If you're thinking about buying studded tires for winter - read this!
12-01-2010, 11:17 AM
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If you're thinking about buying studded tires for winter - read this!
AN OVERVIEW OF STUDDED AND STUDLESS TIRE TRACTION AND SAFETY
1. Studded tires produce their best traction on snow or ice near the freezing mark and lose proportionately more of their tractive ability at lower temperatures than do studless or all-season tires.
2. The traction of studded tires is slightly superior to studless tires only under an ever-narrowing set of circumstances. With less aggressive (lightweight) studs being mandated, and with the advent of the new “studless” tire, such as the Blizzak, since the early 1990s, the traction benefit for studded tires is primarily evident on clear ice near the freezing mark, a condition whose occurrence is limited. For the majority of test results reviewed for snow, and for ice at lower temperatures, studded tires performed as well as or worse than the Blizzak tire. For those conditions in which studded tires provided better traction than studless tires, the increment usually was small.
3. The precise environmental conditions under which studded tires provide a traction benefit are relatively rare. The maximum frictional gain (in comparison to nonstudded (not studless) tires) is found for new studded tires on smooth ice, where they have been shown to provide up to 100 percent gain in certain tests. However, the relative frictional gain of studded tires diminishes or becomes negative on roughened ice, as the temperature drops, as the studs wear, or if the comparison is made with studless tires.
1. Studded tires produce their best traction on snow or ice near the freezing mark and lose proportionately more of their tractive ability at lower temperatures than do studless or all-season tires.
2. The traction of studded tires is slightly superior to studless tires only under an ever-narrowing set of circumstances. With less aggressive (lightweight) studs being mandated, and with the advent of the new “studless” tire, such as the Blizzak, since the early 1990s, the traction benefit for studded tires is primarily evident on clear ice near the freezing mark, a condition whose occurrence is limited. For the majority of test results reviewed for snow, and for ice at lower temperatures, studded tires performed as well as or worse than the Blizzak tire. For those conditions in which studded tires provided better traction than studless tires, the increment usually was small.
3. The precise environmental conditions under which studded tires provide a traction benefit are relatively rare. The maximum frictional gain (in comparison to nonstudded (not studless) tires) is found for new studded tires on smooth ice, where they have been shown to provide up to 100 percent gain in certain tests. However, the relative frictional gain of studded tires diminishes or becomes negative on roughened ice, as the temperature drops, as the studs wear, or if the comparison is made with studless tires.
Another test with these results is the comparison test done by the Tire Rack, comparing studless tires against a studded tire; the studded tire didn't grip as well on ice. You can see it here.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/rep...orts/551.1.pdf
12-01-2010, 11:45 AM
#2
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Ok,
1. This article reads that studded tires are better then non studded tires.
2. This article reads that studded tires don't grip as well at lower temperatures, but better then regular tires.
This article seems to be trying to sell tires.
1. This article reads that studded tires are better then non studded tires.
2. This article reads that studded tires don't grip as well at lower temperatures, but better then regular tires.
This article seems to be trying to sell tires.
12-01-2010, 01:26 PM
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Agreed there is a large variety of studless and studded tire brands so why just blizzak v no name studded and no name all seasons? This is not a good comparision
12-01-2010, 09:37 PM
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in a real world comparison that i did MYSELF using the wagon as a test vehicle nokian studded tires stopped roughly 15 feet faster than blizzaks on the same road going the same speed within 1 hour of each other
studded tires > non studded
studded tires > non studded
12-01-2010, 11:14 PM
#5
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Agreed, I dont by this BS article either. I've lived in Colorado my whole life. I've owned blizzaks and studded snows. The studded snows DEFINITELY outperform the studless variety, AND the blizzaks where toast after 1 season.
12-12-2010, 06:01 PM
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I've driven in some of the worst winter conditions around on a large variety of tires from premium studded to summer competition tires. There is no substitute for studs when the going is icy or very rough. Studless are a lot better than all seasons, but they have their limits.