Tire management - Winter, Studs vs No Studs?
 

All,

I am looking at studded tire options as we'll be in to the cold months before too long. I'd like to try to keep my cycle commuting up through the winter, so long as it isn't too cold/nasty.

That brings me to the subject in the thread - tires. In going in to the winter it makes sense to get studded tires. Rubber-only tires, of any tread, will do nothing on ice. Been there, done that. Wide fat tires might help on some snow, but I don't have a fat tire bike. My riding would be on roads and paths that would be paved, aside from a couple grass crossings between roads, paths, parking lots.

What I am concerned with is if I put studded tires on there is a good possibility that the conditions I may be able to ride in wouldn't need the studs at all. However, I don't want to be swapping tires all the time as that is time during the day somewhere (evening most likely) that gets eaten up when I already don't have too much to spare. So what I am after is to toss on the studded tires at the first forecast of putting them to use, then leaving them on for the season.

Is there much issue with running studded tires when they, condition-wise, aren't needed? IE - dry pavement?

Another idea to reduce time is to have a 2nd wheel set - but that is another rather large cycling expense.

Last thought - are there any 700c tires anyone would recommend between a 38-42mm? I assume the dimension takes in to account the studs? I know I can clear 42's in my fenders, without studs. I've never tried 45's but I think I could squeeze them so at 42 + studs I am guessing that would work. Current tires are 40's and they are fine.

KC8QVO Here's how I answered a similar question on another thread...
https://www.bikeforums.net/22219105-post3.html

Generally Chicago winters are more slop than ice, but a couple of winters ago it was more ice than slop so I ran studs all winter and it was pretty nice when I hit icy patches! I loved the security. But the tires were knobbier and heavy and had quite a bit of drag relative to my usual. I ran them all winter, even when it was clear. It was definitely a trade-off, but I left them on because I don't like falling, and would do it again.

Keep the studded tires on for all conditions.

I took the second wheel set route as there are very few days a year when I need studs. And I find them very annoying when not needed, it feels like having an extra 50 pounds loaded on your bike, they are noisy, and they don't track through turns well.

Maybe look for a beater set of old wheels.. any wheel that is true and fits your bike should work.

I run studded tires all the time in the winter, and most of the miles they aren't needed. Pumping them up to max pressure (85 psi?) reduces the stud contacts if I'm not concerned about ice.

I seem to get about 3000 miles on a tire (Schwalbe Winter Marathon+, 35x700) at which time the studs have rounded and aren't as effective as I like. But the real downfall is that the studs start working their way through the casing into the tube, a known problem with Schwalbe. I've tried tire liners to eliminate that but the couple I've tried (urethane) have chafed the tube and caused their own flats. My guess is that the liners get stiff in the MN cold and the edges start chafing. I've wondered about trying to make my own out of an old innertube and tape it in.

Amen

Excellent info.

It looks like the theory about the pressure is relative to the type of tire. The 45NRTH Gravdal studded tires, for example, have close together studs that would always be in contact with the road surface no matter how much pressure you were to run.

As to the issue of the studs causing flats over time - that is a consideration. That is definitely good info to have.

My commute is less than 2.5 miles each way at the moment, so I am not too concerned with much extra drag. It is a pretty relaxed ride - some residential roads, some trail, and not too much elevation to contend with - no significant hill climbing of note except for a parking lot I cross.

OK on the Schwalbe tires being more prone to the stud flats. All good info.

I am searching for tires. It seems all I can find in 700c are Shwalbes or 45NRTH. I tried several search engine searches, amazon, and jenson usa.

Is there a vendor anyone knows of that has other options?

What climate? Would a separate bike be possible?

Whenever ground can be below freezing it is studs. No exceptions. Our paths get cleared and salted. Even then, you get ice patches or you ride before they cleared them. Studs are cheaper than hospital.

IME I get in most trouble with frozen slush tire ruts when I use 1.75" studded tires. Wider tires help with that. Close to 3" studded would be the ideal commuting tire.

There can be conditions where layer of snow over ice prevents the studs gripping and you float above the ice. So don't just race over snow regardless I mostly experience that on lakes, but it can happen on paths as well.

