I'm umming about buying some [url= http://www.roofbox.co.uk/car-snow-socks/ ]car socks[/url]...

Big thread on this the other day - lots of good arguments for it.

I may wait until my normal tyres wear and then replace with winter tyres permanently - the extra grip on wet and gritty roads is useful year round in the Peak District and some of the comments on the other thread indicated the effect on fuel consumption was fairly low - ie would be only 3-4 mpg which I can save by using my right foot a little more carefully anyway.

yes - done both cars today but i live in Stockholm 🙂

Fitted some last year and they were great, previous years I faffed around with chains, which are fine but tyres are fit and forget.
Had them years ago and after much pi55 taking it was discovered that I was the only person able to get out of the valley we lived in... 😆
Not that much more expensive than normal tyres and it's offset by not wearing out your normal road tyres...

i hope loads do, and then it won't snow this winter and I won't have to bother.

Winter tyres are NOT only for snow, also when it's cold (3-7 degs Centigrade and lower according to a mate who knows about card, my local Surf_Mat 😉 ).

Couldn't afford to buy a second set of Tyres for winter but I wouldn't if I could anyway.

Nope.

I'm not, I didn't last year, I don't see the point....but I know how to drive properly in most conditions 😀 😉

Couldn't afford to buy a second set of Tyres for winter but I wouldn't if I could anyway.

Careful driving negates the need anyway...

Q1: Will you be fitting Winter tyres on your car?

Nope - I don't have a cvar 🙂

I will be fitting winter tyres to my mtb tho - in fact I already have

Considered it in previous years but given I live in London, rarely go too far out of the way and have a diesel FWD car (plenty of weight over the wheels so OK traction), it didn't seem worthwhile. Plus I have a set of snowchains in the boot if it got really bad. And, if it came to it, I can work from home anyway.

If I was out in the sticks and roads I normally used wouldn't get gritted much (and I wouldn't expect any improvement at all over previous winters) and/or I had to stay mobile, I'd find the space for a spare set of steel wheels with winter tyres, just like our European neighbours do.

Do people seriously do this?

Er ...No. We only get a few frosts a year here and only 1 days worth of snow last winter.

No because I mostly managed without them last winter. I got some auto socks for the one or two days when the snow and ice might defeat me. One of the funniest incidents last winter was two weeks after the big snow when roads were mostly clear. I decided to take a minor drove road to go find some to play in. U fortunately a landy had been through making quite deep ruts in the snow and I grounded my Civic! I had to get the shovel out and dig under the car to get the tyres gripping again. Good slippery fun and I'm surprised I got through the winter without ending up in the hedge.

Given that the only time I got stuck in the snow last year was when the front bumper started acting as a snowplough, I don't see the point.

loddrik - Member
Couldn't afford to buy a second set of Tyres for winter but I wouldn't if I could anyway.

Careful driving negates the need anyway...

I disagree - I'm a careful driver but when stopping distances and grip are significantly reduced (when using summer tyres below 7 degrees C), your driving ability is irrelevant IMO. I see a need to fit cold weather tyres - so I have bought some to be fitted soon.

I don't understand why the majority are using summer tyres all year round, why not get proper all weather tyres which sit between the two? Surely it is the equivalent of MTBing in mud using semi-slicks?

I may wait until my normal tyres wear and then replace with winter tyres permanently

They aren't meant for when the tarmac is warm - they are very crap then. Winter tyres all year is a bad idea.

Btw, are you talking about winter tyres or snow specific tyres? Difference, I think (but not sure).

Given that the only time I got stuck in the snow last year was when the front bumper started acting as a snowplough, I don't see the point.

When you reach a hill with packed snow - that's when you need them 🙂

I don't understand why the majority are using summer tyres all year round, why not get proper all weather tyres which sit between the two?

Cos they are a compromise 95% of the time. It's so mild in this country (most of it at least) that tyres designated for summer on the continent work almost all the time here anyway.

No, can't be arsed and never had any problems with normal tyres.

molgrips - fair enough, but I'd say winter tyres are a poor choice for 85% of the year depending on area, but all-season tyres would be at least be decent all year round. Summer tyres in certain places / at certain times just don't work - if I can't get up a 1 in 5 hill near my house then they are useless.

If everybody fitted cold weather tyres between say, November and March there would be less accidents, and long term costs shouldn't be much/any different

When you reach a hill with packed snow - that's when you need them

I survived going up hills with packed snow last winter, so why should this winter be any different?
Majority of places, provided you anticipate the road/terrain and keep your car moving, you won't have any problems. The problem is the amount of idiots who have a total inability to anticipate, or think past the end of their bonnet.

