In the test: winter tires for the bike

The car is clear to the car: in Germany the so-called situational winter tire obligation applies. This means that in winter road ratios — snow, snowman, ice smoothness — winter tires must be raised. Spikes have been prohibited since 1975 because they can damage the street coverage.

Spikes are allowed

It is different on the bike. Special winter tires do not have to be — and spikes are allowed.

Test result: On ice and snow, all subjects cut more than the reference summer tire. TCS / ADAC

Even if Adler are not obliged to equip their bike with winter tires — they should always think about them, even if they swing regularly during the cold season into the saddle. To this recommendation, the ADAC and the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) came after testing eight winter tires for the bike together. Four candidates were used without spikes (Swallow Marathon GT 365, Continental Top Contact Winter II, Michelin Star Grip, Nokia Roll speed W) and Four with, Concrete Swallow Marathon Winter Plus, Continental Contact Spike 240, Kenya Klondike Skinny and Retire winter Traveler Skin.

Better grip, shorter braking distance

Great different quality differences could not be determined. But: In any case, a better grip, as it means to the tester. In addition, the braking paths on snow on average decreased by 16 percent shorter than the reference summer tire used. The winter-appropriate properties result from a softer rubber compound and another profile.

With lateral zippers: So you have the modular Retire system to introduce. Retry

Tire with zipper

On ice-smooth ground and on snow, only spikes offer optimum safety. On the blank asphalt, however, they can be relatively uncomfortable. Therefore, the testers showed the testers from the modular system of the Norwegian company Retire. The idea behind it: If necessary, a highly profiled second skin can be pulled over the base tires with 160 spikes. Listen to cumbersome, but should be convenient thanks to two lateral zippers.