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Rick Mercer's Rant On Snow Tires (pg. 3)
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| Jem_hadar |
2 reviews for those maybe interested in reading/learning more abt winter tires. There are a great deal of "general" information abt winter tires too presented in these reviews.
Read up.
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CANADIAN DRIVER
March 11, 2008
Winter Tire Test: Bridgestone Blizzak WS60
Winnipeg, Manitoba - It may seem a little late in the season to be writing about winter tires, but as I'm doing this I look down at the lower right corner of the screen on my notebook computer, where I have an outside temperature display courtesy of The Weather Network. The figure? Minus 26 degrees. A single tap on the touchpad on that number and an even more chilling figure is presented: it actually feels like -37 degrees when the northwest wind is taken into account. Somehow, "it's a dry cold" just doesn't make me feel any better. They tell me not to worry, though, because we'll be basking in zero degree weather within about three days. And it's about time: we're well into March here.
So while we're still working our way out of the grip of winter's icy fingers, it's a good time to reflect on the performance of Bridgestone's latest dedicated winter tire, the Blizzak WS60.
But first, a flashback from my younger years: one of my first cars was a 1989 Nissan 240 SX. I bought it in the winter of 1996 and quickly realized how essential dedicated winter tires are for safe driving during these seemingly endless sub-zero seasons.
The car was small, relatively light, and was driven by its rear wheels. It wore Bridgestone Potenza "all season" rubber at the time, and these tires were even adorned with the ubiquitous "M+S" designation, meaning that they were supposed to have some sort of mud and snow handling ability, although application of this label seems completely arbitrary.
We have been writing for what seems like eons on this site about how all-season tires are a compromise because they try to be all things in all situations. The Potenzas are particularly ill-suited to this all-season misnomer because their traction in snow and ice is so limited. It didn't help that the tires on my car were nearing the end of their useful life even on dry pavement.
Predictably, the little sports car was nearly immobilized every time there happened to be even the slightest hint of snow or ice on the ground. And you can imagine how much fun it was to stop or turn the car if it was that difficult just to get it going. So shortly after taking delivery I headed to the local tire store and bought a set of Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires.
Blizzaks are dedicated winter tires, and are so identified by the snowflake-on-mountain symbol that the Rubber Association of Canada bestows only upon those tires that meet strict cold weather and snow performance criteria. The difference they made to the car's winter road manners was incredible: it's like somebody replaced the grease on the road surface with 120 grit sandpaper. I have since recommended winter tires to many 'non-car' folk, and they observed the same phenomenon: the increase in traction, and therefore control, in winter conditions is very real and is felt immediately.
But that was more than a decade ago, and since then, the Blizzak name has become arguably the most widely recognized brand when it comes to winter tires. It had been so long since I'd driven on a set of Blizzaks that I thought a re-test was in order.
This year's winter test tires are size 205/60-16 mounted on steel wheels to my front-drive Mazda6 wagon. The stock tires measure 215/50-17, but I prefer a taller side wall and slightly narrower tread width in the winter for better biting ability in the snow: the narrower tire is less likely to float on top of the surface. It's important though, to note that reducing the wheel diameter for your winter tires needs to be done carefully to avoid interference with brake calipers or other components. In my case the standard wheel size on the Mazda6 is 16 inches, and my car doesn't have upgraded brake or suspension components so going down a size was not an issue.
I should also note that I had four winter tires installed on the car, not just two. This is one of these points we can't stress enough: two snow tires just aren't safe; please don't do it. In a nutshell, the front and rear of the car need to have similar amounts of traction because the car was designed to handle under that condition. Put winter tires on the front of a front-drive car, and the expected advantages are there: better acceleration and braking traction. But along with that comes spooky handling. When rounding a corner, if the front tires have significantly more traction than the rears, the tail end of the car will want to come around and beat the front around the corner. That's not a happy situation, folks, and it can be avoided by providing the car's rear with as much traction as its nose.
The WS60 possesses the expected characteristics of a modern winter tire: a soft rubber compound and plenty of sipes (zigzag slits in the tread blocks) to maximize traction at low temperatures. The tread pattern is characterized by large spaces between the tread blocks to maximize both bite in deep snow and water evacuation in the slushy stuff.
While none of those characteristics is unique to the Blizzak, this latest edition focuses on rubber compounds at the molecular level to maximize ice and snow traction. The proprietary technology goes by the name of NanoPro-Tech and is claimed to provide the rubber compound with even more flexibility in low temperatures. Also part of the traction story is a "Tube Multicell" compound which the company says looks like Swiss cheese under a microscope. The pores in the compound assist in evacuating water away from the tire's contact patch, while at the same time providing many more biting edges with which to grip the road. Small particles are attached to the tubes to further increase the tires' bite into the road surface, however slick it may be.
