What is the difference between radial and bias tires?
2 Answers
Differences between radial and bias tires: 1. Different cord arrangement directions: The cords of radial tires are arranged at a 90-degree angle to the centerline of the tread; the cords of bias tires are arranged in a crisscross pattern. 2. Different stress-bearing parts: Radial tires have a sturdy steel belt layer as the main stress-bearing part in their structure; the main stress-bearing component of bias tires is not on the cushion layer, with 80% to 90% of the internal stress borne by the cord body of the tire. 3. Different performance: Radial tires need to withstand greater tangential forces during driving. To ensure the stability of the cords, there are several layers of high-strength, non-stretchable material belts outside them; the sidewalls and tread of bias tires are stronger and more rigid, resulting in poorer comfort.
Having driven for decades, I feel the most noticeable difference between radial tires and bias-ply tires lies in comfort. Radial tires have their cords arranged vertically, like radiation, making them exceptionally soft to drive on, with much less bumpiness when hitting potholes, and they're quieter at high speeds. Bias-ply tires have their cords crisscrossed diagonally, resulting in stiff sidewalls that can easily cause back pain on long drives. Another major advantage of radial tires is better fuel efficiency, with lower rolling resistance, slower tread wear, and longer replacement intervals, saving me a lot of money. Nowadays, most new cars come with radial tires, while older vehicles still use bias-ply tires, so it's important to check the type when buying tires.
