What are your ROAD tyre recommendations and sizes?

What are your ROAD tyre recommendations and sizes?

Author
Discussion

mikeinsheffield

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

184 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Hi Guys,

I was hoping for your thoughts on replacement tyres for 18" spiders for ROAD use....

I've only ran Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics on mine over the last 5 1/2 years, and have been pretty happy with them as a ROAD tyre.

Had been running 255 / 35 rears with 225 / 35 fronts.

When I last replaced them, I went up a size on the fronts to 235 / 40 in order to try and get a slightly larger footprint for turn in grip, and also a slightly taller sidewall for the miniscule effect on comfort... There has been some minor rubbing on full lock under load, e.g. tight roundabout, but nothing of concern.

My driving is mostly on the road, I do the TVRCC track day once per year so track performance isn't of primary concern for me. Besides, I've just purchased a second set of spiders so could always go down the sticky tyres on second set of wheels option if needed (what are you recommendations for a sticky road and track tyre?).

I'm interested in a fast ROAD tyre, as I want something that will work in three seasons (therefore give grip when the temperatures aren't at summer peaks), cope with the wet without spitting me off the road, deal with bumpy / sh!te road surfaces (I drive a lot in the Peaks and Derbyshire where the road surfaces are far from perfect), and give decent all round performance. I'm not too bothered about longevity as grip is more important.

Has anyone tried the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetric 2's ??
What elso would you guys recommend?

Thanks for your comments.


gruffalo

7,509 posts

225 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
For a sticky three season tyre I use the Kumho V70 trackday tyre. They are noisy, have very stiff side walls but they last OK a when warm they grip like nothing else I have found.

In the wet they are OK, they don't have huge tread so not that keen on standing water but other wise quite good.

Good Points:
Grip - Huge
Feel - you can almost tell what brand of fag butt you have just run over
Grip - Massive

Bad Points
Noisy - Cerbs are
Tram line - Cerbs do this anyway but these tyres make it more pronounced
Rough Ride - the side wall does not give so if you have adjustable dampers back them off a few notches.

Sorry, forgot to add that I am on 17" wheels, 255/40 rear and 235/40 fronts.

fr0zent0ast

697 posts

146 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
My comments may be totally invalid as I run 17" RL's but I really rate the Toyo Proxes on mine......

jamieduff1981

8,022 posts

139 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Mine is on 17" Eagle Assymetric 2s on the rear. The only ones that fit the fronts are just Assymetrics though. I've no plans to change them on my road wheels.

mikeinsheffield

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

184 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Cheers guys for your quick replies.

Standing water... what tyres do like that? I have had a few butt-clenching moments hitting standing water on the motorway in the Cerb...

But forgive my initial scepticism Gruffalo but I don't think that for a ROAD tyre I'm looking for an ultragrippy road legal trackday tyre... From my experience with Motorbikes, the track oriented tyres generally take far too long to warm up to optimal operating temperature on the road, therefore (perversely) offer LESS grip in typical road conditions unless continually pushed hard... On motorbikes I have tended to go for the sporty end of sports-touring rubber (Michelin Pilot Road 2s) that offer plently of grip int he dry, but warm up fairly fast and work in cooler conditions (e.g. spring and autumn).

I think that I'm looking for this type of performance for a car tyre.... Not too worried about outright grip at the cost of everything else, as I'm not looking to shave a few tenths off my lap time, but a good all round grippy road tyre....


Gazzab

21,061 posts

281 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
I hate my 40s on the front. Have toyo all round and don't really like them that much. So hope to at least replace the fronts with 35s

assynt road

378 posts

186 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
I used 18"Falken FK452's for around four years on my spiders and always been impressed with the grip in the wet and the dry for that matter, but I don't tend to push things to the limit. I don't know if they're still available though.

Englishman

2,215 posts

209 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
I'm running Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics 2 255/35 on the rear and 225/35 Asymetrics on the front, both Y rated as I couldn't get Y rated 2's in that size for the front a few months ago. Perfectly happy. Unless Goodyear start doing Y rated 225/35's again though, I may well try something else next time as don't want to change tyre profiles.