The Swiss cheese multicell compound disappears when the tires are about 55 per cent worn, and from that point forward the tires behave more like generic snow tires, relying more on the tread pattern than advanced rubber compounds to provide the grip.
So how well does it all work? As with previous winter tire reviews that I've done, I installed the Blizzaks on my car for the duration of the winter season. This allows me to evaluate the tires through all of the different conditions Old Man Winter can throw at us. This particular winter was a cold one in southern Manitoba, and although we have plenty of snow cover, there haven't been any significant short-term accumulations to push the limits of deep snow traction.
I can say, though, that these tires shone in fresh snow conditions, biting aggressively to avoid snow-planing and maintaining good directional stability as a result. Since the majority of our winter has been cold and dry, it also became clear that the tires grip well on cold pavement and provide decent steering response (in the context of winter tires).
Where these tires fall a bit short of the mark is in ice traction. Accelerating and stopping on slick ice proved to be more of a challenge than with some other tires I've tested (the Hakkapelliitta RSi comes to mind), although they are so much better than all-seasons that I have trouble faulting them in this regard. Having said that though, the Blizzaks didn't perform significantly better than the Canadian Tire Goodyear Nordics that I had on my car last season.
Dedicated winter tires, like these Blizzaks, are the single most cost-effective way to increase safety on the road during our long winters. Think traction control works? I usually have mine turned off. How about electronic stability control? It's great as long as its user doesn't get lured into feeling invincible thanks to its ability to keep folks from spinning out. Four-wheel or all-wheel drive? They can get you going in a hurry but are only as good as their two-wheel-drive counterparts when it comes to steering and stopping - two things you usually need to do in emergency situations to avoid a collision. These systems are only as effective as the available traction will allow: a factor that is increased significantly with the use of winter tires.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/winte...lizzak_ws60.htm
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| Jem_hadar |
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CANADIAN DRIVER
November 26, 2008
Product Review: Michelin X-Ice Xi2 Winter Tire
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec - Some Canadians choose to avoid our harsh winter weather by heading down south, but those of us that are not so lucky must endure four to five months of ice, snow, cold and unpredictable weather.
Of course, with that comes unpredictable driving conditions and the need to equip vehicles with the proper footwear. Nobody would dare walk outside in the winter with a pair of sandals on, yet for some reason a good majority of drivers feel their car is safe enough with the summer equivalent.
I'm talking about the tires of course; all the safety devices in the world on your vehicle are rendered completely useless without traction. And proper traction can only be acquired with the proper tires. The only parts of your sophisticated vehicle touching the ground are the tires, making them the single most important equation in safe winter driving.
So-called all-season tires begin to lose traction capabilities at approximately seven degrees Celsius, and for the majority of Canadians, this temperature happens mid-to-late November. The government of Quebec recently passed a law that mandates all Quebec plated vehicles to be equipped with winter tires after November, 15th 2008. It's a law that has been controversial but will no doubt save lives and property.
In recent years, word has been spreading about the benefits of winter tires. In 2002, 24 per cent of total tire sales in Canada were winter tires and in 2007 this number increased to 32 per cent and is expected to grow substantially in 2008. Not surprisingly, Quebec lead this charge in 2007 with 61 per cent of total tire sales being attributed to winter tires. Newfoundland and New Brunswick were not that far behind with 46 and 41 per cent respectively. Some interesting numbers are those for Ontario and British Columbia: there is only a 20 per cent uptake of winter tires by Ontarians, yet British Columbians averaged 24 per cent of total tire sales being winter tires. And shockingly, the Prairie Provinces are amongst the lowest in terms of percentage of sales.
Typically, consumers that refuse to equip their vehicles with winter tires fall into one of two camps, the non-believers and the financially-sensitive. The non-believer, or what I like to refer to as the uninformed, are typically easy enough to convince with a test drive. The difference on dry, wet and icy roads between an all-season tire and a winter tire is so dramatic one attempt at the wheel usually has them running to their local tire supplier.
The financially-sensitive can be a little more difficult to sway, but the safety benefits and economic sense of having two sets of tires can be convincing. The key point here is that with two sets of tires, each set will last longer. Add the potential cost of an accident and this can be enough financial motivation in itself.
Michelin engineers have been listening to consumers and have come up with a new winter tire to replace their current X-Ice tire, aptly named the X-Ice Xi2. With this tire, Michelin set out to improve on more than just traction. Their goal was twofold: to improve on the wear rate to ensure your investment lasts for as long as possible, and to reduce rolling resistance, which can save significant amounts of fuel over the life of the tire.
The secret to a good winter tire is not so much the tread as it is the tread compound, and Michelin has developed a new winter compound dubbed "FleX-Ice," a silica compound that Michelin claims is soft when it is extremely cold yet firmer in warmer temperatures (around the zero degree Celsius mark). The X-Ice Xi2 also has advanced tread blocks that can absorb and stock the water with its micro-pump technology.
