Several manufacturers have announced the launch of new tire products aimed at the commercial market.
Designed with both small and large fleet operations in mind, Bridgestone claims its new Duravis All Season tires are ideal for professionals who want to maximize their business efficiency and stay in control with the same tires throughout the year.
Having achieved a best-in-class EU label A-grade in wet grip, Bridgestone hopes the new offering will help fleets keep going even in adverse weather conditions. It says the Duravis delivers this thanks to a high-volume slots in its shoulder for improved water evacuation, coupled with an optimized contact pressure distribution. This latter design feature also improves the tire’s snow and wear performance.
Carrying both the Three-Peak Mountain Snow Flake and Mud + Snow markings, the new tire is also fully winter-ready. This certification is achieved with a combination of compound design, a V-shaped layout to improve snow mobility and an optimized carcass construction. Additionally, its notably strong performance in the wet and snow is claimed to be down to Bridgestone’s new nano-selective compound mixing technology, which allows better silica dispersion in the Nano Pro-tech compound.
To aid robustness, Bridgestone has utilized a sidewall protector rib to shield the tire from impacts with curb stones. This not only helps to reduce frequent tire damage and repair costs, but also cuts vehicle downtime. Wear performance is improved through the use of a higher tread pattern stiffness, while rolling resistance is reduced with a construction and cavity-optimized design. This has enabled the tire to achieve an EU label C-grade for fuel efficiency in most sizes.
Meanwhile, manufacturer Cooper Tire’s Roadmaster brand has bolstered its presence in the final-mile, pickup and delivery, and emergency vehicle tire segments, with the introduction of two new tires. The Roadmaster RM257 (below) drive and Roadmaster RM170+ steer, both 19.5in tires.
The RM257 tire, with 18/32in of tread depth on the 225 size, and 19/32in on the 245 size, is an entirely new drive tire that features aggressive tread and a Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification. Cooper states that the RM257 tire doubled this requirement.
It is an open-shoulder design with three tread blocks in the center. Cooper says the tire’s 3D siping allows for better grip in wet weather conditions, while staggered shoulder pockets and chevron grooves provide bite and performance in snow and mud conditions. Lateral tie bars help stabilize the tread blocks to enhance even wear and promote better handling. Additionally, a new compound formula helps the tire resist cutting and chipping.
The Roadmaster RM170+ is an evolution of its predecessor, the RM170 steer tire. The + designation designates increased durability and a tire that Cooper says offers improved handling and wear through enhanced compounding.
While the Roadmaster RM170+ tire is primarily used as a steer tire, it also has use as an all-position tire in applications where deep-biting traction isn’t required. Featuring 15/32in of tread depth on the 225 size, and 16/32in on the 245 size, the tire has a wide footprint that allows for a longer, more even treadwear. Its V-shaped tread groove helps with traction and stone rejection, while sipes on the outer tread help with wet weather grip.
Cooper says that both the Roadmaster RM170+ tire and Roadmaster RM257 tire, in most sizes, meet the ‘N’ (87mph) speed rating – the industry’s highest. An important asset as it allows the tires to meet demands of high-speed use from emergency services.
