Goodyear Eagle F1, Tube Type, 700x28 review

High prices and more comfort

I am a big fan of the German-made Continental Grand Prix 5000 tires, especially the 25mm version that I've frequently used. These tires are outstanding, offering superior quality, simple installation, and impressive performances in both dry and wet conditions. Unfortunately, like many other things, their prices increased ridiculously, for the price of one GP5000 tire, my wife can almost buy a car tire! This prompted me to search for more affordable alternatives without compromising on quality. I know that the road surfaces in Taiwan, where I live, are not ideal, so I need some of the better tires.

Getting online for information on wider tires, the data suggested that the 28mm are not slower than the 25mm narrower ones but offer improvement in comfort. So I thought, I'd try to kill two birds (cheaper price and more comfort) with one stone, and searched online. I discovered a deal for Goodyear Eagle F1 OEM tires (wrapped in plastic, without the original packaging). The prices seemed unbelievably low, so I purchased one pair (two tires) of full black 28mm tires to reduce the shipping costs.

Goodyear Eagle F1 landed!

Goodyear Bicycle Tires

It's obvious that most consumers connect the Goodyear brand with car tires, as the company has supplied and sponsored all major car races and racing series. Interestingly, 'the Goodyear name initially appeared on a bicycle tire as early as 1898! The company builds on this experience with a consistent goal: to provide superior performance. At their specialized bicycle tire facility in Taiwan, the tires are designed, developed, and manufactured to achieve this goal: top-level performance'.

Technical Details

Tire Name: Eagle F1, Tube Type

Size: 700x28 (28-622), the tire measures 27.5mm on my 20mm wide alloy rim.

Max. Pressure: 120tpi

Sidewall Color: black

Bead: Folding

Weight: 235g (manufacturer's weight), weighed: 224 grams

Country of Production: Taiwan

Goodyear Eagle F1 Clincher Bicycle Tire

Montage

By following the rotation direction indicated on the sidewall, I lined the center of the white Goodyear letters with the valve hole on the rim. The installation was smooth, even with the delicate latex inner tubes—I only needed one tire lever to fit the tire onto the final section of the rim. Once I inflated to the pressure specified on its sidewall, the tire seated itself correctly on the wheel.

My Shimano 105 R7000 and Ultegra R8000 rim brakes are officially designed for tires up to 28mm. The entire rear wheel with my new wider tires fitted perfectly on both my endurance and road bike, providing enough space in the rear frame triangle and in the rim brake.

Ride quality

When testing the Goodyear Eagle F1 28mm tires with a Vittoria 25/28-622 latex inner tube for the first time, I was impressed by the significantly smoother and quieter ride. The wider rear tire effectively absorbed more bumps and cracks in the road than the narrower tires, enhancing the comfort and my confidence, even on minor road debris. The tire's cornering performance was similar to that of my 25mm tires, while the wider tires felt more supple and reassuring.

In rainy and wet conditions, the handling was comparable to my previous tires. The tires maintained very good grip on wet roads and road markings, I never felt any slipperiness even on my rear tire. Even my rim brakes provided a good feedback on the tires' performance in wet conditions.

Plus:

-good priced

-easy to mount, good fit on alloy rims

-low rolling resistance

-lightweight, weighted: 224g/tire for the 28mm tire

-good quality (made in Taiwan)

Negative:

- none so far

Conclusion

Based on my experiences, the Goodyear Eagle F1 clincher tires are high-quality, capable, and reliable, offering a reasonably lightweight ride. After riding several hundred kilometers on the less-than-ideal roads of Taiwan, I have yet to discover any weaknesses. Switching from 25mm to slightly wider 28mm tires made them so comfortable that I completely forget about them during rides. Even with sensitive latex inner tubes, I haven't experienced a single flat. When evaluating a quality tire by speed, I achieved the same time on a familiar loop as with my previously preferred tire.

I would give these tires my two thumbs up for their smooth performance; I found them comparable to more expensive high-end tires. Writing that I would consider buying and riding them reminds me that I should put some in stock before the offer ends...

Ride safe, Gerhard