And you thought that Christmas had been and gone right? Well come with me now all you Biglorryblog fans, to a wacky winterwonderland where journalists are encouraged to drive fast on snow and ice---all in the name of rubber research...
Ealier this week BLB found himself in Arvidsjaur...the small town above the artic circle in Northern Sweden where Continental Tyres has a major winter testing facility for car and trucks---to which it's invited a whole shedload of journalists from around Europe. And naturally Biglorryblog is there, albeit slowly steaming in his thermal long-johns (too much information). But first we have to get there which means a charter flight from Copenhagen to Arvidsjaur 'International' Airport (above) when the snow is deep and crisp and even...and where the icicles hang off the bumper of the flight refuellers...
As we climb on the fleet of coaches for the short trip to the hotel it's obvious that there's a lot of super special 'secret squirrel' type testing taking place around here.
In the airport car park these blokes were busy unloading Porsches from their transporter..and they' didn't exactly welcome the fact that BLB was taking pictures...the guy on the phone is busy finding out where I live...and is placing a contract.
How snowy is it? Well this is the view from the coach and the snowplough has cut a path for the road leaving pretty high snow banks! It's just coming up to 4:00pm local time and the temperature is below zero. Later that evening we have a formal presentation on winter tyres and winter tyre testing by the Contin people then they let slip that we're going to drive to dinnner...by snow-mobile!
And after having donned a full snow suit, helmet, boots and gloves (and quick three-minute lesson--hey it's just like a quad bike) it's time for those immortal words "Gentlemen...start your skidoos!"
Like I say, it's just like a qud bike with a lever throttle on the right, auto clutch and errr...that's about it. To get the journos used to them first we drive through a coned off slalom. They understeer like crazy and accelerate quicker than a scalded wolverine on an ice rink...naturally Biglorryblog is right at home with all that.
Here's the business end...after the slalom it's time to hit the snow trail! It's a bumpy old ride on these things so the question BLB asks himself is: "Up on the 'pegs'? Or stay in the seat?" I adopt a combination of both---especially when you see the snowmobile in front of you hit a big bump! After a while we're all merrily blatting along at 40-50mph, trying not to overtake the bloke in front (well actually being alpha males we're all trying to OVERTAKE the guy in front---much to the exasperation of our Swedish guides who keep telling us: 'Please keep 20m behind one another..' yeh..whatever! VROOOOMMM!!!!
The Skidoos have a surprisingly light footprint....which is just as well as although this snow track looks solid enough...which it is...take one step off to the right of it and you sink into 3 feet of snow up to your oxters (which is exactly Biglorryblog did)...
And after an hour's fun in the white stuff (and by now the temperature is well below freezing and we're all rosy-cheeked) it's time to drop in on some local Lapps and say hello to Rudolf and his chums for dinner. And sharp-eyed BLB readers may notice Rudolf only has one full set of antlers...it seems he was lassooed and they pulled a bit too hard and twang off came his left set...DOH!.
Anyway click through here to see the REAL reason for going to Arvidsjaur!
Here we are the next morning at just after 9:00 at one of Continental's winter test tracks---this one is for trucks, the other one nearby is for cars. The carefully planed and compacted surface has both 'snow' and 'ice' straights side-by-side on it and the purpose of the exercise is to accelerate up both of these lanes in various trucks and coaches---with and without snow tyres.
Naturally we truck boys go straight for the two Mercedes Actros artics (they also had two solo MAN TGAs plus a couple of coaches too) with one equipped with Conti Winter drive axle tyres and the other fitted with normal regional distribution tyres. Of course the snow tyres do better but for testing purposes you need to know how much better they grip than than regular road tyres.
And that's where this device comes in. Each run its measured using GPS satellite technology so it's possible to say how quick a truck takes to reach 40km/h from rest with different tyres on it. And from dozens of test runs it's possible to determine the best tread pattern and designs for winter tyres. And that's a very simple way of describing what's obviously a very complicated process! Anyway, for the record BLB's test run in the Actros with snow tyres was over 4-seconds quicker to 40km/h.
All the trucks have ASR to allow the tyres to grip as soon as possible. Meanwhile, together with some other tyre makers, Conti is talking to the EU to come up with some kind of 'traction' rating or standard for Mud and Snow tyres in the same way as today's trucks have to be certified for noise or emission levels. However, that's some way off. In the meantime, you can spot a Conti snow tyre straight off by the snow flake symbol on its sidewall...beware of cheaper imitations!
Standing out on the test track wiatying for the next truck to try out it gets pretty cold when the sun goes behind a cloud. So Conti have thoughtfully provided us with our own trackside wigwam with a fire inside it...just right for toasting the BLB's cold bits....you see, life's not all ha-ha hee-hee you now!
Anyway that's all from me except to say that I took some video clips of the testing which I'll post up for you some time...
Comments (3)
Wonderful stuff Brian. Thanks for sharing as they say. I'm delighted there's still a bit of snow up in the far North too as I am hoping to be up in that neck of the woods myself in a week or two. And it's tough to snowmobile if there ain't no snow!
Posted by Martin Phippard | February 17, 2008 7:27 AM
Posted on February 17, 2008 07:27
Hang on a minute ? You, used to driving fast !!! You own an ugly Fiat, you're not used to getting around fast, at all. Plus you drive trucks. So unless you get the unrestricted ones then your only doing 54 miles an hour. Lets have the photo of you propping up the bar ! Sat in a comfy chair, with your travel rug ?
Posted by Road Rat | February 17, 2008 8:41 AM
Posted on February 17, 2008 08:41
BLB
Who the hell buy's Continental tyres anyway.Michelin or Bridgestone pal the rest are dross.
The Boss
Posted by The Boss | February 17, 2008 3:23 PM
Posted on February 17, 2008 15:23