Tyre condition is often neglected even though they’re the only element between the road and our cars. Many factors determine a tyre’s optimum performance – treadwear, rubber compound and tyre construction. The most common misconception about tyres is that they’re still useable as there’s still tread on them. In other words, there’s still ‘plenty of rubber’.
But that’s not true; having lots of (or some) tread left on your tyres doesn’t necessarily mean it still has the same grip from when it was new. Tyres inevitably harden over time, so regardless of how much tyre tread is left, grip levels will eventually reduce.
Here’s an example. In this TikTok video, two sets of tyres are put to a braking test – a set of relatively new Bridgestone Potenza RE004 tyres (used for 10,000km) versus a set of worn tyres of the same brand, model and size. The new RE004 was made in 2023 while the older set in 2020. The older set is only three years old, with some tread left.
Using both sets of tyres, the car brakes from 70 km/h to a complete standstill to show how different grip levels are between the two sets of tyres. After an initial run with the new RE004 tyres, they’re swapped with the older set before another round of braking tests. The results may surprise you. The difference may not be much, but enough to help you avoid an accident, being injured and going through troublesome insurance claim procedures.
Remember, it’s not about how much tyre tread is left but instead, how old are your tyres.