But while we're on the subject of winter, I loved watching all the smashed up Audi Quatros getting recovered into the dealer just up from my work last year. Just because the four wheel drive gives you better traction for pulling away, doesn't mean it gives you extra traction for stopping 😆

And all the unfortunate BMW drivers squirreling around

I survived going up hills with packed snow last winter, so why should this winter be any different?

Then if you meet steeper hills than you did with slippier snow 🙂

Our road was almost impassable last year.

The problem is the amount of idiots who have a total inability to anticipate, or think past the end of their bonnet.

It's not always stupid people's fault you know. Sometimes, there just isn't enough traction. Yes, lots of people are stupid, but that's not always the reason 🙂

provided you anticipate the road/terrain and keep your car moving

Again, not always possible. Last year my colleage who is an intelligent bloke and a good driver came within a gnat's of getting stuck because his drive home is a very busy single carriageway road with hills. It only takes one person to make a mistake for everyone to have to stop, and not be able to start again on a hill.

Nope, I will just just drop the pressure a nats and stop driving like a nob.

Given I coped just fine last year when everybody else was fannying about - several times avoiding the jams on the (fairly clear and easy to drive on) main roads by taking the (covered with snow) back roads - I don't think I'll bother. They'd only do me any good if the numpties were using them.

I will be chucking the winter tyres on again this year. Only got three left after that blow out so going to just put them on the front axle. Oooo whats oversteer?

Energy savers on the front, Alpins on the back, then swap round when it gets cold. Best of both worlds - I was astonished by the difference winter tyres made last year, so as long as the weather looks threatening, I'll keep using them.
🙂

Given the continual discussion about different mountain bike tyres for different conditions, i'm surprised so few think winter tyres would make a difference. But from the looks of it most posts are from awesome drivers.

I remember listening to a discusion on the radio last year. So many people said they were gonna buy a 4x4. Idiots.

I'm so awesome i'm getting some slicks, you lot are all pansies 🙂

I drive a Defender. No need.

BFGoodrich A/T all year round, tis on a Discovery though, so no need...oh, and I live in the Lake so they came into their own last winter. This winter promises to be the same.

Hmm I guess in Mainland Europe they do and the tyres are cheaper.

I just bought Potenza 255x40 x 17 and I'm focussing on rain weather.

If it snows heavy then I'll be using the train or drive the long way via motorways early.

Not looking forward to driving but on the mtb sure!

a shitty little car with winter tyres is going to go farther than a big 4x4 with summer tyres.
regardless of driver superdooperness

Winter tyres going on tomorrow 🙂

No brainer. The right compound for the temperature and no issues when it snows.

Winter tyres are brilliant, no question.

When I've got room and money for a spare set of wheels, I'll probably do it. And probably get socks for this year too.

Would you fit them onto the front wheels of a FWD car if the current tyres needed replacing?

Grabber AT2's, 4WD and diff lock

mwahahahahaha! bring on the snow!

Would you fit them onto the front wheels of a FWD car if the current tyres needed replacing?

I wouldn't have them as my only tyres. I'd have energy savers. However I'd consider a second set of wheels Scandinavian style that I'd swap myself when it got cold.

In snow tho I'd rather have actual snow tyres than general off-road ones.

Ideally, these.. for the 30m or so of road outside my house that iced over for a week 🙂

[img] [/img]

Sorry, I meant would you fit Winter tyres if you needed to replace front tyres on a FWD car now (it's 0 deg. Centigrade now).

This is what our road looked like on the better days for three months this year. Mostly it was covered in ice, sometimes it was 18 inces deep. There are a series of 12% climbs on it. Snow tyres made little difference. I used my 4x4 with a difflock, I only realised how good it was when I tried the same thing in the car. It go no grip whatsoever.

[img] [/img]

Umm.. again I wouldn't unless I was gonna change them back in the spring.

Winter tyres aren't just for snow, they have better grip on colder tarmac and also work well with lots of rain as you might find in winter.

I think that specific snow tyres aren't the same thing as general winter tyres actually.. not sure tho.

I'll change them but have heard the back of the car will be swinging around corners badly. Strangely tempting entertainment 😉

Nah. I can't see the point. If it's so snowy and icy that I struggle to get about in a car, I'll not bother with the car.

Thats the difference for me, i think driving in snow is fun. I bung the Phil Spectre Xmas album on the stereo, and just getting to work is a buzz.

Thinking about it... The car might get pressed into service for commuting on days when the motorbike becomes a terribly stupid method of transport so it'd be nice I guess. I'm [pretty new to driving so I'll take any edge I can get.

