Had a real battle to stay upright on the frozen and footprint drugged surface of the Lasswade path last night. Wasn't till I did lose it enough to put a foot down that I realised the surface was wet with melting and there was simply no way I could walk it. Actually worse than ice rink because of the rough surface. Would have liked a pair of 200 studlies then, but the Winters were amazing.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
The ongoing battle with studded tyres
(173 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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No winter tires in stock in Planet X in clerk street. I will try and order some to be collected or get a mate to do it. Not sure if I paid for the ones that they could not deliver will have to check . Already been somewhat of a struggle with the winter tires and not even got them yet.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I ordered my winter tyres from SJSCycles. It was three years ago, and the cost for an Ice Spiker and a Marathon Winter was horrendous. No-one was doing special offers back then. :( But I did get them day+1 or day+2.
Posted 9 years ago # -
So we're joining the studded tyre posse as both Mr Weezee (with kids in box) and I (sans kids) have come off our cargo bike on ice this past week. The weight of the bike means options of pushing it on when walking are reduced - when it starts to fall there's no stopping it. It was a bizarre moment when I came off and watched as the bike elegantly slid away from me uphill on its side. Mudguard clearance problems on the front wheel and battery/motor attachments on the rear means we've had to call in the professionals in Cycle Service. I'm curious to see how it handles.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yes... CS did mention your UA was in need of more grip. Ideally snow chains could be added and removed when not needed.
Couple of years ago I used around 16 zip ties to increase traction on a trike in the snow. Rear parking brake had to be disconnected. Lasted for a lap of Holyrood Park.
I did have order in for spiked tyres though.
Hope you get sorted and have no more spills.Posted 9 years ago # -
Just been researching snow chains for bikes. Popular DIYists take short lengths (2 or 3 inches) of chain and hold them tightly against the tyre tread using tensioned steel cables around the sidewalls. Can be V-brake friendly, too.
Pick of the bunch seems to be Cesar van Rongen's "Bike Spikes", which did the rounds as a prototype a year or two ago. They still don't appear to have reached production though. I like the whip-on-and-offable design, though you'd want to increase your mudguard clearances somewhat.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I take it the Weezees, Weezettes, and Urban Arrow survived the experiences unscathed...?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@LaidBack quick snowchains would be great but I wasn't sure whether they would be suitable for the mixture of riding relatively clear main roads and icy side roads as opposed to constant compacted snow. Great to see more products coming out like the Bike Spikes.
@Darkerside Bumps, bruises and satisfyingly noisy impact of head-apparatus-that-must-not-be-named all round. :-)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Something for everyone wrestling with tight tyres on small wheels...
I first saw this stuff on the Schwalbe website, but now see that it's available at EBC
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/schwalbe-easy-fit-special-assembly-tyre-liquidSeems like a lubricant to get the last bit of the tyre over the rim edge.
Posted 9 years ago # -
^ I have used some of that and although it works, it is no better than using washing up liquid and a bit if water, but much more expensive
Posted 9 years ago # -
The guy in the Bike Spikes video has impressive skills on the ice even without the product. I'd be sitting on the ground instantly pulling those manoeuvres.
Posted 9 years ago # -
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/schwalbe-easy-fit-special-assembly-tyre-liquid
Any real cyclist worth their salt has been washing their dishes in that stuff for years.
Posted 9 years ago # -
TOP TIP!
If you have disc brakes you can use lots of zipties to add a little grip to those tyres when its icy! Just don't try it if you have traditional rim brakes!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Probably not SPD-compatible, but:
Posted 9 years ago # -
The mini-Winters arrived yesterday from Germany. Not attempted to wrestle them on yet.
Being just Winters they only have studs around the centre of the tyre. However they appear to have holes on the outside edges which look like they are designed to take additional studs. Is that a feature of these tyres? Can they take extra studs?
Posted 9 years ago # -
You can buy studs, so probably fit them. However, unless you have access to slave labour, there's no way to do this economically once the time is priced in. I've replaced a few odd studs in my tyres over the years and it's a bit of a frustrating business.
re: earlier discussions, I had a pinch flat kerb jumping on the way in (unlike everyone else, the 35mm Marathon Winter on the back of my bike is smaller than my normal tyre). I managed to refit it using thumbs only, albeit after 20 minutes trying to find the holes!
Posted 9 years ago # -
@RJ I'll have to put the normal commuter away in favour of a velocipede.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"However, unless you have access to slave labour, there's no way to do this economically once the time is priced in"
Hmm, I suppose it's good to hear that they don't go in easily as that presumably means they don't come out so easily.
However, Schwalbe say it's easy:
"Replacement spikes. Can be easily installed with the special tool."
Has anyone used the special tool?
And, finally a thought on running the spikes in. The FAQ on the Schwalbe says 40km. I'm guessing that this is aimed at 26" or 28" tyres. Presumably less distance would be required for significantly smaller tyres, no? (E.g. 25km for 18")
Posted 9 years ago # -
@cb, I believe the winters and the winter marathon are the same tyre. The only difference is the number of studs that come pre installed.
Posted 9 years ago # -
don't the marathon winters also have an extra strip of puncture protection as well?
Posted 9 years ago # -
So they do. In the words of schwable marketing speak the winters offer level 3 protection:
K-Guard. Our minimum standard for protection belts. This Guard is proven since many years. It consists of natural rubber and is reinforced with KEVLAR® fibres. Together with the 50 EPI carcass all Active Line tires are well protected against punctures
While the marathon version is level 4:
RaceGuard. Double layer of Nylon fabric. Good protection for light, sporty tires.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I bought a spare set of studs and tool last time I ordered in bulk from Rose in Germany. I have yet to try the thing out.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I think you also bought one in bulk order I did last year, but never collected. I'm yet to use mine either.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Has anyone used the special tool?"
I have (was also part of Uberuce's bulk order), replacing 4 studs I lost the pevious year.
The stud fits into a hole at the end of the tool shaft, the base cap slightly overlapping - a much better solution than trying to grip it with something else. Simply insert into the hole in the tyre and pull out leaving the stud behind.Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks to Harts Cyclery I now have a rebuilt wheel with a studded tyre on. I had no shame in asking Graeme to fit the tyre for me. (Should have done that in the first place.)
Back on the big bike tomorrow - pity that the ice has gone (for the time being)...
Do you think we can use having studded tyres as a good indication of being on CCE? Other individually correlated factors include riding a recumbent, having an array of fetting tools and being called Dave.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Well does sound like there is an over representation of people on CCE with studded tires compared to the bike using population as a whole in Edinburgh.
I have not actually noticed a bike with studded tires yet. I would guess with a lot of cyclists in Edinburgh there would be more cyclists not on CCE with studded tires than those on, but would guess there is much higher chance of someone being on CCE that has studded tires than another cyclist that does not.
I am still in the process of trying to get some delivered.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I noticed a couple on my commutes this week. As long as your not in heavy traffic they are very obvious from the sound alone.
I think Skotl was one of the users but not sure about the other as it was dark and I couldn't really see them.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Just a week on the sparebike and the normalbike felt really weird this morning: hands too far forward, elbows too close together, but at least I can again brake without worrying about ripping out studs.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm the same when I swap between Cotic and Dawes. Differing geomeries mean it feels strange for the first 20 minutes.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have an ongoing battle getting the studded tyres to go round corners.
Posted 9 years ago #
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