Tire Siping
By tire siping you get added grip on slippery roads, a quieter ride and some say the tire will last longer.
For driving on ice nothing beats nails, but by siping the tire you improve your odds!
Siping a tire is really just cutting slits through the tread blocks. The siped tire allows the tread blocks to conform to the surface better by flexing the strips of rubber.
I have used siping for my tires for the last 4 years. That way I can use the same tires in the summer and the winter time.
In this picture you can clearly see the cuts made to the course tread blocks of the Ground Hawg. (The tire has some snow on it so you can more easily see the cuts.)
Siped tires dissipate heat more easily and thereby prolonging the tire lifetime.
It is fairly easy to sipe your tires yourself, just be careful to cut an even depth (not to cut to deep), around 1 cm (1/4") is usually OK. For professional quality go to a local tire shop that has the special machine needed for tire siping.
Take notice that the tire manufactures do not guarantee their tires for siping. Also keep in mind that local law may prevent you from siping.
