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Winter tyres

9K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  Blue al 
From the parts list, the two options are:

Narrow winter tyres - DoubleSpoke 510 (17x5.5) wheel with 185/50-17 tyre
Wide winter tyres - TrackSpoke501 (17x7) wheel with 205/45-17 tyre

I've driven in northern UK winters on 175, 195 and 205 tyres and I reckon we never get snow deep enough to warrant using a narrow winter tyre. Putting down the power of a JCW on a wet road (it doesn't snow all winter!) on 185 winter tyres must be a nightmare.
 
In the UK, I can't see what benefit all-seasons bring - it's a shame to give up the ice protection that proper winters provide, which is their really big advantage over summers or all-seasons. Getting about on snowy roads is nice, but not really a game-changer, as those roads are still jammed up with people skidding/stranded on summers.
 
I would also stress that whether or not to use winters depends on where you drive. For the typical suburban driver, who almost never drives on roads that aren't gritted and/or ploughed, winters aren't justified. But if you regularly go 'off grid' on country roads that don't get gritted, then winters can be a lifesaver - or more likely a 'wing saver', as they will help avoid those little (but expensive) visits to a hedge from not being prepared for a bit of black ice.

Some will say that a careful driver would not be caught out, but never cornering above 20mph for several months of the year isn't that realistic.

But it would be worth saying that winters won't enable an inexperienced driver to drive 'normally' on ice or snow - skill is still needed for grip levels below those of a wet road and controllable skidding will still occur. Indeed that is one of the nice things about winters - they behave like really old school tyres used to, with some sliding happening at speeds well below the maximum they can deal with.
 
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