Goodyear Eagle F1 R Tubeless Complete tyre

The Goodyear Eagle F1 R Tubeless Complete is a high-performance tyre that evolved from the Eagle F1. It's a great all-round race tyre that grips well whether it's wet or dry. The weight is competitive too, as is the price, and they are easy to install and retain air well.

For more options, check out our guide to the best road bike tyres.

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We tested the Eagle F1 back in 2020 and Jamie thought it was good value (£50), impressively airtight and grippy in the wet or dry. This next generation tyre is made from new advanced compounds and fabrics that Goodyear claims have reduced the rolling resistance by 13% at 80psi and improved wet weather grip.

Goodyear offers the Eagle F1 R in clincher tube type (£60) or tubeless form, in widths of 25-32mm for the clinchers and 25-34mm for tubeless. Here on test I have the 28mm tubeless in black – there's also a 'transparent' option available, which is basically a dark tan.

I set up the Eagle F1 Rs on a Scribe Race-D Wide+ wheelset and installation was an easy process – whether you have strong thumbs or opt for tyre levers. This is thanks to Goodyear's tubeless tyres featuring a large 'dual angle' bead, which it claims creates a better initial seal against the rim bed while also providing superior air retention.

Goodyear's tubeless tyres also feature a multi-compound material layer which is added to the tyre casing to further improve air retention as well as providing extra puncture protection. They certainly retained air well after I pumped them up with a track pump, and I only had to top them up every couple of weeks.

The Eagle F1 R has a 120tpi short-ply casing construction, which should be more robust than the road-racing-specific Eagle F1 Supersport R, and it gives a good road feel. As a tyre of the Ultra High-Performance range it features the new Dynamic UHP rubber, developed by Goodyear to provide better puncture resistance, traction and rolling efficiency.

I found them grippy in wet and dry conditions, performing well on my commute which has gravel and broken road sections, and just as well in my local evening crit where I could corner with confidence.

The 28mm rubber is very capable – I've taken to doing all my training on 28mm tyres now, as the lower pressures afforded by wide tubeless tyres bring cushioning without a loss in rolling speed, meaning I hardly lost any speed on poor road surfaces.

I used these for a month, and while wear rates and durability are hard to review in this amount of time, I've used them for about 800km and they still look as good as new.

Despite not being class-leading for weight, comfort is good, and they are lighter than the previous generation Eagle F1 tubeless tyres at 284g, which is still competitive. Continental's Grand Prix 5000 S TR tubeless tyre would be the one to beat, weighing in at 250g, also an all-round race tyre.

Value

This tubeless version of the Eagle F1 R costs £65, £5 more than the clincher tube type. Not cheap then, but actually pretty good value compared with its rivals.

It's £15 less than the Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR mentioned above, which now costs £79.95 and is one of the fastest tyres on the market.

The Michelin Power road tubeless tyre reviewed well but is also more expensive than the Eagle F1 R, and heavier, costing £76.99 and weighing in at 297g.

Another direct competitor is the Schwalbe Pro One Evo TLE. Stu reviewed a previous version in 2020 and reckoned it was one of the fastest, grippiest and easy to-fit race-ready tyres, but the latest model is now £73.99.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a great all-round race tyre that's light but puncture resistant and grips well in wet and dry conditions. It's easy to install and retains air well, and is also available in all sizes you might want, and it's good value compared with its rivals.

Verdict

Great all-round race tyre that grips well in any condition and is easy to install