Tyres for the winter/wets

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

I've driven on wet/damp roads with R888R on. I'm with @maurici and don't find them as scary as others have made out!

 

Yes, you have to respect them and be gentle with the controls.

 

As my last set were getting close to the wear bars on the rear (they did 5000 miles), I did have a slight wobble on a dual carriageway at speed, due to amount of water on the road. 

 

I'm going to try a set of the PS3's for winter use and will still drive in the damp/wet in the summer on the R888R's when needed.

 

 

[Boogie]

9 minutes ago, IanK (Bagpuss) said:

I've driven on wet/damp roads with R888R on. I'm with @maurici and don't find them as scary as others have made out!

 

Yes, you have to respect them and be gentle with the controls.

 

As my last set were getting close to the wear bars on the rear (they did 5000 miles), I did have a slight wobble on a dual carriageway at speed, due to amount of water on the road. 

 

I'm going to try a set of the PS3's for winter use and will still drive in the damp/wet in the summer on the R888R's when needed.

 

 

That’s my thinking, but I’ve got A048’s for the summer. I did have a chat with a guy at Oulton Park that was racing on 888R’s in the wet and I said rather you than me, but he did ok on them

[Steve (sdh2903)]

I suspect some of it was down to the car they were on as well Ian. The way the ford racing ecu dumped all the torque in way down low in the Rev range  didn’t help. I also found the ford fbw pedal tricky to modulate. I remember one such drive when I was out up near Oban and the heavens opened, to say the drive home was an experience to say the least, the sideways action off the roundabouts was fun but exhausting .

[Steve (sdh2903)]

Or maybe I’m just a crap driver 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I can only go off the old R888, which I found could occasionally be lethal in the wet, great to hear the R888R are better!

[AdamR]

I think with 888s, AO48s etc it depends a lot on the age of the tyre. When new they are very very good in the wet, just not much kop with huge puddles. After a few years, they seem to get a sort of 'crust' on them and the compound really does not like adhering to wet tarmac. If used on track reasonably often they tend to wear out before this happens.

 

Another example of why road tyres are best for a road car (And they're still surprisingly good on track too)

[Oily Steve]

I have recently bought a set of pilot sport 3s 195/50 15” and found them to be excellent in the wet and damp at a recent track day and better than my previous sets of R1Rs in similar conditions. 

 

Not sure how good in the dry yet as it’s been a bit wet lately!

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

That’s the comparison I was keen to hear about!

[Oily Steve]

I’m not expecting the PS3s to be as good in the dry as the R1Rs but for general road use and damp/wet track I think they are a good option. Fortunately I also have a set of R888Rs which I think are very good for dry conditions.

 

[DamperMan]

My R888r’s are a hell of a lot better than the T1R’s in the wet.   Personally T1R’s should have been called DF1’s (Ditch Finder 1).    My fleet of tyres are R1R’s and R888’s.    The R1Rs are a fantastic road tyre in my experience put on the track although they grip predictably they end up seriously chewed.. R888R’s stand up well on track.  I’d be tempted if to start again to buy some narrow soft all season tyres for the road and simply get some slicks/ intermediates for the track days.  

[BigSkyBrad]

@Boogie I've got Rainsport 3's - use them all year round. Great in the winter, and very good in the summer. They'll never be a track attack tyre, but as a sporty road tyre at a good price I'm happy.

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

I've just picked 4 of 195/50/15 PS3's from Lee Bennett- top geezer! All 4 are 2019 dates and have 7mm. 

 

 

This is the 'oldest' one 

 

He's been a pleasure to deal with.

 

He gets them from a team who compete in the Ginetta Junior Championship. You can read the regs on tyres here and hence why they are avaiable with such little use! https://www.ginetta.com/uploads/downloads/2019-Ginetta-Junior-Regulations-Published-Copy.pdf

 

I can't wait to get them on and see how much better they are than the T1R's

 

[AdamR]

Cracking tyres those. Even a good dry track day option!

[Steve (sdh2903)]

If you get a set after a wet race they are like brand new!

[Boogie]

On 15/11/2019 at 08:36, IanK (Bagpuss) said:

It's this fella, I met him last weekend. Nice chap: https://www.facebook.com/lee.bennett.528

 

 

Cheers, I have been in touch with lee and he’s replied