As a tire engineer, I can tell you that, the BF Goodrich Advantage Control excels in dry handling and has longer tread life, while the Bridgestone WeatherPeak offers superior winter and wet performance. But let’s be more specific here and get in to details.
Both of these tires were tested on Infiniti.
But first, let’s take a look at some very important info on these tires.
The BF Goodrich Advantage Control Review comes in 14 to 21 inches rims, and they have the following specs.
- Speed ratings: H, V and W.
- Load ratings: SL and XL.
- Tread depth range: 10.5 to 11.5/32″.
- Weight range: 17 to 39 lbs.
- Treadwear warranty: 75k miles for H, or 65k miles for V and W speed rated sizes.
- UTQG rating: 700 B A.
- Winter ratings: Only M+S is available.
Review this tire in greater details: https://tiredriver.com/bf-goodrich-advantage-control-review/
Whereas the Bridgestone WeatherPeak offers 15 to 20 inches rims, with following features.
- Speed ratings: T, H and V.
- Load ratings: SL and XL.
- Tread depth: 10/32″ on all.
- Weight range: 17 to 30 lbs.
- Tread warranty: 70k miles.
- UTQG: 700 A A.
- Winter ratings: Yes both M+S and 3PMSF available.
Review this tire in greater details: https://tiredriver.com/bridgestone-weatherpeak-review/
By the way, if you’re having trouble understanding the terms, you should check out how to read tire sizes first. I explained all there in a simplified manner.
Table of Contents
Tread Pattern
The BFG tire features an symmetric tread pattern with 5 total column.
Let’s start form outer two ribs. Here the shoulder lugs a little more voided (compared to central tread area), as they have clear lateral grooves separating them apart.
Though these lugs feature a very minimalist structure with only linear lateral siping.
In the middle, the 3 central ribs are not voided up laterally and create 4 clear circumferential channels, providing decent resistance to aquaplaning.
(With missing lateral voids, water evacuating properties, as slightly hampered, as it can’t move out sideways).
Though the narrowest central ribs and adjacent ones with multiple notches and lateral siping still provide appreciable wet and snow traction values.
Internally, the BFG Advantage Control comes with a very light weight 2 ply polyester carcass, which is reinforced by 2 ply steel belts.
Moreover, the tire also features a single nylon cap ply, which further adds to durability, mainly from the middle.
The Bridgestone WeatherPeak on the other hand, although features symmetrical structure, its more aggressive.
It’s tread features slanted squared off lugs, enriched with numerous biters.
These biters include numerous wave-like (interlocking) sipes and chamfered edges.
(Note how central rib changes its siping orientation/angle against its adjacent ribs).
These sipes combined with inter-connected circumferential grooves, provide you with excellent wet and winter performance.
Moving towards shoulders, they are very different. Here, you see linear sipes, arranged in lateral fashion.
Moreover, you also see thick longitudinal slits cutting the shoulder lugs in half (these slits are basically structured to provide lateral traction on snow and ice).
Internally, the tire is constructed with a durable 2-ply polyester carcass, complemented by a nylon cap ply, sandwiching two steel belts within.
Winter Performance
When assessing the winter performance capability of an all-season tire, 2 critical factors come into play:
- The tire’s acceleration (in both icy and snowy surfaces).
- And it’s steering response, or you can say overall handling, again on both terrain types.
Now, here one can clearly understand why the Brigdestone WeatherPeak, being the only tire here, with 3 peak mountain snowflake rating, performs much better, comparatively.
A distinct feature of the this tire is its angled lugs, fortified by multiple groove notches, which enhance snow traction.
These biters adeptly latch onto snowy surfaces, optimizing snow-to-snow interaction, which is a characteristic, particularly significant, given that snow sticks better with itself than with rubber, leading to a greater gripping force/friction.
While the tire’s combination of abundant interlocking (central), and linear (shoulder) siping and chamfered edges, distributed throughout the tread, also provide superior ice grip.
Overall Pavement Performance
Dry performance can be distilled into three core elements: dry grip, handling, and steering responsiveness.
Let me discuss each of these aspects one by one.
Dry/Directional Grip
The heart of directional grip lies in the tire’s central tread region. As the tire rolls forward, the bulk of its weight converges/concentrates here.
Given this dynamics, the Bridgestone lacks in overall longitudinal traction in comparison, to its counterpart.
Although it comes off with a prominent central rib, the presence of multiple lateral voids diminishes the rubber’s road contact, a vital factor for grip.
Moreover, its ribs adjacent to the central one, are also similarly compromised due to their significant lateral voids.
And lastly, when comparing across sizes, the WeatherPeak generally tips the scales heavier. This added weight generates greater momentum inertia, negatively impacting its braking effectiveness, which is of course a key metric for gauging directional grip.
In other words, the BFG Advantage leads with shorter braking distances (on tests, on average), comparatively.
Dry Handling
Handling is the mixture of lateral grip and steering response of a tire.
And the BF Goodrich Advantage Control again takes the lead, showcasing impressive results, thanks to its well crafted shoulders.
Since shoulders are quite pivotal for road contact during turns, the minimal tread features of the BFG tire optimize rubber-to-road contact. This culminates in exceptional handling and top-notch lateral traction metrics, which is no surprise, given that it offers a higher speed rating, up to W, while the Bridgestone caps at V.
