A last minute winter track day necessitated driving on Cup2's in cold weather.

Drove 1.5hr to the track in the early morning. Car was parked overnight in a 12c/55F garage, raised floor, roads and air temp outside was -3c/26F. Clear, dry conditions. 2.1bar in front and rear

1. Didn't die.

2. Tires felt hard and abnormally tramlined on imperfect roads. I drove 'gently' the entire trip.

3. Would drive again in these conditions provided the tire temps did not get any lower

4. Brake a few times to check grip and warm the tires. Braking increased tire pressure but it would drop again to 2.1bar.

I wouldn't attempt cold weather drives with tires that were not starting warm, or that could have the chance at cooling down significantly during the drive (long stops during the trip, slow heavy traffic).

ymmv

 

I got publicly mocked at the recent organized driving event for saying I wanted to hang off the back of a tour group, and canyon carve at my own pace (as opposed to being in the middle of the pack, with some hot shoe in my mirrors). Similar temps, same tires. I'd do it again.

 

In -5c last year I was still able to get 1.15g out of them and felt normal to me. Tires warmed up over the drive and probably peaked and then maintained about 20c temps for the rubber while driving (based off PSI). That statement that 'winter tires have superior grip to summer tires below 7c' is a lie imo... right up until there is moisture on the ground that starts to freeze.

Who the heck would mock you for that? The middle is the absolute worst place to be on a cruise and the very front or the very back are the best spots, with the very back usually being the best for exactly why you wanted it regardless if you're the fastest or the slowest. Playing in traffic with people varying speeds most of which lack skill is scary to me.

 

I definitely didn’t want to be in the front; that’s where all the eager beavers rush to be when we line up. Normally that would be me (except I try not to be too obnoxious about it), but I didn’t want to be “that guy” (slow guy in the front group) while I felt out how the tires behaved. This was my very first cold drive on cup 2s, so I was definitely tentative.

For a bonus, I got to experience heavy rain and snow on the way home through OK! lol Wheeee All Weather Driving merit badge earned!

For those that haven’t been, the roads in the Eureka Springs area are outstanding, if you can catch them when not busy.

 

This is one of those situations of "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". I run Michelin Pilot Alpin N-spec starting mid-October in the Northeast. It allows me to fully enjoy morning mountain driving when the air temps may be quite chilly, without the added worry. These cars are all about pure fun. Having to drive too cautiously, and added worry is not fun.

 

Normally, in Tejas, I don't have to worry about too much cold weather driving. It's when I dip my toes in driving north of here, it gets dicey. Unfortunately, all the best roads are north of here. lol Hill Country is nice, but can't touch the Ozarks.
On the plus side, my girlfriend got to feel how the car responds when it's approaching loss of adhesion in the rain. I told her "Congratulations! That is your first lesson in learning to drive with your butt."

 

I just had my Spyder shod with Michelin Pilot Alpin N-spec for our rainiy / cold winter conditions. After watching a video of a Spyder with Cup 2's hydroplaning at normal speed off the road and landing upside down in a ditch (car totalled, driver shaken but fine) I said I'm done. Just too much moisture and rain here in PNW.

But each to their own, right?

It should be a fun season of winter driving!

JP

 

In the rain at highway speeds, I could definitely feel her wiggling, so I slowed down until she stopped wiggling (and threw on my hazards).

 

Another reason to get bucket seats, easier to cleanup.

 

Quite right.

 

No argument with this logic..

Add me to the better safe than sorry camp, RE980AS UHP AS tires branded M+S, they go on in October and remain there until the end of March... I didn't buy the Spyder to see it sit in the garage!

 

Pilot Sport AS4s on my 2022 Spyder. Had the RE980s on my 2020 Spyder. I like the AS4s a bit better. Performance seems about the same but the feel of the Michelins is better imo

 

FYI - if Cup2’s get below +14F (-10C), they can crack and cause permanent damage (even if only exposed to this temp and not driven). Consider this if you don’t have a heated garage and live in chilly area. If you have winter tires on the car, best to store the Cups (or other pseudo-track tires) in the house.

 

Although I agreed, could have used you here to explain this to my wife when I moved the Race 2 set and the spare Cup 2 set from the garage into the house... I will never forget the look on her face!

 

I took the Cup2's over a mountain pass here in the PNW when it was dumping rain. That is one experience that I never want to repeat. I now have a set of RE980 that I put on between November-April