Winter tyres ?

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Suddabym
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Joined: 16 Nov 2021, 4:10pm

Winter tyres ?

Post by Suddabym »

What are your go to tyres for a gravel bike for winter
With ice or snowy roads ? Not sure what the best size tyre is so would love some feedback before I buy any thx in advance
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geomannie
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Joined: 13 May 2009, 6:07pm

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by geomannie »

I use the 40mm wide version of these https://spacycles.co.uk/m14b6s142p3917/ ... nter-HS396 on my gravel bike. There may be better options, but they are a good price & I am able to go out in almost all snow/ice conditions. You have to be a little more careful than normal, they don't give carte blanche to cycle fast on corners, but without them I wouldn't dare set forth.
geomannie
Suddabym
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Joined: 16 Nov 2021, 4:10pm

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by Suddabym »

Thank you appreciate you answering there a decent price as well thanks 👍
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fausto99
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Location: NW Kent

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by fausto99 »

I wouldn’t go out on icy roads without studded tyres. Wet ice is the worst; zero friction. If you go over sideways you’ll be lucky to get away with a cracked pelvis rather than a broken hip. Ask me how I know 🙁. Studded tyres give good grip on any surface. Much cheaper to buy in the summer though.
Suddabym
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Joined: 16 Nov 2021, 4:10pm

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by Suddabym »

Brilliant thank you for your help
Valbrona
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Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by Valbrona »

Where have you been lately? Assuming you live in the UK ... two days of snow, occasional ice?
I should coco.
tim-b
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Joined: 10 Oct 2009, 8:20am

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by tim-b »

Definitely a case of horses for courses. I don't take the bike if there's ice, which is an easy decision for me, but might not be for you.
I find that rubber compound is important on the road and Conti GatorSkins were slippery on some cold, damp surfaces, whereas Conti GP 4-Seasons are secure
It depends how gravelly you want to go. Winter muddy tracks will need a tread with prominent lugs, but this will mean less tread contact on-road. You can get prominent lugs WITH grippier rubber-compounds but these can be more expensive. You need to decide your priorities and go from there
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mattheus
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Location: Western Europe

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by mattheus »

Valbrona wrote: 3 Nov 2022, 9:33pm Where have you been lately? Assuming you live in the UK ... two days of snow, occasional ice?
Winter temps vary enormously over the UK. And if you live or commute at altittude (yes, I do mean in the UK!) that can make a big difference too. And occasional ice doesn't have any more grip than regular ice!!! ;)
(You only need to hit the ground once for a serious injury)

Here in Oxon winter ice has *almost* gone extinct in the last two years ... but that could easily change, British weather IS fickle.

Weather elsewhere can be very different.
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gazza_d
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Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by gazza_d »

When I was commuting I used Schwable Marathon Winter with studs.
Absolutely brilliant on snow and ice. Inflate them hard for when it's not freezing and then drop a few psi to flatten the profile when it gets iffy. You still have to take corners etc a little more gently.
Highly recommended and they look properly hardcore too
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Cugel
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Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by Cugel »

gazza_d wrote: 5 Nov 2022, 9:37am When I was commuting I used Schwable Marathon Winter with studs.
Absolutely brilliant on snow and ice. Inflate them hard for when it's not freezing and then drop a few psi to flatten the profile when it gets iffy. You still have to take corners etc a little more gently.
Highly recommended and they look properly hardcore too
Another experience-based vote for studded tyres - but only for ice, not snow. I use the Schwalbe studded Marathons as the studs have a TCT core that makes them last far longer than those studs that are all steel.

These studded tyres are good for ice, thick frost, green & brown slimes or other very slippery surfaces that are also thin - i.e. allow the studs to "bite" through into the underlying tarmac. They aren't much use in deeper snow or thick mud, when tyres with large and widely spaced studs seem to do much better. The Marathon's tread soon fills up with packed snow or mud and the studs can't bite through thicker stuff for grip either.

