Tires for Paved, Clear Roads
 

I’m planning to ride my Surly Cross Check in the winter. I have a good, handbuilt wheelset with RH Barlow Pass 38mm (tubed), and an inexpensive Alex wheelset with WTB Venture 40mm (tubeless).

I live outside Toronto. We have proper winter but usually I can ride 1-2x a week throughout winter on roads that are free of snow/ice.

I’m thinking of using the Ventures because of the tread pattern and how it’s better in uncertain conditions than the Rene Herse, and it’s tubeless, and the wheels can take abuse without fuss by me.

If the roads are truly ice/snow free, you can do pretty much whatever you want.

If there are occasional ice patches and you don't want to be riding studs for the other 98% of the ride, then the key consideration is keeping your tire pressure low, particularly for the front wheel.

Here in the PNW, I ride on wet roads a lot and try not to ride when there's a chance of ice in the tree shadows. I ride Conti 5000 tires which hold very well in the wet. Of course I ride the same tires year 'round. Simple.

I have studded tires and ride them all over the place. Sometimes the bike lanes are cleared of ice and snow sometimes they have clumps of them.The MUPs are not maintained in the winter.

Why not just buy winter tires to handle uncertain conditions ?..

I didn't know you could run studded bike tires in TO. But they won't last long on asphalt?? Since most of my riding will be bike trails and bike lanes.