Everything You Must Know About Winter Tyres

Understandably, it's a fairly typical British reaction to winter tires; after all, it doesn't snow very often in the UK, does it? This expectation—that winter Pirelli tyres Maidstone are for dealing with snow—is not just at the core of our nation's outlook toward winter tyres, but it is also absolutely and totally incorrect. All the time. 

Winter tyres, summer tyres, all-season tyres are they all the same?

No. Though they may appear to be like that when you look at it quickly, tyre experts will point out that there have been differences between the way the tyre treads must get intended to function ideally in the circumstances they're meant for (summer or winter).

And yet that's not the most important distinction. It's a deviation you can't catch with the naked eyes, but you'd no doubt notice by feeling your vehicle's managing and decelerating qualities if you did try winter tyres.

So, what's the key distinction between winter and summer tires? Simple. They're made of completely different rubber compounds, and each would get designed to perform best in a variety of driving conditions. 

When the weather is warm, your summer tires provide greater safety.

Here's the catch. Summer tyres must get crafted of compounds that must get designed primarily for use in temperatures going over 7°C. The compound advantages of a warmer temperature. But only when the temperature stays higher than seven degrees Fahrenheit, does the tyre function properly.

However, if you use summer tires at this temperature (which everyone does), you'll realize how they toughen very rapidly. Also, the driving characteristics that you are familiar with above 7°C are out of the question. When it's cold outside, your winter tires will keep you safer.

While using winter tires in the warmer months, the opposite is true. You can only use them at temperatures below 7°C. The popular misunderstanding is that winter tyres can only be in use for driving in the winter. 

Why? Because the substances for such tyres can actually respond in winter conditions while retaining pliability. Their characteristics are available to you when you require them the most. Consider winter temperatures on an icy road to understand how dangerous driving without snow tires can be.

If you're wondering why you shouldn't just use snow tyres all year, keep in mind that they warm up too quickly above 7°C. This affects their rate of wear - think hot streets on scorching days. More importantly, they are less efficient at braking in hot weather. 

These discrepancies in weather and compound behaviour have led top-quality tyre manufacturers to spend so much money each year developing and innovations tyre compounds for snow tires, which are deliberately made to deliver quality achievement in cold weather, and compounds for summer tyres, which operate effectively the rest of year.

Finally dispelling the myth

Let us finally put this to rest. In reality, snow is not the primary reason why literally billions of drivers in Northern Europe swap to winter tires each year.

Sure, they get a little more winter weather than we would, but this doesn't snow nonstop in Germany or Holland between October and March, would it?

They switch to winter tyres because specially formulated rubber substances used in these tyres make driving much more secure when the temperature drops to 7°C or lower.

When it snows, winter tyres perform far better than warmer months tyres, letting car owners keep driving securely, and at the very least to security. Consider what occurs in the UK once we get a little ice: the country comes to a halt. Isn't that a surprise? Unfortunately, because we do not have much winter weather in the UK and also because of the 'snow tyres' myth, we as a country are simply not used to shifting tyres in the cold season.

But what about "all-season tyres"?

All-season tyres must provide the best of all worlds, right? If only this was that easy.

On the surface, all-season tyres must appear to be less work and less expensive. However, tyre experts still advise switching. Why? That's because all-season tyres aren't nearly as impressive as warmer months' tyres for braking in both dry and wet conditions when it's hot.

They're not as decent as winter tyres at hitting the brakes in the cold or snow. Just like winter Tyres Maidstone, they reduce fuel economy. The distinction is that they are on all of the time, just not half of the cases, so you get the worst of both worlds most of the time.