I have just returned from Tromso and Alta, average temperature minus 10C, a mild spell. Everyone was using studded winter tyres on hard packed snow and ice covered roads.
I am even more convinced that winter tyres are a triumph of marketing over necessity in the UK.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 24 Nov 14 at 22:58
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Not long before we head off to Cuba for a couple of weeks.
I'm hoping we don't need winter tyres.
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>> Not long before we head off to Cuba for a couple of weeks.
Yes, how is the indoctrination going?
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>Yes, how is the indoctrination going?
Delayed one month (so far) until 1st Jan.
You would not believe how blood y complicated a certain organisation is making the payment of pro-rata salary, benefits and vacation entitlement etc.
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>> Not long before we head off to Cuba for a couple of weeks.
>>
>> I'm hoping we don't need winter tyres.
>>
This break from the pressures of retirement was preparation for a hot holiday after the schools are back after Christmas. :)
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Depends on your journey.
I travel 50 miles each way to work, cross country. Including a number of stretches which aren't gritted before I get there.
We have winter tyres on one of our cars and I use that one out of choice.
Last edited by: Tigger on Tue 25 Nov 14 at 06:51
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...a triumph of marketing over necessity...
Where's the triumph? I don't know anyone who has them.
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>>Where's the triumph?
In CP's garage.
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One for Bromp, I was surprised to see people riding bikes at some speed on hard packed snow covered cycle paths. When I had a close look at some bikes I found that they were fitted with studded tyres.
I am also surprised that we haven't had the "My diesel won't start because it is too cold" thread, it does not seem to be a problem within the Arctic circle, even without engine heaters. :)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 25 Nov 14 at 08:13
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>> I am also surprised that we haven't had the "My diesel won't start because it
>> is too cold" thread, it does not seem to be a problem within the Arctic
>> circle, even without engine heaters. :)
Norway, tho cold, on the cold scale is not really that cold. I have a friend who lives in Alaska, and the cars they buy there have engine heaters, because there its not he diesel that freezes its the engine oil.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 25 Nov 14 at 08:18
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>> Norway, tho cold, on the cold scale is not really that cold.
I agree, it gets the tail end of the Gulf stream which keeps its coast ice free and relatively warm, still cold by UK standards though. I have skied in Canada and the USA that is a whole different ball game of cold.
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>> One for Bromp, I was surprised to see people riding bikes at some speed on
>> hard packed snow covered cycle paths. When I had a close look at some bikes
>> I found that they were fitted with studded tyres.
There was some discussion about this in Brompton circles as Schwalbe make a studded tyre that will, at least notionally, fit a B. I say notationally because there is very limited clearance for the studs witihn a standard mudguard.
I tried to ride the B a couple ot times in London snow - wet rather than packed and decided it was a mugs game. Ditto when the stuff got compressed. Roads were OK after a day or so but nobody ever cleared cycle lanes, eg that which formerly ran along the N side of the British Museum complex, which were treacherous until the final thaw.
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I ride my MTB in the snow. No problem on its Kenda Kinetic tyres which are not winter specific but they are, in fairness, fairly hairy chested.
RWD too ! ;-)
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Our friend's 307 2.0 HDi wouldn't start in Dec 2010 (in the Clyde Valley), and I had trouble starting our Xsara Picasso during the same period although it did eventually fire.
Be afraid the Met Office has forecast a warm wet winter, so we can expect the opposite.
Both our cars are fitted with all season tyres - they're no more expensive than summers, and last just the same (22k up on the fronts on the C4 Picasso, replacement not yet imminent). Can't see any reason not to fit these in preference for summer tyres - unless perhaps I was going to flog it to the South of France in the summer. Which I am not....
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>> summer tyres - unless perhaps I was going to flog it to the South of
>> France in the summer. Which I am not....
Well, I don't know about the rest of you, the most common adverse weather I get is rain. Ergo I fit rain tyres, and I have yet be stuck unable to go anywhere because of rain, snow or ice or crashed because of same.
There is no logical argument against that.
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"Ergo I fit rain tyres, and I have yet be stuck unable to go anywhere because of rain, snow or ice or crashed because of same.
There is no logical argument against that."
You crashed into bus ergo you should fit bus tyres.
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>> >>Where's the triumph?
>>
>> In CP's garage.
>>
Sometimes. It's used most days, but not in snow. That's when the series Landrover comes into its own.
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>> WP maybe.
>>
No..thought about it, but didn't indulge. Winter's are too mild down here. If I lived in the Scottish Highlands, I probably would.
Last year they put winter tyres on my van, but they won't be doing that again as I wore the fronts out after about 9K.
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>> >> WP maybe.
>> >>
>>
>> No..thought about it, but didn't indulge. Winter's are too mild down here.
I think that probably applies to most of us south of the Pennines/Dales.
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>> >> >> WP maybe.
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >> No..thought about it, but didn't indulge. Winter's are too mild down here.
>>
>>
>> I think that probably applies to most of us south of the Pennines/Dales.
Last winter I think we managed 4 days of frost down here. It got to 15 degrees on one of the winter days.
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>> but they won't be doing that
>> again as I wore the fronts out after about 9K.
Stand by for 4 foot of snow in the West country any time soon then.
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>>
>> >> but they won't be doing that
>> >> again as I wore the fronts out after about 9K.
>>
>> Stand by for 4 foot of snow in the West country any time soon then.
I did think that after I posted it.
I do have a reserve though, a SWB Mitsubishi Shogun with the most splendid (new) decent off road tyres on it...and they work well, I did a local green lane in it, just for practice purposes of course no enjoyment came in to the equation....much!
The best bit was my 6 year old, his excitement was palpable.
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There are some truly great talents on this forum. Now we have Runfer riding his Motor Torpedo Boat in the snow. A wonderful vision.
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Live long and prosper Avant. Whoops, got the salute the wrong way round...
;-)
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Wee had a couple of days in winter 11/12 and 12/13 when local lanes were described as passable only with difficulty. They were actually perfectly straightforward unless you were the sort of chump who thinks 4*4 + ABS means you can drive normally in it.
Having got to the station of course the trains were messed up and even if I'd got to London I might not get back.
Actually, the person snowed out longest was not me in Northampton, or the other long distancer who lived in Huntingdon. It was the boss in Bromley!!
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 25 Nov 14 at 21:40
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I am a convert to winter tyres. - Kevin
