Winter Tyres .......
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 38,078
Likes: 310
From: The hell where youth and laughter go
How cold are your summer tyres?
Just thought I'd add some fuel 
Thinking about Formula one and how teams are always obsessed with tyre temperatures, using blankets and having to do warm up laps etc. I wondered...how warm does a standard summer road tyre get when driven in sub zero temperature ?
Well, quick blast on the few miles to work and a look at the laser thermometer revealed this:
Pic one is temperature on the dash display: -1C degrees
Pic two is the temperature of the front bumper: -2.2C degrees (excuse my thumb
)
Pic three is the front offside tyre: 13.4C degrees
Pic four is the rear offside tyre: 13.8C degrees
So my tyres are more or less 13 degrees, remind me what is the threashold point where their cold performance deteriorates?
Thinking about Formula one and how teams are always obsessed with tyre temperatures, using blankets and having to do warm up laps etc. I wondered...how warm does a standard summer road tyre get when driven in sub zero temperature ?
Well, quick blast on the few miles to work and a look at the laser thermometer revealed this:
Pic one is temperature on the dash display: -1C degrees
Pic two is the temperature of the front bumper: -2.2C degrees (excuse my thumb
)Pic three is the front offside tyre: 13.4C degrees
Pic four is the rear offside tyre: 13.8C degrees
So my tyres are more or less 13 degrees, remind me what is the threashold point where their cold performance deteriorates?
Just thought I'd add some fuel
Thinking about Formula one and how teams are always obsessed with tyre temperatures, using blankets and having to do warm up laps etc. I wondered...how warm does a standard summer road tyre get when driven in sub zero temperature ?
Well, quick blast on the few miles to work and a look at the laser thermometer revealed this:
Pic one is temperature on the dash display: -1C degrees
Pic two is the temperature of the front bumper: -2.2C degrees (excuse my thumb)
Pic three is the front offside tyre: 13.4C degrees
Pic four is the rear offside tyre: 13.8C degrees
So my tyres are more or less 13 degrees, remind me what is the threashold point where their cold performance deteriorates?
Thinking about Formula one and how teams are always obsessed with tyre temperatures, using blankets and having to do warm up laps etc. I wondered...how warm does a standard summer road tyre get when driven in sub zero temperature ?
Well, quick blast on the few miles to work and a look at the laser thermometer revealed this:
Pic one is temperature on the dash display: -1C degrees
Pic two is the temperature of the front bumper: -2.2C degrees (excuse my thumb
)Pic three is the front offside tyre: 13.4C degrees
Pic four is the rear offside tyre: 13.8C degrees
So my tyres are more or less 13 degrees, remind me what is the threashold point where their cold performance deteriorates?
Take the temp of your tyres in summer for a comparison
Last edited by f1_fan; Feb 19, 2013 at 02:47 PM.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 38,078
Likes: 310
From: The hell where youth and laughter go
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,430
Likes: 1
From: Away from this place
Still going then?
I've spent the past 5 years in the Scottish highlands. Where its not unusual to see minus 20 in the winters. One week in February a few years ago the warmest it got for ten days was minus 7.
At those temps, winter tyres (I used 265/70/16 Avon Ranger Ice) make a massive difference. However, at anything below 5 degrees air temp, and in wet, damp greasy conditions they were significantly better in terms of traction and lateral grip than the 285/55/18 Pirelli Scorpions I used in the summer.
In ice or snow of any type (either fresh, wet, powder or hard packed) the pirellis were, frankly rubbish and the Avon's quite simply outstanding. To the point where on most snow I could happily run around in rear wheel drive only on the Avons which was simply not possible on the Pirellis.
Its not just about temperature - for snow, no matter how much, its about tread pattern.
But fro most of the uk, its about temperature and damp, cold greasy roads, and the difference a winter compoundand tread pattern makes is absolutely worth the expenditure at anything below 5 to 7 degrees air temp.
I've spent the past 5 years in the Scottish highlands. Where its not unusual to see minus 20 in the winters. One week in February a few years ago the warmest it got for ten days was minus 7.
At those temps, winter tyres (I used 265/70/16 Avon Ranger Ice) make a massive difference. However, at anything below 5 degrees air temp, and in wet, damp greasy conditions they were significantly better in terms of traction and lateral grip than the 285/55/18 Pirelli Scorpions I used in the summer.
