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The rubber on tyres hardens in cold temperatures - that's why we have winter tyres on our car. We actually need the same thing on our mountain bikes. So what can you do to have good grip on wet trails even in winter? Like spikes? We spoke to tyre expert Robert Mennen.
BIKE: It is said that the rubber on mountain bike tyres hardens in the cold. At what temperature should bikers expect problems?
Robert Mennen: At low temperatures, rubber becomes increasingly hard, tough and leathery. However, it is not possible to make a general statement about the exact temperature, as this depends on various factors and varies depending on the rubber compound. Similar to summer or winter tyres on a car.
How does this manifest itself in the driving characteristics?
When the rubber hardens, the tyre has less damping overall. Grip also suffers in cold temperatures. The louder rolling noise is also noticeable.
Does it help to switch to softer rubber compounds in winter?
A softer rubber compound makes perfect sense in winter for the reasons mentioned above, especially as you are often confronted with conditions (wet, mud...) where additional grip and damping are helpful.
Does the "Sensitivity to cold" Differences between cheap and high-quality rubber compounds?
Due to their special composition, our high-quality ADDIX compounds function in a wide temperature window and have a low vitrification temperature (glass point: transition from a rigid, glass-like state to a soft, rubber-like state due to crystallisation of the rubber at low temperatures. Below the glass point, cracking can occur under mechanical stress). As mentioned, however, it can make sense to switch to softer compounds - but the choice is often only available for high-quality tyres. In the mid-price segment, at least we do not offer a selection of compounds. For some all-season tyres, we rely on our ADDIX 4-Season Compound, which is specially optimised for low temperatures. However, there is currently no MTB tyre with this compound.
What about the air pressure? Is less better in winter?
As speeds tend to be slower in winter due to the conditions, I would lower the air pressure minimally. You have to bear in mind that the air pressure measured at room temperature is higher than at low temperatures. A 2.4-inch tyre that is inflated to 1.5 bar at 20° C only has around 1.4 bar at 0° C.
What is the optimum profile for winter use?
In loose ground or muddy conditions, an open tread with relatively long lugs and good self-cleaning properties is advantageous (e.g. Dirty Dan).
For whom or for what use are studded tyres the right choice?
Spike tyres are the only safe solution on ice. They also offer advantages on snow, especially when the snow is already heavily compacted or the top layer is icy. Spike tyres are therefore a must for drivers who ride in such conditions. You can also ride on them in normal conditions (tarmac etc.), but the rolling resistance is higher and the rolling noise can quickly become annoying.
Stefan Frey
Editor
