I was selected to join Bridgestone, Tire Rack and a great group of bloggers and writers to learn about Winter Driving and Bridgestone’s winter tires- the Blizzak! We visited the Denver Zoo, Pepsi Center and some great restaurants and parks. You might be wondering why we visited the zoo. What does the zoo have to do with Winter Driving and tires? Well, we met a huge polar Bear, Cranbeary, and her paws were the inspiration for the engineering of the amazing Blizzak Tires. It’s amazing how mother nature figured all this out and engineers were smart enough to copy mother nature.
Living in New Hampshire, I have always had to drive in horrible winter road conditions. Driving on ice was always my least favorite part of winter. I learned how Blizzak tires can help! The Blizzak WS80 helps cars and minivans conquer the ice and snow. The mutli-cell compound absorbs water. The bite particles and bite molecules improves grip on ice and snow. There is lateral Stability and Snow, Ice, Wet and Dry Performance with 3D Zig-Zag Sipes with Block Stiffness Control. And remember, the engineers mimicked Mother Nature to get this technology to give you confidence to drive in snowy conditions. Did you know that for $1.47 a day, you can have peace of mind that Blizzak Winter tires can bring?
Drive with Cold Confidence:
Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires are designed to deliver optimal snow and ice performance. These tires remain flexible in freezing temperatures, improving traction and grip. When the temperature drops and winter conditions are at their worst, make the switch from your summer or all-season tires and feel confident driving on Blizzak winter tires.
Tire Rack is always thinking about tires so you don’t have to. They told us some great tips for preparing for winter driving.
Being prepared is important!
PERSONAL PREPARATION • Proper clothing Jacket, hat, gloves, scarf • Sunglasses and Footwear- on your feet-we need control with boots or shoes and on your car- tires are the footwear! We can’t control the weather, but we can control the tires we put on our vehicles.
.How do you know when to put winter tires on your vehicle? Is it cold enough to see your breath? Did you have to defrost your windshield this morning? It may be time to prepare yourself for winter driving with Bridgestone Blizzak tires. Watch the video below for some great information about Blizzak Winter Tires. For more information about the Blizzak WS80 visit: www.conquerthecold.com
I know you’re thinking that the zoo animals have nothing to do with Blizzak Tires, but they really do! Many companies are turning to Mother Nature for inspiration. Do you know what Biomimicry means? Biomimicry is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. Polar bears helped engineers design the perfect winter tire. Stiff fur on the soles of their feet keep a polar bear from slipping on the ice. At the same time their rough paw pads remain quite pliable which help to muffle the sound of their approach when sneaking up on prey. That was the inspiration for winter tires rubber compound. Geckos have millions of microscopic hairs and hundreds of tiny pads at their feet allowing them to have astonishing grip. That was the inspiration for Zig Zagging or microsiping.
Mussels have an amazing ability to cling to just about anything underwater…even while withstanding high speed of water flow. Bridgestone referenced the phenomenal strength of mussels’ wet adhesion to inspire rubber compounds with lower rolling resistance, stronger tensile strength, and better grip in wet conditions
Bridgestone’s proprietary multi-cell compound acts like a sponge to remove the thin layer of water (created because of pressure) between your tires and ice for grip.
After we learned how biomimicry helped engineers design the winter tires, we actually got to try them out! We went to the Pepsi Center in Denver and drove on the ice with BMWs and huge Tricycles! We each got to drive the red BMW with Blizzak Tires and the silver BMW with All season tires. We were supposed to floor it to center ice then slam on the brakes. The stopping times were calculated each time and with each vehicle. It was amazing how much quicker we stopped with Blizzak tires. I know safety is one of the most important things for our families. Blizzak tires definitely made me feel safe!
Overall, I had an amazing time in Denver learning about Polar Bears and Tires. A big thank you to everyone who made our trip so much fun! I know you think tires might be boring, but Bridgestone and Tire Rack made sure we never had a dull moment. Just learning how the engineers designed the tires changed my whole view of winter tires. I am a believer and can’t wait to get my own set of Blizzak Tires.
Happy and safe winter driving everyone!
