what makes one tyre better than another?

[MondeoGhiaX]

what is it that actually makes a good tyre?

 

surely they are all constructed the same way - no secrets in tyre technology anymore are there? the tread patterns are visible and easily copied. is there any difference in where the rubber is sourced and moulded?

 

so why does one tyre grip better, brake better, last longer, run quieter, get more mpg than its competitor?

 

and why does one cost say £30 and another £90. what is the real difference, apart from the price?

 

what do you reckon?

[Fargo]

"what makes one tyre better than another"

 

the car its on. :)

[Sagitar]

what is it that actually makes a good tyre?

 

surely they are all constructed the same way - no secrets in tyre technology anymore are there? the tread patterns are visible and easily copied. is there any difference in where the rubber is sourced and moulded?

 

so why does one tyre grip better, brake better, last longer, run quieter, get more mpg than its competitor?

 

and why does one cost say £30 and another £90. what is the real difference, apart from the price?

 

what do you reckon?

 

People have earned PhDs trying to answer questions simpler than that.

 

There are so many variables in tyre design and so many compromises between them that an infinite number of solutions is possible. Lots of the desirable characteristics are in contradiction one with another, so it depends upon which compromises best suit a particular application.

 

As for price, it's subject to all the normal market variables. It will be subject to some extent to the cost of materials and manufacture, but will also be affected by the size of the market, the numbers sold and the popularity of a particular tyre.

 

Try googling on tyre research or tyre design variables to get some idea of the complexity of the subject.

[LexSport]

There are many factors AFAIK, mostly trade-offs. The compound of the rubber can be soft to give good grip or hard to give longevity. The construction can have plenty of sidewall stiffness to give good handling or less so to give a more comfortable ride. The tread pattern can be designed to have minimum movement to give good handling, best water dispersal for wet weather performance or to make them quiet (drive at 30 with Yoko AO48's and you'll see how much difference it can make!) Price will be affected by the quality and quantity of materials used, demand, volume produced, etc.

 

So, you could buy a small tyre with a hard compound rubber, soft construction made in it's millions to a "normal" design in the far east that will last for ever, but not necessarily give you much grip or feel. Alternatively, you could spend more on a soft compound, race carcass style tyre made in much smaller volume in a European or Japanese factory that has had much more spent on R&D to come up with an advanced design that'll go around the track several seconds quicker and give much more feedback.

[Tony]

Another factor relating to the end price of a new tyre is the development/advertising costs

[MondeoGhiaX]

a complex subject obviously.

 

with the need for four new tyres approaching, i have been scouring the net trying to find the best tyre for me - and getting nowhere! these customer review sites are all well and good, but they just leave you more confused. person A says his budgets are the best tyre he's ever bought, while person B says they are complete crap. Person C's premium brand have lasted ages, while person D's same tyres only lasted 5,000 miles bla bla bla..

 

whatever i buy i am going to be stuck with for a year or two. i am determined to make an effort to try something different this time, and not just whatever kwakfit happen to have on special offer at the time, which is what normally happens.

 

at the end of the day i suppose i just want a good tyre at a cheap price, like everyone else.

 

cheers all.