On the other hand, the WeatherPeak lacks in overall handling (even though it provides decent lateral grip). This is because of its relatively lagging steering responsiveness.
A key factor here is the tire’s softer make, where it’s thermally adaptive compound, while beneficial for winter traction, contributes to increased lug flexibility.
And that’s unlike its BFG counterpart, which puts less weight pressure on its lugs (with lighter construction), leading to limited lug bending.
This distinction matters because with excessive lug flexing/bending, the tread requires time to regain its original shape, translating into slower handling times.
Fuel Efficiency
The fuel efficiency of the BF Goodrich Advantage Control stands out, relatively speaking.
This tire offers a lower rolling resistance, thanks to its reasonably lightweight construction and the efficiently designed central ribs.
Even though the tire’s lugs might appear softer, perhaps even stickier, owing to its deeper tread, their reinforced bases keep them sturdy, ensuring minimal flex. And reduced flex means less wasted energy.
Additionally, the tire’s design is more streamlined with fewer biters, promoting smoother rolling.
On the other hand, the WeatherPeak, with its 2-ply heavier build, tends to consume more energy, showcasing lower fuel economy values, in comparison.
Basically it uses its fuel energy up in to heat and reshaping of its lugs, as they’re more prone to flexing, can hinder fuel efficiency.
But keep in mind, this only goes for sizes (on both tires), with speed ratings up to V.
I mean as rolling resistance is directly proportional to speed rating, the BF Goodrich Advantage Control with greater speed ratings (i.e. sizes with W), are less fuel efficient in comparison.
Wet Performance
Overall wet performance is two parts, wet grip, and aqua/hydroplaning resistance. Let’s talk both.
Wet Traction
The efficacy of a tire in wet conditions hinges largely on its adeptness at displacing water from its tread. This capability is chiefly governed by the tire’s sipes and grooves.
While grooves take the responsibility of expelling the bulk of the water, sipes step in to refine the process. These tread (siping) slits basically generate vacuum zones that draw in residual water particles.
And as they have to expand to create suction, their flexibility really matters.
And that brings us to why here, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak takes the upper hand, showcasing 2 seconds faster handling times (on lap tests), compared to BFG.
The tire’s superior performance stems from its densely packed sipes, which are engineered to retain flexibility even under intense cornering scenarios, where this flexibility is further enhanced by the tire’s relatively supple tread. So you not only get superior wet traction, but also steering characteristics.
On the other side, the BF Goodrich Advantage Control displays a bit of a lag in this arena.
It primarily features linear sipes, which don’t maximize suction as effectively.
And that coupled with it’s more rigid rubber blend, the tire falls short in achieving optimal sipe flexibility, thereby compromising its wet traction performance in comparison.
Hydroplaning
The ability of a tire to resist hydroplaning is essential for safe driving in wet conditions. I mean this is about how well a tire can push water out of its main grooves to maintain grip on wet roads, and without it, water would come in the way, floating (or aquaplaning) the tire.
Now sure, all tire’s offer grooves (well, except for formula one tires), which throw water out, but it’s not just about that. It’s actually about how quickly water goes out, that’s why this resistance is measured with float speeds.
(Float speeds tell how fast a tire can roll over water without hydroplaning).
And in this area, the WeatherPeak stands out, with it’s design having well-spaced lugs and clear pathways for water to flow, both straight and to the sides. This means it can move water away quickly and efficiently.
Moreover, the tire’s compound also helps here, where it’s relatively more pliant tread creates greater negative pressure pushing more water out in a given time.
On the other hand, the BF Goodrich Advantage Control with continuous running ribs, (missing lateral voids), can’t disperse water off, especially in sideways directions, leading to slower float speeds on average (on tests).
Tread Life
Three key elements influence tread life:
- Tread depth.
- Composition of the compound.
- Total construction weight.
And in these areas, the BF Goodrich Advantage Control stands out, compared to Bridgestone’s tire, showcasing slightly longer tread life.
The tire actually comes with a composition, using compounds which are tougher, and more resistant to heat.
Side Note: I actually emailed the BFG about this, they wouldn’t tell me about the exact compounds, but I do know it contains higher carbon black, which act as reinforcing fillers.
Moving on, the tire also features single-layer polyester casing means there’s less weight pressing down on its lugs as they contact the road, thereby reducing wear. In other words, its rubber is pushed less against the ground, comparatively.
And yes, its design also optimizes this, as it corporate a tech. which distributes the weight more evenly across the tread.
The Bridgestone WeatherPeak on the other hand, has to compromise it’s tread life in exchange for its snow traction. You see it carries thermally adaptive (more pliant) rubber, which keeps its lugs flexible in winter conditions, yet they also make its rubber more prone to faster wear.
However, its overall performance is still pretty appreciable, as backed by its impressive 70k miles warranty (only 5k less than BFG).
Note: The BF Goodrich Advantage only offers 75k miles for sizes with H speed ratings. And those rated with V and W are guaranteed for 65k miles, which makes sense as higher speed ratings typically equate to increased rolling resistance.
To Conclude
Both tires have unique strengths depending on driving conditions and needs.
The BF Goodrich Advantage Control excels in dry grip and handling, while its competitor here, shines in winter conditions with optimal snow and ice grip.
In wet conditions, the WeatherPeak offers superior traction and hydroplaning resistance, but the BFG stands out in tread life and fuel efficiency for sizes with speed ratings up to V.
