All Season tyres
All Season Tyres
All season tyres can offer the best of both worlds for UK drivers, combining the qualities of summer and winter tyres in a tyre that is suitable to use all year round.
With winters in the UK typically being less severe than other European countries, our climate often has more cold, wet weather than ice and snow. Despite this, many drivers like the idea of fitting tyres that grip the road when it’s snowy and icy, but don’t want the hassle or expense of having two sets of tyres for their vehicle. This is where all-season tyres come in, they’re suitable to use throughout the spring and summer but have the added advantage of delivering safe grip and handling in freezing conditions.
What are all-season tyres?
All-season tyres combine the technologies of standard “summer” and winter tyres into a single tyre suitable to throughout the year, in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Most UK drivers have standard “summer” tyres fitted which can also be used throughout the year. Unfortunately though, the downside to summer tyres is that they have limited capabilities in snow and ice. Many drivers have to avoid the roads altogether when there’s snowfall as their tyres simple don’t provide enough grip to keep them safe and moving.
All-season tyres address this problem by incorporating the features and technologies used in winter tyres to ensure they can cope in all-weathers, including in freezing temperatures, to deliver reliable grip in both snow and ice.
Knowing your vehicle is fitted with a tyre designed to cope with different temperatures and road surfaces gives you the reassurance and confidence that you’re going to be safe on the road, whatever the weather.
What makes all-season tyres different?
There are 3 main types of tyre, summer, winter and all-season.
Summer Tyres
Summer tyres are the standard tyres used by the majority of UK drivers. These tyres can be used throughout the year but perform better during the warmer months. They provide high levels of grip on dry and wet roads but the compound they’re made from stiffens when temperatures drop below 7 degrees Celsius. This, together with their tread pattern design, hinders their ability to grip the road in cold weather. especially in snowy conditions.
Winter Tyres
Winter tyres, sometimes referred to as Snow Tyres a specifically designed to grip the road in low temperatures. They give very safe, reliable grip in snow and ice and have a 3-peak mountain snowflake symbol to show they’re approved for winter use. They aren’t suitable to use in warmer temperatures so if you choose to have winter tyres, you’ll also have to have an additional set of summer tyres.
All Season Tyres
All-season tyres, sometimes known as all-weather tyres, combine the qualities of summer and winter tyres. They perform well during the summer months whilst also providing safe grip in freezing temperatures and in light – moderate snow and ice. A perfect solution for drivers wanting a safe tyre to use throughout the year in the UK.
The majority of all-season tyres also have the 3-peak mountain snowflake symbol to show they’re approved for use in wintery conditions. This also means they’re legal to use in European countries which require drivers to have tyres approved for winter use at certain times of the year.
How do all-season tyres work?
All-season tyres are designed to be a hybrid of summer and winter tyres. They blend the qualities of both, and include winter tyre technology that allows them to provide additional grip in snow and ice.
Tread design
All-season tyre tread is usually a directional, “v” shaped tread design which is the best pattern for optimum handling in snow. It includes a number of “sipes” which are small cuts in the tread that enable the tyre to grip on snowy surfaces.
Tyre compound
An all-season tyre compound contains more silica. This allows the tyre to stay softer and more flexible at low temperatures. A standard tyre stiffens and loses grip when temperatures drop below 7 degrees Celsius. Adding more silica to the tyre compound stops this from happening.