The wisdom of studded tyres « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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The wisdom of studded tyres

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Started 12 years ago by Greenroofer
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Greenroofer
Member
Spiky tyres have featured incidentally in several threads over the past few weeks, but we've not got any collected wisdom on them. What are your experiences with them this winter (when, I reckon, it's been icy twice since September, and hasn't been snowy at all)?

For what it's worth...
- I put 700c Marathon Winters on the day after the first icy spell, and have had them on ever since. In that time I've covered about 200 miles in them, all on tarmac.
- I've been running them at maximum pressure.
- The studs round the centre of the tyres are definitely worn down significantly now, and aren't projecting much above the rubber.
- I've lost quite a few studs from the back wheel, but none from the front. Last winter I was conscious of losing them, as I'd find them hanging out. This time I'm not. It could just be that it's actually riding on ice or snow that pulls them out...
- Annoyingly I was in London yesterday on a Boris Bike, so didn't have the chance to see if they still worked when it was icy up here.
- The worrying bit. I had the bike up on the stand today for the first time since I put the tyres on, and I found that all four wheel nuts were loose. They never normally work loose, and I wonder if the vibration from the studs has loosened them
The only benefit I've had so far this year, then, is a bit more exercise from pushing them along and a bit of entertainment from the sound of frying bacon that accompanies me whenever I ride.

I'm not sure they've been worth it this winter (yet), but I suppose that's hindsight talking.
Posted 12 years ago #
custard
Member

its a pity(for data) we didnt have winter like the previous one
I suppose its a gamble

Posted 12 years ago #
Min
Member

Well when I bought mine I joked that this would become the mildest winter on record and I was pretty much right!

I have been thinking about it and considering how many people on this forum alone have had nasty falls this winter, for me they have been worth it. In fact, one of the biggest problems with winter weather is not so much the type of weather we had last year but the type we are having this year. Mostly pretty mild but with unexpected icy patches, especially on the cycle paths and especially on the Innocent which is notorious for it. Those are the ones that get you because if you are riding on thick ice then you know you are riding on thick ice. But if you think everything is fine then you are likely to faceplant as soon as you turn off the main roads. I am anyway.

Posted 12 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Winter is not over yet! Snow is not unheard of in March.

Posted 12 years ago #
Baldcyclist
Member

Never used them, run 700 x 23 and never really had a problem. That said I do all of my journey on the road which is usually gritted, so need for them.

Posted 12 years ago #
DaveC
Member

Well my stock commute is road to FRB then back roads & cycle paths pretty much all the way to St Andrews Sq. I've ridden a mixture of road tyres & snow tyres. When ever I've been on the road tyres I've been unlucky enough to knotice ice on the route or slippery leaves cludged on the surface. I have slipped a few times & just prior to Christmas I rode home on road tyres in the dark on ice and it was a very uncomfortable ride home.

I have also ridden a lot with snow tyres and although I guess 95% of the time I've probobly not needed them I had peice of mind and actively noticed thatthe bits where I've slid or slipped on the road tyres, I've not on the snow tyres. I can't say riding on the xcross tyres the xcross bike came with would be any different as they too have nobly bits giving good traction on the road but I 've felt more secure on the snow tyres than the road tyres.

On one occation with road tyres I saw a chap come off his bike on a stretch of black ice and we stook to the main rd A90 after that to avoid any more spills.

One thing I will say against the snow tyres is they are not as stable as road tyres and on corners I've nervous of sliding on the spikes as they clatter over the tarmac.

Anyway I have them now and won't change back to xcross tyres until I'm sure we're free of ice.

I have a Dawes with Schwabe marathon plus 28mm on and a Cotic >X< withe Schwabe snow Winter tyres on. Not Ice tyres so the have two lines of studs one on each side & are designed to be high pressure on tarmac but reduced pressure on ice & snow so the tread is wider engaging the studs.

Posted 12 years ago #
custard
Member

what times do you run Baldcyclist?
my issue is Im often off to work before(if!) the gritters are out

Posted 12 years ago #
Baldcyclist
Member

@ custard, I'm lucky (and unlucky) that I do a standard 9 - 5 working day. Although it means cycling in peak traffic which isn't great normally, it does mean the extra traffic has also had some +ve effect in keeping the roads free(er) of ice.
Crikey, did I just say traffic was useful for something?

Posted 12 years ago #
uphill
Member

In the fortunate position of having second bike...
put studded tyres on rubbish old bike Oct 2009 and haven't looked back - choice of bike each morning!

This winter has been quite mild and snow/ice free? Well yes a main-road-only cyclist might not have noticed much this winter ... however, from late Oct to late Feb this year, I took the winter bike all but 3 times. On one of those 3 I fell off hard on ice on an ungritted back street - wrong choice then. Quite dry since new year so there certainly were days when the temperature was below zero but my route was completely dry so no ice. Still feel happier with studs in such conditions. Certain stretches of the cycle paths are very prone to ice I have noticed.

Studs quite noisy on tarmac. Pedestrians usually look round on approach!

