If your vehicle is fitted with summer tyres by default, there has to be a reason for that. But in any case… what are the main characteristics that make them suitable for our climate? And when should they be changed for winter tyres? Monsieur Pneus will explain it in detail.
‘Summer’ here is rather restrictive as a term. In Belgium, you can actually drive with summer tyres for a bit over half of the year*. And when the mercury climbs and the tarmac is heating up, they’re strongly recommended. They provide driving comfort and safety on both wet and dry surfaces thanks to the following characteristics:
- Relatively hard rubber that softens when heated, giving good grip even during hot weather.
- With a ribbed structure, they have excellent grip – including when turning – even during heavy rainfall.
- The simplicity of the structure gives a large footprint on the road and allows effective breaking.
* Except when the temperature falls below 7°C. You then need to switch to winter tyres. Find out why here