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The wisdom of studded tyres

(163 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by Greenroofer
  • Latest reply from Greenroofer

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  1. algo
    Member

    Yesterday I was forced to cycle a couple of miles on a completely flat studded tyre (700cx32 - the one with only two rows of spikes). Unfortunately this means that the wire bead is quite deformed and when pumped up the tyre just won't stay on the rim. I think, however, that a wider rim (mine is a DT swiss TK540 - outer width 23.6 mm I think) and maybe a slightly deeper profile would allow it seat ok.

    It's got very little use - if anyone wants it and thinks they can resurrect it, please let me know.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. Schemieradge
    Member

    Is there any reason to think that having a spare front disc wheel with studs shouldn't be super-simple to swap back and forth?
    I vaguely remember reading something about how the rotor rarely matches up between wheels meaning much fiddling with the brake calipers.
    If I'm careful with my choice of spare wheel, hub and rotor is it too much to expect it to be a simple switch?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. Snowy
    Member

    I recently bought a 2nd hand set of spare wheels for Mrs Snowy's MTB, and both disc rotors matched up perfectly in the calipers, no tweaking required. May just have been lucky, of course.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. Greenroofer
    Member

    I have just re-fitted my Marathon Winters onto the commuter bike for the ...winter.

    I used one of the these for the first time. It was totally brilliant, and levered on the tyres with no fuss at all.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. sallyhinch
    Member

    oooh

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. Snowy
    Member

    @Greenroofer Interestingly my Winters went on without the aid of levers. Either they have 'relaxed' a bit since last year or I have developed forearms of steel.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. wingpig
    Member

    @Greenroofer I finally remembered a tyre jack the last time I ordered more brake pads. Still have to get round to facing the whole remove-refit process but maybe it'll be so easy with the jack that I'll stop despising and dreading the process.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. Greenroofer
    Member

    On every bike except the Brompton I can get Marathon tyres (winter or otherwise) on with just forearm strength and talcum powder. It's always a battle, though. A @wingpig says, it's task I previously dreaded and despised. Now I won't.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. Ed1
    Member

    winter tyres for a dollar

    Not real purchase opportunity as have to buy in bulk but surprised so cheap

    cycle cam 6.50$

    3600 lument bike light 8.70$

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. minus six
    Member

    just used one of those x-tools tyre seaters out in the field following hawthorn extraction on a brand new marathon plus

    top tool, so easy to use. wouldn't be without it now

    thanks for the tip

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. crowriver
    Member

    A colleague of mine came off his bike last week on black ice and has since been in hospital with a fractured hip and off his head on strong painkillers.

    So studded tyres definitely a good idea at this time of year.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. sallyhinch
    Member

    Last winter one of the docs at the hospital in Dumfries emailed the council every time he treated a patient who'd slipped on an untreated pavement or cycle path due to ice. Whether or not it was that that did it or something else, they've now bought a specialist gritter (actually it uses brine) for the cycle paths. So if anyone knows an A&E doc ...

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. edinburgh87
    Member

    Just wondering - I've had two punctures in a week on 700*30 Schwalbe winters, both on a front wheel. No obvious stud protrusion or any debris so wondering if using 25mm tubes is causing them to fail, and if I should get a wider tube. Running approx 90-100psi

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. ARobComp
    Member

    If the tube is an 18-25 then this might be your issue as the rubber stretches and wears quickly/is prone to punctures on bumps.

    Also check spoke protrusion.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. edinburgh87
    Member

    Thanks ARobcomp

    Posted 5 years ago #

  16. rbrtwtmn
    Member

    I've certainly had issues with punctures with too-small inner tubes. Only a couple of punctures, but it wasn't worth the hassle. In my case I decided that the puncture repair was being stretched too far on re-inflation. I'm now careful to refer to the info on the inner tube box (for the appropriate range).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  17. sallyhinch
    Member

    This may be somewhere upthread - but am I right in thinking that it's possible to get replacement studs for Marathon Winters or did I dream that? After reasonably light use for more than 5 years the tyres themselves are almost pristine but the studs are now quite rounded. And if you can get studs are they easy to fit? I'm considering upgrading my winter wheelset or possibly even going the full N+1 with a winter bike but it seems a shame not to get full use out of the tyres

    Posted 5 years ago #

  18. wingpig
    Member

    @sally You can get studs (I have a load, next time you're through, or try bike-discount.de) and they're a PAIN IN THE FACE to fit. I was only re-filling the holes left by missing studs so didn't have to remove them and it took me 40 minutes to do 24. Requires pliers and patient wrists. Some just popped in effortlessly but they often twist and pop out and escape and so on. I did that with a deflated and disconnected tyre, so don't know if it's easier in situ.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  19. gembo
    Member

    I know someone who asked Schwalbe for studs and they sent them Gratis. Hi is super jammy

    Posted 5 years ago #

  20. sallyhinch
    Member

    Hmm, I might borrow a couple to try and see if it's going to be worth it given my unhandiness

    Posted 5 years ago #

  21. biggles1982
    Member

    i bought some as i wanted to buy the tyres with studs on centre and edge but they dind't have them in stock so just bought the studs. They came witha tool for fitting them. I have a spare if that would be any use?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  22. Snowy
    Member

    I'd definitely change the inner tube to a wider one which consequently isn't stretched so thinly.

    Best unofficial tool I found for fitting the studs is a very small flat-blade screwdriver (about 2mm blade). I found it's fine to leave tyre on wheel, but deflate to about 30 psi so there is some give.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  23. Greenroofer
    Member

    Should I take them off yet? The BBC says that temperatures won't be anywhere near zero for the next two weeks...

    Posted 5 years ago #

  24. dessert rat
    Member

    @Greenroofer - studs are so last week. You need these:

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2602&page=24

    (they have about as much grip as a bar of soap in the bath, but they're fast).

    someone please save them

    Posted 5 years ago #

  25. HankChief
    Member

    Ooft. February would be a brave choice.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  26. gembo
    Member

    March can be nippy

    Posted 5 years ago #

  27. acsimpson
    Member

    It takes about half an hour for me to change tyres. I estimate it costs me up to 5 mins each way on my commute. In theory I should change them when I think I will get 6 noon Friday days. But as that can be a month of commutes at this time of year I generally don't.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  28. Greenroofer
    Member

    I have just taken off the studded tyres from my commuter bike. If next week's weather is appalling it will be my fault, but I have left the studded tyres on the Brompton for the moment. That should guarantee some good weather until the day after I change those ones.

    I replaced them with new 40mm Marathon Plus, which are quite wide. I hope they will be comfortable. I used my new tyre-getter-onner and the whole process was very painless indeed.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  29. gembo
    Member

    Forecast for hail and snow tomorrow but fair Monday

    Posted 5 years ago #

  30. wingpig
    Member

    There was a wee touch of hail this lunchtime, just when I was leaving the allotment. The studs are still on the bike in the shed. Hopefully some more ice will coincide with the arrival of the new crank for the unstudded bike.

    Posted 5 years ago #

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