Three-season tires, commonly known as all-season tires, are tailored for peak performance in spring, summer, and fall. Yet, their efficiency wanes in winter settings. Here are the reasons all-season tires are suboptimal for winter use.
Three-Season Tires Harden Below +7C
All-season tires boast a harder tread compound designed for longevity, quiet rides, and effective traction in warmer weather. However, below +7C, this compound stiffens, adversely affecting braking distance and cornering grip.
This is a significant consideration for mobile tire services, which often recommend different tire types based on temperature. Testing has found that all-weather tires outperform all-season tires in snowy conditions, stopping over 6.5 meters shorter in snow and 2.3 meters shorter on ice. Even in areas with mild winters, temperature remains a critical factor.
Mobile tire services commonly advise using all-weather or winter tires for their year-round adaptability in fluctuating temperatures around +7C, thanks to their softer, more pliable rubber compound.
Inadequate Tread Pattern of Three-Season Tires in Winter
The tread design of all-season tires, featuring closed patterns with small blocks and narrow grooves, excels in evacuating rain in warmer months. However, this design is not winter-friendly. It leads to snow buildup and poor traction on snow and ice, a concern for mobile tire services when advising customers. These conditions create perilous ‘snow on snow’ or ‘ice on ice’ surfaces.
To combat this, winter and all-weather tires are equipped with larger tread blocks, wider grooves, and tiny sipes, specifically engineered to grip snow and ice, remove snow and slush, and maintain contact with the road.
Mobile tire services often suggest using all-season tires during warmer months and switching to all-weather or winter tires as temperatures drop.