In ice or snow of any type (either fresh, wet, powder or hard packed) the pirellis were, frankly rubbish and the Avon's quite simply outstanding. To the point where on most snow I could happily run around in rear wheel drive only on the Avons which was simply not possible on the Pirellis.
Its not just about temperature - for snow, no matter how much, its about tread pattern.
But fro most of the uk, its about temperature and damp, cold greasy roads, and the difference a winter compoundand tread pattern makes is absolutely worth the expenditure at anything below 5 to 7 degrees air temp.
Still going then?
I've spent the past 5 years in the Scottish highlands. Where its not unusual to see minus 20 in the winters. One week in February a few years ago the warmest it got for ten days was minus 7.
At those temps, winter tyres (I used 265/70/16 Avon Ranger Ice) make a massive difference. However, at anything below 5 degrees air temp, and in wet, damp greasy conditions they were significantly better in terms of traction and lateral grip than the 285/55/18 Pirelli Scorpions I used in the summer.
In ice or snow of any type (either fresh, wet, powder or hard packed) the pirellis were, frankly rubbish and the Avon's quite simply outstanding. To the point where on most snow I could happily run around in rear wheel drive only on the Avons which was simply not possible on the Pirellis.
Its not just about temperature - for snow, no matter how much, its about tread pattern.
But fro most of the uk, its about temperature and damp, cold greasy roads, and the difference a winter compoundand tread pattern makes is absolutely worth the expenditure at anything below 5 to 7 degrees air temp.
I've spent the past 5 years in the Scottish highlands. Where its not unusual to see minus 20 in the winters. One week in February a few years ago the warmest it got for ten days was minus 7.
At those temps, winter tyres (I used 265/70/16 Avon Ranger Ice) make a massive difference. However, at anything below 5 degrees air temp, and in wet, damp greasy conditions they were significantly better in terms of traction and lateral grip than the 285/55/18 Pirelli Scorpions I used in the summer.
In ice or snow of any type (either fresh, wet, powder or hard packed) the pirellis were, frankly rubbish and the Avon's quite simply outstanding. To the point where on most snow I could happily run around in rear wheel drive only on the Avons which was simply not possible on the Pirellis.
Its not just about temperature - for snow, no matter how much, its about tread pattern.
But fro most of the uk, its about temperature and damp, cold greasy roads, and the difference a winter compoundand tread pattern makes is absolutely worth the expenditure at anything below 5 to 7 degrees air temp.
Why? Because of course they don't need to as their driving skills make the difference
Scooby Senior
Joined: Oct 1998
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I got through winter on a bike once - doesn't make me big or clever, nor would I recommend it as the best option for anyone else.
I'm sure you can drive on slicks in the rain too
It's simple, if you want the best grip in the winter months, then fit winter tyres. If you can't afford to, then compromise and run what you have, but please don't pretend they are a waste of time, because they simply aren't.
I'm sure you can drive on slicks in the rain too
It's simple, if you want the best grip in the winter months, then fit winter tyres. If you can't afford to, then compromise and run what you have, but please don't pretend they are a waste of time, because they simply aren't.
Just thought I'd add some fuel
Thinking about Formula one and how teams are always obsessed with tyre temperatures, using blankets and having to do warm up laps etc. I wondered...how warm does a standard summer road tyre get when driven in sub zero temperature ?
Well, quick blast on the few miles to work and a look at the laser thermometer revealed this:
Pic one is temperature on the dash display: -1C degrees
Pic two is the temperature of the front bumper: -2.2C degrees (excuse my thumb)
Pic three is the front offside tyre: 13.4C degrees
Pic four is the rear offside tyre: 13.8C degrees
So my tyres are more or less 13 degrees, remind me what is the threashold point where their cold performance deteriorates?
Thinking about Formula one and how teams are always obsessed with tyre temperatures, using blankets and having to do warm up laps etc. I wondered...how warm does a standard summer road tyre get when driven in sub zero temperature ?
Well, quick blast on the few miles to work and a look at the laser thermometer revealed this:
Pic one is temperature on the dash display: -1C degrees
Pic two is the temperature of the front bumper: -2.2C degrees (excuse my thumb
)Pic three is the front offside tyre: 13.4C degrees
Pic four is the rear offside tyre: 13.8C degrees
So my tyres are more or less 13 degrees, remind me what is the threashold point where their cold performance deteriorates?
