Your car’s tyres provide you with stability, grip, handling, a smooth ride and keep you safe in all conditions. But have you ever wondered how your tyres are made, and what attributes make a hardwearing, quality tyre?

Tyres are made from up to 200 different raw materials, and several layers, all of which combine to give the tyre the ability to cope with vast pressures and loads as well as dealing with shocks and bumps and keep you driving smoothly. Inside your tyre you will find steel bead wires, textile fibre cords and, of course, rubber:

Steel bead wires are responsible for holding your tyre onto the wheel rim and are able to handle 1800kg loads. Up to 1400 textile fibre cords are layered within each tyre, some reinforced with steel and covered in rubber. These circular layers are what make up the classic ‘radial tyre’. Each cord can resist pressure of up to 15kg.

Above all this, you have your tread band and groove design, which are very important in terms of grip, handling, wear and tear and friction. The grooves also help channel water away from the surface of the tyre, which helps your tyres to grip the road in bad weather.

All tyres are not created equal, and premium tyres will perform better, last longer and provide you with much improved stability and precision steering. But premium tyres needn’t cost an arm and a leg! Grippy stock many top brand tyres at cheap online prices, and offer quick, friendly service – either at your nearest garage or via mobile tyre fitting vans which will come to you wherever you are.