Any recommendations? For a diesel Focus, 195/60 15 and not much performance.

You see last winter I had still rather new Milleniums and they were great. Cheap, quiet, grippy. Would replace with the same if they were available in Eire.

[i]summer tyres[/i]

what are they then? Can you get them anywhere, or just in specific places?

When I need to replace a tyre (or more than one) I don't go to a tyre fitter and say "can I have some summer/winter/allseason tyres", I just ask for tyres

john_drummer - Member

"When I need to replace a tyre (or more than one) I don't go to a tyre fitter and say "can I have some summer/winter/allseason tyres", I just ask for tyres"

You could draw a parallel here with the people who take their bikes into Halfords and ask them to fit 2 new tyres, and end up with Bikehut own brands, no?

[i]Thats the difference for me, i think driving in snow is fun. I bung the Phil Spectre Xmas album on the stereo, and just getting to work is a buzz. [/i]

I think it's fun too and I can handle it but on one morning I saw 4 or 5 rear end shunts from idiots who can't. That pretty much summed it up for me.

not really, no. I don't ask for [i]any old[/i] tyres, I usually ask them to replace like-for-like (after shopping around of course) - so whatever the car came with, if it's good enough for the manufacturers, it's good enough for me.

But how would I spot a summer tyre if it's already on the car (or not)? does it have big smiley sun pictures on the sidewall?. Likewise winter tyres - apart from the studded ones as shown above - snowflakes on the sidewall?

john_drummer - Member

"not really, no. I don't ask for any old tyres, I usually ask them to replace like-for-like (after shopping around of course) - so whatever the car came with, if it's good enough for the manufacturers, it's good enough for me."

So you're like one of those people that walk into Halfords and get the exact same rubbish that came on the bike then, rather than any old rubbish. Fair enough, I can see that's an important distinction

I think it's fun too and I can handle it but on one morning I saw 4 or 5 rear end shunts from idiots who can't. That pretty much summed it up for me.

It is far too much fun to be far too stupid in the snow. Winter tyres just increase the control, speed and intensity of the fun. It is just too much fun to go too much sideways with the regularity that only snowy roads facilitate. Winter tyres or no winter tyres, roll on the snow.

snowflakes on the sidewall

Likewise winter tyres - apart from the studded ones as shown above - snowflakes on the sidewall?

Snow tires have tread patterns specifically designed to dig down and bite into snow and ice, plus they are made from softer rubber compounds that retain their flexibility in cold weather, allowing the tire to better conform to the surface of the road. You will see tiny grooves in a snow tyre not present in any other type of tyre.

[img] [/img]

[i]So you're like one of those people that walk into Halfords and get the exact same rubbish that came on the bike then, rather than any old rubbish. Fair enough, I can see that's an important distinction [/i]

no, I tend not to go to Halfords for bike stuff.

answer the question, smartarse, it's a genuine question, I'm not a tyre anorak.
How do I know if the tyres on my car are (a) summer, winter or all weather and (b) if they're just "any old rubbish".

mtb-rob - thanks for the sensible answer. I still don't know what's on mine, although I have a feeling they're not winter tyres like those - I'd go out & have a look but I can't be arsed.

OK. A little reading up on tyre tread and patterns will help you to understand how different treads work and how they affect the performance of the car under different conditions. However if you can't be f*cked then go to http://www.mytyres.co.uk/Summer_Tyres.html scroll down and type in your reg. # and it will (a)tell you what size of tyre your car has and (b)suggest a summer option(yes you guessed it, just click the sun) a winter option(snowflake?you got it) and an all season tyre for your vehicle along with pricing.

rob, any idea what the little grooves are for? I can't decide what they do. I'm guessing that the idea is that the 'knobbles' can move more and spread when they're on snow....

rob, any idea what the little grooves are for? I can't decide what they do. I'm guessing that the idea is that the 'knobbles' can move more and spread when they're on snow....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siping_(rubber)

oh. well I never knew there was so much choice.

If I lived in Sweden, or Scotland, or Austria, or maybe even Canada, I think I would. but TBH crawling through rush-hour Leeds/Bradford traffic probably doesn't require them

[i]a shitty little car with winter tyres is going to go farther than a big 4x4 with summer tyres[/i]

So true 🙂

I drive a double rear wheel chassis cab transit, in last years snow I drove it up behind Withdean Stadium in Brighton, its a pretty steep hill with hairpins. Got up 2/3rds and then had to wait whilst a Porsche Cayenne reversed out of a drive (next door to Peter Andre's/Katie Price's). It then trundled off ahead of me, took me three attempts to get up the hill to their drive and then I caught up with the Cayenne, it was going walking pace and all the tyres were trying to go in their own direction like it was on marbles. I was patient for about a hundred yards then overtook on a wide section 🙂

Got these fitted to my own van...only gets stuck on polished ice now 🙂 (Toyo HO9, not Hog)

[img] [/img]

I had some snow chains left over from doing a ski season in France, so I was feeling all smug this year. That was right up until I broke one 🙁

I used the chains to rescue a friends wife I had loads of traction and it would have been no problem except I was worried I was going to be hit by someone else and also all the other cars were blocking the way.

