Goodyear VectorR Z30 NSW Tire Review

The famous wheel brand Zipp has teamed up with tire manufacturer Goodyear to offer a very high-end tubeless tire optimized for 353 NSW carbon hookless wheels. We had the opportunity to ride with this new tire, which comes at a very high price, during our long-term test of the new Sram Red AXS groupset. Fortunately, its qualities are not limited to use with Zipp wheels.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: ©3bikes.fr

In recent years, the evolution of bikes and equipment in general has led to increased performance and average speeds at all levels of practice. And it all comes down to the details, right down to the tires, both in terms of rolling resistance and aerodynamics.

This is why Zipp and Goodyear have partnered to develop the all-new Goodyear VectorR Z30 NSW tire, optimized, according to both brands, for mounting on Zipp 353 NSW wheels. As a reminder, the 353 NSW are very high-end wheels, light, aerodynamic yet controllable thanks to the wavy rim shape, and above all comfortable with their hookless design and 25 mm internal width, which requires a maximum inflation pressure of 5 bar.

The 30 mm section of the VectorR Z30 NSW tire and the shape of its sidewalls are therefore designed to combine ideally with the rim shape of the 353 NSW, as well as with the hookless design. However, the VectoR Z30 NSW has other assets that could make it attractive to users of other wide rims on the market. It benefits from a supple casing with several short 150 TPI layers, a compound called Dynamic:UHP to offer low rolling resistance and high grip, and finally, a puncture protection called R:Shield. These technical specifications probably won’t tell you much, but what you need to remember is its light weight of 280 g for a 30 mm section, to which you must, of course, add the weight of the sealant. But that’s still about 50 g lighter than most tires of this section on the market, for each wheel.

A compromised long-term test

I expected to be able to carry out a long-term test of the pair of Goodyear VectorR Z30 NSW tires at the same time as the Sram Red AXS groupset. I did indeed ride for a little over two months with an Orbea Orca OMX equipped with the new Sram groupset, with Zipp 353 NSW wheels, and therefore initially with Vector tires. The first impressions on the steep roads of the Prosecco hills and in cool, wet weather were very favorable. I was able to appreciate the tires’ very high performance, as well as a very good level of road holding, even in torrential rain. Comfort also seemed to live up to Zipp’s promises: combined with 25 mm wide wheels and an inflation pressure of around 4.5 bar, the bike thus equipped absorbs many small vibrations and gives the impression of constantly riding on a padded carpet. And despite its large section and average pressure, the tire does not flatten at the sidewalls when riding out of the saddle or when launching into a strong acceleration.

Unfortunately, I got a flat rear tire after 600 km, once I returned to my usual training roads. A big hole right in the middle of the tread that defeated the puncture protection strip, and too big for the sealant to fill the hole. After a few seconds of rapid pressure loss, the leak stopped, and I thought I could set off again by reinflating with a CO2 cartridge. A truly temporary repair that only postponed the inevitable by a few minutes. Alone in the middle of the countryside with a flat rear tire and no repair kit left, I only had two solutions: call a taxi or ride 20 km on the rim to get home. I chose the latter solution. Without damaging the rim in the process, to demonstrate, if need be, that Zipp wheels are rather solid! On the other hand, while the flat tire did continue to protect the rim bed, it was obviously completely dead once I reached my destination.

I don’t think this puncture highlights a specific fragility of the VectorR Z30 NSW tire. Simply because after replacing the rear tire with another compatible model on the Zipp wheel (I didn’t have another Goodyear on hand), I had no problems with the front tire over 4700 km. And yet, I spared nothing on this bike during this long-term test of the Sram groupset, especially regarding rides in the rain. This unfortunate puncture was just bad luck. But the question still arises about the relevance of a €100 tire (€200 a pair), certainly very high-performance, but which can give up the ghost after only a few hundred kilometers of use.

No other punctures were to be deplored with the front tire. On the tread, we can see some minor cuts and a small embedded flint with no consequences, proof of the good performance of the puncture protection. The tread seems little worn, and the tire has retained its round shape. Even if it is impossible to determine the wear of the pair of tires simply by relying on that of the front tire, I was rather surprised by the good durability of this very high-end model, despite its very high performance and light weight. As I had already noted during the test of the Specialized S-Works Turbo 2BR tire, riding with a lower inflation pressure (limited here to 5 bar) reduces wear, despite common misconceptions.

Ultimately, even if incomplete, my impressions of this tire are rather positive in terms of performance, comfort, responsiveness, and even abrasion resistance of the tread. However, it is a very high-end tire, and therefore very expensive. A price that does not protect you from an unfortunate and irreparable puncture after a short period of use. Therefore, it should be reserved for special occasions.

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