Soft compound is used in extreme performance tires...but for comfort tires...but softer sidewall contruction is always used for comfort tires.....there is a big difference between Comfort, Mileage and Performance, Ultra Performance tires
Take example Michelin.
Comfort - MXV8 - Soft sidewall construction, medium compound for the threads
Mileage - XM1 - Medium sidewall, harder compound
Performance - PP2 - Hard Sidewall, medium compound
UHP - PS2 - Very hard Sidewall, soft compound.
This also has an effect on the type of car or suspension setup...a lowered car will never get comfort even if it uses the MXV8, wherelse a Accord will not fully utilized the grip effect of the PS2 unless the suspension is modified. Age and wear and tear also plays a big part in tire comfort or performance. Most tires will perform well below 30K KM, after that, the rubber will harden.
The thread pattern on most so call comfort tires are also very fine and close together to avoid vibration and noise. But the wet performance wont be that good.
bro.azbro.. sorry I dun quite und your definition for rubber compound ? Above your mentioned tyres, I hv used all and pp2 only for my fren's Civic ride. Based on my understanding, normally we can only differenciate the sidewall by reading the sidewall info e.g 1 ply .. or material used for sidewall ..e.g kevlar,rayon,steel ..(from net).
Rubber compound for threads is something I would said it biz secret and they dun normally review much, hence I normally deferenciate the rubber thread compound by touching ,squzzing or pressing those threads. I believed XM1 comes with very soft side, Rubber compound oso very soft when new, 30% getting harder and 50% more harder. MXV8 shoulder are very soft, PS2 are hard or medium thread compound , same goes to pp2 which I think is medum compound.
Pls advice bro... I oso wanted to learn and I used many sets of XM1, 1 full sets of MXV8, 1 full sets of PS2 which I drive it occationally.
cheers.... Duragloss The Wet Look
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