Right, I've done enough miles on the Bridgestones to have formed some opinion on them.
My front Dunlops were discarded after 5000 miles as the outer shoulders had worn due to quite a few track days, despite being on maximum negative camber since the optimisation service.
They were nowhere near down to the canvas, like most of my tyres end up, but enough so that they had zero bite on turn-in, especially in the wet.
The annoying thing is that most of the width had plenty of tread left, as did the rears.
But with a return trip to the Nurburgring booked and the car due to go in for service anyway, I decided to buy a set of Bridgestones from Camskill (£1117 inc VAT and delivery) and get them delivered to Middlehurst in time for them to fit them.
The 'Ring was predictably damp and slippery and the Bridgestones had very little grip, probably no more than the Dunlops. BUT they were slightly more progressive, i.e. less "snappy" than the Dunlops when they did let go.
As I've done more miles in them, particularly in foul weather, I have learned to relax and enjoy them.
They have about the same level of grip as the Dunlops in the wet, but are much friendlier on the limit, you can lean on them in corners and not have a heart attack when they start to slide.
I still haven't had a chance to do a dry track day on them yet, but all reports are that they have noticeably less outright grip and my dry road experience backs this up.
However this brings up an important point, which set is more fun?
Well at the risk of making Steve's day, I think the Bridgestones make the car more fun as there is still great feel and grip, but a lower overall limit and easily controlled slip once past it.
When you factor in their much lower price, greater availability and much better wear rate (Simon Croft has always said they will outlast the Dunlops by a factor of three) the Bridgestones make a compelling case for themselves.
But if you want the ultimate in dry grip and lap times, then the Dunlops are still king (and by all accounts even better overall than the Toyo R888s, although I would like to try that for myself).
Hopefully this review will help those of you who are weighing up which brand to go for next.
My front Dunlops were discarded after 5000 miles as the outer shoulders had worn due to quite a few track days, despite being on maximum negative camber since the optimisation service.
They were nowhere near down to the canvas, like most of my tyres end up, but enough so that they had zero bite on turn-in, especially in the wet.
The annoying thing is that most of the width had plenty of tread left, as did the rears.
But with a return trip to the Nurburgring booked and the car due to go in for service anyway, I decided to buy a set of Bridgestones from Camskill (£1117 inc VAT and delivery) and get them delivered to Middlehurst in time for them to fit them.
The 'Ring was predictably damp and slippery and the Bridgestones had very little grip, probably no more than the Dunlops. BUT they were slightly more progressive, i.e. less "snappy" than the Dunlops when they did let go.
As I've done more miles in them, particularly in foul weather, I have learned to relax and enjoy them.
They have about the same level of grip as the Dunlops in the wet, but are much friendlier on the limit, you can lean on them in corners and not have a heart attack when they start to slide.
I still haven't had a chance to do a dry track day on them yet, but all reports are that they have noticeably less outright grip and my dry road experience backs this up.
However this brings up an important point, which set is more fun?
Well at the risk of making Steve's day, I think the Bridgestones make the car more fun as there is still great feel and grip, but a lower overall limit and easily controlled slip once past it.
When you factor in their much lower price, greater availability and much better wear rate (Simon Croft has always said they will outlast the Dunlops by a factor of three) the Bridgestones make a compelling case for themselves.
But if you want the ultimate in dry grip and lap times, then the Dunlops are still king (and by all accounts even better overall than the Toyo R888s, although I would like to try that for myself).
Hopefully this review will help those of you who are weighing up which brand to go for next.