"The Michelin X-Ice Xi2 lasts up to 75 per cent longer than its leading competitor," said Normand Latremouille, winter category manager for Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. "The longer wear life is in addition to maintaining other top tire performances such as handling and traction."
Although I was obviously unable to test and prove the longevity of the new X-Ice Xi2, Michelin did provide samples of shaved Michelin and competitor tires for a group of journalists to feel and see the difference for ourselves - and I was extremely impressed by what I witnessed.
Michelin had the courage to pit their new X-Ice Xi2 head to head against the competition in a variety of exercises ranging from deep snow to sheer ice using identical vehicles. Michelin also anted up their most formidable competitors, such as the new Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi and the Goodyear Ultra Grip.
In the deep snow it was difficult to really feel much difference between the Bridgestone, Michelin or Nokian tires, but the Goodyear tire lagged the most. On the ice, the Goodyear again showed poor acceleration and braking, and in lateral transitions the tire was numb and gave way without warning. The other three tires were close in performance, with the Michelin and Nokian coming out on top in my testing.
The X-Ice Xi2 certainly proved its capabilities on the hard packed course where speeds became a little higher. I felt more in control of the vehicle equipped with the Michelins and they were extremely confidence-inspiring. In all the tests, the X-Ice Xi2 felt on par or ahead of the competition, substantiating Michelin's claims of having the best all around winter tire.
In fall 2008, Michelin will launch the T-rated Michelin X-Ice Xi2 in 42 dimensions, ranging from 13- to 18-inch rim diameters, and will cover more than 90 per cent of the Canadian winter market for cars and mini-vans.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/winte...n-x-ice-xi2.php
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| geroin |
jamie, both examples are from places where they really need snow tires. In winnipeg it get's really ing cold, same in quebec and they get much more snow than us on average.
(exception would be our last winter which was ed)
all season tires in toronto are perfectly fine imo, this whole snow thing is blown out of proportion here.. |
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| Jem_hadar |
| quote: | Originally posted by geroin
all season tires in toronto are perfectly fine imo, |
id say last year was an exception to the rule though, at least. :)
i didnt have my winters until jan, and i hated driving around in TO w/ all the snow and storms it got in december. really stressful. got stuck a couple times too.
getting up some of the hills on bathurst (going north) in the morning after seeing a dj on the night of sat dec 1st, was intense. almost didnt happen several times. so many cars were stuck (anyone remember that crazy snowstorm??)
EDIT: just re-read... you already mentioned last winter. ;) |
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| Jem_hadar |
From a non-preachy stance,
Just FYIs,
Here are some links if someone is interested
Winter Driving - Tips and Advice for a Canadian Winter
and Winter Tires Reviews.
Lots of good info if anyone is interested.
:)
Whoa! And I just learned this! The fan speed one is *especially* interesting and good to know (im guilty of it after i turn my car on to warm while i brush and scrape off the snow and ice in the mornings)
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Operating the heater fan on low or medium speed will also warm the vehicle interior faster. Most drivers automatically turn the fan on high speed, but this blows so much cold air over the heater core and into the vehicle that the cabin is filled with cold air. As well, slower speeds allow more time for the incoming air to be heated by the heater core and keeps that warm air in the vehicle longer.
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In extreme cold conditions, -30 to -40 C, a winterfront will help keep the heat where you want it. Look at the grilles on many current vehicles and you will see there are very small openings for the air to flow into the engine compartment. This reduces aerodynamic drag, but even these small openings allow a lot of cold air to blow across the engine when temperatures drop. A winterfront blocks the cold airflow so the engine retains more heat, but be sure to remove it when outside temperatures warm up or you may overheat your engine. |
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| DigiNut |
Actually, studded tires used to tear up the roads. In most of Europe, instead of banning them outright, they just set certain standards for them and now they're engineered well enough that road wear is negligible. It's idiotic that they still won't allow these in Canada.
I still don't have my winter tires. :( When I was driving the Toyota I picked up Michelin X-Ice, no questions asked, but unfortunately for me now, those aren't V-rated. Best I've been able to find (by "find" I mean be aware that they exist) is Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance, but just try getting them at this time of year. (And yes, I had good reasons for not getting them earlier, which I'm not inclined to discuss here)
Of course, I'm also driving on tires that are less than a year old, have VDC, and am not an idiot, so I'm not driving into telephone poles. Winter tires are essential if you want to be able to drive at higher speeds or weave through the 20 km/h traffic on the 400, but these "fender-benders" aren't just due to lack of traction.
If you look closely enough, you can actually see people transform into drooling morons right before your eyes as the first flake of snow or drop of rain hits the ground. What's surprising isn't that they leave behind a trail of devastation in the winter, but that they actually manage to survive through any other season. With the mental faculties they seem to have, I'm amazed that they can even remember to breathe. |
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| Jem_hadar |
Interesting article just read.
