Automobile expert Sergei Mishin in an interview with socialbites.ca said that the law does not prohibit the use of Velcro (friction) tires in the summer, but in hot weather they can melt, so it is better to refuse them. Thereupon, he commented on Police Lieutenant General Mikhail Chernikov’s statement that Velcro tires can be used in all seasons and there is no penalty for this.
“There is a technical regulation of the Customs Union “On the safety of wheeled vehicles” and Annex 8 “Requirements for vehicles in use”. As for the seasonal change of tires, it says there: If the tires are studded, they must be installed on all wheels of the car, if used. That is, the use of Velcro on one axis and spikes on the other is not allowed.
The next point is that it is forbidden to operate vehicles equipped with studded tires in summer. That is, the technical regulation prohibits the operation of vehicles equipped with studded tires and does not prohibit Velcro. It is forbidden to operate vehicles without winter tires during the winter months. In this case, the tire is considered a winter tire if the remaining tread depth is more than 4 mm. That is, if the tread depth is less than 4 mm on icy and snowy roads in winter, it is unacceptable to ride on Velcro and spikes. And therefore, all tire manufacturers recommend rolling the remaining 4 mm in the summer, but for this you need to pull the spikes on the studded tires, ”Mishin explained.
The specialist also noted that from a technical point of view, Velcro tires are inferior to ordinary summer tires.
“After many of our tests, we’ve found that on asphalt, studded tires slow down about 5-7% worse than summer and friction tyres. That is, the braking properties are worse due to the slippery nail. If we talk about Velcro, I would not recommend using it especially in hot weather in summer, because its rubbers are softer and can melt if there is very hot asphalt in hot weather. Because the layer over 4mm in Velcro is usually too soft and not technically correct in hot weather. [их использовать]. But the law does not prohibit it, ”Mishin said.
Speaking at a briefing at the Izvestia press center on September 5, Police Lieutenant General Mikhail Chernikov said that Velcro is not banned in the summer.
“You can ride Velcro like all-weather tires, it won’t affect certain factors in any way,” Chernikov said.
It was previously known in Russia ban Winter tires should be used in summer and summer tires should be used in winter. The relevant decree entered into force on September 1, 2023.