Up until this year I would have agreed that it was not really worth getting winter tyres. But the big snow this year meant I could not even get out of my road without chains.

I think a lot of the problem these days is all cars seem to come with infeasibly wide tyres. If you fitted 155's to a BMW I am sure it would not have as much of a problem as it does with the just for show 245's

yurp i already have spare wheels though - scrap yard specials ....beauty of driving a shit vehicle.

its pretty good in the snow already due to high ground clearance and cookie cutter wheels - and a 1900 derv lump over the drive wheels !

[img] [/img]

thats the start of my drive on tuesday (its october FFS)! its a mile and half to the village(which is likely where ill leave the motor when the snow comes in good) and 5 miles to the main road.

seemingly according to my (only) neighbour the first part is no bother as you can take run up - but there is a hair pin bend to another climb at the top that you cant carry speed round - even in the dry.....

"i'm surprised so few think winter tyres would make a difference"

No I have used them on hire cars on the continent and the difference is amazing. But I live in the mild mild west and snowy weather is really unusual.

If you had a FWD car and 2 winter and 2 summer tyres (winter tyres brand new), would you fit the winter ones onto the front or rear?

sense says front wheels - to get drive .....

no good with rear end grip if you cant move !

but by the same token you need to be aware that the rear end will be prone to stepping out and you will need to drive with caution. dont do as many aberdonians do on the first hint of snow and try and drive at the same speed/braking distances as they do in the dry !

My wife's car runs winters all year around it is a people carrier with a lot of weight at the front and benefits in the wet from these, good on grass too.

I have a pair of winters to put on the front of my car but I am very tempted to try the new [url= http://www.klebertyres.co.uk/KleberUK/front/affich.jsp?&lang=EN&codeRubrique=30032005121111 ]Kleber Quadraxer[/url]tyres that are commonly available in independent tyre dealers in the UK. They are all season with a winter tested rating (snowflake M&S).

We live in an east Cumbrian fellside village so tyres are critical for a few months of the year IMO.

Don't be tempted to buy part used winter tyres off ebay. Winter tyres lose there benefit at about 4mm of tread. The German's then take them off their cars and sell them to us at a good price!

I'm thinking Uniroyal Plus 66 should do me nicely.

HAHA. NO!

someone last year commented on how thin my winter biking gloves and shoes were.

winter gloves? they are just gloves!

Don't be tempted to buy part used winter tyres off ebay. Winter tyres lose there benefit at about 4mm of tread. The German's then take them off their cars and sell them to us at a good price!

Ah, makes sense. I've seen a few of those and thought why 'German-sourced' etc.

No chance. Slightest hint of snow and I'll be ringing into work, why spend money to lose that excuse. Likewise my work laptop is useless in the snow, so I'll just have to go and build a snowman.

trail_rat - all that garden and no pump track? 🙁

A somewhat ironic excuse considering your login name Yeti?

phil-W

The garden is a shared garden between the two houses here , i only have a small piece of personal garden

see that wood at the top of the hill there - that extends to a huge expanse of working forest which must be about 30 miles by 40 miles if not more ! .

thus i dont really need my own pump track 😉

A somewhat ironic excuse considering your login name Yeti?

Note the 'Southern' prefix; there is no sense of irony in my excuse whatsoever.

Hairychested - Member
If you had a FWD car and 2 winter and 2 summer tyres (winter tyres brand new), would you fit the winter ones onto the front or rear?

POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST
trail_rat - Member
sense says front wheels - to get drive .....

no good with rear end grip if you cant move !

but by the same token you need to be aware that the rear end will be prone to stepping out and you will need to drive with caution

Good advice.
I have run winter tyres on just the front of my fwd car. If you are not going to have all 4 (which would obviously be the ideal), then they've got to be on the drive wheels, otherwise they will be no use - you'll never get moving! As trail_rat says, you just need to be aware that you need to corner with caution since the back end doesn't have quite as much grip (although summer tyres are better [i]sideways[/i] in snow than they are driving/braking since they tend to have plenty of forward orientated grooves).