Wheelwright winter collection - Be properly attired this winter
The canny High-Street fashion houses are already gearing up for the colder months, with Autumn and Winter collections starting to fill the shelves, but in the automotive world, how many of us are applying the same foresight to our cars? Wheelwright, one of UK’s largest and most experienced winter wheel and tyre distributors is advising motorists to invest wisely in the right (at)tire when the temperatures drop.
Wheelwright offers an extensive range of winter tyres from a wide variety of manufacturers in all sizes and fitments. These can be purchased to fit to existing rims, or if preferred, ready-fitted to a huge range of model-specific alloy or steel wheels. Over 90% of the cars on Britain’s roads are covered by its extensive range.
Last year’s relatively mild winter, with little snow in most areas, may lead some motorists to falsely assume that wheels and tyres that have been specifically engineered for the colder months are a luxury that they don’t need. But, this significantly misses the point of the vastly different technology in these tyres. Winter tyres are made of a different tread compound which remains more flexible at low temperatures, giving excellent contact between the tyre and the road, thus retaining traction and grip. Not only does this improve safety in braking situations, but also improves the ride on the variable road surfaces and textures experienced in winter, as well as when cornering. On ice, snow and in wet conditions, winter tyres offer traction that no summer tyre can match. Generally speaking, below 7°C, a winter-compound tyre will vastly outperform a summer tyre, in all but the most perfect of conditions. Winter temperature averages in the past thirty years have been around 1°c , with a 2011 average of -1.5°c . When temperatures dip below 7°c, braking distances from 62mph (100kph) can increase by up to 5m, from 65m to 70m, when using summer or all-weather tyres. This is due to the decreased pliability and increased stiffness in the rubber at these temperatures. As a result, they are unable to react to road surface irregularities and traction dramatically decreases.
With winter wheels and tyres being mandatory requirements in almost all European countries, it can only be a matter of time before the UK follows suit – particularly as many of the countries that have recently legislated towards this sensible outcome are on the same latitude as much of the UK! Our European cousins each have a complete spare set of steel wheels and tyres ready for winter. Why steel? Firstly, because it’s far more suited to the occasional bit of kerbing and abuse from hidden obstacles, as well as being easy to repair if slightly damaged. Steel wheels are also less likely to lose their finish after being subjected to the harsh salt and chemical solution that is applied to British roads for most of the winter. However, for those that can’t live without the style of alloy throughout the colder months, Wheelwright also has a huge range of cost-effective and highly durable replacements that are ideally suited to the taller profile construction of winter tyres.
Kevin Greer, Managing Director of Wheelwright commented. ‘We saw a significant increase in demand for winter wheels and tyres last year, showing that UK drivers are increasingly concerned about optimising their safety as temperatures drop. Even the humblest of 2WD cars can have exceptional traction and safety throughout the winter, if correctly fitted with the right wheels and tyres. After the harsh winters over the last three years, I think a lot of motorists will prepare properly for this winter – which is forecast to be every bit as harsh as last year.’
For more details on the Wheelwright range – or to find your nearest Wheelwright dealer, visit wheelwright.co.uk.
