2010 Winter Tire Tests

[outahere]

^ I'm actually able to view the English-language summaries (the website notes that most articles contain an English summary, but most fulltext is only available in Swedish) for free. I was also able to download the first article (2004-09-10 Friction on ice for new and used winter tyres) in .pdf format, for free...........

 

For some reason when I first tried to do a download, I was taken to a payment page. But I see now that you are given the option to "download" or "pay", strangely enough. Maybe "pay" gets you a paper reprint?

 

Interesting, and seemingly contradictory, comments from the English summary:

 

"The ice grip of non studded winter tyres deteriorates with age and tread rubber hardness for non studded tyres."

 

"No significant influence of age on the ice friction of winter tyres."

 

"Studded tyres are superior of non studded winter tyres on icy roads."

 

"The new winter tyres were clearly better than the average of the older tyres. In the age range 5 to 15 years however no significant influence of age on the ice friction of winter tyres could be found regardless of if they were studded or not."

[outahere]

And from report "2004-06-28 The friction on wet smooth ice for new and used winter tyres................" we get these interesting conclusions:

 

 

"No significant influence of age on the ice grip on wet smooth ice of fully studded winter tyres with stud protrusion over 1 mm.

The ice grip for non studded winter tyres deteriorates with age and increasing rubber hardness.

Fully studded tyres with stud protrusion over 1 mm are superior to non studded winter tyres on wet smooth ice."

 

"..........For the non studded winter tyres no correlation could be found between tread depth and ice grip on wet smooth ice in the investigated range from about 3.5 to 10 mm."

 

"Increasing tread rubber hardness diminished the ice grip for non studded winter tyres and studded tyres with stud protrusion below 0.9 mm. For studded tyres with stud protrusion 0.9 mm and more no clear correlation between hardness and ice grip could be found..............."

 

 

 

I believe these tests were performed at a temp of -3 degC, which according to the Russian article linked earlier in this thread, is a temperature which favors studded tires when testing on ice. At colder temps, like around -20 degC, the conclusions regarding studded vs non-studded, may or may not be different.

[TSiWRX]

RE: pay/free -

 

I do think that the "pay" option is for a hardcopy reprint. FWIW, there's also that kind of thing in my circle, too - it's just that we academic biological scientists tend to be so cheap (and poor, too, from funding!) that we'll either print our own, or directly contact our colleagues so that their secretary can send us a reprint for free.

 

 

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RE: details -

 

From the cursory glance I took earlier, I'm not sure if the information is contradictory or if it's the translation that's the problem. Of what you cited first, I think that may be precisely the issue at-play:

 

Interesting, and seemingly contradictory, comments from the English summary:

 

"The ice grip of non studded winter tyres deteriorates with age and tread rubber hardness for non studded tyres."

 

"No significant influence of age on the ice friction of winter tyres."

 

You're absolutely right, it seems to self-contradict, but I wonder if there's not some subtlety of language which did not make it across the translation.

 

As for the conditions favoring the studded tires, I certainly agree with your interpretation there.

 

The temperature conditions cited are indeed at -3 deg. C., but there's also the further stipulation of "three types" of ice surfaces, "wet, smooth, and rough," of which the performance of the friction tires differs least from that of studded tires on the "rough" surface - that would seem to support the Russian findings as well.

[outahere]

Here is an indirect link to the 2010 Auto Motor & Sport tests of a mix of winter tires:

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-AMS-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

[outahere]

................Among the non-studded, they rated the Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice + as the best performer. Goodyear has not been a top performer in the past, but it looks like they are getting serious in this market. In the USA, we have the Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice, but not the "+" version. Maybe next year?

 

Its strengths:

• Longitudinal grip on ice and snow best in the class of non-studded tires

• High resistance to slushplaning

• grip on wet and dry asphalt

 

Goodyear has an interesting website dedicated to their newest non-studded ice & snow tire:

http://www.ultragrip-ice-plus.com/en/home/

[TSiWRX]

^ Very neat!

