With the onset of cold weather, many motorists are preparing to buy winter tires. But choosing a tire is not so simple, because there are a huge number of nuances, each of which must be taken into account. Let's look at the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires . Customer reviews and test results - all this will be included in this article.
General information about the manufacturer
The Bridgestone company was founded back in 1931. About 80% of the products sold are rubber for cars and trucks, as well as for airplanes and agricultural machinery. As for the remaining 20%, these are conveyor belts and other rubber products. Another interesting fact is that the company currently owns 155 plants in 27 countries. The Japanese company has built 9 test sites for testing its own developments, which are located in 6 countries.
Since 2014, growth has been noticed in all respects. The largest demand for tires recorded in the Americas. In 2014, sales were increased by 13%. As you can see, Japanese rubber is spread all over the world, and this already speaks of its high quality. Let's take a closer look at this using the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 as an example. Customer reviews, which are quite numerous, will help us with this.
Friction type rubber
Before considering customer reviews of the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000, I would like to understand the type of tires in more detail. There are two varieties in total: studding, which will be discussed in this article, and friction tire (Velcro). The latter becomes more and more popular every year, especially in many European countries, where the winter is not too harsh, and the roads are regularly cleaned of snow.
As for Velcro, there are no spikes on its tread. Traction is ensured by the special design and compound of the tread and rubber compound. Friction type rubber can be used in Russia far from everywhere. For driving through big cities, clean asphalt and loose snow, it is suitable, but operation on ice is the destiny of studded rubber.
About the benefits of studded tires
As for this type of rubber, it is great for use in harsh winters. A key feature and dignity is that while riding, spikes pierce ice or rolled snow. This, in fact, provides excellent stability and controllability on such a pavement. It is worth noting that the spikes can be of various shapes, like the tread pattern. But all these details are extremely important during operation. On some models of modern rubber, spikes fall out after 2 seasons of operation, which is a serious problem.
But the spike also has its drawbacks. The main one is a high noise level. This is especially felt when driving on clean asphalt. In this case, the spikes gradually wear out and become smooth and less effective. Yes, and the road surface is destroyed. For this reason, studding is generally prohibited in many countries.
Harsh Russian winter and the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000: tire reviews
First of all, I would like to draw attention to the high ratings from the popular Russian publications “Behind the Wheel” and “Auto Review”. During testing, winter tires "Bridgestone" showed its best side. Critics noted the high quality of the metal spikes and their thoughtful location. In addition, the tires showed themselves excellently on a snowy track. There are no problems with directional stability, and the Ice Cruiser drifts into the drift late and is quite predictable.
As for the reviews of motorists, in most cases they are positive. Average rating - 4 out of 5 points, which is very good. Drivers highlight the following advantages observed during operation:
- high quality studs;
- dense lamelling;
- strong sidewall of the tire;
- low degree of wear.
Of course, Japanese engineers in the development of tires focused on its operation in the CIS countries and Scandinavia. Therefore, the tire is excellent for operation in the extreme north. Well, now in more detail about the characteristics of the Ice Cruiser.
Innovative compound
Most of the attention the developers paid to the composition of the rubber compound. After all, it is from him that the operational characteristics of the tire and its quality itself depend. The Japanese added synthetic crystals at the rubber molding stage. This allowed to significantly improve the adhesion properties on icy coatings. It is noteworthy that rubber does not change its performance characteristics with decreasing temperature. It remains as elastic and moderately soft. However, it is not worth using rubber at high temperatures, and reviews about the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 speak about this. The disadvantages and advantages of the tire are incommensurable. There are much more strengths here.
The composition of the rubber composition is such that the rolling resistance is reduced to a minimum. This allows not only to save fuel during the winter ride, but also significantly extends the resource. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, the tire easily runs for 4-5 seasons, after which it is recommended to replace it. Although much depends on driving style.
Spikes problem
It is on this issue that many manufacturers of winter tires are puzzling. The fact is that metal elements are constantly subjected to serious loads: sudden starts and braking, sharp maneuvers and riding on clean asphalt. All this ultimately leads to loss of spikes and a deterioration in handling on snow and ice.
