Ensuring a smooth ride

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A Trail Tire employee changes a tire in the shop on May 22, 2025.

DUNDEE, Ohio — After nearly a decade at Trail Tire, Joel Martin, agricultural and specialty tire consultant, has helped transform the company’s agricultural tire service from a sideshow to a cornerstone of its business.

Martin said he’s driven not only by growth but also by a passion to simplify complex problems, whether in the shop or after hours, when he’s on call as a paramedic.

When he first joined Trail Tire eight years ago, the agricultural side of the business was little more than a modest enterprise: one service truck making a handful of farm calls.

Today, the shop’s agricultural tire service is a critical piece of the company’s identity. That transformation hasn’t happened by accident. Martin and his team embraced the challenge, expanding capabilities and keeping up with a rapidly evolving industry that demands specialization.

“I was just always fascinated with the mechanic-type work. I enjoy learning about more complicated things,” Martin said, putting his knowledge to use. “And then breaking it down and making it simple.”

That mindset shapes not just how he approaches tractors with cutting-edge European tire systems, but also how he cares for people in emergencies as a paramedic.

Innovation and education

The problems in agriculture, anyway, are getting more complex. Martin described how modern tractors are coming equipped with onboard tire air inflation systems, a technology popularized in Europe that’s gaining traction in the U.S., especially in hilly, narrow-road communities like those in and around Dundee.

“In Europe, they have smaller roads and they do lots of road driving, so they need a tractor that’s narrow but can go fast, but without sacrificing the performance in the field,” he said. “And so, in terms of tires, what’s happening is the technology is changing to where the tire is now being designed to carry the same weight at a way lower air pressure than it used to be designed.”

That shift has big implications for the farmers Trail Tire serves. Lowering air pressure in the field reduces soil compaction and fuel use, which means higher crop yields and lower costs.

Joel Martin, agricultural and specialty tire consultant, focuses on the unique needs of each customer at Trail Tire (Paul Rowley Photo).

“Our goal is to be able to give the customer the best option, the option that fits them the best,” he said. “We want to give them what fits their needs the most.”

That customer-first approach has created deep community relationships. From helping a farmer find a custom rim that would take months to ship from Europe to tracking down niche products for long-time clients, Martin and his team have built a reputation for problem-solving and persistence.

Personalized attention is a key differentiator from bigger competitors. Martin said that kind of service often surprises customers. Trail Tire’s level of hands-on service also extends to how the business evaluates and adopts emerging tire technologies, always with the customer’s needs in mind.

Choosing the right tire

One of the newest innovations they’re seeing among agricultural tires is the Trelleborg TM1 Eco Power, a tire designed with electric tractors in mind, prioritizing performance on both road and hard soil, reducing fuel consumption and minimizing battery usage on electric tractors. But for Martin, one of the most impactful developments in their lineup comes from the Vredestein brand, a line of European tires that Trail Tire imports directly.

What sets these tires apart, Martin explains, is how well they match the unique demands of his local farming community.

“This area is unique in that we have small roads. We see a lot of road driving with higher-speed tractors. And tires that are designed for road driving will not typically perform as well, in the field, as tires that are designed for field performance.”

Martin explained the concept using an example familiar to local farmers: the long-popular 23-degree, all-traction Firestone tire. Known for its angled lugs, the design has traditionally delivered strong pulling power and traction in the field — qualities that made it a go-to choice for many in the region.

So what’s the problem?

“In our area, with the amount of road driving, that increased pulling traction from the shallower angle decreases performance on the road,” he said.

Firestone works great in fields when the field is flat. Not so much in fields where there are hills.

By contrast, most other tire brands use a 45-degree lug angle.

“The 45-degree angle has its benefits on the road, because the higher the angle, the less rolling resistance there is, which translates to more even wear life, a smoother ride and better fuel efficiency on the road. (The) problem is, then they’re sacrificing pulling traction in the field.”

So what’s a farmer with hilly fields to do?

Vredestein tires, Martin said, are the best of both worlds, bringing both angles together into one innovative design.

Most tire brands use straight or mostly straight bar designs, but Vredestein stands out by exaggerating the curve of the tread. This design increases the rubber contact in the center of the tire, which helps reduce road vibration and rolling resistance and ultimately improves fuel efficiency and ride quality. At the same time, the curved bars transition to a more angled lug at the shoulder, enhancing traction in the field.

The result is a hybrid that handles well on roads and still grips in the field, especially in the hilly terrain of northeast Ohio.

In tests run by the independent German research group DLG, Vredestein’s Flotation Optimall tire — a special type designed for use on soft ground like grasslands — outperformed both high-end and budget competitors. This tire is what’s called a “VF” or “Very High Flexion” tire, which means it can carry heavy loads while using less air pressure. That lower pressure is much gentler on the ground. It showed a 24% shallower track depth than its nearest premium rival, which translated to significant field fuel savings — nearly a gallon per hour.

“The latest test results from DLG showcase the opportunity to easily save farmers thousands of euros per machine per year on fuel, when using the Vredestein Flotation Optimall. Moreover, farmers will generate higher yields year after year, taking care of their valuable soil,” Apollo Tyres’ Off-Highway Tyres Europe Director Guido Boerkamp said in a press release.

The right tire isn’t just rubber and tread; it’s so much more. And for Martin, helping farmers make the best decision is about more than product specs. It’s about building trust.

“Oftentimes, customers will comment to us and be like, ‘You’re the only person that explained why specific options would be better than other options.’ And oftentimes, that is why customers will go with us, (it) is because we explain to them and help them understand and make an educated decision.”

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