Changing your tyres has to be one of the most arduous tasks of winter and summer. Not only is it physically demanding, but you really have to know what you’re doing in order to do it correctly. Otherwise, you might have to spend some money on having it done professionally at the garage.
But there’s one simple solution – all season tyres. With a set of these, you don’t need to worry about having separate sets for the seasons, finding storage space for them, and then swapping them when the time comes. Perfect for businesses that have big fleets of vehicles and individuals who don’t want to face the task anymore, here’s everything you need to know.
What are they and how do they work?
All-season tyres basically combine all the best characteristics of summer and winter tyres to create a hybrid tyre that can take on all weather conditions.
Winter tyres are usually composed of different materials that are designed to stay softer in lower temperatures. This makes them perfect for cold and slippery surfaces, providing enough coverage to avoid an accident. Winter tyres also have a lot more tread blocks and sipes which improve the overall grip. Summer tyres, on the other hand, are much simpler in design and have far fewer tread marks. The material is also harder to withstand higher temperatures.
All-season tyres are great because they provide grip on slippery surfaces all year round, can adapt to the changing of temperature throughout the year, and don’t wear and tear to the same extent as off-season tyres.
Do all-season tyres have better grip in winter?
All-season tyres perform remarkably well during winter’s more hostile conditions. The tyres are composed of different ingredients that include a special kind of resin that performs well in cold conditions. They also integrate more silica that keeps the rubber of the tread flexible in cold weather.
The tread pattern works well too. They have an open pattern specifically designed to disperse of water and slush effectively whilst extra sipes provide more grip on slippery roads.
How much do they cost?
All-season tyres are generally more expensive than a set of seasonal tyres, but the savings one makes in only buying one set of tyres is significant. The initial cost might be a bitter pill to swallow, but you will soon reap the financial rewards.
It might be tempting to opt for a used set that are cheaper, but this isn’t generally advised. Seeing as these tyres are doing all the work all year round, you need them to be in tip top condition to take on any conditions you throw at them. That’s why the expense of a new pair is absolutely worth it.
