 Poster: A snowHead
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Buy some, they are really good 
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WINTER TYRES – WHAT ARE THEY?
'Winter tyres' are specially designed to deal with colder, wet, icy and snowy conditions. They are not specific to snow and ice – so if you think you don’t need them in the UK, think again! They greatly improve braking distances on wet or icy roads as soon as the temperature drops under 7 degrees C – i.e. between October and March each year.
What is different about winter tyres?
•Winter tyres are produced from a different mixture of materials than standard/summer tyres. Winter tyres have more natural rubber in them, and this is less affected by cold temperatures. It doesn’t harden, and has better flexibility and grip in cold temperatures.
•The pattern (or ‘tread’) on winter tyres has more grooves than standard tyres. This means more snow sticks to the tyre, which actually helps improve grip in snow as snow sticks easily to snow. This helps the tyre attain better grip.
•Winter tyres also have a higher number of ‘sipes’ (little channels or slots) creating many biting edges that lock into icy and snowy roads, thus helping your vehicle brake and accelerate. |
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 6-09-13 11:06; edited 3 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'm a little disturbed (although not surprised) by the lack of apostrophe in the title.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Bode Swiller, Ok just for you!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Never too early to start talking winter tyres. My current set are going into their second year and I know the level of grip will have diminished. Are there any support groups I can go to?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just spent £500 on some winterxtream things, they are sat on top of my ebay wheels at £150. Just trying to work out how the flip I will fit them all in the car to take to the fitter...
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I am probably buying a new car in next couple of weeks - current model needs too much money spent to get through MOT. I wonder if I can get winter tyres fitted at no extra cost? I would run them all year round, I think - CBA storing and paying to change them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Some questions:
- is there a place in Calais where everyone stops and puts them on?
- what if your car only has three wheels?
- has anyone here ever backed a lovely winter tyre-shaped cake? Please post up the recipe.
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| harrim51 wrote: |
| Just spent £500 on some winterxtream things, they are sat on top of my ebay wheels at £150. Just trying to work out how the flip I will fit them all in the car to take to the fitter... |
Mobile tyre fitter?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bode Swiller, -No you need to put them on before September just in case - about a month after your Mum puts the sprouts on for Christmas Lunch.
-If your car only has three wheels you shouldn't leave Peckham
- Easier to post a picture of your cat sitting by your shiny new tyres.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 6-09-13 9:33; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hells Bells
Thanks, will look into that, hadn't thought of the room it takes up when they are off the wheels.
Loving the smell in the garage at the moment...
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Don't forget the hi viz vests, one for each tyre.
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You know it makes sense.
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albinomountainbadger, it's a good job you're here. But you forgot the new law - Attach breathalyser to each air valve and don't set off unless they all pass.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bode Swiller, yes I heard about that law but as it's foreign I've decided to ignore it. I clearly know better and any intelligent judge - even a foreign one - will see that and promptly reprimand the authorities for inconveniencing me.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You guys actually pay people to change your tyres?? Or are they not already on the rims or something complicated?
pam w, have you driven with winter tyres in summer before? Personally I don't like it, you have to be much more careful going into corners and they really squeal.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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clarky999, I think they weren't on the rims above. Of course I wouldn't pay a fitter if I had two sets, that's what I have a husband for. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hells Bells, 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You guys actually pay people to change your tyres?? Or are they not already on the rims or something complicated?
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we did originally have two on rims, and that was very easy - even I can change a tyre. However, having four, and no rims, makes things more difficult!
Interesting what you say about driving on them in summer. I've often driven back from the Alps on them, in bright April sunshine, and not noticed any problems, but then being an elderly lady I don't normally squeal round corners anyway. Most comments on here have found they are OK to use in summer. But all that is a second-order question for me at present, as I have to sort out what car to buy!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w,
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I have to sort out what car to buy
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Go on, start a thread you know you want to 
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pam w, makes more sense!! I've only seen the winter tyres thing from my gf's family's perspective, they all have 8 sets of wheels per car so it's very simple to switch over. Maybe that's unusual?