Japanese engineers seriously addressed this issue, and the problem was almost completely solved. Firstly, the spike base has been seriously redesigned. He received a complex configuration in the form of a snowflake with a large number of sharp edges. Therefore, he clings to the cord with every millimeter and holds well in his seat. It is also noteworthy that the spikes do not fall out as the tread wears, this is evidenced by the reviews of car owners. The Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 is a sure ride in the winter from season to season.
A bit about the cost
As for the price, it can be called more than moderate with this quality of rubber. Although much here depends on the technologies used. For example, the presence of the Ranflat option makes the tire more expensive by about 20%. Nevertheless, the presence of such technology allows you not to be afraid of a tire breaking on the track. This is due to the fact that it loses pressure gradually and the driver has the opportunity to drive about another 100 kilometers.
For example, a tire of the 18th radius 245/45 with a maximum permissible speed of 190 km / h and a load on one wheel of up to 710 kilograms will cost about 12,000 rubles. A set of such winter tires will cost 48 thousand. A lot, but it's really worth it. At the same time, more modest sizes, such as R16, will cost 26 thousand for 4 pieces. Therefore, we can say that the price here is not so big, especially since the reviews and tire tests confirm the quality. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 has not only average cost, but also excellent quality.
Benefits Details
The first and main thing that many motorists focus on is the tenacity of the studs to crashes and mechanical damage. They have a multifaceted structure, which provides excellent stability even when moving on ice or compacted snow. Long-lasting studs for winter tires are extremely important, so many drivers choose this model. The spike core is hardened, therefore it can withstand truly impressive mechanical loads.
Also, reviews on tires Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 indicate that the tires are durable not only from the words of the manufacturer, but also in practice. As noted above, it can easily withstand 4 or more seasons of active use. When buying a complete set, a manufacturer can get a guarantee for 5 years or 50 thousand kilometers. This suggests that Bridgestone is fully responsible for its products.
Key Tread Features
Tread stiffness is one of the most important indicators. In this model, it varies depending on the part of the tire. In the locations of the spikes, the tread is stiffer than in other areas. This solution allowed us to somewhat reduce the noise level, although we should not expect its complete absence from the studded tire. Nevertheless, the ride on this rubber can be called comfortable.
Testing results showed that, compared to the main competitors from this price range, Bridgestone on pure ice stops faster by 8.7%. The figure may seem insignificant, but even centimeters are sometimes crucial in winter. Actually, this is what the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires are famous for. We reviewed the reviews, advantages and disadvantages, and now we move on.
Velcro from a Japanese company
Regarding this model, very often there are positive reviews on the network. The Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 Blizzak Revo GZ, features that have already been tested many times, have earned the respect and recognition of millions of Russians. The fact is that this is a new generation Velcro with a large number of innovative solutions. For example, the microporous tread made using the Multicell Compound technology provides excellent stability even on ice, which is not at all characteristic of Velcro.
If you look at the crack under a microscope, then everything becomes clear. It has many voids, peaks, sharp edges and other elements that allow you to cling to any roughness on the ice. In addition, the developers added solid particles to the rubber compound, which must cope with soft ice. Actually this is one of the best Velcro for your money.
To summarize
So we looked at the rubber of the Japanese company Bridgestone. As you can see, it has a host of advantages, the main of which are the durability of the rubber and its spikes. Although this is not all the pleasant surprises awaiting the owner of this rubber. The tire, in comparison with competitors, is less noisy and holds the road well, and XL options are considered one of the most durable. The sidewall, even with strong bumps and cuts, remains intact, but this pleasure is somewhat more expensive than a conventional tire.
Some European brands are too expensive, and not every driver is ready for such costs. But Bridgestone offers excellent quality at an average price. Given the numerous positive reviews from consumers and high ratings from experts, this is a good tire for the Russian winter. The studded tire is designed for 5 years of operation and can easily withstand this period. Even after this time, the rubber remains the same elastic and has no defects. Therefore, it is definitely worth trying Bridgestone. You will certainly fall in love with this brand for its quality.