Wide Tyres Vs Narrow tyres

[Globalti]

We have winter tyres on Mrs Gti's car and there is such a high silicon content in the rubber that they leave your hands sticky after you've handled them. They also have more sipes, which are the little slits that allow the tread to conform with the surface. They're really outstanding on packed icy snow, you can stop the car on an "out of the saddle" climb and restart with no trouble at all.

 

[snailracer]

On snow and ice you want tyres as thin as possible...

OTOH:

 

[tyred]

But then, you can't fall off a car.

Er, you can, but only if you do silly things like trying to sit on the bootlid. Don't ask how I know

 

[green1]

OTOH:

Do you find many ROADS resembling an off piste ski run in your neck of the woods?

 

[snailracer]

Do you find many ROADS resembling an off piste ski run in your neck of the woods?

No, but then I don't have 300hp digging down to solid ground through all wheels when I'm cycling, either.

 

[snailracer]

In these cold and icy weather conditions that we have at present do wide tyres like mountain bike tyres give you a better grip on the road or is there no difference ?

It depends on the snow.
Narrow tyres work better if there is a decent surface beneath a thin coating of snow/slush.
Wide, knobbly mountain bike tyres work better if the road is covered in frozen ruts and lumps.
Only studded tyres work on actual ice, and then you still have a choice between narrow and wide, although studded tyres are generally more available in wide sizes.