Why don’t summer tires work in the cold? Does their effectiveness decrease with temperature in a linear or step like way?
In: Physics
The rubber formulas are different for different season tires. Summer tires are tolerant of the heat and won’t melt on hot asphalt or reduce your fuel economy too much by getting soft and increasing traction in warm weather. On the flip side, when they are really cold they will be hard instead of flexible, meaning less surface area touching the ground and less grip, so you are more likely to lose traction and slide or spin out in low temperatures.
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