SUMMER TYRES: ALL YOU NEED KNOW

Summer tyres may be something you've heard about, but how much do you really know about them?

Why ought you to think about employing summer tyres? Is using them legally required? What distinguishes them from winter tyres? You probably have a lot of questions in your head right now.

As a result, we have created this comprehensive guide to clear up any confusion. Here is every detail you need to know about Summer Tyres Basingstoke.

What are summer tyres?

A summer tyre, as you might have guessed, is actually made for usage in warm climates. Its rubber composition can withstand hot conditions and provide excellent traction. Because of this, summer tyres are a must for performance driving and are frequently found on sports cars. Moreover, they frequently have greater internal reinforcement than regular tyres, which makes the ride firmer. However, their focus on grip and dry-road traction might come at the expense of wet-weather performance: as you move up the summer tyre ladder (with muddled terms like high performance, ultrahigh performance, max performance, and extreme performance), you'll give up more wet grip for more skill on dry surfaces.

HOW LONG ARE SUMMER TYRES GOOD FOR?

A summer tire's expected lifespan is between 20,000 and 40,000 miles, or roughly half that of an all-season tyre. This is due to the tire's gripping compound as well as the fact that summer tyres frequently have narrower tread blocks, which means there is less material to wear through. Additionally keep in mind that warranties covering treadwear on summer tyres are uncommon. Moreover, the lifespan of summer tyres decreases with increasing abrasiveness.

What makes summer tyres different from winter tyres?

There are three fundamental differences between summer and winter tyres: rubber content, structure, and tread pattern. The primary benefit of adopting summer tyres is their enhanced performance on roadways when it is warmer outside. While winter tyres are basically designed to perform better in temperatures below freezing, summer tyres are specifically designed to get used in temperatures above 7°C.

Summer tyres contain a stronger rubber compound that gives them more traction and grip on both dry and wet surfaces. In order to improve road accuracy, summer tyres have shallower tread patterns than winter tyres. They lose performance, though, as temperatures drop below 7°C because they have a tendency to harden.

Winter tyres are specifically made of a special rubber mix that maintains flexibility at these lower temperatures to preserve grip. Also, they contain sipes in the tread—tiny grooves that assist dissipate water and avoid aquaplaning—and deeper tread patterns to increase traction on snow and ice.

WHAT DIFFERENCES DO SUMMER TyRES AND ALL-SEASON TYRES HAVE?

In contrast to all-season tyres, which claim to be the only tyre you'll ever need (as long as you don't drive in cold temperatures, in which case winter tyres are extremely needed), summer tyres prioritise performance over comfort and longevity. Both tread patterns, rubber types, and tread construction are different. Despite this, there is no clear consensus among tyre makers over how to classify tyres, and the least aggressive summer tyres and performance-oriented all-seasons do have some similarities.

What happens when using winter tyres in the summer?

Using winter tyres in the summer is problematic because it reduces performance. Due to the rubber composition of winter tyres, they deteriorate more quickly on warm, dry roads, necessitating a quicker replacement. Because they are primarily made for cold, wet, icy, or snowy conditions, you'll also notice that handling and grip are less of an issue than they are with summer tyres. Also, using winter tyres throughout the summer can decrease your fuel efficiency.

Although changing your tyres with the seasons is not required by law in the UK, you should still do it. When planning a road trip around Europe, keep in mind that some nations have more rigid regulations regarding the types of tyres that must get used depending on the weather. For instance, winter tyres arenecessary during the winter months in Sweden and Finland.

Do summer tyres work in the winter?

Although summer tyres are usually made to operate at temperatures above 7°C, using them in the winter will reduce their performance somewhat. Summer tyres' rubber can harden in temperatures as low as -7°C, which causes you to lose traction on the road.

Summer tyres stop far more slowly than winter tyres, which could make them more dangerous in icy or snowy conditions. So, using summer tyres in the winter is not recommended.

All-season tyres offer a middle ground between specialised summer and winter tyres if you don't want to replace them twice a year. In order to improve grip and performance in colder weather, these get composed of a mild rubber compound that is also intended to resist hardening at temperatures below 7°C. A more reliable alternative to using summer Churchill Tyres Basingstoke in the winter is to use winter tyres, which typically have intermediate tread depths and offer a longer tread life than summer tyres.