Byker28i

58,831 posts

216 months

Saturday 2nd August 2014
quotequote all
Goodyear F1's for me on RL17's. 235/40 front, 255/40 rear. No rubbing with those.
For me I think the amount of tyre to wheel looks right, and these tyres give me consistent, confident grip in all weathers.

Mr Cerbera

5,031 posts

229 months

Sunday 3rd August 2014
quotequote all
Another vote for Proxes from me.

They run unbelievably quietly - which is a big positive for 35 profile.
They hang on brilliantly in the wet.
They are superbly progressive.
BB turns-in better than my old Lotus Esprit.

When they used to exist, I ran Michelin TX11/ TX23 Hi Sports on my Suzy GSXR and they were
THE BEST TYRES
ever made for a motorcycle (but they stopped making them in 18").

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Sunday 3rd August 11:17

jackwibble

664 posts

158 months

Sunday 3rd August 2014
quotequote all
Toyo T1 Sport good in all conditions standard sizes on mine

ukkid35

6,138 posts

172 months

Sunday 3rd August 2014
quotequote all
I have Eagle GSD3 on the front of my car, they are definitely ROAD tyres, although these are on 17" RL7s not Spiders. I really can't fault them, even though my car is only used to/from/on track. And they were just £35 each used off eBay.

I'm trying to replace them with AD08s costing £170 each (to match the rears) but wondering whether I'll notice the difference (if they ever become available in 235/40/17).

Mr Cerbera

5,031 posts

229 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
ukkid35 said:
I have Eagle GSD3 on the front of my car, they are definitely ROAD tyres, although these are on 17" RL7s not Spiders. I really can't fault them, even though my car is only used to/from/on track. And they were just £35 each used off eBay....
Hi Paul,

What sort of state were they in when you got 'em off eBay ?
Ta !

Paul

900T-R

20,404 posts

256 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta are the type of tyre that you're (wisely) after and the seem to get good press from fellow Tivvers running 18" wheels... smile

Gazzab

21,061 posts

281 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
They dont do a 225 35 18 from what I can see....? But for those who like the 40s on the front then that looks like a good option.

mikeinsheffield

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

184 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
I hate my 40s on the front. Have toyo all round and don't really like them that much. So hope to at least replace the fronts with 35s
Hi Gary,
What was your major issue?
Did you get lots of rubbing?
(Why did typing that sentance bring to mind images of Vic Reeves looking at female guests ....?)

mikeinsheffield

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

184 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for your thoughts guys.

Cerb booked in for MOT on Monday (fingers crossed...) and with 2-3mm on all four tyres, although they will (should?) be an MOT pass, I deffo need a new set of boots v v v soon.

Looks like Goodyear Eagle F1's or Toyo Proxes are preferred options - I will look into availabilty for both....

Is it only Gary (Gazzab) and myself that went up a size on the fronts?
I didn't get much rubbing (oo-er) as my OP stated.... just wondering what anyone else felt with that size?


Gazzab

21,061 posts

281 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
For me the 40s clearance to rear of front lower wheel arch is too tight. The car couldn't be lowered at the front as I would like. It rubs in full lock. The tyre is better over rough terrain but it feels a little bouncy compared to 35s

Ireland

3,516 posts

213 months

Thursday 7th August 2014
quotequote all
I've got another type of tyre altogether on my Elise and my GP Mini that might be worth looking at ... Semperit SpeedLife

They are certainly up to the job and were very capable on the Elise last year in Scotland when I had no bother staying with a Murcialago, a few Ferraris, a few Porsches and a Caterham on the roads from Inverness to John O Groats and all around the Applecross area and on the Military Road

I've not got them on the Cerb though but if it doesn't sell and if it needs tyres I'd have a punt on them on it

Price was around €125 each and that was for both the 15" and 16" on the Elise and for the 18" on the Mini

I've used one or the other of those cars in all sorts of weather and had no issues with them

They also seem to be wearing well and certainly seem to be lasting way better that the Continental ContiSport on herselfs VRS

As for sizes on the Cerb I certainly wouldn't go with a wide tyre on the front again, I had major tram lining issues with anything wider than the stock 225 so that's what I've gone back to and are the widest I'd put on it

Jhonno

5,762 posts

140 months

Thursday 7th August 2014
quotequote all
IMO and in multiple tyre tests, you can't really beat the Goodyear for road use.