The knobblers tend to be slow on the roads and other hard surfaces, unless they're the very modern kind in which the knobs are quite stiff and arranged so their surfaces present a round profile rather than one with a small "cliff" at the transition of tyre tops to sidewalls.

The steel/TCT studded Marathons for ice are not exactly a fast tyre either, although they do run without the sometimes large drag of knobblers on tarmac. They also make a pleasant noise rather like that of them rice-crispies I recall from my yoof (snap, crackle, pop).

Cugel
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zenitb
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Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by zenitb »

I have the studded Schwalbe tyres as well but a cheaper version with just two rows of studs (Schwalbe Winter I think).

Cycling in deep snow the real limiting factor for me was front wheel "wander" (or understeer if you like). I has to focus on stopping the front tyre sliding sideways. As soon as it slides you lose the ability to balence of course and have to step off the bike. I suppose my upright riding position with less weight on the front probably made it more of a challenge but I found it quite doable up to moderate depths
There's a laptop in that pannier!!
There's a laptop in that pannier!!
Living in Hampshire and having quite a sheltered route I rarely got ice but it was good to have the studs anyway ..even if they make a "tickey tacky" sound on tarmac.
Schwalbe Winter tyres in use
Schwalbe Winter tyres in use
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by SimonCelsa »

I've been using the Schwalbe marathon winter studded tyres for the last couple of years without problem. I put them on when we get the first frost around late November / early December and then leave them on until mid - March.

I've noticed with these tyres, especially the rear, the studs frequently become 'offset', and can take up an angle of 45 degrees or so to their normal presentation. I occasionally (weekly) check around the circumference and 'straighten' out the offset studs. The front tyre studs are generally OK.

It has made me wonder at times whether this could present a puncture hazard, and last week when 6 miles from home I felt the rear tyre go flat. I had inflated both tyres prior to setting out (dry ice free roads) to around 60 psi from their usual 30 - 40 'ice duty' pressure. I decide to walk home as it was a nice morning and the bike has hub brakes and Ambrosio P20 rims which are a pain to get these tyres on/off.

Here are a couple of images which tell the story,

First image shows the 'offset' studs, second image shows the internal chafing and damage to tyre carcass, third image of studs - new, used, worn:
studs1.jpg
studs2.jpg
studs3.jpg

So, if your studs are presenting at funny angles then be warned!!
This rear tyre has seen one season of use before this year and is not high mileage.
I have retired this tyre now and removed the studs. Quite possibly I should only use this bike when it is actually snowy / icy - I tend to use it every day (10 mile commute total) regardless - maybe this is stressing and weakening the rubber around the studs?
SA_SA_SA
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Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by SA_SA_SA »

I wonder if the more modern / upper range winters with either greenguard / full smartguard elastomer puncture band (3/5mm) would be less lightly to get casing-cord damage from the base of spikes (as above) due the elastomers extra padding over a kevlar strip?
------------You may not use this post in Cycle or other magazine ------ 8)
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SimonCelsa
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Joined: 6 Apr 2011, 10:19pm

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by SimonCelsa »

These are the 700 x 30 article and weren't that expensive. I think the designation is Schwalbe Winter HS396. Maybe a duff batch as a friend bought a pair shortly after I obtained mine and his are also displaying similar incidences of studs presenting at awkward angles.
Anyways, it's made me think twice about buying any more, unless super cheap. Maybe they are designed to be renewed annually!!
alexnharvey
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Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:39am

Re: Winter tyres ?

Post by alexnharvey »

I found studless continental top contact winter tyres excellent during this winter's cold snap for my commuting. They worked well on packed snow and coped with the icy patches I encountered.

I never crossed any sheet ice to try them out on but imagine they might struggle there. That is the situation when studs are required. I believe that for most of the UK the non stud winter tyres are more useful than studs. I'll be taking mine off at the end of February and then putting then back on around November. I've been using the same pair for the last couple of years and expect to get a good few more years from them.

Has anyone tried them for gravel use?
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