CX/Gravel Tire Test: Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35

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  • Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35
Performance compared to all other CX/Gravel tires
(100% is best)
Pro Members get 11-point radar charts



Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35 road bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine

The Goodyear Connector Ultimate is an allround gravel bike tire for "connecting tarmac and dirt, urban and rural", and from the looks of it, we can see why gravel bikers might be interested in this tire. The Connector Ultimate comes with tightly spaced center knobs and more widely spaced knobs along the edge of the tread, a pattern we see pretty often on gravel bike tires made for a wide range of conditions.


Ad Buy Goodyear Connector Ultimate at Amazon.com


Goodyear only recently re-entered the bicycle tire market, and we're not very familiar with them yet. When we look at the tire's construction, we find that the Connector Ultimate is made from quite a plain 120 TPI casing material. Goodyear's edge here seems to be their proprietary Tubeless Complete design that adds a multi-compound material that "allows for improved air retention while providing additional puncture and cut protection with minimal weight increase". The Tubeless Complete design works well from our side, as the tire was easy to inflate and sealed right from the start.


What's different from most other gravel bike tires with a similar tread pattern is the extra layer of R:Shield puncture-resistant material under the tread, which should give it a boost in our puncture resistance test. The compound is Goodyear's Dynamic Silica4 compound which, according to Goodyear, offers "Low rolling resistance and class-leading wet grip". Given Goodyear's vast experience with compound mixing and the compound being the most crucial ingredient of any tire, we're curious how the Connector Ultimate performs in our tests.


We've tested the Goodyear Connector Ultimate in the 35-622 size, but it's also available in the 40-622, 45-622, 50-622, and 50-584 sizes with all sizes available with either black or tan sidewalls.


Manufacturer Specifications


Manufacturer Specs
Brand Goodyear
Model Connector Ultimate
Year 2023
Supplied By Bought in store
New or Used New
Mileage 0 km
Price Range High
Buy At Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number GR.009.35.622.V003.R
TPI 120
Compound Dynamic Silica4
Bead Folding
ETRTO 35-622
Specified Weight 460 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi) 58
Made In Members Only
Available Sizes 35-622 (700x35c)
40-622 (700x40c)
45-622 (700x45c)
50-622 (700x50c)
50-584 (650x50b)

Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35 Test Results

Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35  mountain bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements


Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight 460 grams
Measured Weight 454 grams
Measured Width Casing 34 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread 37 mm
Measured Height 32 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center 1.7 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge 2.4 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs) 2.40 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results


Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width 34 mm
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar
33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar
36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar
39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar
43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar
47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 bar
High Air Pressure

(60 psi / 4.1 bar)
Members Only
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar
33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar
36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar
39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar
43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar
47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 bar
Medium Air Pressure

(50 psi / 3.4 bar)
Members Only
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar
33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar
36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar
39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar
43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar
47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 bar
Low Air Pressure

(40 psi / 2.8 bar)
31.4 Watts
CRR: 0.00941
Rolling Resistance
Real tire width in mm:
30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar
33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar
36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar
39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar
43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar
47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 bar
Extra Low Air Pressure

(30 psi / 2.1 bar)
37.0 Watts
CRR: 0.01109
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width.

All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs.

Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35  mountain bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine
Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread 40 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness 2.40 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Goodyear Connector Ultimate road bike tire on a grip test machine
Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average 65 Points
Wet Grip Center Members Only
Wet Grip Edge Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center 1.7 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge 2.4 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100
CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion


  • Goodyear Connector Ultimate 35
Performance compared to all other CX/Gravel tires
(100% is fastest - lightest - highest - strongest)

Pro Members get 11-point radar charts

Even though the Goodyear Connector Ultimate performs quite well in nearly all of our tests, it falls flat on its face in our rolling resistance test. Compared to the competition that offers similar performance in the other tests, a pair of Connectors would require roughly 20 watts of additional power to ride at the same speed. The main problem is the compound that, even though it grips quite well, is underperforming for a tire with a premium price tag.


Given the high rolling resistance, we can't recommend the Connector Ultimate as we don't see an exceptional performance in any of our other tests that would make the high rolling resistance more bearable.


Ad Buy Goodyear Connector Ultimate at Amazon.com


RATING: 2.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT:
Not Recommended


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