Traditionally, winter tyres were heavier than their summer or performance equivalents, due to the additional rubber and thicker sidewalls. This added weight reduced the tyre’s suppleness and compliance, making it less comfortable and slower. But as tubeless technology and puncture-proofing have advanced, winter tyres have been relabelled endurance tyres and now offer a superior ride feel and experience, making them ideal for anyone who covers big miles and doesn’t require lightweight, race-ready performance.
Thankfully, due to a combination of tubeless technology, sealant, extra rubber and embedded layers of puncture-proof material, these tyres still stand up to potholes and rough winter road conditions.
The tyres on test range from the sprightly Continental GP5000 AS TR to the chunky Hutchinson Challenger, but all of them performed well over a couple of thousand kilometres on Derbyshire’s and Yorkshire’s crumbling roads.
Mounting them and getting them to seal was a different story though, with some considerably more frustrating than others in this respect.
Each tyre was seated using and Airshot tyre inflator and then ridden at 60psi, which is my usual pressure for 28mm tyres. I used one of our favourite and best-performing sealants, Muc-off No Puncture Hassle, with around
