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Do I need winter tyres (from Dalmeny)?

(48 posts)

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12

  1. skotl
    Member

    Only been on this forum few a few months and have spotted a few threads on a topic that I'd never even considered before; winter tyres.

    I've been commuting by bike through sun, rain, snow and ice for around four years now. *But* The first three winters were from Leith to the West End and last winter I was getting the train to South Gyle and biking in from there.
    All on 23C conti gator "slicks" without much in the way of drama.

    I've now been cycling all the way in from Dalmeny (with a positive effect on the wasteline!) and I must admit that some of the hills North of Cramond Brig are probably going to be a lot more exciting with frost, ice and snow. The soggy piles of leaves are already starting to become treacherous.

    So should I be replacing the slicks with some winter tyres? If so, any suggestions?

    I'm minded of the other post re the cost of cycling vs other commuting methods; cycling isn't as cheap as it appears!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    I put a secondhand spikey tyre on my front wheel only. It lasted 2 years. Definitely more expensive to replace.

    But, it did wonders for my state of mind, especially after a fall turning onto a cyclepath (without spikes on).

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Think you do what you feel comfortable with. I've never changed my tyres and commute year round without much issue. Others prefer spikes.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. Dave
    Member

    I didn't have winter tyres for the two really bad recent ones, I just rode my hardtail through town instead of the road bike.

    The salt damage to the drivetrain was ruinous, far more than the cost of winter tyres for my commuter would have been (new singlespeed chain = £5 or less).

    However there are other options, you can just not cycle on bad days, because realistically there won't be very many...

    I only had spikes for last winter and the one before. Neither were severe but I still appreciated them more often than not (and the extra training effect was appreciated. Get on a nice bike after studded tyres and feel like you can fly).

    I wrote this write up after the first winter but modified it after the second.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. skotl
    Member

    Thanks guys, and nice write-up, Dave. I'll have a think about it and see what price the tyres are currently coming in at.
    Like you, I only have one commuting bike so when new tyres go on, they'd be on for a few months.
    Mind you (famous last words) with the current weather, it looks like it will be a while before we need to consider this!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. sallyhinch
    Member

    It took me 4 years to get round to buying winter tyres (encouraged by this forum - I'm not sure if it takes a cut from Schwalbe for all the recommendations). I don't commute but the (daily) riding I do is mostly on ungritted rural roads so black ice was keeping me off the bike approximately 20-30 days each winter. Financially they don't really make sense (unless you can guilt trip your mother into buying them for you for Christmas like I did) but mentally they're brilliant. Not only did I avoid cabin fever (when the roads are really icy around us you can't even walk anywhere) but they make you feel absolutely invincible. They're a bit like having a superpower. Slightly dangerously so, in fact, as you have to remember when you get off the bike you don't have studs on the bottom of your shoes - and they're no good for thicker snow so don't assume (as I did) that you can blithely cycle through anything.

    I was about to replace my wheels anyway, so I put the winter tyres on my old wheels and then swapped them back and forth as needed, which saves wear on the tyres. If you're not chucking the bike about they should last a few seasons.

    They do weigh a ton, and they do make a funny noise (somewhere between rice krispies and popping paper) but I really recommend them (so much so that our local cycling shop loves me as I've sent so many other people in to buy some for themselves) (I don't get a commission though...)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. minus six
    Member

    Skotl, if youre an early riser, you will encounter some black ice at the Dalmeny Estate junction occasionally.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    I have front tyre spiked on cheaper wheel. I swap round the wheels as necessary. I figure the front one is the one to have spiked if only going with one spiked tyre. I have fallen off a couple of times pre spikes. Not since but not really tested them in a really bad winter as only went for it last winter.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. skotl
    Member

    @gembo - I was wondering about that, too - whether I'd be better just putting the tyre on the front.
    Maybe I'll fool myself into buying one, one month, then the second the next month :)

    @o_0 - thanks for the headsup. Definitely not an early riser, but I am occasionally heading home after 10pm so I'll watch out for that.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. gembo
    Member

    I was having the dilemma in my head. but think it was arellcat
    or other wise person I was chatting too and I said. What did we do before winter spikes? (subtext another bit of kit we never knew we needed)
    Answer - fell off. (True in my experience)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. Dunny
    Member

    I've also been looking at getting a pair, but my commute is 10 - 15 mins along the canal every day. I'm not sure I'll need them really? Just how icy does the towpath get in winter? This will be my first winter cycling that route.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. Dave
    Member

    If there's snow it can get quite bad, especially once rutted and packed down then refrozen.

    Most people don't have them. I did without and just used to fall off every so often - not the end of the world.

    Prefer it this way although it might just be that I can now ride faster, rather than safer :)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  13. amir
    Member

    "just used to fall off every so often - not the end of the world."

