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Winter Studded Tires

Old 08-06-16, 07:47 AM
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gringomojado
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Winter Studded Tires

Do you only need one?
Do you put it in front?

Thanks!
gm
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Old 08-06-16, 07:56 AM
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Buy front and rear.
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Old 08-06-16, 08:58 AM
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Front and rear will make your ride safer and easier then just having one on the front.
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Old 08-06-16, 09:02 AM
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I think it really depends in what conditions you want to use it .
If the track is really icy, the ride is not fun anymore without them. However, a little snow can be handled by normal tires I would say.
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Old 08-06-16, 09:10 AM
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If you need one, then you need both.
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Old 08-06-16, 10:25 AM
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Definitely both!
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Old 08-06-16, 06:08 PM
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One is all really need and it goes on the front. You don't want the front wheel to wash under you when on ice. Winter tires with studs are for ice, not snow. To be safe I would pay a pair for front and back.

I use front and back and never regretted that decision.
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Old 08-06-16, 06:51 PM
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Originally Posted by blakcloud
One is all really need and it goes on the front. You don't want the front wheel to wash under you when on ice. Winter tires with studs are for ice, not snow. To be safe I would pay a pair for front and back.

I use front and back and never regretted that decision.
Thanks all!
gm
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Old 08-07-16, 12:12 AM
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I've been winter riding since 2009, regularly. Here's my experience:

Front studded tyre is a smart choice. As for the rear, if you don't have any hills, you might just go with a regular knobby tyre, without studs. Safer option is using both studded. If you have long winters with lots of snow and ice, I'd recommend that.


I wrote an article about types of (studded) tyres, per conditions and types of snow, might help:

Bicycle winter tyres


This topic should be in winter cycling, though.
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Old 08-07-16, 02:54 AM
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Originally Posted by gringomojado
Do you only need one?
Do you put it in front?

Thanks!
gm
Goodness gracious: NO. Buy both. Otherwise, you are essentially asking "which end of your bike would you rather slide out on you while riding on the ice?".

Hit up CL and fleabay right now while the demand is low, so you can find a good off-season deal.
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Old 08-07-16, 06:20 AM
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You can get a pair from CRC for less than $80 CAD. Maybe cheaper now. Why skimp on something like this?
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Old 08-07-16, 06:50 PM
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You need two.

You'll fall with only one. I suppose you can choose how to fall - front wheel falling - face into the pavement, rear wheel - ass into the pavement. Both result in a fall, possibly in front of a car.
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Old 08-08-16, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
You need two.You'll fall with only one. I suppose you can choose how to fall - front wheel falling - face into the pavement, rear wheel - ass into the pavement. Both result in a fall, possibly in front of a car.
c'mon, can't you be more convincing than that? :-)
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Old 08-08-16, 10:30 AM
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Another vote for two here.

Also, don't buy "homemade" ones. Spend the $100 for the pair and never worry about ice again.

(I've tried homemade ones, they didn't work well. Production ones are 1000x better. I've also tried only one, it doesn't work. If it's icy enough to need a studded tire on the front, you're not going to have traction on the back to start from a stop.)

Buy two. Seriously. Buy two name brand ones.

Here, they're on sale at REI.

This for the back.

https://www.rei.com/product/780258/n...e-tire-26-x-19

This for the front.

https://www.rei.com/product/792642/n...-tire-700-x-40

Less than $100 for the pair.

It's what I roll with on my "bad weather" winter mountain bike.

I have schwalbe marathon winter studded tires on my "fair weather" 700c winter bike. Yes, you have two winter bikes if you live in a place that has winter 7 months of the year.
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Old 08-08-16, 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
You need two.

You'll fall with only one. I suppose you can choose how to fall - front wheel falling - face into the pavement, rear wheel - ass into the pavement. Both result in a fall, possibly in front of a car.
If riding in cold winter with lots of ice, I'd recommend getting both studded tyres.

However, tyre choice depends on the conditions. I ride on flat lands, with very little ice. If winter is mild, with little snow, I often combine front studded, since loosing front wheel is an instant fall, just in case I run into a frozen patch, with a knobby rear. Just take it easy on turns.

Hell, I rode in snow and ice before I knew studded tyres existed. Lower pressure, lower speed and a bit of good old common sense.
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Old 08-08-16, 10:50 AM
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If You Chain Up the back, Then You only need the front one.

This tire: 2, is what I've Used .. Suomi-Nokian Mount and Ground W .. I know you people depend on revues.

Here you go : Nokian Mount & Ground Tire Reviews - Mtbr.com

Source: Made in Finland




./..
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Old 08-08-16, 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by mcours2006
You can get a pair from CRC for less than $80 CAD. Maybe cheaper now. Why skimp on something like this?
What is CRC? Thanks.
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Old 08-08-16, 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by OBoile
What is CRC? Thanks.
Schwalbe Winter Spike Road Tyre - K-Guard | Chain Reaction Cycles

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c...d/rp-prod80796

Even cheaper than I thought.
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Old 08-08-16, 04:05 PM
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Two Nokian Mount and Grounds are all you need.
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Old 08-08-16, 04:46 PM
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Lots of good answers here. I prefer two Schwalbe Marathon Winters. also check out the Winter Cycling forum for lots of good winter info. Winter Cycling - Bike Forums
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Old 08-08-16, 10:09 PM
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I've experimented with: A single studded tire in front, and studs on both wheels.

During my winter commutes, I see plenty of people riding with plain street tires, so it really comes down to the specific climate and conditions of your ride, and how secure you want to be. My winter bike is as much of a salt bike as a snow bike. I switch to it when they start salting the roads. That's usually a few weeks before there's any real ice danger. Further into the winter, two things happen in my locale:

1. Storms can blow in during the day with no warning, turning my route into a sloppy mess.

2. Side streets are at a low priority for plowing, and can turn into a rutted, frozen obstacle course. I can't avoid some of those streets.

In those cases, it's not about slipping on ice, but being able to make any forward progress at all, and holding a reasonable line if there's any kind of traffic. The weather can go from pleasant to vicious in a matter of hours, and I don't want to be stranded at work.

I use the Nokian Mount and Grounds, I think type 160.
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Old 08-09-16, 08:16 AM
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Anything with carbide studs is good in ice. Marathon Winters are good and roll well but are hopeless if there's a lot of snow; their block tread is entirely side to side, when I had them, in heavy wet snow on a crowned road, every time I applied power the rear wheel flew out from underneath me (sliding directly sideways). I now have Nokian W240s which have four rows of studs which allow me to climb out of ruts. Ruts will kill you if you aren't careful.
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Old 08-09-16, 09:14 AM
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Thanks!
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Old 08-09-16, 09:40 AM
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I did last winter in St Paul without studs. Slow and careful, and constant vigilance will get you where you're going. I didn't spill once.

This winter I'm using studs, simply so I can make better time, and put down more power. I watched my friends with studs pedal with confidence through some surfaces that were proving very treacherous for my tires.
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Old 08-09-16, 01:40 PM
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I could probably get away without studs if I only rode on certain days. However, there are days when the roads are covered with ice and I have hills. Even the studs are skidding on the ice, and I would have a hard time walking. I wouldn't want to try it without studs. On those days you absolutely need both front and rear, otherwise the rear would just spin and never move you.
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