Winter tires novice.

[Speedy69]

Hi, mostly just travel to my work each day , but i came off my bike last winter and fractured an eye socket due to ice. Really worried about this winter ( scotland ) . Thinking about studded tyres 27.5 by 2.10 , are they easy enough to fit, novice here soz lol. Are they easy enough to purchase ? Thank you.

[Jdsk]

Welcome

"Tyre choice for intermittent black ice?":
viewtopic.php?t=159010

Jonathan

[Cyclothesist]

Until recently I used to commute to work by bike in winter in Scotland. After coming off and being lucky to get away with nothing more than a few bruises and scrapes I fitted Schwalbe Winter studded tyres. They grip extremely well on just about anything. I've experienced stopping at a junction and having the foot I put down slide sideways on unseen black ice while the bike remained planted. They are a bit more tricky than unstudded tyres to fit because they're a bit more rigid but it's very doable. Cycling is definitely harder work with the studs on and it sounds like you're constantly running over Rice Krispies. Nothing else is worth considering if you're going to cycle when it's icy (other than don't).

[Speedy69]

Thanks for informed reply. Dreading winter again , ive a electric bike , uk legit 15mph helps as ive arthritis in hips. Would that not the best shop in town Halfords lol have studded tyres. ?

[geomannie]

Studded tyres definitely make cycling on ice a lot safer. You don't get 100% of the grip you get on a dry road but it's a very significant improvement from cycling on ice.

As said above perhaps a little bit harder to fit than most "normal" tyres but not much. My main concern is that once fitted the weather invariably warms and you want to take them off. In an Ideal world you would have two sets of wheels, one kept permanently with studs.

A downside is that studded tyres are noisy. They give a marked sizzling sound, not unpleasant but quite noticeable.

[Cugel]

Studded tyres definitely make cycling on ice a lot safer. You don't get 100% of the grip you get on a dry road but it's a very significant improvement from cycling on ice.

As said above perhaps a little bit harder to fit than most "normal" tyres but not much. My main concern is that once fitted the weather invariably warms and you want to take them off. In an Ideal world you would have two sets of wheels, one kept permanently with studs.

A downside is that studded tyres are noisy. They give a marked sizzling sound, not unpleasant but quite noticeable.

Just so - although the grip of the tyres as you ride on ice gives a false sense of security about the ice so, as another poster describes, it's all too easy to put your foot down on the ice as you stop at, say, a junction then go A over T as you foot slides orf elsewhere.

One winter I put the studded Schwalbes on then left them on for about two months, as the forecasts suggested ice a risk, on & off, for weeks. Even on the non-icy days I enjoyed the rice krispy noise and the grip on green slimed roads & similar. There is a drag; and a weight to accelerate; and a weight to push up the hills .... but in practice it didn't seem to make any significant difference to leisure/fitness rides of 40 - 70 km.

But then I never time rides or do Strava-striving daft-counts of whatever the strivers count. In some ways, a longer and harder ride is quite enjoyable on a cold winter day. Mind, its nice when it stops, especially at the warm nest containing a ladywife with freshly made coffee and a hot cake.

[Speedy69]

Thanks for all youre replys. Daft q , winter tyres are 27.5 by 2.10 , do they need to that exact size when buying or?

[mig]

winter tyres work well but they are almost a guarantee of a mild winter once you have bought and fitted them.

a word of warning - they tend to come in larger tyre volumes so the first thing to do is check the tyre size you currently use and see if there is extra clearance in your frame to take the winter tyres. especially so if you intend to also use mudguards.

ie if you currently use 700 x 28c tyres how much space is there around the tyre, under brake bridges etc to take the bigger volume tyre?

[biker38109]

On a related note, if one is not forced to go out in frozen whether, can you simply check the thermometer and would it being above 0 (c) mean that there will be no ice or could it be colder and icy if you were riding higher up for instance?

After watching a cyclist slide and crack a rib or two and collar bone right in front of me while I was walking next to them as they passed has made me take heed of this.

What temp is it safe enough to say there will be no ice or how to generally avoid if find yourself out? Stick to main roads if find yourself out through lack of planning or caught out? I generally hate to ride on main roads for the perennial risk, vs single trackers, of increased traffic and general unpleasantness, noise, pollution, stress and such, of that.

[Cyclothesist]

On a related note, if one is not forced to go out in frozen whether, can you simply check the thermometer and would it being above 0 (c) mean that there will be no ice or could it be colder and icy if you were riding higher up for instance?

After watching a cyclist slide and crack a rib or two and collar bone right in front of me while I was walking next to them as they passed has made me take heed of this.

What temp is it safe enough to say there will be no ice or how to generally avoid if find yourself out? Stick to main roads if find yourself out through lack of planning or caught out? I generally hate to ride on main roads for the perennial risk, vs single trackers, of increased traffic and general unpleasantness, noise, pollution, stress and such, of that.

Above 4°C.

[roubaixtuesday]

On a related note, if one is not forced to go out in frozen whether, can you simply check the thermometer and would it being above 0 (c) mean that there will be no ice or could it be colder and icy if you were riding higher up for instance?

After watching a cyclist slide and crack a rib or two and collar bone right in front of me while I was walking next to them as they passed has made me take heed of this.

What temp is it safe enough to say there will be no ice or how to generally avoid if find yourself out? Stick to main roads if find yourself out through lack of planning or caught out? I generally hate to ride on main roads for the perennial risk, vs single trackers, of increased traffic and general unpleasantness, noise, pollution, stress and such, of that.

Ice is commonly present when air temperature is above zero. The ground cools faster than the air. There's no reliable way to predict ice IME.

Main roads are more likely to be gritted, but equally you're more likely to get hit if you do go down (and getting hit by a car is always the most dangerous thing).

If in any doubt, ride with studded tyres is the only failsafe.

[roubaixtuesday]

Thanks for all youre replys. Daft q , winter tyres are 27.5 by 2.10 , do they need to that exact size when buying or?

You need the exact diameter. Width depends on your frame, brakes, mudguards etc. To be sure you need your current width or smaller (and due to variation between tyres, even your current width could be too wide if there is very little clearance on your current tyres)

[biker38109]

Above 4°C.

Ty.

Ice is commonly present when air temperature is above zero. The ground cools faster than the air. There's no reliable way to predict ice IME.

Sure nothing is 100% but I am asking for a general rule of thumb, while maintaining caution, carefully picking your route etc. The above 4c seems about right to me given past experience.

One could choose to limit road travel and opt for bridlepaths in such cases. Riding on frozen fields and dirt track much better than frozon roads.

If in any doubt, ride with studded tyres is the only failsafe.

Well not riding is the other one.

[TrevA]

Thanks for all youre replys. Daft q , winter tyres are 27.5 by 2.10 , do they need to that exact size when buying or?

If your current tyres are 27.5x2.10, 27.5 is the diameter and 2.10 is the width. You need tyres that are the same diameter, but not necessarily the same width. I wouldn’t go any wider, or they might not fit your frame, but if you could get 27.5 x 1.8 or 1.9, or 2.0, they should fit OK.

[Cyclothesist]

Thanks for all youre replys. Daft q , winter tyres are 27.5 by 2.10 , do they need to that exact size when buying or?

You need the same tyre diameter so a '27.5x something'. You can go smaller than the '2.10' width and depending on the frame clearance (gap between tyre and frame) maybe a little larger. For commuting I ran 700cx32c tyres in warmer seasons and switched to slightly narrower 700x30c studded Schwalbe Winters once ice became a possibility.