Tyres Michelin: Agilis CrossClimate
In the majority of the trials riders’ minds — combined with the fine art of throttle control — they know that when they have Michelin trials tyre fitted, they are in safe hands. A rider always focusses on what their first choice of any product is and, in the two-wheeled world of motorcycle trials, both Toni Bou (Repsol Honda-ESP) and Emma Bristow (Sherco-GBR) have the best rubber available from Michelin. Their records speak for themselves — two riders dominant at the very top of their game in the FIM TrialGP World Championships. Never ones to rest on their winning laurels — Michelin has now carried that winning formula across to the van and light truck owner in what many would consider the ultimate all-season tyre with the Agilis CrossClimate.
Many off-road events start in fields or challenging paddocks, and the main mode of transport for the rider and machine is a van or light truck. Found in all shapes and sizes, the nature of this type of vehicle makes it difficult to operate in muddy conditions that often play a part in the off-road world.
Whilst enjoying watching the world’s best off-road riders perform on two wheels, Michelin tyre technicians wanted to convert the mindset of the rider from their favourite choice of motorcycle rubber to that of the vehicle they are using to attend events — in other words a van and light truck tyre that would perform.
AWARD-WINNING AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE
Michelin has extended its award-winning CrossClimate range into the light truck and van market with the Agilis CrossClimate. It is a summer tyre with a complete winter capability. It heralds a new generation of high-performance tyres for vans and light trucks with no mobility
compromises in winter conditions or mud and grass, tyres boasting high mileage and safety in all weathers, robustness and damage resistance.
The new tyre is designed and conceived from end-user feedback gathered over the last ten years. It now delivers its two crucial demands: a single tyre that provides year-round mobility in all weather conditions, with a robust and damage resistant sidewall. It does this with a rugged tread pattern made with innovative new rubber compounds and specific new features for sidewall and shoulder protection. The specification and blueprint given to the Michelin tyre designers for the Agilis CrossClimate resulted in feedback from end-users in France, Germany, Turkey and the UK. Following thousands of qualitative interviews by GMV, an external research institution, the two main factors demanded by users were: ‘A single long-life tyre, bringing excellent grip, traction and reliability in all seasons, through all weather conditions and on all road surfaces. Robustness and damage resistance, particularly for urban and off-road environments with frequent impacts with kerbs and other objects.
ALL-SEASON
The 3PMSF-marked Agilis CrossClimate tyre is certified for use in snow conditions but still behaves, brakes, and lasts like a summer tyre on dry roads. This is due to the latest rubber technology with compounds that deliver rubber and tread flexibility, even at freezing temperatures; a multilayer tread area minimises heat transfer through the tyre.
Inspired by the award-winning CrossClimate+ car tyre, the tread pattern is V-shaped and is an innovative combination of high-tech tread blocks. These contain bi-directional self-locking sipes. These are small grooves cut into the rubber blocks on the tyre tread to provide cutting edges that bite into snow and ice for optimum grip on difficult winter surfaces. The combination of new tread rubber and the V-shaped tread pattern to deliver grip in all conditions also increases tyre life that is 35 per cent more than the average of premium competitors tested.
The increased damage resistance demanded by users is achieved through the addition of 1.5mm-deep trapezoidal blocks around the shoulder and upper sidewall. These, and the rubber they use, are features taken from Michelin’s military all-terrain truck tyre range and give added protection without compromising case flexibility.
The Agilis CrossClimate has been developed and rigorously tested in challenging winter conditions by the Michelin winter tyre testing team in two European locations, 4,000 kilometres apart. These are Ivalo, high up in the Arctic Circle in Finland, and Barcelonnette, at 2,715 metres altitude in the Alps; one of the highest roads in Europe. Tested and developed in these challenging conditions, you can be sure that if the new Agilis CrossClimate can survive these tests, then a trip into a field or muddy paddock at an off-road event becomes far less challenging than ever before.
John Hulme: “Familiar at many trials events, you leave the comfort of the tarmac to drive in challenging conditions of a muddy field or rough track to reach the start of the event in a van. Attending events to take pictures and generate a report are my primary duties on the day, or I may be on a photoshoot with a machine test or rider in mind. My Mercedes Vito van brings comfort for the motorway and room inside for all my required equipment. It has the ability to remove the seats to put a machine inside if we are testing – which is usually off-road. A rear-wheel-drive van is not the best off-road vehicle, and with the original tyres from a leading manufacturer, its off-road capabilities were particularly in question. As my tyres needed replacing, I made a call to our friends at Michelin tyres and explained my predicament. Four of the Agilis CrossClimate tyres were fitted, and the transformation has been incredible.
“Living in Derbyshire, we have some challenging weather conditions; you name it, we have had it. I feel much more comfortable now when driving in the rain and snow, and the braking performance of the vehicle gives more reassurance to the driver.
“At a recent photoshoot for a machine test, I had to park in a field. With the old tyres, I would have been wondering how much trouble I would have getting on and off the field but, with the confident feedback from the Michelins, the task was performed with ease.
“On the motorway, I would have expected some road noise from the rugged tread pattern when cruising around the speed limit, but this was not evident at all.
“In conclusion, I was delighted with the all-round performance of the tyres. If you do see me stuck off-road, it will certainly not be due to lack of adhesion from the Agilis CrossClimate tyres!”
Trial Magazine would like to thank Mertrux at Derby for the support with the Mercedes Vito van, Michelin and Inch Perfect Trials for their assistance to create this article.