Do tread patterns really matter

obi_waynne

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In everyday driving does it really matter what tread pattern you select?

A lot of people are going for directional or assymetric tread patterns but unless you are driving hard and do a lot of high speed manoevering does it really matter?

Can you notice a difference when you put different tyres on your car?
 
The tread pattern makes NO difference............... untill it rains .

The tyre compound does and maybe the amount of rubber on the road (less tread as in an 888) but that only counts if/when you are going really silly
 
If the trread pattern doesn't matter, why are budget tyres not as good as premium ones? Is it down to the carcas construction rather than the tread design?
 
This is becoming an interesting debate now, is it the pattern or the materials that count?

Are budget tyres really rubbish? Do premium tyres really last longer and are they better?

I have long felt that the majority of patterns are there for aesthetic reasons rather than performance ones but I'm happy to be proven wrong?
 
It all counts:- construction, materials and pattern.

In my opinion pattern is the least important of the three - there is an aspect of fashion at work here. And with CAD and physical modelling it is possible to make many different patterns with similar wet performance.

Are budget tyres rubbish - yes, in general they are. But some midrange stuff is very good indeed - for example - Barum Bravuris II looks almost identical to a Conti Premium Contact II and drives pretty much as well. But the longevity is tragic in my experience.

I have a liking for premium tyres, especially from Michelin and Conti. In my experience they do last longer and are superior to to drive on in terms of safety and enjoyment.
 
Wonder if there's a place in the market for a 'signature' pattern? And I am not being totally silly here.

Much like you can buy (at great expense) a Marcus Miller signature five string bass how about, say, a Sabine Schmitz signature limited edition Conti Sport Contact tyre?
 
Wonder if there's a place in the market for a 'signature' pattern? And I am not being totally silly here.

Much like you can buy (at great expense) a Marcus Miller signature five string bass how about, say, a Sabine Schmitz signature limited edition Conti Sport Contact tyre?[/Q

you've given this a lot of thought there Paul. Lil. Strange how you went for sabine lol ;)
 
you've given this a lot of thought there Paul. Lil. Strange how you went for sabine lol ;)

It is strange isn't it. Sadly Zooey has no motorsport connection
 
Well, I have a confession to make! I shall come clean and admit on open forum to buying a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres because I liked the tread pattern in the store :embarrest:
 
I assume you mean the v pattern ones.

good tyres Would be my first choice if i ever drove the car in the wet
 
Supposedly though some tread patterns are better than others at moving water around, so maintaining more contact on the road and preventing aquaplaning.
 
Supposedly though some tread patterns are better than others at moving water around, so maintaining more contact on the road and preventing aquaplaning.

That's the idea of any tread pattern. And all tyre makers will claim that their design is the best to date.

Now that CAD is universal for the virtual modelling of tread patterns and the associated fluid dynamics I pay scant attention to it when choosing a tyre.
 
for all i know. treads dont affect handling normally. they only guide water from under the tires to the outside and help prevent what is known as hydrofoil effect. it does happen at higher speeds that the wheels make scant contact with the roads (wet conditions) and a layer of water forms underneath. you're basically driving on water. so there..
 
for all i know. treads dont affect handling normally. they only guide water from under the tires to the outside and help prevent what is known as hydrofoil effect. it does happen at higher speeds that the wheels make scant contact with the roads (wet conditions) and a layer of water forms underneath. you're basically driving on water. so there..

Well after reading that I just don't know what to say! :blink::amazed::blink::amazed:
 
for all i know. treads dont affect handling normally. they only guide water from under the tires to the outside and help prevent what is known as hydrofoil effect. it does happen at higher speeds that the wheels make scant contact with the roads (wet conditions) and a layer of water forms underneath. you're basically driving on water. so there..

Seriously? Sorry Mate firstly i wanted to correct you, there's no such thing as a "hydrofoil effect". What you wanted to say was probably aquaplaning or hydoplaning. Also its not only for guiding water away to prevent but also for noise reduction when the car moves. Michelin Primacy LC is an example. :):)
 
Seriously? Sorry Mate firstly i wanted to correct you, there's no such thing as a "hydrofoil effect". What you wanted to say was probably aquaplaning or hydoplaning. Also its not only for guiding water away to prevent but also for noise reduction when the car moves. Michelin Primacy LC is an example. :):)

well what i was trying to refer to were hydrofoils they are the ski like parts that some speed boats use to travel over water. honest mistake man. but the principle is pretty much the same. also i have no idea how they reduce noise..:blink:
 
well what i was trying to refer to were hydrofoils they are the ski like parts that some speed boats use to travel over water. honest mistake man. but the principle is pretty much the same. also i have no idea how they reduce noise..:blink:

As a car moves, the roughness of the road surface causes the tyres to vibrate, producing sound waves. This results in a noise typically described as a roar or a rumble. A separate phenomenon involves air being trapped by the advancing tyre. When the air is forced out of the way it causes a noisy ‘shhhh’ or hiss in a process called air pumping.
Quoting from Michelin's site for the Primacy LC:
"Thanks to “Silent Rib” Technology
The shape and distribution of the grooves, gives the intermediate ribs consistent rigidity around the circumference of the tyre. This minimizes any vibrations that cause noise."
I hope this somewhat explains why treads do matter.
 
Assuming thats correct its only relevant if you are worried about tyre noise............

Personally Ive never heard any on the stagea :p

There is also another reason for treads ...................they make 888s road legal
 
I have found over the years that the tread pattern comes into play on newly surfaced flat roads and is more to do with how the tyre behaves when pushed and how far it can go before overheating or distorting. Those patterns with way too many grooves and too close together fall apart. Rubber compound is another thing that can influence the level of grip, how quickly it can get to temperature and stay there. The cheaper ones are made from basic compounds with little regard for performance. The expensive tyres use the best materials and construction. In the wet the best one is that which can dispel the most water whilst maintaining maximum contact wth the road surface. I have had cheap tyres and found them to be very good when pushed but aged too quickly. The current road Falkens on the MG have lasted 3 years, way beyond my expectations and for a mid-range tyre has out-performed my track set-up of Hankook Evo's. 888s are another matter and silly money today, T1Rs are great but too soft for everyday. However most people say that looks nice, I'll have those, I tend to read alot of reviews before I commit as over the years my preferred tyres evolve into new ones and are never the same.
 

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