CR Winter Tire Test Results

[safristi]

..i only accept Wesley Sipes................on ma ride.....................cool fool................


   The missing "ingredient" in all these tyre tests is the NUT BEHIND THE WHEEL...............a half  decent driver can get going in WINTER.......an eedjit couldn't get going in SUMMER..........

[sailor723]

In terms of "bang for the buck" it looks like the Generals to me. They really seem to be on a role lately.

[safristi]

wot "role" is that.....impersonating an OFFICER...................or a round rubber wheel...........

[davidy]

Ok....something is seriously wrong here.  I just checked the prices for the General's at Canadian Tire and unless I am mistaken,  the price has jumped over $30, depending on the tire size.  

Awhile ago, CT had a 25% off sale on the General Altimax Arctics....great deals if they have your size. $10-$15 off per tire nowadays is not that great.

Dave

[Denky]

can some explain the Legend.
What does all these Circles and 1/2 circles mean?
are the prices in US or CAD?

[HeliDriver]

Prices would be in $U.S.

Just going from memory here, but the circles mean something like this:

Full circle (red) =  Excellent
Half circle (red) = Very Good
Blank circle =  Good
Half circle (black) = Fair
Full circle (black) = Poor

[Marauderman]

Interesting how the top three picks have the worst dry road braking.  I've had to hit the brakes full more than once doing over 120km/hr in normal highway traffic.

[rrocket]

Interesting how the top three picks have the worst dry road braking.  I've had to hit the brakes full more than once doing over 120km/hr in normal highway traffic.

Yea...but NONE of the tires have great dry braking.....It's splitting hairs, really.

[X-Traction]

A check of the specs on tirerack shows that the Blizzak WS60 comes with about 10% deeper tread than the X-ice Xi2 to which it was compared.

All else being equal this would help explain why the WS60 is rated as having less cornering stability, dry traction, steering response and noise comfort.  Similarly it helps explain the WS60's better traction in snow and on ice.

Presumably ride comfort, where the Xi2 is better, is a function of carcass construction.  It would appear from "treadwear" that the Xi2 outlasts the WS60 despite the latter's deeper tread.  Of course, tread compound and tread pattern (they are very similar) are other factors that affect the ratings.

The WS60 rates substantially better than the Xi2 on the question if people would buy them again.  That and the better performance in snow and ice wuould make it an easy choice for more severe winter use.

[rrocket]

I had the previous version of the WS60, and found that it wore out far too quickly.  One of the upside of the Xice2 is that it is supposed to wear much longer.  From our use so far, I'd have to agree.

[davidy]

I had the previous version of the WS60, and found that it wore out far too quickly.  One of the upside of the Xice2 is that it is supposed to wear much longer.  From our use so far, I'd have to agree.

Someone at a different forum noted that the tread depth on the X-Ice2 are NOT that deep (10/32 inches if I recall correctly). Other winter tires are typically deeper at either 11/32" or 12/32". Hope that they do wear well.

Dave

[johngenx]

Bridgestone's Revo was short on tread depth and wore fast.  The WS-60 returns to the deeper tread of the WS-50, but is a much better tire.  (We have both)

When we bought our WS-60's, they were priced much lower than the Michelin, but that seems to have changed, and not for the better.

[Andy@1010tires]

Bridgestone's Revo was short on tread depth and wore fast.  The WS-60 returns to the deeper tread of the WS-50, but is a much better tire.  (We have both)

When we bought our WS-60's, they were priced much lower than the Michelin, but that seems to have changed, and not for the better.

Strange that you don't like them. The Blizak WS60 as been in our top 2 selling snow tires for the last 2 years now.

[ktm525]

Bridgestone's Revo was short on tread depth and wore fast.  The WS-60 returns to the deeper tread of the WS-50, but is a much better tire.  (We have both)

When we bought our WS-60's, they were priced much lower than the Michelin, but that seems to have changed, and not for the better.

Strange that you don't like them. The Blizak WS60 as been in our top 2 selling snow tires for the last 2 years now.

Johnny was refering to the new price of the Blizzacks.

[johngenx]

Strange that you don't like them. The Blizak WS60 as been in our top 2 selling snow tires for the last 2 years now.

Excellent tire, but I was not too impressed with the rapid price increases not too long after introduction.

[X-Traction]

Tread depth on the tires I checked varied depending on the tire size.  This could cause confusion in comparisons.  The Blizzak DMZ-3's I bought last year came with 14/32 tread depth.  This makes them weigh more and affects steering response.  But I ain't a race car driver.  It also means they have substantially more tread to wear off before they're down to being relatively useless as snow tires.

A holy grail of snow tire compound technology is to become harder at higher temperatures, not softer. This would provide the snow and ice traction while prolonging tread life, thereby allowing shallower tread, which in turn preserves handling, makes them quieter, and they're lighter..etc.

My understanding is that the X-Ice Xi2 is the first or most advanced tire in this respect.  If true, this would explain their relatively shallow tread depth.  But they may just be more of a compromise than the Blizzaks, which are rated as better in snow and on ice.

As for the DMZ-3's, I expect to put less than 5000km per year on them, and much of that on wet pavement.  I also have vowed to take corners on dry pavement more slowly with them mounted.  Probably this is the primary way people wear out their snow tires.

[ktm525]

Good points. I recently bought some General Arctic Altimax P245/75-16. The LT version of this tire had an extra 3/32 tread depth but were $50 more exspensive. Hmmm I am thinking I should have went with the LTs....