    I am not sure about that - for me each fall seems to have greater effects. I'm sure my hips will eventually crack through repeated abuse and as you get older you seem to bounce less.

    That's why I eventually gave in and bought winter tyres for my MTB - the only time that bike gets used. I still have misgivings about going on the road with them - the cars don't have spikes.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  14. Dunny
    Member

    Thanks Dave, I reckon I'll buy them anyway. Better to have them and not need them...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  15. Min
    Member

    Kirst got really badly hurt falling on the Innocent and the ice was such that I didn't even notice it with my spikes 30 mins or so earlier.

    Definitely worth it for me. At falling falling hurts, at worst you could end up pretty badly injured.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  16. Instography
    Member

    Part of me thinks that if I need spiky tyres then I should be curled up on the sofa working from home.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  17. fimm
    Member

    Can you get spiked tyres for a Brompton?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  18. DaveC
    Member

    I don't have full spikes (Schwalbe Marathon Winter), I have Schwalbe Winter tyres. The difference is two rows of studs instead of four. They sit on the outer edge so only really come into play when cornering. Mostly I'm on the middle of the rubber and if need to I can deflate my tyres so the studs are in contact with the road full time. Never had to do that even on snow.

    Most of my commute is no really icy, but has icy patches/puddles. My own street though is a cul de sac and never gets gritted. It lies East/west so doesn't see much sun in winter. Last winter it was iced for about 2 months, on and off. It would melt but not dry in the day and then refreeze overnight. Its strange as the road surface is ~35 years old and it mostly protruding red stone where all the tar has been worn away, but once icy its VERY slippery!

    In winter I like to commute through the Dalmeny estate, grit and gravel. With sumer slicks its very slippery as the surface moves. With the nobbly winter tyres I have much more grip.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  19. wee folding bike
    Member

    Brompton clearance is tight, even for Marathon Plus. As far as I know there are no commercial spiked tyres available. People have asked Schwalbe, I know I have, and they have been reported as thinking about it.

    I've got spikes on a Longstaff.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  20. minus six
    Member

    Part of me thinks that if I need spiky tyres then I should be curled up on the sofa working from home.

    That's my thinking also. I'll do rain, wind, patchy thin ice - but freezing fog and/or sheet ice are best avoided altogether.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  21. Darkerside
    Member

    Re the 'cars don't have spikes' comment- true, but they've got an awful lot more contact area, and when they do slide out tend to injure someone else rather than the driver.

    Schwalbe's website also suggests that the rubber compound is designed for grip in colder temperatures, so it's not just the spikes that help out.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  22. amir
    Member

    "when they do slide out tend to injure someone else rather than the driver."

    This is my point!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  23. skotl
    Member

    Lost the back end today, turning left in the p***ing down rain. Slick at the back stepped out and I have no idea why I didn't fall off, but it righted itself with zero skill-input from me.
    The whole thing happened in what felt like 0.1 seconds and defo increased the heartrate.
    I think I'll look into winter tyres after all - whether it's full blown studs or not, I'm not sure.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  24. Uberuce
    Member

    If your bike has the clearance to fit 700Cx42, I have a pair still in the box needing a good home.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  25. Dunny
    Member

    Uberuce - That'll fit me, what tyres are they?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  26. skotl
    Member

    Trying to figure out what tyres would fit my rims.
    They have no markings but, according to the Kona site (Kona Dew FS), they are Alex DC25

    The Alex website claims to know nowt about them, and can't seem to find any obvious inside rim measurements on t'interweb.

    Anyone any idea? I could take one of the tyres off and measure it, of course, but I'm foolishly thinking it should be simpler than that.
    You think they're 25mm inside?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  27. Baldcyclist
    Member

    From evans website:

    Front Tyre:
    Continental City Ride 700×32C
    Rear Tyre:
    Continental City Ride 700×32C

    You ride Gatorskins, yeah, is the size of the tyre not on them?

    I would guess you could get anything from 25, to 32.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  28. kaputnik
    Moderator

    @Skotl, it says they come with 700x32c tyres, so you'll most probably be able to fit a 35c or 38c on those rims with no probs, but do measure the clearances to make sure there's enough width between forks and the fork crown with the suspension compressed. I'm assuming with the MTB-style front end that there will be plenty clearance for wider tyres.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  29. Snowy
    Member

    This morning's weather reminded me that 23c slick gatorskins have all the cornering ability of a fat labrador on wet lino.

    Time for a pair of 32c Marathon Pluses, I think.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  30. Uberuce
    Member

    Dunny, skotl, have a look at the thread in Stuff entitled "42mm Studlies for Sale. Also, Order 30mm."

    Posted 10 years ago #

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