You said the wide 17's had winter tyres on them. Do the narrow 16's also have winter rubber or are they clad in summer tyres?

 

I'd rather take wide winters than narrow summers, if both sets are winters then I'd agree with the narrower ones!

 

 

No, they're just ordinary tyres.....like I say, I like the other wheels/tyres but I think they're to wide for the Octy

 

Having driven cars with all sorts of tyre widths, I can confirm that narrow is better.  It's simple physics - smaller surface area equals more pressure so cuts through snow better.  It's one reason it's hard to aqua plane a bike - narrow tyres.  That's why snow shoes are massive in order to stop you going through the snow - which is the exact opposite of what you want when looking for grip.  Otherwise people would walk around ski resorts in high heels   .

 

I think the Citroen 2CV was one of the best snow cars ever due to the almost bicycle width tyres it used.

 

However, there are 2 rules talking to SWMBO:

 

1) They're always right

2) When they're wrong, see rule 1

 

 

  :clap: at the rules....bloody true

 

Yeah - narrow tyres to cut through the snow doesn't help if it's 5ft deep 

 

I presumed we were talking about standard road going stuff.

 

 

Yes ordinary stuff

Yeah - narrow tyres to cut through the snow doesn't help if it's 5ft deep

I presumed we were talking about standard road going stuff.

+1! Haha.

Not sure any skodas gonna be much good in 5 foot if the stuff lol.

I find the words " Yes Ma'am " and " No Ma'am " are the only phrases required to talk to my wife for a peaceful life.  :yes:

 

 

Fixed that for what you really have to say :P 

I think the Citroen 2CV was one of the best snow cars ever due to the almost bicycle width tyres it used.

 

My mum also claims the 2CV was excellent in snow. Just a shame about everything else I guess :P

 

My Cordoba on winters (185) was miles better than my GFs Yaris on summers (155), unfortunately I never did a back to back test after putting winters on the Yaris.

Fixed that for what you really have to say :p

 

That's dangerous using Ma'am.  The response is likely to be "Ma'am?  MA'AM?  What am I, a head mistress?  You trying to say I'm old?"

It's my "mother" though, not a wife.......

 

 

Post her Mobile number on here, we'll all have a word with her..............

You said the wide 17's had winter tyres on them. Do the narrow 16's also have winter rubber or are they clad in summer tyres?

 

I'd rather take wide winters than narrow summers, if both sets are winters then I'd agree with the narrower ones!

 

No, they're just ordinary tyres.....like I say, I like the other wheels/tyres but I think they're to wide for the Octy

 

So now you've all got the sexist rubbish out of the way, we come to the crux of the matter.  The OP has removed winter tyres and replaced them with summer tyres.  At the start of winter.  Yep - that makes perfect sense.  Presumably you guys never get stuck in the snow 'cos you melt it with all that overflowing testosterone!!!! :giggle:

Excuse me...I'm not sexist, I said was I told by my dad and 2 mechanics I use to use narrower tyres, then said what she said, this lot said that, and if you read my posts, the only reason I took the wide ones off its because I was told (not just here) that because mine's fwd, it's pretty pointless and need narrower ones

The sexist remark wasn't aimed at you, but I'm sure if you look at a lot of the replies you'll maybe see what I mean. 

 

Anyway, all other things being equal narrow tyres would be better than wider tyres in the snow and standing water, but all other things aren't equal in this case - you've swapped winter tyres for summer tyres.  Winter tyres are made from a softer compound that works better below 7^oC than summer tyres.  This will make a bigger difference to grip in cold weather than the difference in the widths of the tyres you're comparing.  Having said that, winter tyres are no longer effective in the snow when the tread gets below 4mm, so if yours were worn out and you've replaced them with new narrower summer tyres it isn't so clear cut.

My Roomster (205/45/R16) is pants in the snow.  

My old Allegro with its skinny tyres (and no electronic wizardry) would run rings around it.

Wide tyres act like skis.  Narrow tyres cut through the snow.

 

But in the interest of self-preservation, take Fubar's advice 

 

 

I'm impressed! I didn't think there were any grasshoppers left on the road these days.

 

Is it still all there or has bits fell off over the years?

 

Sorry!  My old Allegro would *have* run rings around it. 

I took that Allegro around the clock and eventually scrapped it in 1980 when the suspension started to use more oil than the engine

It wasn't the nicest car to drive but it was huge fun in the snow.

Here, ask her to explain this:

 

Unless the snow is real deep, then you need wide  tyres to sit on top of the snow rather than cut through it...

 

It seems that, yes, narrower tyres would be better for cutting through snow than wider. But that's obviously if the two tyres are otherwise identical.
Are you planning on driving in nothing but 6" snow between now and the end of winter? If so, fine, though as others have said, a hard compound summer tyre isn't going to be much good anyway. Removing a winter tyre and replacing it with a summer one seems daft to me.