April is still often relatively cool and we still have the winter wheels on at that point. Come mid-June and 35º temps it's more of an issue (and then you may well find yourself squealing round corners! )
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Storing sets of wheels needs careful thought as they can't just be left in a corner of a garage or outside.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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clarky999,
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they all have 8 sets of wheels per car so it's very simple to switch over. Maybe that's unusual?
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I would think thats very unusual even over there. 
shouldnt ski bags be fitted with winter tyres too ?
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Don't forget the self-tensioning snow chains.............. and the thong.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Go on, start a thread you know you want to
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nope. The SH petrolheads would laugh at my criteria, one crucial one being it HAS to have a spare wheel. I have a numb brain from reading the brochure for the Ford Grand C-Max; such a lot of electronic gizmos (including one which steers the car into a parking space for you  ). So much to go wrong!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Great tread... sorry I mean thread...
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| Storing sets of wheels needs careful thought as they can't just be left in a corner of a garage or outside. |
Like a car?
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You know it makes sense.
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Black rubber round ones are best
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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pam w,
I sympathize. I've got a Galaxy - also no spare tyre. Just a tube of squirty rubber stuff under my seat
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Poster: A snowHead
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Apart from wearing out in double quick time if used in the summer I am pretty sure that winter tyres provide far less grip in the wet than 'normal' tyres when temperatures are abive 7 degrees. On balance, if you aren't going to change your tyres over twice a year then it must make sense from every perspective to stick to normal tyres.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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hi,
my tip on this is to check a well known internet auction site periodically.
for example, i got a set for my pug, 6 & 7mm tread on steel wheels, delivered for £150.
just bolt them on when its time to.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| Apart from wearing out in double quick time if used in the summer I am pretty sure that winter tyres provide far less grip in the wet than 'normal' tyres when temperatures are abive 7 degrees. On balance, if you aren't going to change your tyres over twice a year then it must make sense from every perspective to stick to normal tyres. |
Actually the difference in wet grip for winter tyres at summer temperatures is less than you might expect - about 10% worse than summer tyres according to this article. I recall (but can't find the reference) that one tyre manufacturer was quoted on here as saying that if you were only to fit one type of tyre to your car all the year round you were better off fitting winter tyres...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Agree with Alastair Pink. I did a snow driving course with the Swiss Auto Club and they say the loss of performance in warmer weather is much less than the gain in colder and snowy/icy. Apparently some large Swiss companies (Swisspost?) now stay on winter tyres all year and reckon it is cheaper in the long run. I've driven on snow tyres until June with no noticeable loss in anything.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| Apart from wearing out in double quick time if used in the summer I am pretty sure that winter tyres provide far less grip in the wet than 'normal' tyres when temperatures are abive 7 degrees. On balance, if you aren't going to change your tyres over twice a year then it must make sense from every perspective to stick to normal tyres. |
They simply don't wear out in double quick time though, that's a myth. Leave mine on year round and I get same miles out of a set that I would expect from summer tyres and, not that it's too important, they cost less like-for-like. And, if anything, I think they are grippier.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My P6000 summer tyres hardly lasted all, and got replaced 2x in the first 50,000km, both times an MOT advisory (just in limits, but not enough to last).
My Conti WInter Sport tyres have been on since the 5th Birthday Bash! Still well within the German tread depth limits which are much more strict than UK ones.
Will swap to new Winter tyres this year though. My tyres will probably end up in UK as part-worn tyres, and get someone 10K miles or so use.
The double quick wear rate is complete rubbish. Maybe it's true for a genuine snow tyre. But all of the "winter" tyres that people talk about are actually "all season" with the M+S and mountain+snowflake symbol.
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Just goes to show that if you do leave enough room MOSTLY you avoid the worst of the incident .
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Friend of mine runs winter tyres all year round. When you look at the number of days that our climate actually exceeds the recommended temperature range for winter tyres, it doesn't seem like a bad idea.
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I rabn winters all year round when I had a Jarguar, what was noticeable was the vast improvement in the UK when the road was cold and greasy.
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FAQ
