The official 40+ONEWHEEL Review of the “FlightFins Goat Tire” has finally arrived!!!
But before we get into it, let’s set up some disclaimers. This review is purely my own opinion as a 50+ aged solid intermediate rider who mainly loves trails, but also rides street. I paid for this tire with my own money so I should be fairly unbiased, but frankly I’m not. I root for aftermarket companies such as FlightFins. They continually put out great products and you should buy stuff. There, I said it. 😁
Disclaimer #2: I know y’all want me to compare this tire head to head with other tires such as the FM Performance Treaded and the TFL Enduro, but for the sake of brevity, I won’t be able to do that in this particular review. If you would like me to directly compare these tires on performance, and which tire I would recommend, put it into the comments below and maybe I’ll write that article next.
So let’s start off with what the manufacturer is saying about this tire and see if these claims are actually true.
Pulling directly from the FlightFins Website, The All New Goat Tire for GT is described as being “LIGHT. FAST. RESPONSIVE.” So, let me take these one at a time...
LIGHT: This tire came in at exactly 1437 grams or 3.1 pounds. For comparison sake, the FM Performance Treaded weighs 1576 grams or 3.7 pounds. Can you feel the difference in weight? Does it even make a difference? In my opinion it does… The lightness of the tire adds to its nimbleness, agility, and even climbing power. However, I also believe this tire will wear just as long as the other tires. The Goat’s tread pattern has deeper treads and more rubber in all the right places. Lighter doesn’t always mean a shorter life span.
FAST: Dude, this tire is freaking FAST… I felt it almost immediately. This tire is going to win a lot of races in the future. If “Race For The Rail” continues its current format, the strategy of “going for the hole shot” will become that much more important. This tire is the fastest treaded tire I’ve ever ridden off the line... I went from 0 - 20 in nothing flat! And here’s the kicker!!! On the Performance Treaded and Enduro, I would hit Haptic Buzz about 19-20 MPH. BUT on the FightFins Goat, I actually don’t hit Haptic Buzz until about 21+ mph!!! Yeah, I’m freaking serious… I can ride 21 MPH on the Goat totally flat, no pushback, no buzzing! That fact alone is a reason to go out and purchase this tire!!!
RESPONSIVE: If I were to describe the responsiveness of this tire, I would describe it as “Lively without being Squirelly”. It’s fun, fast, responsive to your every command, yet staying stable when you need it to be. How FlightFins was able to thread that needle is amazing to me. Now, that being said, is it true that some may find The Goat to be “too responsive” or “too aggressive?” Maybe… I’m not sure if I would particularly recommend this tire to a rider with 500 miles or less. As an intermediate rider myself, the Goat is well within my wheelhouse, yet I also realize that its “full potential” may be currently just outside my current skill level.
That being said, with Custom Shaping now available, I believe that almost any intermediate rider and above can absolutely ride this tire. Here’s the trick: Since this tire is so quick on its feet, go into the “YAW” settings and turn it down a few notches. By doing this, I was able to dial in the responsiveness I want and match it up to my current skill level and reaction time. The fact that Custom Shaping came out at the same time as The Goat is a match made in heaven. Dialing in the responsiveness of this tire to your liking unlocks this tire for most anyone.
Well, this review is already long. And I haven’t even talked about the increased torque and climbing ability. So for brevity, “Yes the torque increase is real.” and “Yes, I was able to get up some steep sections I had previously struggled with.”
And I also have yet to mention maybe the ABSOLUTE BEST COMPONENT of The Goat Tire! And that’s the COMPOUND.
There’s a certain amount of Magic and Fairy Dust in the compound of the new Goat Tire. And I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this in a tire before. I’ve ridden the Whisper. I’ve ridden the T2. Trail Pro. Enduro. Maxxis. Whatever… But there is just something in this particular compound that I liken to “Tempur-Pedic”. The unique compound FlightFins came up with for The Goat absorbs everything in its path, yet it somehow doesn’t take away from the “feel” of the road. A soft surface that bounces back? Is it Tempur-Pedic or Magic? I’m not sure, but I sure do love it.
So, the final question remains, “Is The Goat actually The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)?”
I would answer that question this way;
The FlightFins Goat is the GOATCMFGT (Greatest Of All Time Currently Made For GT)
And that’s my opinion. And I’m sticking to it. 😁✌️