What kind of tyres should I buy? Types of Tyres There are three distinct categories of tyres: 1. Winter tyres have tread patterns that are specially designed to bite into snow and ice. They’re made from softer rubber than normal tyres and they stay more flexible in cold weather. This means the tyre can grip the road better in snow or icy conditions. Winter tyres are labelled ‘MS’ or ‘M& S’ (Mud an ...