Tread Patterns (225/366)

So, some chat about tyres. And folks, since it's your tyre that is the sole connection twixt car and road, this is important stuff.

On the left, a summer tyre. A Goodyear Eagle F1. You'd think this would be awesome, right? A brand like "Goodyear", a name like "Eagle", and some F1-inspiration (although Goodyear pulled out of F1 around 10 years ago). In the summer, this is a great tyre. Lots and lots of grip, efficient, good in the wet, and great on the brakes. The diagonal tread pattern is an excellent disperser of water, and the sheer quantity of rubber on the road makes this a great tyre.

But when the temperature drops below about 7 degrees Centigrade, the rubber hardens, and the tyre skates across the road. In snow, those huge stripes do precisely nothing. It is, for want of a better word, useless.

On the right is a winter tyre. Made by Marangoni, it's designed for Mud & Snow. The massive grooves collect snow, and snow sticks to snow, helping grip. Those tiny cut patterns in the tread blocks serve two purposes: firstly it fosters movement in the block, which causes the tyre to heat up, resisting the cold. But the cuts (known as sipes) are supposed to be able to cut through ice. Not sure of that myself, but...

In the cold, the car is much grippier. In snow, it's like driving on water. There's so much more traction it's scarcely believable. They transform the car. Well worth the investment, certainly for the 17" wheels that these tyres fit. Seriously, if you live in a cold climate, get winter tyres for your car.