Tire tread with groove reinforcement

A tire comprising:

• a tread having a plurality of circumferential grooves separating circumferential ribs, each groove comprising a bottom and two sidewalls, and a plurality of laterally separated reinforcements, wherein one reinforcement is arranged adjacent each circumferential groove, and wherein each reinforcement extends from the radially inner surface of the tread below an unworn surface of the tread in a radial direction at least to the bottom of an adjacent circumferential groove to form at least partially the two opposing sidewalls and the bottom of said adjacent circumferential groove, each reinforcement has a radially inner base portion forming the groove bottom and a radially outer top portion having two outer opposing lateral sides forming the at least partially two opposing groove sidewalls, and tapers inwardly from the base portion in the direction of the top portion, and wherein the outer opposing lateral sides of each reinforcement have one of the following shapes:
• convex, concave, straight or step-like;
• wherein each reinforcement consists of a rubber composition or of a thermoplastic material having a Shore A hardness of more than 80 and an elongation at break of at least 300%;
• and
• wherein the tire further comprises a belt having one or more belt plies, each reinforcement extending in a radial direction from the radially outer surface of the radially outermost belt ply, and wherein a reinforcement extends on one side of a groove further in the radial direction than on the other side of that groove.