Performance on black ice on top of smooth tarmac is excellent. Need to be careful when you stop as shoes may slide..
I have not noticed any extra slip from studs on tarmac, there is still a lot of rubber touching the road.
Frozen ruts are worrysome but I have never come off - go slower and grip handlebars firmly. The big icy lumps at the tail end of the previous big snowfalls plus freeze thaw were hard work - you don't slip but a bit like cycling over jumbled concrete blocks.
Deep new snow ok but chunky mountain bike tyres without close fitting mudguards would probably better.

In summary, studded bike tyres are great. Don't know how I survived many winters without them. You can cycle around town fine on these so changing tyres (or wheels) twice a year is a good system. In icy weather, that is most days Nov to Feb, some of the north edinburgh paths
are not safe without these!

Posted 12 years ago #
wee folding bike
Member

Longstaff trike has done a couple of hundred miles on spikes. The middle ones are showing some wear compared to the outer ones but that's what you would expect, trikes don't use the edge of the tyre at normal pressures because they don't lean. They are still obviously spiky, not worn flat and I haven't lost any.

On a bike it might be the less worn outer spikes which keep you up when you start to lean into a corner.

I think it only ran on ice one day out of the time I used them. Nothing bad happened but then it's a trike anyway.

The thing I found most interesting was that they give aural indication of when a wheel is starting to lift off the ground. You can hear the back wheels skiff the ground as they lift and the TWD system spins round to engage the pawls and drive the other wheel.

I'll be putting the ordinary touring tyres back on it at the end of the month.

Posted 12 years ago #
Smudge
Member

Well I've been using the marathon winters in 26", four rowns of studs and they're heavy and slow. (fitted to a Surly LHT)
I leave (very) early for work and many times I've been cycling out on a solid sheet of ice/frost. The studs let me cycle comfortably where otherwise I'd have been pushing.
I've lost quite a few studs front and back (not counted how many, but lots)
I've switched back to touring tyres as of a couple of weeks ago and the bike feels great now <grins>

Overall though I think they've been good insurance against unexpected patches of ice and if they haven't actually prevented a fall (hard to say) the extra confidence in lousy conditions has been worth it.

Wouldn't want to do a long trip on them, but for commuting they're ok.

Posted 12 years ago #
Uberuce
Member

[politican mode]

Last autumn's purchase of studded tyres was under advice from our scientific experts who predicted a harsh winter. The failure of this winter to appear does not indicate the tyre policy was a waste of money, rather that it was a long term investment, although I do accept it has led to a funding shortfall in other areas this financial year. We have taken firm action over this issue, and sacked our scientific team.

[/politician]

That said, there was one day when I cruised into work with the same riding style as I would use on any slightly wet day, got to the office, locked up and almost faceplanted as I walked across the car park. It had been icy overnight, then a warmer rain had come in and disguised it, but I simply hadn't noticed any loss of traction.

Posted 12 years ago #
Instography
Member

Put mine on the spare wheels for my mountain bike. They've not seen the outside of the garage. Maybe some day.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dave
Member

Because I asked Schwalbe for free replacement studs back at the start (and got 42) I know that I've lost 36 over the course of a full winter of daily riding as there are six left in the envelope!

That's a loss of 7.5% per annum (total 480 studs).

They do wear significantly in the back, and it would be interesting to compare the tyres after another winter with brand new ones. I bet they'll still be substantially better than rubber alone.

That said, the carcass won't last forever. I read that stored tyres can last 5 years, or say they'd last 3000 miles (at 50 miles a week, and 13 weeks per winter, that's 4.6 years) - quite a close consensus. I can live with a ~£75 purchase every 5 years or so.

Posted 12 years ago #
Darkerside
Member

Mine are definitely wearing out (just over eight months daily use over the last two years), as the edges of the studs have worn through to puncture the inner tube in two places. Gaffa tape lining appears to have solved this, so hoping they're good for another winter yet.

As mentioned upthread, I've definitely appreciated having them just as insurance against having sideways moments. If I can't cycle I can't get to work, so £30 a year is well worth it to increase the chances of staying upright.

Posted 12 years ago #
DaveC
Member

I swapped back to Stock tyres for the Cotic >X< (Conti Cyclocross) on Tuesday night and and putting my Snow Schwabe tyres into cold storage for the spring/summer/autumn. There is some ware on the studs but the tures are good for another season atleast. It'll save me buying more next winter so a good investment from my POV.

Posted 12 years ago #
urchaidh
Member

I'm considering putting on some studded tyres for the winter. East Edinburgh urban commute on road and shared/cycle paths - rarely snows but often icy.

Schwalbe Marathon Winter seems to be the tyre of choice but I won't get a 35mm tyre on the back of the bike. The 30mm Schwalbe Winter Spike should fit though. The front will take either.

My other alternative would to put the studded tyres on the tractor (all terrain/hybrid bike) and choose my bike based on the weather.

Please unleash the advice, suggestions and general helpfulness of the CCE hive mind...

