Winter tyres are a better name for snow tyres which they are also known as. This is because they are used predominantly when it is cold, rather than when it is snowy.
In countries where winter and snowfall are synonymous, this probably seems like an odd distinction to make, but in the UK, we seldom have snow – but we often have cold weather! Also, you may prefer an experienced company that provides the best mobile tyre fitting St Helens for winter. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of winter tyres.
Advantage: Hold the Road When It’s Cold
Winter tyres are made from softer rubber than regular tyres, and boast wider and more intricate patterns of grooves and sipes in the treads. This means that, even in freezing conditions, the tyres will work well to keep your car – and you – firmly on the road and under good control. Get your new tyres fitted from professionals at Dartford Tyres. You’ll love the friendly staff and free expert advice.
Disadvantage: Soft Rubber No Good in Summer
The softer rubber that makes the winter tyres so good in cold conditions begin to work against them in summer. As the roads heat up, so do your tyres and winter tyres will wear down shockingly quickly when faced with temperatures above 7°C. Avoid this by changing your tyres promptly as soon as the weather begins to warm up, and make the most of both sets of tyres by using them at optimum and recommended temperatures.
Disadvantage: Extra Expense
Not many people can afford to splurge on an entirely new set of tyres, so cost is a problem for new drivers hoping to get their first set of winter tyres and perhaps replace their summer tyres at the same time. (This is offset, however, by the fact that two sets of tyres will, once purchased, last twice as long as a single set, but that initial cost can be an insurmountable problem for some.)
Advantage: Outperform All-Weather Tyres
A recent study showed, rather satisfyingly, the result that in winter, winter tyres performed best, and in summer, summer tyres performed while all-weather tyres performed second best in both climate conditions. Now, this does mean that the all-weather tyres performed equally well under both conditions, and that they never came last in the test – that would be summer tyres in winter and winter tyres in summer, respectively – so all-weather tyres can be a sensible purchase. But, by buying winter tyres and summer tyres, you can enjoy the most efficient ride no matter which season you are enduring at the time.
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