Winter tyres

bazster

Snow or ice has nothing to do with it. If there's lying snow or a sheet of ice differences in rubber compound are going to make absolutely naff all difference, and whilst a hefty tread pattern might make a difference on lying snow, such a tread pattern is going to be horrible on tarmac regardless of the temperature.

And therein lies the problem for advocates of "winter" tyres. There is no such thing as a "right" tyre for 6 months of the year. "Winter" tyres are a compromise. "Summer" tyres are a compromise. So what's the logical conclusion? If you wanted a "right" tyre every time you drove you would need a warehouse full of wheels and tyres and you'd swap them according to the conditions every single time you went out.

The current weather forecast is a case in point. There was a frost last night, but this weekend there's going to be a heat wave apparently. Best swap the tyres towards the end of the week, and swap 'em back again next week eh?

No thanks, I think I'll just stick with my compromise tyres all year, and simply adjust my driving according to the conditions. The idea that some people might think that simply because they are wearing marginally different boots they can drive on a cold, icy winter night in exactly the same way they would drive on a warm summer afternoon sends shivers up the spine.

Iceweasel

bazster wrote: »

Snow or ice has nothing to do with it. If there's lying snow or a sheet of ice differences in rubber compound are going to make absolutely naff all difference, and whilst a hefty tread pattern might make a difference on lying snow, such a tread pattern is going to be horrible on tarmac regardless of the temperature.

You've lost me there bazster - ????

Here is a pic of my winter tyres and wheels:



What hefty tread pattern?

How are they going to be horrible on tarmac?

Or were you thinking of something like these from another era:



Even an off roader uses tyres like these nowadays:



I really do not understand what you mean by 'they will make naff all difference'.

Here are my summer tyres:



They are horrible in snow and wear quickly at low temperatures as the rubber compound becomes very hard.

I encounter folks with summer tyres stuck on inclines every time these is a cm or so of snow. The TV news film crews feature them every time too - very easy to spot them - they are the ones crabbing along sideways.

I know no-one will convince you of the benefits of having different tyres for summer and winter - but I just wanted to make sure that you actually had the right pictures in your mind of the difference between them.

I like your concept of swapping over tyres according to the weather forecast every day - sounds like the Monte-Carlo Rallye in days gone by.

lesalanos

I'll be getting some of the new Michelin Cross Climate when i need to change them, wont need to change between summer/winter tyres then

Iceweasel

lesalanos wrote: »

I'll be getting some of the new Michelin Cross Climate when i need to change them, wont need to change between summer/winter tyres then

They look interesting, right enough.

Michelin stress that they are not just another all-season tyre - but something completely new - time will tell.

I'll be watching out for the road test results on them.

One thing is sure - a lot of people will buy them - if the price is right.

Gloomendoom

lesalanos wrote: »

I'll be getting some of the new Michelin Cross Climate when i need to change them, wont need to change between summer/winter tyres then

I'd be interested in those but the sizes are quite conservative.

neilmcl

Iceweasel wrote: »

It's a bit like having 'all-season shoes' - better to have the appropriate tyres (and shoes) in my opinion.

Totally agree.

force_ten

bazster wrote: »

Snow or ice has nothing to do with it. If there's lying snow or a sheet of ice differences in rubber compound are going to make absolutely naff all difference, and whilst a hefty tread pattern might make a difference on lying snow, such a tread pattern is going to be horrible on tarmac regardless of the temperature.

you clearly have no idea how a winter tyre works, when it is snowing the tyres do not try to clear snow from the treads they work on the principle that nothing sticks to snow better than snow so the tyre builds up a layer of snow and that is what helps with grip on snow, the tread pattern on a true winter tyre is more aggressive than a summer tyre but the tread pattern is only a part of the story, the tyres is covered in spies that allow the block pattern on the tyre to work more effectively in cold and wet weather


No thanks, I think I'll just stick with my compromise tyres all year, and simply adjust my driving according to the conditions. The idea that some people might think that simply because they are wearing marginally different boots they can drive on a cold, icy winter night in exactly the same way they would drive on a warm summer afternoon sends shivers up the spine.

I would say dont knock it until you have tried it, winter tyres are not the be all and end all but they are the best we have got and they are a million times better in winter than the normal semi slicks that manufactures seem to fit to cars as standard

my winters will be staying on until well into march and possibly early april

Gloomendoom

Iceweasel wrote: »

It's a bit like having 'all-season shoes' - better to have the appropriate tyres (and shoes) in my opinion.

We have all seasons on one car and winters on another at the moment.

All seasons are much less of a compromise than you might think.

[Deleted User]

Iceweasel wrote: »

You've lost me there bazster - ????

Here is a pic of my winter tyres and wheels:



What hefty tread pattern?

How are they going to be horrible on tarmac?

Or were you thinking of something like these from another era:



Even an off roader uses tyres like these nowadays:



I really do not understand what you mean by 'they will make naff all difference'.

Here are my summer tyres:



They are horrible in snow and wear quickly at low temperatures as the rubber compound becomes very hard.

I encounter folks with summer tyres stuck on inclines every time these is a cm or so of snow. The TV news film crews feature them every time too - very easy to spot them - they are the ones crabbing along sideways.

I know no-one will convince you of the benefits of having different tyres for summer and winter - but I just wanted to make sure that you actually had the right pictures in your mind of the difference between them.

I like your concept of swapping over tyres according to the weather forecast every day - sounds like the Monte-Carlo Rallye in days gone by.

Are those really your wheels in the first pic?

Impossibly clean and shiny :rotfl:

Please send tips on cleaning asap
But do agree with you

force_ten

treboeth wrote: »

Are those really your wheels in the first pic?

Impossibly clean and shiny :rotfl:

Please send tips on cleaning asap
But do agree with you

that is the one thing with having two sets of wheels one for summer and one for winter, your winter wheels are off the car for four or five months of the year so a couple of coats of good wax or a paintwork sealer and you can keep them looking that good with not much more than shampoo and a brush

then when the wheels come off a proper clean and somthing like fallout remover and you can easily keep your wheels looking that good

my summers look like that and are just waiting two coats of heavy wax before they go back on