Winter tyres time?

bikebarbie

Hi, I need two front tyres and Im thinking of putting winter tyres on as by spring time they will need changing anyway.
The rear tyres are ok for another 3-4 months, so it is ok to have winter at the front and all season in the rear?

What good winter tyres do you recommend?
I usually check out prices on Blackcircles but would appreciate personal recommendations.

thanks

ridethelightning

I would suggest 4 new wheels (well used alloys or steelies, cheapos off ebay) and 4 winter tyres. There will be a bit of an initial outlay but in the long run it isnt really costing you anything, you are saving wear on the summer tyres and the cheapo wheels will take the brunt of the winter, saving your good alloys. You can also get smaller wheels for the winter tyres, this will make the tyres cheaper and will also give better grip, just make sure they will fit over your callipers. You can then just change the wheels over in spring and start of winter so you arent having to pay to have the tyres changed, or running winters in the summer which will really wear them down.

It isnt a great idea to have only 2 winters, you might find yourself losing the back end and you wont get the full benefit of better braking grip.

I have gone with the above this year. Actually looking forwards to some bad weather so I can change over to the winters and try them out!!!

[Deleted User]

This is what I've been thinking about too.

I've had the idea to get 2 second hand steelies (original Pug 206 ones) off eBay and then get 2 winter tyres from Blackcircles for the front.

I then was thinking about putting one of the current front wheels in the boot to use as a spare over the winter instead of the space saver.

My rear Kumho tyres still have about 7mm tread left and I can't remember slipping or sliding last winter in the snow on them.

I'm only thinking about winter tyres this year as I now have to drive to work.

mikey72

I have two winter tyres on mine, same as last year, and no problem at all last year. Just bought another set of rims for my wife's car, and am putting two winter tyres on the front of that.
Both cars have very good back tyres though, I would imagine ones with only a few months life left wouldn't be good.

Personally, I use Nokians, and they were excellent, gone for Vredesteins Snowtracs on my wifes.

For an all season tyre the Vredestein Quatracs get good reports.

bikebarbie

ok Im a bit confused now, I dont get the logic.

It is ok (2-1) to have two winter front tyres as long as the all year rear tyres have a high thread. So what happens when your rear tyres have only 3-4 mm? Do you change the rear tyres after every 4 mm use??? :huh:

Thanks for the brands suggestions

motorguy

bikebarbie wrote: »

ok Im a bit confused now, I dont get the logic.

It is ok (2-1) to have two winter front tyres as long as the all year rear tyres have a high thread. So what happens when your rear tyres have only 3-4 mm? Do you change the rear tyres after every 4 mm use??? :huh:

Thanks for the brands suggestions

I read recently that insurance companies accept ONLY all four tyres replaced with winter tyres. IF you have two winters on the front and tyre summers on the rear, i think you could have real hassle with the insurance company if you have an accident.

Also, winter tyres work by

(a) working more effectively at a lower temperature
(b) during snow by their tread pattern to make the snow stick to the tyres, as snow grips better with snow to gain you more traction.

Therefore the amount of tread you have on a rear summer tyre will make little difference.

As has been stated, buy a cheap set of rims off ebay, and fit four snow tyres. You'll get several seasons out of them anyway.

System

Anyone thinking of swapping wheels and tyres from summer to winter and back to summer again at the appropriate points in the season, should check with their own insurance company to make absolutely sure that it is okay to do the swap without having to inform the insurer.

I've just checked with my insurance company (MoreThan) who said that I did not need to contact them when I changed the set of 4 wheels / tyres as long as the wheels and tyres were within manufacturers guidelines for the car.

I would say that it is better and safer to have 4 matching wheels and tyres, just swapping the fronts (assuming FWD), especially if a different size than the summer rear tyres, could be a problem both for road holding and for insurance.

rodenal

It's not really recommended to put them only on the front of a fwd car - but if you're sensible enough and don't get carried away with the apparent extra grip the front end has you should be ok, at least in terms of driveability. You'd still stop far far quicker than most cars on the road (though this in itself could be an issue depending on who's behind you) and will get up any particularly slippery slopes.

bikebarbie

Thanks all I think I read enought to put me off

mikey72

pgilc1 wrote: »

I read recently that insurance companies accept ONLY all four tyres replaced with winter tyres. IF you have two winters on the front and tyre summers on the rear, i think you could have real hassle with the insurance company if you have an accident.

Also, winter tyres work by

(a) working more effectively at a lower temperature
(b) during snow by their tread pattern to make the snow stick to the tyres, as snow grips better with snow to gain you more traction.

Therefore the amount of tread you have on a rear summer tyre will make little difference.

As has been stated, buy a cheap set of rims off ebay, and fit four snow tyres. You'll get several seasons out of them anyway.

Mine don't.
They work by clearing the snow out of the treads, and putting rubber back down

Polished grooves

Snow, slush and water flow efficiently
off the polished grooves under the
tyre.

http://www.nokiantyres.com/files/nokiantyres/tuote_esitteet_en/NT_wintertyres_brochure_2011_EN.pdf

As to summer tyres, try walking on snow and ice with smooth carpet slippers on, then try it again in heavily treaded walking boots.

Any decent treaded tyre will be a lot better than one with the minimum tread on.

I usually keep the decent tyres on the front, and the worse ones on the back. So last year I put the decent treaded fronts on the back, and put two winter tyres on the front.

Since then I've got spare rims, but still swop the best two summer tyres onto the back though for winter, then swop the summer tyres back round in March.

mikey72

bikebarbie wrote: »

ok Im a bit confused now, I dont get the logic.

It is ok (2-1) to have two winter front tyres as long as the all year rear tyres have a high thread. So what happens when your rear tyres have only 3-4 mm? Do you change the rear tyres after every 4 mm use??? :huh:

Thanks for the brands suggestions

4mm last about 20,000 miles on the back of mine.
I thought you meant you were down to the tread bars.