http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_38051.htm

I've seen these in my local store. They are about £10 cheaper than Amazon.

I might be in the market for some according to the forecast.

Any body have experience of these ?

Nick

Are you in the type of area where the roads will be left snow covered and require you to fit snow chains and be able to drive about with them on?

Certainly worth the buying if you are

They are a total faff if to be put on and removed a mile or so later. no use really for roads where other traffic are moving about without them or where the roads are closed.

george

Locally, I should be OK without them, in light snow. But I was anticipating a foray to the West Country in the near future and the vibes I've been getting from the national weather forecasting recently seem to indicate tbat there may be an extended period of snowy weather down there. So I'd feel happier with a set on board.

I just wondered what the wear rate is on the chains, cause the Lidl ones seemed a little lightweight and on the mild-side of mild steel.

Nick

They will be built to a good enough standard,

but since you do not give any idea of your type of vehicle, weight or tyre type or size they are going on, i imagine you are after light and easily handled ones for fitting to a light passenger car.

? Do you have steel wheels or low profile tyres and alloys?

You will need to see how the sizes available suits your tyres and wheels.

You kind of get what you are paying for with a bit of a saving because they are from LIDL.

The good thing with LIDL other than price is they are good at taking stuff back.

They certainly will not be Ice Road Trucker type chains.

just of the design that will be suitable for short usage

and not for driving on Black Top, but then, chains are not meant for that type of use..

The description leads you to believe they are of the standard that Mainland European Drivers would carry or use.

& They say they have a 3 year warranty.

george

That's what I thought. And a 3 year warranty, especially for continental use, is pretty good for something like that and the treatment its going to get.

Nothing fancy with regard to tyres on my Mk1 Fab saloon - standard steel rims (5 1/2J ?) with Continental 185/70s I recall - I think the script on the packaging includes that size.

My only concern was that the individual links were made of what appeared to be 1/4 inch diameter (or 5/6mm) (25mm long) twisted bar rather than circular rod -just wonder what that would do to the tyres and road surface ?

Nick

Edited 12 January, 201313 yr by Clunkclick

The reason you will see very few chains fitted on cars in the UK is that you would be using them on hard packed snow without the prepared surface and not on a road surface of tarmac or asphalt really.

Country back roads with days of build up is a good use for them. Thats if you must move and you could only do it with chains on.

on, off, on off even with just 1 pair fitted is a PITA

(but better than being totally stuck and having no options when there is no outside assistance)

and you only get as far as where the first vehicle blocks the road, unless you have a vehicle that can go around, possible over ditches or kerbs.

*Basically good to get you out of trouble, but not a good idea to use where they will take you into possible trouble and getting truly stuck.*

We can get into the legal use of them on UK roads and thats a Grey Area, unless in the conditions or areas of the country where the Police accept their safe usage in the appropriate conditions.

That is not on 'Black Top'.

I think Snow Socks are quicker and easier if needed,

or Spike type Tyre grippers that can be put on for hard ice or packed snow surface conditions.

Or just the correct type of tyres for the conditions.

george

even here chains are not going to be a good choice if there is no way passed another car.

Most can not be bothered to put on and off chains several times in just a few miles unless very keen.

(the distance is 5 miles and the Porsche is at the Dead end of that,

should have uses an old fiesta or something..)

Snow socks / winter tyres make more sense in this country unless you live somewhere very rural.

+1 for winters and snow socks. Nick, my mum used to live in the West country, Broadwindsor, and normally last to see the ploughs/ gritters. I visited her in winter and not once did I think, 'by Christ, I wish I was Hugh 'The Polar Bear' Rowland'. Good winters and if need be snow socks will get you out of most situations there.

ECP can beat the price by 80p, by the way

Thanks all.

Despite pedictions yesterday, there's no snow showing in NW London yet, though the temperature has dived.

I'll hold-off doing anything and in the meantime research snow socks.

Cheers.

Nick

Sorry Nick but you are in NW London and thinking of chains?? WTF

If you are really concerned about getting around then get some winter tyres FFS. (fitted chains before and what a faff they are!)

Snow socks get shredded the moment tarmac shows through the snow. That's why winters are more use. Fit in October then forget until mid April

Ps snowing heavily here this morning

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Any body have experience of these ?

Yes

They are sh*te

Utter **** to put on, don't like to stay on the wheel either

The red tensioner chain usually breaks easily, as does the stupid rubber thing

The chains tend to twist on the wheel too

Folks in europe buy these to stick in the boot, so to comply to law, but never actually use

eg 3yr warranty is good idea, 'cos most will never have been opened in that time frame

Don't bother just carry some good old fashioned rope and rap it through the alloys ,round the tyre then fasten well

Sorry but canyon considering snow chains in NW London needs their head looked! Conned by the panic mongers on the weather forecast and news. If its that bad just stay at home for the one day every 3 years you might need them. They will be now use anyway as the roads will all be blocked by idiots in BMW with 3 ft wide tyres

Should say anyone.

edit button gone AWOL again

Buy 'em leave them in the packet and stick on Ebay for 300% the moment a flake of snow lands in London.

Profit from yuppy panic