 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm spending a month or so down in the Alps (lucky me!) and it seemed that Winter tyres would be a good idea. However the choice (lack thereof!) of tyres available in the UK is really doing my head in !
Having trawled the various UK suppliers, the only Winter tyres I can get in my wheel size are:
Avon CR85
Toyo SNOWPROX S941
Nokian WR
Vredestein Wintrac (expensive)
None of these seem to be overly common brands in the reviews I've been able to decipher.
Does anybody have any knowledge (good or bad) on any of these tyres . . or am I just wasting my money & would be better off sticking with ordinary UK tyres. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SteveD, have a look on www.j2ski.com , there's an article there on Winter tyres, might be of help.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I Can't comment on the effectiveness of snow tyres, but I can tell you that Avon is fairly well known make. I've just had a thoroughly enjoyable 20,000 miles on a set of Avon 185/55's (definitely not a snow tyre) and was very sad to see them go last week 
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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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I brought some winter tyres 3 years ago, the tyre fitters did not have a clue what I was talking about, but when they looked them up most major producers make winter tyres. Mine are Michelen, still in the garage so can not remember what type.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I used to live in Toronto, Canada, which gets tons of snow that stays for 3+ months, and I knew basically nobody who used snow tires - I literally cannot think of one person. Now I'm living in Vancouver, and it seems like basically everyone has a set of winter tires for the 1 week per year where there's snow on the ground here, which kinda cracks me up. Why not just drive more slowly  ?
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ponder, that's weird about Toronto.
All I know is that my front-wheel drive Daewoo Racer with winter tyres performed better on snow than my 4-wheel drive Audi Quattro with summer tyres.
Winter tyres grip much better on wet and cold roads, not only in snow and on ice.
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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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Why not just drive more slowly ?
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Ponder - I've tried the 'driving slowly' approach, and this worked fine on the flat.
However, last year we were staying at the top of a small hill in Meribel Mottaret and after much wheelspinning on a small amount of snow I found myself in the unenviable position of having no traction to drive up and no room to slide down without hitting the parked car / wall behind me. I then spent 45 minutes in the cold & dark working out how to fit the snowchains
At least my wife had the good grace (sense?) to wait till we got back to remind me of her recomendations for me to work out how to put on the snowchains in the warmth & sunshine of England !!
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Toronto is flat as a pancake - one hill in the entire city - so that might have something to do with it  But in general I find a huge deal is made about snow in places that get very little of the white stuff, and basically nothing is made of it in places that get tons. Here in Vancouver there is a 6 inch snowfall and school is cancelled for about half the schools in the city. In 18 years in Toronto I only ever had 1 "snow day," and that was when there was a snowstorm so massive that the army got called in, and even there massive veicles got stuck and had to be dug out!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Steve D If you live anywhere near a Costco Wholesale they will order them in for you. (I was told 4-5 days) You have to be a member, about £30 p.a. but their Michelin prices are V.Good. I am thinking of getting some myself.
They also fit them all included in price.
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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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All,
Thanks for the advice & pointers. Having gone through the various options I've now ordered some 'Avons' from "myTyres".
Here's hoping that I don't have to put those snowchains on again this year  !!
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