 

The "Benchmarking Report" even has the Test World driving protocol!

 

 

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Here is an indirect link to the 2010 Auto Motor & Sport tests of a mix of winter tires:

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-AMS-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

 

^ Looks logical to me.

[krzyss]

All Polish language winter tires test that I can find for 2010/11 reference ADAC testing.

Nothing new that I can find.

 

Krzys

[TSiWRX]

^ Try harder!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding.

[outahere]

The UK magazine Auto Express printed their winter tire test results very recently (but not yet available online). Tested: "six current winter tyres (205/55 R16) against all-season and summer tyre control products."

 

http://www.tyrepress.com/News/1/127/20955.html

 

"Goodyear’s Ultra-Grip 7+ topped the test, with Continental’s ContiWinterContact TS830 less than 1 per cent behind the lead with a score of 99.7. According to the tyre testers there was very little between the top two. Better performance in the snow is said to have allowed the Ultra-Grip 7+ to claim victory. Despite coming second overall, the ContiWinterContact TS830 is said to have narrowly outperformed the test winner in the cold and wet test category.

 

Dunlop’s Winter SP 3D claimed third place, followed by Vredestein’s Snowtrac 3. At the bottom of the table Pirelli’s SottoZero 210 Serie II was just ahead of the Nokian WRG2 in last place with 96.7. The Vredestein Quatrac 3 all-season tyre result (95.1) suggested there may be some benefit in a product that straddles both the winter and summer category definitions. None of the tyres reached as much as 5 per cent overall difference from the leader. None, that is, except for the summer tyre comparison product (recent winner of the magazine’s general tyre test - Continental’s Premium Contact 3) which scored just 76.4. When you consider the earlier tyre tests purporting to show up budget tyres found them just 5 points off the mark, the 23.6 point difference is enormous. "

[TSiWRX]

^ I'd love to see the quantitative data from that one, given the close scoring "percentages."

 

Definitely a test to keep eyes on, when the data's published online.

 

Thanks, as-usual, bruddah.

[outahere]

Here is more detailed info on the Auto Express tests:

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-Auto-Express-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

 

 

"At near freezing temperatures the Dunlop and Continental winter tyres out performed the summer tyre [Continental’s Premium Contact 2] during the wet braking test. At 7c [45F] this result was reversed, but in both tests the results were extremely close."

[outahere]

Here is an indirect link to the 2010 Auto Motor & Sport tests of a mix of winter tires:

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-AMS-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

 

Direct from the horse's mouth, with more detail:

 

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/testbericht/winterreifentest-2010-zehn-reifen-der-groesse-205-55-r16-h-2779368.html

[error]

Another Russian test from Za Rulem, October 2010: http://www.zr.ru/a/259048/

 

The difference between the top 3 models in each category (studded/studless) is less than 3% - not statistically significant, I would say.

[seabass07]

The difference between the top three is not much total, but it did show the Xice as better in dry/wet (like a summer tire), while the Hekka R sucks in wet/dry but is great in ice/snow. So that is useful info. If you will be doing wet/dry driving a lot, the hekka R and blizzaks will be lacking compared to the xIce...at least in that test.

[outahere]

Another Russian test from Za Rulem, October 2010: http://www.zr.ru/a/259048/

 

The difference between the top 3 models in each category (studded/studless) is less than 3% - not statistically significant, I would say.

 

Actually, for the studless tires, the top 5 were within 3% of each other (at least that is what "google translate" says). Did not know that Blizzak had a sales presence in Russia.

 

Error, is there a summary data table in that linked article? I could not find one.

[TSiWRX]

Direct from the horse's mouth, with more detail:

 

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/testbericht/winterreifentest-2010-zehn-reifen-der-groesse-205-55-r16-h-2779368.html

 

 

^ Apparently one of the people who commented in the public follow-ups is not so enamored with Michelins.

 

There is no chart of quantitative data, correct? I couldn't find it....

 

Those point-ranking are indeed really, really close.....

 

 

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Help with translation of the latest Russian test?

