Changing from Winter Tyres back to Summer Tyres
Discussion
Hi Guys
With the weather hotting up (comparitively - it was 9 degrees in Edinburgh this morning!) I was wondering what the consensus is about when to change back to summer tyres?
Go for it now, or wait until about March in case there are any other cold spells?
With the weather hotting up (comparitively - it was 9 degrees in Edinburgh this morning!) I was wondering what the consensus is about when to change back to summer tyres?
Go for it now, or wait until about March in case there are any other cold spells?
Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Friday 14th January 12:52
Petrolhead_Rich said:
You mean you still have tread on your winter tyres?
err, i'd be hoping one set would last more than 1 winter!i was down the pub last night and someone asked if i 'had' to throw away by brand new winter tyres now it's not winter anymore?! them proceeded to laugh at what a waste of money they were!
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Hi Guys
With the weather hotting up (comparitively - it was 9 degrees in Edinburgh this morning!) I was wondering what the consensus is about when to change back to summer tyres?
Go for it now, or wait until about March in case there are any other cold spells?
I went to a Hamish Brown (mountaineer) lecture once, he showed a slide of people waist deep in snow in a blizzard, another of people sunbathing.With the weather hotting up (comparitively - it was 9 degrees in Edinburgh this morning!) I was wondering what the consensus is about when to change back to summer tyres?
Go for it now, or wait until about March in case there are any other cold spells?
Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Friday 14th January 12:52
The first picture was taken on Midsummers Day, the second on Hogmanay, so I would hold off for a few months yet!
Changed back to my summers today, just finished about an hour ago.
If there is freaky snow etc it's only an hour to swap back again. My Graspics are totally pants unless it's deep snow or sheet ice. But then again, they're the wrong winters for this country.
Only wore 0.5mm off the fronts and 0.0mm off the rears since October. This is probably why they're so pants in the warm/wet - the tread is hard as nails for cutting the sipes in to the ice and snow.
If there is freaky snow etc it's only an hour to swap back again. My Graspics are totally pants unless it's deep snow or sheet ice. But then again, they're the wrong winters for this country.
Only wore 0.5mm off the fronts and 0.0mm off the rears since October. This is probably why they're so pants in the warm/wet - the tread is hard as nails for cutting the sipes in to the ice and snow.
HellDiver said:
Changed back to my summers today, just finished about an hour ago.
If there is freaky snow etc it's only an hour to swap back again. My Graspics are totally pants unless it's deep snow or sheet ice. But then again, they're the wrong winters for this country.
Only wore 0.5mm off the fronts and 0.0mm off the rears since October. This is probably why they're so pants in the warm/wet - the tread is hard as nails for cutting the sipes in to the ice and snow.
I'm considering pulling the blizzaks of the BMW as they are pretty rubbish in the warm weather, TC light is on a LOT compared to the summer tyres in the same conditions. They were awesome in the snow but i'm concerned about wearing them out.. If there is freaky snow etc it's only an hour to swap back again. My Graspics are totally pants unless it's deep snow or sheet ice. But then again, they're the wrong winters for this country.
Only wore 0.5mm off the fronts and 0.0mm off the rears since October. This is probably why they're so pants in the warm/wet - the tread is hard as nails for cutting the sipes in to the ice and snow.
As has been said its not much effort to pop them back on again..
Well, today on damp roads at 11C on the dash, my front wheels were losing traction accelerating in 3rd. That's a 125hp 1.8 Mondeo.
On the summers under same conditions it can't break traction in 1st without dumping the clutch, and even then it'll often slip the clutch instead.
Both sets of tyres are 205-55-16, summers are Uniroyal RainExpert and winters are the Dunlop Graspic DS3.
On the summers under same conditions it can't break traction in 1st without dumping the clutch, and even then it'll often slip the clutch instead.
Both sets of tyres are 205-55-16, summers are Uniroyal RainExpert and winters are the Dunlop Graspic DS3.
Stick with them till March.
Its all about the odds with winter/summer change. You want the tyre which on average is going to be best most of the time, unless you love jacking your car up. From November to March this is a Winter Tyre, outside these times its a summer tyre. There will always be exceptional days when you are not on the perfect tyre for the job, but this gives you the best odds.
Rationale as follows:-
Average UK temp is around or below 7C from approx Nov to end February, even ignoring recent crazy weather. Even when the mean is pushing 8 & 9, most driving for most people is done early AM or late PM when the temps are colder (dawn is usually the coldest time of day), so most of the time during this period the chances are that you are better off on winter tyres. (No I haven't done a full scientific analysis of this, but I think it holds as a generalisation)
True, some times you will go out and it will be 10C or 12C, but this only means the winter tyre will be operating slightly below its best - but performance doesn't fall off a cliff. And if you change back to summers, you will stand a much greater chance of operating them sub-optimally more of the time than you will winter tyres until February is out. February is usually very cold.
For me, it will be the first warm spell in March when they come off, and in end October/November, the first cold spell they go back on.
They have been a revelation in the wet as well as the more obvious snow benefits, and I am comparing with some of the best wet weather summer tyres (according to all the magazine tests)
In the warmer/drier weather they are less good than my summer tyres, but cold or wet and they really come into their own - they almost seem to grip better than in the dry, but that can't be correct. Even at 12C today for example in very wet conditions, they were ace in the wet and barely slowed me down compared to driving in the dry, except for standing water when caution was the best option. They're good, but they don't do miracles.
Its all about the odds with winter/summer change. You want the tyre which on average is going to be best most of the time, unless you love jacking your car up. From November to March this is a Winter Tyre, outside these times its a summer tyre. There will always be exceptional days when you are not on the perfect tyre for the job, but this gives you the best odds.
Rationale as follows:-
Average UK temp is around or below 7C from approx Nov to end February, even ignoring recent crazy weather. Even when the mean is pushing 8 & 9, most driving for most people is done early AM or late PM when the temps are colder (dawn is usually the coldest time of day), so most of the time during this period the chances are that you are better off on winter tyres. (No I haven't done a full scientific analysis of this, but I think it holds as a generalisation)
True, some times you will go out and it will be 10C or 12C, but this only means the winter tyre will be operating slightly below its best - but performance doesn't fall off a cliff. And if you change back to summers, you will stand a much greater chance of operating them sub-optimally more of the time than you will winter tyres until February is out. February is usually very cold.
For me, it will be the first warm spell in March when they come off, and in end October/November, the first cold spell they go back on.
They have been a revelation in the wet as well as the more obvious snow benefits, and I am comparing with some of the best wet weather summer tyres (according to all the magazine tests)
In the warmer/drier weather they are less good than my summer tyres, but cold or wet and they really come into their own - they almost seem to grip better than in the dry, but that can't be correct. Even at 12C today for example in very wet conditions, they were ace in the wet and barely slowed me down compared to driving in the dry, except for standing water when caution was the best option. They're good, but they don't do miracles.
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