is anybody running similar size for their winter tires right now? any issue? how far off is the speedo / odo going to be?

 

I'm running 175/65-15 Bridgesone Blizzak WS-60 on Honda 5.5"x15" steel rims and I'm impressed with them!

175/65-14 would be too small overall diameter. Diameter Difference: 4.18%, Speedometer Difference: 4.364% too fast

Over 3% difference is NOT recommended.

Original size on base:
175/65-15 Diameter Difference: 0.25%, Speedometer Difference: 0.242% too fast

Another choice:
175/70-14 Diameter Difference: 1.55%, Speedometer Difference: 1.558% too fast

Another choice:
185/70-14 Diameter Difference: 0.75%, Speedometer Difference: 0.755% too slow

Narrower tires are better for winter.

Also the 14" rim might not clear the brake calipers. Not sure about that as I haven't checked. Better check that before buying 14" rims.

 

Tire size calculator

 

Twenty five and sixty series Blizzaks should be available in standard 16" size.
I decided not to screw around trying to save a little money.
Moon

 

Standard 16" size?

I think the standard size is 15" and the optional size is 16" (sport).


Btw. The standard base size 175/65-15 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 are now available.

 

I'm running this size (185/70-14) on my '09 Sport on an old set of Civic steel rims, they clear fine (but close).

 

Thanks Stew. That's good to know.

 

The OP inquired about a Sport, where 16"s are standard.
The 60-series are great on snow and ice, but a little soft for dry road handling. They also wear much more quickly on dry, warm roads. The 60s are rated for 106 mph, much faster than I would care to drive them. The 25 series are rated for 118, and they feel just fine at 90. They also seem to handle well on wet or dry road, and have done ok in the snow thus far, but I'm sure they aren't in the same league with the 60 series on ice.
A 185/55 R16 is reputed to be available in both series, and both are directional.
Anyway, pay your money and take your choice.
Moon

 

I have the (directional) Blizzak WS-60 in 175/65-15 on 15x5½ Honda Fit steel rims. It's the exact same size as the base Fit (or DX and LX in Canada). Awesome combination in snow and on ice!

 

We ran the previous 55 series on my bride's AWD Passat, and have now installed a new set of 60s on her car. They are indeed awesome on snow, and barely less capable than studs on ice. There are two layers of rubber on the tire, and the outer one is the one with the phenomenal ice grip. There should be a wear band to show when the outer layer is worn thru'.

However, don't hammer a dry offramp until you get the feel of them; there is a certain pucker factor....don't ask me how I know this.
Moon

 

Wasn't the previous model WS-50?

Please describe what you mean by "pucker factor".

 

Virtual-
I'm willing to be wrong about this, but my recollection is that they were 55s; they dated from 2001.
The 'pucker' refers to the difference in handling between the all season Conti Contacts and the Blizzaks; my bride's VW is a pleasant and benign handler (you'd really have to provoke it to get in trouble), but I have to make a MAJOR MENTAL ADJUSTMENT when the Blizzaks go on. It feels like I'm cornering on bristles, turn in is less sharp, and slip angles are much greater. This is more in the nature of an observation than a complaint, for I'll take the great winter traction in exchange for less adept dry handling.
So ya' know, among the reasons for putting the 25 series on the Honda was to give us some options; really crappy weather, take the VW/AWD/60s; winter trip on what could be partially bare roads, take the Fit/25s. We'll see how they wear, but, IMHO, there isn't much difference in handling between the all season Bridgestones and the 25-series Blizzaks.
Here in our Westsylvania mountains, we vary between a bunch of snow, sleet, or rain, and clear roads for weeks on end, and very little tangent road. I suspect that you Canadians get winter that comes and stays.
Moon

 

I'd say that's probably a pretty common occurrence when mounting a tire with such large tread blocks as a snow tire. It's called "Tread Squirm" The bigger (and softer) the blocks, the worse it can get We experience much of the same idea on our race cars when we go from our shaved (dry) Toyo RA-1's to our full tread (wet) Toyo RA-1's. It gets more and more pronounced under high heat and cornering situations (obviously snow tires and rain race tires are not meant to put up with this abuse) this is where you see the blocks wear down quickly and even chunk off completely.

 

I 'spect you're right, Stew. The ice Blizzaks are made of a softer compound for grip in cold temps, and cold is how you want to keep them.
The guy that invents a truly all season/all condition/all temp tire will have indeed done something.
Moon

 

i ended going with a set of Hankook i*Pike W409 (195/60-15) on 15" honda steel wheels. Suppose to snow the next few days I'll see how they perform

 

Put those (in a 195/65-15) on my brother's '08 Civic about a month ago, they've been great! It's actually the tire the guys are using as a spec tire for the Magnum Ice Racing Series up in Minden this Winter (studded of course!)
That's a really wide tire for the Fit (wider than the Sport 16" Summer tire even) what made you choose that size?

 

it was the only thing left at the tire store, i know normally people are suppose to go more narrow with winter tires but even 195 is pretty narrow so i don't see it as that big of a problem. Just cameback in from a snow storm and i had no slippage whatsoever, there was quite a bit of snow on the road and coming down hard too but made it home safely with no drama. Winter tires FTW

 

When I was a younger, braver, and especially cheaper sort of guy, I ran summertread Michelin Xs winter long, and actually got around pretty well.

That said, the only things that don't get winters in this house are the Jeeps, and they have agressive rubber anyway.

Moon