I took them off because they're to wide ie 245/45 and 225/45, and we wont get as much snow as that, and if we do, it'll go to slush in a day or 2 and the wides are useless, in the States, Canada ect yes, here, no!, the 205 Conti's are an all season/weather

Likely what you have now or coming is cold and icy roads that get ploughed if it snows and salted before or as it gets icy,

at least on the trunk roads, and bus routes,

and sometimes when it stays low enough an ambient temperature the snow might stay covering some roads, & will mean the blacktop stays white for a few hours or days.

 

So a good tread and the correct tyre pressures should get you around if you drive to the conditions,

because likely 95% of vehicles around you have no preparation done for the winter.

 

Many of these drivers will have done the same thing for many winters and will behave just as the always have, 

some slow down and drive carefully and some will just slip and slide about.

 

All good fun.

 

You know you need to leave the car once you do not see any Post Vans, Couriers, Supermarket Delivery Vans, Taxis, 

buses etc getting around and about.

Edited 8 December, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

Just stick with the all season rubber and dont listen.

You can prove your point later when your car gets off the drive n hers doesnt.

I'm sure a lot of people make do without winter tyres, I did myself for years, but that argument is very much like saying you can manage fine with just a hammer as you can bang in screws and claw them back out. Doesn't mean the right tool for the job doesn't do it safer and better.

'Tools', 'Banging and screwing', 'slipping and sliding'  are we still on the same subject.?

Right, the car's an 05 Octy 1.9tdi....I've just took off 245/45/17 (from the back) and 225/45/17 from the front and put 205/55/16's all round (the standard size) and said the someone was seemingly picking them (17s) up tomorow, then she started, really started!!. She says wider are a lot better in snow, I said yes maybe if it's a rwd, mine's not, I'm best with the narrower tyres on the front ie the standard 205/55/16s "ok who told you that, you know best blah blah" it really was a ****y horrible discussion.....so....who's right ?

Btw I was told this years ago ie narrow tyres on the front especially when fwd to cut through snow, so the backs get a chance to follow albeit the trailing axle/wheel. So am I right in doing what I did or should have keep the 17s with the wide tyres I incase there's snow....if I did, and put them on for it, I'd love to see her face if I got stuck because the fronts were to wide ie 225/45

Like I say, who's right....me or her, and yes I'm man enough to take it

 

Lol see ya in a ditch dear.

 

I see someone has posted a rally car on studs, not very wide there. I was going to suggest telling her to look at farmers Defenders that go through deep mud as well as snow, nice and narrow there too,

 

Glacier tyres are different.

 

My first car was an awful poxhall Astra one of it's few redeeming features was that it was pretty much unstoppable in the snow. Mainly thanks to the skinny little 155/60/14 tyres with rock hard cheap rubber on them.

I used to specifically go out and pick steep hills to go up just to annoy businessmen in their low profiled shod saabs and Beemers that were stuck at the bottom.

Well...the 205s are staying on, and if need be I'll put proper winters on, just a pity the 17s won't take any less than 225, well I don't think so

"if need be".... By that time everyone has the same idea and they're sold out or £200 a corner.

 

205 winter tyres on steels would be better for this time of year, surely. Not entirely sure of the wisdom in replacing winter tyres TBH, even if they're wider than ideal.

Still, at least you haven't suggested putting winters on the front only.... for traction... Can't think of a dodgier combination for ice and snow.

at least you haven't suggested putting winters on the front only.... for traction... Can't think of a dodgier combination for ice and snow.

A mate did that a couple of years ago...aye it was fun

Well we've got snow here now. I was out in the car last night, there was a minimal amount down. Less than an inch.

My cars running 195/55 r15 Brudgestone Turanza er300's.

The very slightest of throttle input and it was spinning up no problem at all.

It wouldnt stop for anybody

I actually felt quite useless. Leaving masses of distance of course but i knew my max braking force was little more than engine braking really.

Going up a hill and traffic lights went to red. A 4x4 then pulled up behind me about 1 foot from my bumper. Brilliant. I was very worried about sliding backwards into it when i tried to set off. (Yes George, i used my handbrake mate haha)

All in all. Absolutely useless compared to the winter tyres i was using last year on a polo.

I could drive around on those and put trust in that i wouldnt get stuck and i could apply the brakes. Obviously still leaving masses of space but it left me feeling much safer, in snow much worse than this.

Cant wait to get some all seasons put on the fabia! Just christmas is so bloody expensive lol.

Well...the 205s are staying on, and if need be I'll put proper winters on, just a pity the 17s won't take any less than 225, well I don't think so

 

isn't 225/45 the correct size for 17s on a mk1 Octavia?

Yes, and also has 245/45 for the rears, as I said already, if it was big bm, Merc, Jag ect ect then fine as they're rwd, but not this thing, it's got 16s back on with 205/55s and it's a mk2