How much of a difference in those readings would you expect/guess to see on a mild/warm summer day (not a hot summers day, in other words normal UK summer day temp)
Last week the ambient was 1° and I drove 50 miles down to Bishops Castle (from Stourbridge) which is a spirited run in any book. My winter fronts felt slightly warmer than ambient, while the rears couldn't feel much difference
I can't see a summer tyre warming enough in that scenario to 'work' properly
Thread resuurection time.
Just driven round some daft bint in a Fiesta trying to drive up the uber steep hill near my house on 5 inches of comapcted snow. Had to hurry as she was not far off from getting her car stuck sideways and blocking the road. I got out and asked her to cease trying for a minute and went back to my car. I think she thought I was somehow going to help her, but instead I just drove round her
I did wave though.
Just driven round some daft bint in a Fiesta trying to drive up the uber steep hill near my house on 5 inches of comapcted snow. Had to hurry as she was not far off from getting her car stuck sideways and blocking the road. I got out and asked her to cease trying for a minute and went back to my car. I think she thought I was somehow going to help her, but instead I just drove round her
I did wave though.
Scooby Regular
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 11
From: The co-drivers seat
Thread resuurection time.
Just driven round some daft bint in a Fiesta trying to drive up the uber steep hill near my house on 5 inches of comapcted snow. Had to hurry as she was not far off from getting her car stuck sideways and blocking the road. I got out and asked her to cease trying for a minute and went back to my car. I think she thought I was somehow going to help her, but instead I just drove round her I did wave though.
Just driven round some daft bint in a Fiesta trying to drive up the uber steep hill near my house on 5 inches of comapcted snow. Had to hurry as she was not far off from getting her car stuck sideways and blocking the road. I got out and asked her to cease trying for a minute and went back to my car. I think she thought I was somehow going to help her, but instead I just drove round her
I did wave though. 
Must admit, when I bought my spec d fitted with potenza re70s I did think I'd need winters fitting. But it's got me every where even up our big hill throught a 1ft snow drift lol.
Do dramas at all.
Do dramas at all.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 38,078
Likes: 310
From: The hell where youth and laughter go
Thread resuurection time.
Just driven round some daft bint in a Fiesta trying to drive up the uber steep hill near my house on 5 inches of comapcted snow. Had to hurry as she was not far off from getting her car stuck sideways and blocking the road. I got out and asked her to cease trying for a minute and went back to my car. I think she thought I was somehow going to help her, but instead I just drove round her I did wave though.
Just driven round some daft bint in a Fiesta trying to drive up the uber steep hill near my house on 5 inches of comapcted snow. Had to hurry as she was not far off from getting her car stuck sideways and blocking the road. I got out and asked her to cease trying for a minute and went back to my car. I think she thought I was somehow going to help her, but instead I just drove round her
I did wave though. (thing = Fiesta, tit= engine
)If so, maybe offer a hint at learning to drive in the snow, or to take some off-road driving days may be of better use
Some idiot dumped a 1 series BMW outside my house because he couldn't get up the hill...I took our 530GT out and couldn't see what the problem was. All I did was turn off the DSC (which I usually do in the snow) and put the autobox into 2nd gear when pulling away then dropping it into 3rd gear once moving, it just a happily plodded its way up the road without even hinting at breaking traction.
Yes, I should have used the Golf instead as it has AWD, but seriously...it wasn't bad enough to warrant taking it out the garage (seeing I just cleaned it a few days before
)
Last edited by ALi-B; Mar 23, 2013 at 07:15 PM.
Well it was a 2011 Fiesta diesel. She was trying to set off slowly but as soon as it began to slip she panicked and revved the **** off it... cue lots of diesel smoke and no forward progress ..... it was quite comical until I realised that slowly but surely the car was turning sideways more and more the harder she tried. Then I needed to get by as otherwisse she would have blocked the road completely.
Scooby Regular
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 19,020
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From: Just beyond the limits of adhesion
Winter tyres still serving me well, the pile of $h!t£ they're attached to on the other hand isn't ! On the way to work tonight the front o/s coil spring collapsed 
Foofing VAG shoddy worthless made of nowt pile of turd bloody Skoda's 
Foofing VAG shoddy worthless made of nowt pile of turd bloody Skoda's
Scooby Senior
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From: Wildberg, Germany/Reading, UK
