For some reason, the "classic" tan wall of these tires were much, much harder to mount on my Roval wheels than the same exact tire I bought last year that was in a different color (black). Makes no sense to me either.
Black tires, mounted both in 45 minutes. These classic tan wall tires? Took me a day and a half. Not joking.
But the tires are excellent once mounted, extremely durable and puncture proof and the rolling resistance is right up there with the very best I've used in that regard (GP5000).
1) For all their many virtues, Conti GP5000s make a roadside flat a crisis: "Will I be able to get this OFF the rim and then get it back ON before I freeze to death?".
2) I'm not sold on tubeless. I run TPU tubes year-round and average one flat every two years riding 3-5k miles a year. I replace tires frequently enough that they are never worn or degraded and ride on familiar roads, paved trails. IMHO, tubeless is just too complicated with little discernable advantage.
3) I HATE wrestling tubeless tires onto carbon wheels!
I gave these Goodyears a try and they immediately won me over --they are EASY to install. Next, with a little soapy water sprayed along the bead and 80 PSI they popped into place and ran true. The ride is the equivalent to the Vittoria Corsa N.EXT -- which is to say: very good training tire.
I prefer Vittoria Corsa Pro or Veloflex for race tires, but they don't wear as long and are a bit more delicate for daily riding on public roads, so I reserve those for specific rides.
Overall, the Goodyear Eagle F1 R tube type is an excellent tire -- especially for higher mileage volume where the possibility of a flat far from home is higher and you need to be able to remove and remount in short order.
I commute at not great hours of the day, in all sorts of weather. One thing I don't need to deal with is a flat. I usually use the Cinturato Velo, which is one of the worst feeling tires I've ridden, but in terms of what I need it to do, it's awesome. But, I was wondering if I needed to go that nuts on a tire.
This all season tire seems to be a good balance between a performance tire, and a bombproof tire. I can also tell you, it's super easy to mount, did it with my fingers, but of note I can get a GP5K S TR on with my hands. The Cinturato though, that thing is impossible, and what I always worried about is at 4am, in the dark, in the cold, that it flats on me, and I can't get the tire plugged, and then can't get it off the rim easily out in the field.
This seems to be more day to day usable, which I do like. It rolls faster too than the Cinturato, that thing is SLOW. The 4S tire is also pretty comfy, not GP5K comfy, nor GP5K fast, but I wreck those tires on day to day miles, not worth it.
I recently put the Tufo Gravel Thundero tires (700x40mm, tubeless ready) to the test on the challenging gravel roads of Patagonia, Arizona. Mounted on my Open Upper with Enve 3.4 700c all-road wheels, these tires proved to be a reliable and versatile option for a variety of terrain.
Tufo markets the Thundero as a 'universal tire for those who don't want to think about where to go,' and for the most part, they lived up to that promise. On groomed gravel and even some surprisingly chunky sections, the Thunderos excelled. They provided a comfortable and confident ride, absorbing bumps and maintaining traction. I was particularly impressed with their grip on climbs, both long, sustained ascents and short, punchy efforts. They felt responsive and efficient, allowing me to power through demanding sections of the Spirit World 50, Organ Pipe, and other local routes I tackled.
However, the Thunderos did reveal a weakness in sandy conditions. While the majority of the terrain was handled with aplomb, the tire's outer edge struggled to find purpose in loose sand. This resulted in a noticeable lack of bite, making it difficult to maintain a consistent line and requiring extra effort to regain traction. It's worth noting that sandy conditions can be challenging for any tire, especially a 40mm, but I found the Thunderos to be less effective than I'd hoped in these situations.
Pros:
Excellent performance on groomed and chunky gravel.
Impressive grip on climbs.
Comfortable and responsive ride.
Tubeless ready.
True to size 40mm.
Cons:
Limited traction in sandy conditions, particularly on the outer edge.
