Tires Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000: reviews, advantages and disadvantages

With the onset of cold weather, many motorists are preparing to buy winter tires. But to choose a tire is not so simple, because there are a lot of nuances, each of which must be taken into account. Let's look at the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tire . Customer feedback and test results will all be included in this article.

General information about the manufacturer

The company "Bridgestone" was founded in the distant 1931. Approximately 80% of the products sold are rubber for cars and trucks, as well as for aircraft and agricultural machinery. As for the remaining 20%, these are conveyor belts and other rubber products. Another interesting fact is that at present the company owns 155 plants in 27 countries of the world. The Japanese firm has built 9 polygons for testing its own developments, which are located in 6 countries around the world.

Starting in 2014, growth was seen in all indicators. The largest demand for tires was recorded in the Americas. For 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 in the example of Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000. Feedback from consumers, which are quite a lot, will help us in this.

Rubber of friction type

Before considering reviews of customers about the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000, I would like to better understand the type of tires. In total, there are two varieties: the spike, which is actually discussed in this article, and a friction tire (Velcro). The latter is becoming 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. Clutching with the roadway is provided due to the special design and compound of the tread and rubber compound. Use friction-type rubber in Russia is not always everywhere. For driving on big cities, pure asphalt and loose snow, it will do, but the operation on the ice is the lot of studded rubber.

Advantages of a studded tire

With regard to this type of rubber, it is perfectly suitable for use in harsh winter conditions. The key feature and dignity is that during the ride the thorns pierce into ice or rolled snow. This actually provides excellent stability and control on such a road surface. It should be noted that the spikes can be of different shapes, like the tread pattern. But all these details are extremely important during the operation. On some models of modern rubber spikes fall after 2 seasons of operation, which is a serious problem.

But there is a spike and its minuses. The main one is a high level of noise. Especially it is felt when driving on a clean asphalt. At the same time, the thorns gradually erase and become smooth and less effective. And the road surface is destroyed. For this reason, in many countries spike is generally prohibited.

Severe Russian winter and Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000: reviews of tires

First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the high ratings from the popular Russian editions of Za Rulem and Autorievu. During testing, the winter tires "Bridgestone" showed itself from the best side. Critics noted the high quality of metal spikes and their thoughtful arrangement. In addition, the rubber showed itself perfectly on the snow-covered track. Problems with exchange rate stability are not present, and in a skid "Ice Cruiser" leaves late and quite predictably.

As for the responses of motorists, they are in most cases positive. The average score is 4 out of 5, which is very good. Drivers distinguish the following advantages, seen in the process of operation:

• High quality of thorns;
• Dense lamelling;
• Strong tire sidewall;
• Low degree of wear.

Of course, Japanese engineers in the development of tires were guided by its operation in the CIS and Scandinavia. Consequently, the tire is excellent for operation in the extreme north. Well, now more about the characteristics of "Ice Cruiser".

Innovative compound

The developers paid most attention to the composition of the rubber compound. After all, the performance characteristics of the tire and its quality depend on it. The Japanese added synthetic crystals at the stage of rubber molding. This allowed to significantly improve the coupling properties on the icy coatings. It is noteworthy that the rubber does not change its performance characteristics with a drop in temperature. It remains the same elastic and moderately soft. True, it is not worth using rubber at high temperatures, reviews of Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 speak about this. The disadvantages and advantages of the tire are incommensurable. There are more strengths here.

The composition of the rubber compound 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 travels 4-5 seasons, after which it is recommended to replace it. Although much depends on the style of riding.

The problem of spines

It is over this issue that many winter tire manufacturers are racking their brains. The fact is that metal elements are constantly exposed to serious loads: sudden starts and braking, sharp maneuvers and driving on pure asphalt. All this ultimately leads to the fallout of thorns and deterioration of handling on snow and ice.

Japanese engineers seriously tackled this issue, and the problem was almost completely solved. First, the foundation of the spike was seriously recycled. He received a complex configuration in the form of a snowflake with a lot of sharp edges. Therefore, it clings to the cord every millimeter and keeps well in its seat. It is also noteworthy that the spikes do not drop out as the tread wears out, as evidenced by the feedback of car owners. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 - this is a sure ride in winter from season to season.

A little about the cost

As for the price, it can be called more than moderate with this quality of rubber. Although much depends on the technology used. For example, the presence of the option "Ranflet" makes the tire more expensive by about 20%. Nevertheless, the availability of such technology allows not to be afraid of breaking the tire on the track. The reason is that it loses pressure gradually and the driver has the opportunity to travel another 100 kilometers.

For example, a tire of the 18th radius of 245/45 with a maximum permissible speed of 190 km / h and a load of one wheel up to 710 kilograms will cost about 12,000 rubles. A set of such winter tires will cost 48 thousand. Quite a bit, 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 much, especially as the quality is confirmed by reviews and tests of tires. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 has not only the average cost, but also excellent quality.

Details about the benefits

The first and the main, which highlights the attention of many motorists - the stability of thorns to departures and mechanical damage. They have a multifaceted structure that provides excellent stability even when driving on ice or compacted snow. Durable spikes for winter tires are extremely important, so many drivers choose this model. The core of the spike is hardened, so it withstands really impressive mechanical loads.

Also reviews on the tires Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 indicate that the rubber is durable not only with the words of the manufacturer, but also in practice. As already noted a little higher, it easily withstands 4 or more seasons of active operation. When buying a complete set, the manufacturer can get a guarantee for 5 years or 50 thousand kilometers of mileage. This indicates that "Bridgestone" is fully responsible for the products.

Key features of the tread

Tread stiffness is one of the most important indicators. In this model, it varies depending on the tire part. At the location of the studs, the protector is more rigid than in the remaining areas. Such a solution allowed to reduce the noise level somewhat, although it is still not worth expecting a complete absence from the studded tire. Nevertheless, driving on this rubber can be called comfortable.

Test 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 in winter, even centimeters sometimes have decisive importance. Actually, this is what Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires are famous for. We reviewed reviews, advantages and disadvantages, and now we go further.

"Velcro" from the Japanese company

In occasion of this model, very often on the net there are positive responses. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 Blizzak Revo GZ, the characteristic, the tests of which have already been described many times, earned the respect and recognition of millions of Russians. The fact is that this is a "sticker" of a new generation with a lot of innovative solutions. For example, a microporous protector made by Multicell Compound technology provides excellent stability even on ice, which is not typical for Velcro.

If you look at the crack under a microscope, everything becomes clear. It has a lot of voids, peaks, sharp edges and other elements that allow to cling to any roughness on the ice. In addition, the developers have added to the rubber mixture of solid particles, which must cope with soft ice. Actually, this is one of the best stickers for your money.

Let's sum up the results

So we looked at the rubber of the Japanese company "Bridgestone". As you can see, it has a lot of advantages, the main of which are the durability of rubber and its spikes. Although this is not all pleasant surprises waiting for the owner of this rubber. The tire, in comparison with the competitors, is less noisy and keeps the road well, and the XL variants are considered to be among the strongest. The sidewall remains intact even with strong bumps and cuts, but it is worth more than the usual 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 feedback from consumers and the high ratings of experts - this is a suitable rubber for the Russian winter. The studded tire is designed for 5 years of operation and easily withstands this period. Even after this time, the rubber remains as elastic and has no defects. Therefore, definitely worth a try "Bridgestone". You will certainly love this brand for its quality.