Posted 7 years ago #
algo
Member

@urchaidh - I have 700c 30mm schwalbe winters - they have two rows of studs rather than four, so there are no studs on the outer part of the tyre. I suppose this means they are slightly less safe when tight cornering, but I have found them to be excellent. Would you like to borrow one to try? I won't be needing them for a while...

Posted 7 years ago #
wingpig
Member

I also have 700*30 Schwalbe Winters which I wasn't going to use again this year as they developed too many gaping holes last year, so you're likewise welcome to them to test-fit.
I think I saw some Continental Nordic Spike in 30mm somewhere recently. Might have been Leisure Lakes or PlanetX.

Posted 7 years ago #
Ed1
Member

I am just having that dilemma if to buy 700c 30mm or 700c 35mm for my revolution country explorer 2015 . Even with the standard conti contact sport 700c 32mm there is little room mudguards clash sometimes over bumps. I posted a question Edinburgh bicycle if the tyres would fit but the country explorer has changed the new one Revolution Country 2 no long has same wheels.
Is it rim size or mudguard clearance, if just mudguard will take the SKS of my hybrid as bigger and have to modify the rear one going to go with 700c 35mm as 30 mm looks a bit narrow

Posted 7 years ago #
amir
Member

I have my studded tyres on my old MTB and this is generally only used in icy conditions.

Posted 7 years ago #
crowriver
Member

The other option is to have an extra set of wheels with studded tyres fitted to them. Just swap them for your normal set.

I do this with the hybrid, but TBH haven't used the studded tyres over the past couple of years as the winters have been relatively mild.

Posted 7 years ago #
BurntOut
Member

Another alternative is non-studded winter tyres. I've used Continental Top Contact Winter tyres for several winters and think they are excellent. I put them on at the first sign of ice and take them off again when spring eventually comes. I've ridden over a lot of ice and snow and not fallen once.
Two downsides - they're heavy beasts and they cost a fortune. But I think they're worth it.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

The first secret of the Winter II lies in its hundreds of tiny micro-siping channels. (Conti calls them lamellae, which I thought were the little frills under a mushroom. I guess they look similar.) The second is a soft, winter-specific rubber compound designed to maintain its grip in cold temperatures. Why tiny little siping channels instead of big knobs? Because big rubber knobs can’t bite into ice; traction is determined by the sheer quantity of edges attempting to grab hold.

"

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/bikes-and-tech/reviews/review-continental-topcontact-winter-ii-tires_197231

Posted 7 years ago #
Ed1
Member

These top contact tyres do seem a more elegant solution, when I got my revolution it came with slick conti contact sport I was going to take these off thinking would be hopeless in the wet but turned out much better than the chunky kenda tyres had on my hybrid something to do with rubber compound according to conti web site. It stated grips do little for bike tyres in the wet unlike cars which aqua plane with no grips.

I like the winter tyres snow stud’s put on my hybrid end of 2014 used it last year also as winter bike but got on it on Sunday and thought so small slow unstable and low geared don’t fancy riding this for 4 months again. The good thing about the studs is that don’t need to worry about micro climate where small patches of ice.

Was all set to get some winters for my country explorer but then realised will foul the guards. These top contacts may work better as if work in ice well enough and work off ice be nicer than the metal noise and the slower feel, however do wonder if the top contacts could wear through the ice treatment without noticing then slip. With the snow studs one did dramatically blow out but otherwise done well.

I suppose another variable is normally I do around 100 plus miles a week, I hurt my knee 3 weeks ago so been taking the train a lot since. If I get marathons or top contact would be worn out by the end of march. With studs would be better able to gauge if have any grips left by feeling the studs as even bald rubber snow stud still gripped on ice.

The best price on winter marathons is £30 and £36 for top contact winter 700c 35mm and 700c 37mm (which review say more like a 35mm).

Posted 7 years ago #
urchaidh
Member

Thanks for all the help - still can't decide what approach to take but the light frost this morning, with a few patches of ice on the prom, has got me focused.

The Continental stud-less jobs were a top tip, but sadly too big for my frame.

Algo/Winpig - would certainly appreciate the loan of a Schwalbe Winter to see how it fits.

Posted 7 years ago #
panyagua
Member

If it's of interest to anyone whose bike won't take the wide studded tyres, Chain Reaction still have the 700x30 ice spike tyres at about half price:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schwalbe-winter-spike-road-tyre-k-guard/rp-prod118113

I ordered some yesterday.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

MOVEBYBiKE (@MOVEBYBiKE)
10/11/2016, 08:30
When tons of trucks were stuck in the sudden snow yesterday(40 mm) we kept delivering in Stockholm. #vikingbiking #movebybike #cargobike

http://pic.twitter.com/FWM5A0ezCQ

"

Posted 7 years ago #
Ed1
Member

Those tyres sound perfect as could fit without all the difficulty modifying and swapping mud guards of hybrid cutting to fit, How do these compare with marathon winters anyone used these tyres before? I went to order marathon winters on chain reaction yesterday but not in stock till 14/11 so not ordered yet

Posted 7 years ago #
Ed1
Member

Tried to order the 700c 30mm on the train lost reception by time in Edinburgh they had empted out basket sold out

Posted 7 years ago #

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