Summer / Winter Tyres?

Try driving on snow with summer tyres and report back.

I do, but they don't live in the UK. I'd probably do if I lived in Scotland or another place where you'd get snow and/or ice on a regular basis. Or if I were going to Switzerland in winter on a regular basis.

Different tyre compounds, different tread. Winter tyres are not all the same, some are capable of being fitted with studs for driving on ice.

That's because the Brits are daft and drive on the same tyres all year round. Hence even a light shower of snow and the country comes to a halt.

Why are we not allowed to use slicks in summer though? Ive used them in the wet on the road and its not an issue. At least on a bike. They dont grip as well but you soon feel that and drive accordingly. Its not like a racetrack where you fall off because you are trying to ride near the limit. So the odd summer shower shouldnt be any problem. The law is stupid...

Because plod aren't clever enought oargue the difference between "bald" and "slick" hence it's easier for them to simply base their case on being able to test the tread depth using an old coin.

Indeed, a friend at work who is a track enhusiast was stopped by plod for driving on "bald" tyres. He was heading home on the same semi-slicks he had used on the track. Pointing out that the tyres had more grip in the wet that standard compund didn't wash with the two low-brows who stopped him.

Fortunately a court agreed with him that the dimples in the tyres counted as tread.

The tread design and rubber compound. Winter tyres are designed for cold, wet or icy conditions, where they offer superior grip. And as Steve says they may also benefit from studs too.

Most people in the United Kingdom, either through ignorance, cost or stupidity, don't bother with winter tyres. But travel far enough north in the UK or visit Germany and you'll find many people run summer and winter tyres.

Ah but since a slick has "no tread" then the tread must be the grooves. So when your tyre has worn out and is smooth, the "tread" is still their. Its air.

So it sould. However it is supposed to be x percent...

Winter tyres tend to be a higher profile, different compound, narrower width and more open tread pattern.

Snow tyres tend to have studs. But on non snow/ice surfaces tend to be speed limited to stop the studs pinging out and because they are noisy.

I thought the studs were mainly for ice, not snow.

The studs also wear the road out and the dust produced is nasty. In Oslo if you've got studded tyres you have to pay more for using the roads. As a result people who do most of their driving on urban roads tend to use non-studded tyres - and from what I've heard, they're ok. Still wouldn't do without them further north though.

cheers, clive

The country comes to a half because local councils do not grit roads and there is nothing to clear them with. They wait until there is an accident as it appears to be cheaper that way. The public are also to blame, why set out in very poor conditions ignoring weather forecasts and warnings, then shout "I'm stuck". You don't need summer/winter tyres in the UK unless somewhere like Scotland. It will be the next thing to appear in advertising this year by the way, a few of the struggling garages will try to insist people need to change tyres so they can generate income. No doubt sell people exhausts, shock absorbers and brakes!

from what you say I think you're stupid.

Hardly any other European country grits their roads, certainly not to the extent that we do. It is possible to drive on icy roads without gritting, it's just that most drivers are too useless to do this.

That's largely due to shit driving standards, though.

I've never found there's been enough snow to make it impossible for me to drive anywhere, even on so-called 'summer' tyres.

Surely to make this test worthwhile the OP would have to try winter tyres on snow too?

I live in Scotland, but I don't change my tyres from summer to winter for the 3 days or so in a year there's enough snow to make driving tricky. I know some people who do but they live in the northern reaches.

Depends if he's still got a car to put them on :D

No, the country comes to halt because it's full of cackwits like you.

FFS, where I live even the mountain roads don't get gritted, people change to winter tyres and errm learn how to drive. Something you should have a go at then you wouldn't post uninformed bollocks about tyres.

Oh true to an incredible extent. After all I took a camper van with summer tyres on over the Alps last year and didn't get stuck. Lots of drivers of cars with winter tyres on did.

Indeed, and a fat lot of good it does, too.

Actually, my mum mentioned that they've starting salting the roads (as opposed to just gritting them without any salt) again in her corner of Switzerland. Rumour has it that too many tourists were damaging both themselves and the road furniture.

Well you're throwing the wheels into the equation too.

For Kermy, I used 185/60/13H tyres on a 5.5J alloy but had four 13 4.5J steels for my winter tyres; they would have worn 145/80s or 155/70s.

Err, they aren't just useful for snow, the compound has better drip at low temperatures. Also the aggressive tread patter helps with clearing water and with mud. I don't know what conditions are like where you are, but in Hampshire (where I live in the UK) winter tyres are useful because of the road conditions. This is especially so in rural areas where run off of mud onto the roads is common, and in areas where flooding happens every few weeks.

In Italy, my other place of residence, winter tyres are essential.