Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires: reviews, advantages and disadvantages

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

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

General information about the manufacturer

Company "Bridgestone" was founded back in 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 the company currently owns 155 factories in 27 countries. The Japanese company has built 9 test sites for its own developments, which are located in 6 countries around the world.

Starting from2014 saw an increase in all indicators. The largest demand for tires is recorded in North and South America. For 2014, the sales volume was increased by 13%. As you can see, Japanese rubber is distributed all over the world, and this already speaks of its high quality. Let's take a closer look at this using the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 as an example. Consumer reviews, of which there are quite a few, will help us with this.

Friction type rubber

Before looking at customer reviews of the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000, I would like to take a closer look at the type of tires. There are two varieties in total: a spike, which will be discussed in this article, and a friction tire (Velcro). The latter is becoming more and more popular every year, especially in many European countries where the winter is not too severe and the roads are regularly cleared of snow.

As for Velcro, there are no spikes on its tread. Traction with the roadway is provided by a special design and compound of the tread and rubber compound. It is far from possible to use friction-type rubber in Russia far from everywhere. For driving in big cities, clean asph alt and loose snow, it is suitable, but operation on ice is the lot of studded tires.

About the benefits of a studded tire

As for this type of rubber, it is great for use in harsh winter conditions. The key feature and advantage is that while driving, the spikes pierce into ice or packed snow. This, in fact, provides excellent stability andhandling on such road surface. It is worth noting that the spikes can be of various shapes, as well as the tread pattern. But all these details are extremely important during operation. On some models of modern rubber, the studs fall out after 2 seasons of operation, which is a serious problem.

But spikes have their downsides. The main one is the high noise level. This is especially felt when driving on clean asph alt. In this case, the spikes gradually wear out and become smooth and less effective. Yes, the pavement is crumbling. For this reason, spikes are banned in many countries.

Severe Russian winter and Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000: tire reviews

First of all, I would like to draw attention to the high ratings from the popular Russian publications "Behind the wheel" and "Autoreview". During testing, winter tires "Bridgestone" proved to be the best. Critics noted the high quality of the metal studs and their thoughtful placement. In addition, the rubber showed itself perfectly on a snowy track. There are no problems with directional stability, and the Ice Cruiser goes into a skid late and quite predictably.

As for the reviews of motorists, they are in most cases positive. The average rating is 4 out of 5 points, which is very good. Drivers highlight the following advantages noticed during operation:

• high quality spikes;
• dense lamella;
• strong tire sidewall;
• lowdegree of wear.

Of course, when developing a tire, Japanese engineers focused on its operation in the CIS countries and Scandinavia. Therefore, the tire is excellent for operation in the conditions of the far north. Well, now in more detail about the characteristics of the Ice Cruiser.

Innovative Compound

The developers paid the most attention to the composition of the rubber compound. After all, the performance characteristics of the tire and its own quality depend on it. The Japanese added synthetic crystals at the stage of rubber molding. This made it possible to significantly improve the grip properties on icy surfaces. It is noteworthy that rubber does not change its performance characteristics with decreasing temperature. It remains the same elastic and moderately soft. True, rubber should not be used at high temperatures, and reviews of the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 speak of this. The disadvantages and advantages of the tire are incommensurable. There are many more strengths here.

The composition of the rubber compound is such that rolling resistance is reduced to a minimum. This allows not only to save fuel during winter driving, but also significantly extends the resource. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, the tire easily runs 4-5 seasons, after which it is recommended to replace it. Although a lot depends on the style of riding.

Problem of falling spikes

This is the question many manufacturers of winter tires puzzle over. The point is that metalelements are constantly subjected to serious stress: abrupt starts and braking, sharp maneuvers and driving on clean asph alt. All this ultimately leads to the loss of spikes and poor handling on snow and ice.

Japanese engineers seriously de alt with this issue, and the problem was almost completely solved. First, the base of the spike has been seriously redesigned. He received a complex configuration in the form of a snowflake with a large number of sharp edges. Therefore, it clings to the cord with every millimeter and is well kept in its seat. It is also noteworthy that the spikes do not fall out as the tread wears out, this is evidenced by the reviews of car owners. The Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 is a confident winter ride season after season.

A little about the cost

As for the price, it can be called more than moderate with this quality of rubber. Although a lot depends on the technologies used. For example, the presence of the Runflat option makes the tire more expensive by about 20%. Nevertheless, the presence of such technology allows you not to be afraid of breaking through the tire on the track. This is due to the fact that it loses pressure gradually and the driver has the opportunity to drive about 100 more kilometers.

For example, a tire of the 18th radius 245/45 with a maximum allowable speed of 190 km/h and a load per wheel of up to 710 kilograms will cost about 12,000 rubles. A set of such winter tires will cost 48 thousand. A lot, but it's really worth it. At the same time, more modest sizes, such as R16, will cost 26 thousand for 4 pieces. Therefore, you canto say that the price here is not so big, especially since the quality is confirmed by reviews and tire tests. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 has not only an average cost, but also excellent quality.

Benefit Details

The first and main thing that many motorists focus on is the resistance of spikes to departures and mechanical damage. They have a multifaceted structure that provides excellent stability even when driving on ice or packed snow. Durable studs for winter tires are extremely important, so many drivers choose this model. The core of the spike is hardened, so it can withstand really impressive mechanical loads.

Also, reviews of the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires indicate that the rubber is durable not only according to the manufacturer, but also in practice. As noted above, it can easily withstand 4 or more seasons of active use. When buying a complete set, you can get a guarantee from the manufacturer for 5 years or 50 thousand kilometers. This suggests that Bridgestone is fully responsible for its products.

Key features of the tread

Tread stiffness is one of the most important indicators. In this model, it varies depending on the part of the tire. In the places where the spikes are located, the tread is more rigid than in other areas. This decision made it possible to somewhat reduce the noise level, although it is expected from a studded tire to be completelyStill not worth the absence. Nevertheless, riding on this rubber can be called comfortable.

Test results showed that, compared to the main competitors in this price range, "Bridgestone" stops faster on clean ice by 8.7%. The figure may seem insignificant, but in winter even centimeters are sometimes decisive. Actually, this is what the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires are famous for. Reviews, advantages and disadvantages we have considered, and now we move on.

Velcro from Japanese company

This model is very often met with positive reviews on the net. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 Blizzak Revo GZ, specifications, the tests of which have already been described many times, have earned the respect and recognition of millions of Russians. The fact is that this is a new generation Velcro with a large number of innovative solutions. For example, a microporous tread made using 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 many voids, peaks, sharp edges and other elements that allow you to cling to any unevenness on the ice. In addition, the developers added solid particles to the rubber compound, which should cope with soft ice. Actually this is one of the best Velcro for your money.

Summarize

So we looked at the rubber of a Japanese company"Bridgestone". As you can see, it has a whole host of advantages, the main ones being the durability of the rubber and its studs. Although these are not all pleasant surprises that await the owner of this rubber. The tire is less noisy and grips well compared to the competition, and the XL variant is considered one of the most durable. The sidewall, even with strong blows and cuts, remains intact, but such pleasure costs a little more than a regular 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. Considering the numerous positive customer reviews and high ratings from experts, this is a suitable tire 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 the same elastic and has no defects. Therefore, it is definitely worth trying "Bridgestone". You will love this brand for its quality.