Brings up some good points if Ontario decided that it was gonna force winter tires on us and make them mandatory to have, like Quebec just did.
Nice to hear points (besides just the upfront $$$ burden on ppl) justifying why exactly it isnt necessary or a fair thing to mandate at all.
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Steering you right: Should snow tires be mandatory in winter?
December 3, 2007
By Jordan W. Charness
It's amazing what you can learn at the checkout aisle. They have all those neat items that they want you to buy: impulse purchases, like magazines, periodicals and little review books. I'm always bored waiting in line and given the choice I'd rather not flip through women's magazines. One checkout line, however, had a book that piqued my interest. It was a book that reviewed used cars and gave their current values.
I quickly flipped to the section that reviewed my SUV. The current value for the vehicle was pretty much what I expected. It only lost $4,000 in value in the two years that I had owned it - all in all, not a bad investment. More to the point the reviews on the car itself were generally positive. It did make a big deal however, about the fact that the dealer-equipped tires were substandard. This was being kind. Other reviewers of the same car had called the original manufacturer's tires "poor quality".
This being my second winter with these all-season tires I had to concur with the reviewers' assessments. Nonetheless, I'm generally in favor of all season tires. As long as they are changed frequently, they can provide reasonable traction.
Some provinces are looking into the idea of passing a law requiring the installation of winter tires for the winter season - others have already passed such legislation. Since winter tires undoubtedly work better in the winter the argument goes that there would be a reduction in accidents if all cars were equipped with these types of tires.
By definition, all-season tires are a compromise. Their composition is such that they provide reasonable traction and performance in all types of weather. Tires specifically designed for winter's snow and ice conditions will perform significantly better under those conditions than all-season tires will. But will they actually reduce the number of collisions in the winter? If so, by how much?
Our laws tend to be reactive. The lawmakers try to pass laws to deal with today's situations. Unfortunately the process of, drafting studying and passing a law is a lengthy one, so the laws that are passed today are often based on yesterday's story. The snow tires debate has been around for a long time. The fact that snow tires perform better in winter than all-season tires has been a known fact since the invention of all-season tires a few decades ago.
The fact of the matter is that accidents are generally caused by drivers and not by their cars or tires. Although driving summer tires in the winter is both illegal and stupid, driving all-season tires in the winter is legal and a reasonable thing to do depending on where you are actually driving.
If you normally drive up North or on poorly maintained secondary and tertiary roads you would be well advised to install snow tires for the winter season. However if you normally drive in the city or on the highway you could be expected to safely use all-season tires as long as you modify your driving to reflect the slippery winter conditions and the less-than-perfect traction that your all-season tires provide. Driving slower, keeping your distance and never intentionally driving in icy conditions will significantly reduce the number of winter accidents.
Before ordering everyone to install winter tires, the government might look into the fact that citizens in Canada have a reasonable right to expect that their roads be cleaned and clear of snow and ice. I would be willing to wager that the accident rate would go down in direct proportion to the speed at which our roads are cleaned. Clearing them right down to the pavement without waiting for the month of June would also have a marked effect on the accident rate.
A good set of winter tires can easily cost $800, which is an additional expense that many people can ill afford. A cheap and lousy set of winter tires will not be much of an improvement over all-season tires.
Who'll be in charge of administering the verification of everyone's car to make sure that it complies with an eventual winter tire law? The police are already overburdened.
A law that requires us to install winter tires will probably lead to people driving on winter tires that are long past their prime. Tire companies may also designate tires as "Winter" when in reality their treads are no better than all-season tires. The average driver would not know the difference.
All in all, a snow tire law is a law that is better in theory than in practice and one that should be put back on the back burner where it belongs. |
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| Abercrombie |
| quote: | Originally posted by DigiNut
Actually, studded tires used to tear up the roads. In most of Europe, instead of banning them outright, they just set certain standards for them and now they're engineered well enough that road wear is negligible. It's idiotic that they still won't allow these in Canada.
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They're banned just in Ontario. They are legal in other provinces;
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| ChemEnhanced |
| I've never bought winter tires in my 17 years of driving, including four winters in Thunder Bay, and I've never had an accident or have been stuck in the snow. |
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| Jem_hadar |
| quote: | Originally posted by ChemEnhanced
and I've never had an accident or have been stuck in the snow. |
Even I found this impossible the week before last (i didnt have my winter tires on yet).
got stuck after work on monday after that massive snowstorm we got. :( :mad: |
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| Silky Johnson |
| My bf's dad owns/runs a tire distribution company. It's getting harder to order winter tires here because they're all being shipped to Quebec where it's law to have winters on your vehicle. |
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