Besides air, tyres are made up of three to four layers of materials. The outer layers, which are visible to the naked eye, are the sidewall and the tread. These are the components you see while a car is traveling along the road.

The sidewall covers the inner layers on the side of the tyre. It is built to resist abrasion, scuffs, and weathering.

The tread is the rubber compound, combined with a pattern used to give your automobile the grip and abrasion needed to hold the roads as one would say. This is the part of the tyre that actually connects with the road.

The next time you visit a shop to have your tyres changed, pay attention to what you see. When a tyre is removed from the rim, the bead and inner liner become visible. Now what are these?

Beads or bead bundles are strands of wire that secure the tyre to the wheel, whereas the inner liner is a rubber compound used to retain the inflation pressure inside the tyre. (You guessed it; this is where you put the air in your tyres!)

The other components are the body plies and the belts. These are not visible unless you cut open a tyre or your tyre ruptures. The body plies can be comprised of either polyester, rayon, or nylon cords within a rubber layer. Their main function is to provide the strength needed to hold the inflation pressure.

Lastly, the belts are steel cords laid at opposite angles. Their main function is to provide stability to the tyre tread and assist with wear, traction, and handling.

In case you were wondering, most tyres nowadays are tube-less. Tubes have become obsolete and are mainly found on bicycles.

We spoke to car tyre expert Renaldo Quarless, who has been in the tyre business in Barbados for over twenty-two years. We asked his expert advice on some of the top tyre brands and how to get the most out of your tyres.

When searching for the perfect tyres, the first choice is usually size. This decision can be made based on personal preference or type of ride quality the driver is looking for. For example, wider tyres provide a better ride quality and hold the road better than slimmer profile tyres.

When asked about tyre sizes here on the island, Mr. Quarless reported that there are three main sizes used for automobiles here in Barbados: 14”, 15” and sometimes 16”. (This is where it gets complicated, you will see a lot of numbers that don’t make sense, but we will explain shortly). The 14s usually come in six varied sizes, ranging from 165/60/14 to 195/60/14. The 15s range from 175/65/15 to 195/60/15. The 16s have a range of 195/50/16 to 205/60/16. These are the sizes of tyres included with most vehicle purchases.

However, sizes for Jeeps and SUVs start from 205/70/16 and can go as far up to 255/70/16.

See the table for a list of the most popular tyre sizes.

The first three digits on a tyre tells you the width of the tyre. The tyre in the image above has a width of 185 millimetres at its widest point (about twice the length of the long edge of a credit card).

The next two numbers indicate the height of the sidewall. This measurement can vary, but it is most commonly between 50-70 for cars here in Barbados based on the table above.

The last two important numbers tell you the wheel size, in inches, that the tyre would fit. According to Mr. Quarless, the most popular wheel sizes range from 14 inches to 16 inches. In some exceedingly rare instances, they can even go to 17 inches. However, most cars are sold with those basic three sizes.