched to the big boys.