I'm thinking about getting a pair for my mountain bike. I would be using them on the country paths: Brunstane Burn, Pencaitland, North Esk etc. These have flooded sections. Would these tyres make it safe to ride across ice?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Which studded tyre?
(61 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Yes - I've been riding over (and turning on) frozen surface water most of the week - solid ice rather than frosting on the road surface. You do need to keep your wits about you, but it certainly works.
That said, you might want something with a bit more mud clearance than the Marathon Winter even if it's only for the paths. There are quite a few options, try the shop links in the article :)
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks Dave, that's a great review. Most of the paths are blaes. Beyond the Pencaitland Path there is some truly awful mud around Keith Marischal. From what I remember, the ride out towards Penicuik is not too muddy either. I think the 26" versions of the Marathon Winters should be ideal.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Schwalbe Winters 700x30c installed this evening.
Looks like they might get a workout next week - weather currently forecasting for rain mixed with freezing overnight.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Excellent, interested to hear how you get on!
Posted 11 years ago # -
You'll be in rare company along the Broomhouse. From the looks of it as I rode in at 7.20 only a handful are still using it.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Having finally decided to get a pair of Schwalbe winter tyres, I can't find them in stock anywhere. Though I don't know too many places to look.
Does anyone know of places which still have them? I'm looking for the 47-559 size, which equates to "26 x 1.75 (or 26 x 1.75 x 2) (sometimes labelled 26 x 1.85 or 26 x 1.90)" (says this page).Posted 11 years ago # -
Sales opportunity for any LBS that happen to be paying attention?
sjs on the interweb show stock.
Posted 11 years ago # -
cc - http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1040/a84977/marathon-winter-200-spikes-175-wired.html is the size you want
Let me know if you're going to put in an order, as I'm thinking of hitting them for the 700c version, so we could split shipping.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Different sort of "studded" -
Posted 11 years ago # -
Getting over the initial sluggishness and the NOISE, ride was very firm today, deliberately rode the back streets and paths along my preferred route to work (including Lower Gilmore Place, Murieston, Roseburn Park, Pinkhill Path and past Gylemuir School). Most of the snow would have been fine on a regular tyre I think but at no point did I ever feel any slidyness, especially in the corners.
They seem much quieter riding over snowy surfaces than uncovered ones.
The only twitchyness I felt was in the car park at work, which is surfaced with bricks in a herringbone pattern.
Posted 11 years ago # -
From the sounds I heard next to bikes cycling in this morning, there are quite a few cyclists with studs. Mostly 700 x ~35cc ish. The 26" tyres were mostly non studded plain MTB tyres from the lack of snap crackle but no pop.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Kaputnik - yes the herringbone bricks feel weird under studded tyres. Also be aware going over paint lines in the road as there is a slight tramline effect.
Posted 11 years ago # -
The Broomhouse rumbles are even worse on studlies, I find. Might not be as bad since you don't have the outer studs, but I'm definitely one of the amusingly characteristic tracks marks that veer onto the 'wrong' side to go over them and then tuck back in.
Posted 11 years ago # -
The Marathons seem to have quite a stiff carcass (or it's the cold) - I notice them tracking subtly on all kinds of parallel lines, like old road repairs.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm running the 26" Marathon Winters at 40psi. There is no visible sidewall deformation and I'm not the lightest rider in the world! So I'd agree they seem to have quite a stiff construction.
Now that I've done about 125 miles on them, the studs seem to have bedded in well and there has been no stud loss since the initial few days.
However - beware cobbles or rather rectangular setts. In particular, badly laid out setts such as Thirlestane Road, or the ones on the Aquaduct at Longstone. They'll pop the outer studs out of the tyres at an alarming rate.
I got off my bike on the aquaduct yesterday and in the space of 10 metres found 4 studs from Schwalbe tyres. A good place to hunt for spares if you need them! ;-)
Posted 11 years ago # -
The 118 stud Schwalbe Winters aren't branded as "Marathons", as they don't have the thick blue rubber puncture shield I think, just a regular kevlar belt.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@ Snowy - those studs are probably mine (although earlier this week I stopped to give way to a chap who rode past with the characteristic metallic clicking sound of stud on cobble, so I suppose they could be his).
So far this year I've lost no studs off the front, but a few off the back. Two are right next to each other in the centre line of studs, and I suspect this is the result of an emergency stop last week when a ninja pedestrian appeared suddenly out of the glare of an oncoming bike light set too high.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Definitely noticed the tracking effect more this evening on ice and slush and frost-free tarmac. You have to encourage the bike round the corner a bit more with the handlebars, can't just rely on usual weight-shifting to do it.
I also felt that there was an extra confidence boost when riding in the dark, when there's potentially pockets of hard to spot ice and frost lurking. It's far easier to take it slow and easy in the light, when you can spot hazards easier and further off, to take avoiding action.
Worth every one of the 42 pounds - considering a single Marathon Plus will cost you nearly that amount.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Popped on a set of Schwalbe Snow Stud at the weekend and whilst heavy and still just riding them in they feel nice and grippy, must go couny my studs :)
Posted 11 years ago # -
I also feel the tracking on rutted ice. I have yet to regain confidence in them on ice though and took icey corners on the bike very carefully on the comute today.
Posted 11 years ago # -
now proud owner of marathon winter studded tyre 700 x 30, as per recommended hereabouts. Matt from http://www.justbikes.com kindly trued a bargain wheel of exact same rim size so I intend to check the weather and swap the wheels as necessary. A Christmas present from me to me. In discussion with colleagues on new phenomenon of everyone buying spiked tyres. What did we do before? Answer - fall off.
Posted 11 years ago # -
We've not had sufficient snow yet, but I think Calvin's Dad sets the standard for us...
Robert
Posted 11 years ago # -
Pushing our bikes over the aqueduct with mini-Greenroofer on Sunday after a trip to the Hailes Quarry pump track, I followed Snowy's advice above and asked her to keep an eye open for tyre studs as I have lost a few. Sure enough, we found one amongst the cobbles without looking too hard, and it's pleasingly unworn and new enough to re-use...
...so it can go straight back in the hole it fell out of.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Back on the winter studded lht here... At least it's good resistance training!!
Posted 9 years ago # -
They also seem good for training you out of the habit of freewheeling just because the road goes down hill.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Also good for increasing awareness, sudden and aggressive braking not being great for the studs I think.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Another hidden benefit is the removal of the need to ping ones bell. Pedestrians seem to hear you coming from 100 yards away and look round to see what that noise it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
It wasn't until I was trundling up the resurfaced Leith Walk the other day that I remembered that I'd remembered what the sound of studs reminded me of: the noise normal tyres made on the Greenway surface in the late nineties, when it was comprised of lots of tiny little green splintery things which looked suspiciously like glass when they became detached and pooled in the gutters.
Posted 9 years ago # -
It's a satisfying brrrrrrrrr noise on the right surface.
Posted 9 years ago #
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