OK, Get a Grip! (Michelin)

Member Name: firemanspam

Product:	Michelin
Date:	13/03/09 (425 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good tyres

Disadvantages: Need paying for

OK a very quick history lesson first. Two brothers, Édouard and Andre Michelin, had this rubber factory in France. One day, a cyclist with a punctured pneumatic tyre arrived at the factory. His tyre was glued onto the rim, and It took over three hours to remove it, then repair the tyre, which then had to be left overnight to dry. The next day, Edouard took the repaired bicycle into the factory yard for test. After just a few hundred meters, the repair failed. Despite the setback, he was still enthusiastic about pneumatic tyres, and along with his Brother Andre, started making their, own, which did not need glueing onto the wheel rim.

In 1891, they took out their first patent for the removable pneumatic tyre.
The Michelin company actually owned Citroën between 1934 & 1976.
During the war, allied forces relied heavily on Michelin maps, to plan the invasion of Normandy, during Operation Overlord on the 6th of June.
Michelin invented the radial tyre.

As an example, a 165R14 will cost you around £65, this is of course just a rough guide, this size of tyre is now only used on classic cars.
The size of the tyre is measured like this: 165 is the width of the tread in mm, R means Radial, and 14 is the diameter of the inner tyre rim.

Michelin is of course a famous name in the tyre industry, remember the Michelin man? Well the company's symbol is actually called Bibendum, or Bib the Michelin Man, he was introduced in 1898 by French artist O'Galop, and is one of the world's oldest trademarks. Andre Michelin apparently commissioned the creation of this jolly, rotund figure after his brother, Edouard, noticed that a stack of tyres resembled a human form. Today, Bibendum is one of the world's most recognized trademarks, representing the company in over 150 countries.

As for the modern tyres they make, I can recommend them thotoughly, they are a good balance between grip, cost, and longevity.

I have used many of them, from the old XZX to more modern types with what I call designer tread, I have used Town & Country tyres, as well as Winter spec ones, they are all good.

You must however run them in, use the corrct pressures, and keep a check on them for uneven wear, and also damage.

Summary: A very good all round tyre

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