Central Ohio. And yes - I do have other bikes. My other primary is a Dahon 20" folding bike - which I do commute on from time to time, though I've put it in storage as I've found my disk trucker more useful. I've regularly pulled a utility trailer commuting and going around town and I don't have the Dahon set up for the trailer, though I could work on that I suppose.

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.php <<< based on your description may be the same selection

Thanks. Already scrolled through that site.

My primary tire for winter is non-studded Continental TopContact Winter. I basically put them on at the time of the year when there some chances of a frost in the early morning and take them off at such a time when such chances disappear. I have heavy-duty studded tires in reserve, but put them on only under extreme conditions and there had been several winters when I never put them on. The TopContact edged out lightly studded tires and greatly reduced for me the need to swap tires across winter.

+1 for the studs all winter. Here in Green Bay it can vary between slop, ice/snow/ hard ice, or clear roads depending on how long since the last storm, which part of the season etc.

I just resigned my self to few miles per trip (take the direct route to work and back vs. adding extra miles) because the rolling resistance of the studs is some much more than my 'summer' tires that I get almost equal workout. As some have said, add pressure for the cleaner rides, let some out when more traction is needed.

Sam

Then make one of the bikes studded in winter and use it when temps are below freezing. If above, use one of the other bikes.

Riding with studs on dry pavement is not an issue. I'd leave them on all winter. It only takes a small patch of ice on your entire route to do you in. Your studs are an insurance policy against that.

Here is a studded 700c x 40mm tire. It is a Kenda rated to 85 PSI. Any thoughts? I don't hold Kenda very high in the tire hierarchy, but they aren't low pressure tires and are studded.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32440822468...3ABFBMoIaF3PFg

I also found these - Terrene Griswold's 700c x38. It looks like the studs are tighter = not sure with high pressure I can get off the side studs. You can also add more studs to them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12535544946...Bk9SR6CGhdzxYA

I used Schwalbe Marathon Winters 35c.

All studded tires are slower, but they're fthe fastest that keeps studs on the griund at all time. For light ice you run them at higher pressure which leaves 2 rows of studs on the ground - for worse conditions you let a little air out and all 4 rows of studs contact the ground.

What they don't handle as well is built up ice and snow, nothing is really great on it, but if I went back to it I might get 45nrth gravdaps instead. Slower. But they had a better reputation for handling uneven surfaces.

You always need a backup plan as no tire will handle all winter cobditions, snowplows plowing the road are nessary dor cars to get theough, and bike trails - if plowed - tend to get plowed last.

I don't know much about the other brands, that's why I'm not commentung on them - the problem with thinking about brands with problems is anything popular eventually gets someone who had a bad experience with it. The stuff with no conplaints is the stuff no ine is using which is sometimes stuff so bad no one even even bothered trying it.

I ended up ordering the Terrence Griswold's in 700c x 38. They seemed to have better reviews/write ups about them.

I did find that Continental had some studded tires - like the Contact Spike 120 and Contact Spike 240. I admit, those look like better options than the Terrence Griswold's but I already ordered them. We'll see how they go this winter and if they don't work very well I can swap them down the road I suppose.

ooh those look interesting

yup, that's been my go-to winter tire. have them for my hybrid & my MTB

just watch out for fresh powder over ice. the snow packs into the tread lifting one off the studs, then you go down. they are great over fresh powder on dry pavement, even great on bare or even wet glare ice, but that powder over ice got me down twice last winter
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...049f97263b.jpg

I use a folding bike for commuting; the greater part of my commute is on a train. I'm in the Chicago area.
When I first started using studded tires, I would mount them around the first week in December and take them off mid-March. There would be a fair amount of riding on dry pavement, but as others have mentioned it just takes one little patch of ice to ruin your day, especially if braking or evasive maneuvering is required at the same moment.
These days, I have two similar bikes, one designated for ice and the other for when icy conditions are unlikely. But if only 100 yards of my 8-mile commute are icy, I'll still take the bike with studs.

For me, "winter" begins when the salt trucks come out. Because salt is so nasty on bikes, I have a dedicated winter bike and I leave the studded tires on it. Keeps things simple. When the first big rainstorm in the spring washes the salt away, I put the winter bike away.