[outahere]

^ Apparently one of the people who commented in the public follow-ups is not so enamored with Michelins.

 

There is no chart of quantitative data, correct? I couldn't find it....

 

When I looked at that AM&S test earlier today, there was a detailed data table under the photo of each tire. But all the data tables seem to have now disappeared.

[TSiWRX]

^ The 2009 test had one, that I remember - but when I loaded the 2010, there definitely wasn't. Maybe it's still "content yet to be inserted" onto the website?

 

[ Aside: any tips on getting error's latest Russian-language article to translate using an online translator? Google won't do it for me..... ]

[outahere]

Google translated about 75% of the text for me. But not a very understandable translation.

 

Collected in the test non-studded tires, they are also "sticky bombs" or "Scandinavian", already known to our readers. They are updated two or three years ago, with the exception of survivor Vredestein Nord-Trac and the new Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice +.

The results of the heap lay leaders - ranging from 899 to 924 points. The first five and did not differ by more than 3%. But they have different characters, and each bus in the test set its own record, and even a few.

The reader should be guided in choosing not to the overall result, but on individual likes and preferences and, of course, we take into account these advantages and disadvantages.

Russian Nokian Hakkapeliitta R has established a record in the braking and acceleration in snow and at the same time demonstrated the worst braking on dry pavement. She remains on the market the most expensive: the price / quality - 6.16. The most attractive in this parameter Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 (4,99) - Best of the longitudinal traction and braking on ice on dry pavement, but the most voracious, if we evaluate the fuel consumption. Michelin X-Ice 2 - A well-balanced tire, rates are high, except for the acceleration in the snow. A road ContiVikingContact 5 (money - 6.04) better results in terms of ice and in the dispersal of the snow, and braking on wet pavement, he was the worst. Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice + flat at all characteristics of the tire, the best in perestavke. Value for money (5.45) is the same as that of Michelin tires, and apparently on the market they will compete with each other. But the title of most economical tire against Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 and Michelin X-Ice won two Russian-Finnish bus..............."

 

Regarding the WS60:

"To "white" coatings show outstanding results, but, alas, along with the frankly weak. On the ice, excellent braking and better acceleration. It would seem that the model fit to declare ice leader!"

"

Noise, vibration and transmit light from microroughness itching."

 

 

Sticky bombs and microroughness itching, oh my:lol:

[TSiWRX]

^ I'm having partial success cutting-and-pasting, too.

 

Sticky-bombs be damned, I think that this was a key statement, and one I wish that the testing authorities we're more familiar with here in the US would come out and say:

 

The reader should be guided in choosing not to the overall result, but on individual likes and preferences and, of course, we take into account these advantages and disadvantages.

 

 

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Hey, guess what?

 

It's almost November 1!

[outahere]

............Hey, guess what?

 

It's almost November 1!

 

That's the day a lot of new tire price increases go into effect.

[seabass07]

Hmm...I had the same thing with the partial translation. I hit reload, and then it was 100% translated (poorly) minus the images obviously.

[TSiWRX]

That's the day a lot of new tire price increases go into effect.

 

^ Now that's a glass-half-full kind of thinking! I was more thinking about slipping on the studded set, to break them in. I'll be damned if temps. aren't expected to be in the 50s, though!

 

 

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Hmm...I had the same thing with the partial translation. I hit reload, and then it was 100% translated (poorly) minus the images obviously.

 

^ I keep thinking that this has something to do with my home desktop (ancient), too. I'll try from work tomorrow, if I get a chance. Thanks for the encouragement: that I'm not completely crazy!

[error]

ha-ha-ha! sticky boobs... "липучки" (pronounced 'leepoochki') = "sticky", a jargon word for studless tyres. opposite to "шиповки" = "pricky" - jargonism for studded tyres.

 

and no, they did not publish data tables.

 

I wrote to Autoreview.ru suggesting publishing raw data on the web site (as a downloadable database) - no response yet.

[seabass07]

If you used google translate, you may have called their mother a whore by accident.