Schwalbe studded tyres

[Ivorcadaver]

The snow and ice last winter kept me off the bike during most of January and February this year so I have bought a pair of Schwalbe winter studded tyres in anticipation of real winter weather. I commute mainly on main roads but do some sections of my commute on minor (untreated) roads which can be very icy. Any advice on what pressure I should keep them at? Schawlbe recommend low pressure for maximum grip but rolling resistance might be too high (I'm commuting 13 miles each way. Am I likely to wear the studs out on tarmac? Any hints or tips greatfully received

[meic]

Remember to try and do a couple of days with the tyres on ordinary tarmac before using on ice to bed the studs in.

Start with a normally high pressure on the tarmac, then you can reduce it if you have worries with grip later on.

A higher pressure keeps the outer studs off the tarmac except when banked over (banking on these tyres is a truly weird and unnerving experience) it is also supposed to keep the inner studs in less contact, then you lower pressure to get more studs down onto the ice.

Yes they do wear out, you can buy replacements and fit them. Normally the tyres dont get a lot of use so the stud wear isnt so noticed. If you commute on them for a few months you may wear them out, I dont know.

[robc02]

I used these, on potentially icy days only, for the last two winters. I ran them at around 50 psi and suffered no nasty moments despite riding on sheet ice at times. Even at this pressure, towards the high end of the recommended range, there was substantial extra rolling resistance compared to a non-studded tyre - but you would expect his, wouldn't you?

Even though most of my riding is on ice free tarmac I haven't noticed excessive wear. I did lose some studs early on but got some replacements from the importer. I see they are now available to buy from shops as well as a tool to fit them.

I have wondered whether the Continental Winter tyres (not studded, just very soft and grippy) might be a better compromise for typical UK conditions? Maybe I'll consider them when my studded tyres wear out.

[Vorpal]

Low pressure is necessary for good grip in snow & ice, but higher pressure is okay for those days when you aren't likely to encounter more than frost & the occasional ice patch. You can always let some air out if conditions get worse. I run mine at the low end of recommended pressure in ice, and at the high end in mostly clear conditions.

Tarmac does wear the studs a bit, but I think that the tyres will go before the studs are worn out. Also, studs can be replaced, if necessary.

[TonyR]

I have wondered whether the Continental Winter tyres (not studded, just very soft and grippy) might be a better compromise for typical UK conditions? Maybe I'll consider them when my studded tyres wear out.

I have both and the Conti's are a bit less rolling resistance (provided its cold) but not as good on sheet ice. They're fine for fresh snow but if its rutted snow or ice I'd stick with studded.

[Brucey]

isn't there one model where the tread centre is stud-free and the studs are set to each side?

IIRC the idea is that if you inflate the tyres to normal road pressure you dont run on the studs unless you lean a little. When conditions warrant it, you can run the tyres at lower pressures and the studs are active all the time. Barring those times when you can lose it without leaning over at all (which might happen on sheet ice if you have not deflated slightly I suppose) they seemed like a reasonable idea to me; I've not used them though.

Peter White's site has a good write up on studded tyres I think.

cheers

[mig]

i run the studded winter marathons at 75-80psi. these are the 700 x 35C version.
i wouldn't worry at all about wearing the studs out even on 'normal' tarmac. they are tremendously hard and are designed to retract a little into the tyre. my pair have been run through the icy days of two winters ans are barely marked. do follow the guidelines though to run them for (IIRC) 20 miles or so to bed in the studs before tackling the ice.

[andrew_s]

If the studs on the Winter are to do their job and stop you falling off, you do have to reduce the tyre pressure. I have fallen off when using Marathon Winter due to failure to do this.
Save the high pressure for warmer days, so you don't have to keep swapping tyres.

[niggle]

isn't there one model where the tread centre is stud-free and the studs are set to each side?

IIRC the idea is that if you inflate the tyres to normal road pressure you dont run on the studs unless you lean a little. When conditions warrant it, you can run the tyres at lower pressures and the studs are active all the time. Barring those times when you can lose it without leaning over at all (which might happen on sheet ice if you have not deflated slightly I suppose) they seemed like a reasonable idea to me; I've not used them though.

Peter White's site has a good write up on studded tyres I think.

cheers

Schwalbe Snow Studs fit that description: http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... tAodNUoAuA but I think Schwalbe have stopped making them as they don't appear on their website.

[Si]

I've used Marathon Winters for the last three years mostly on tarmac but a few off road tracks too.

So far I've not lost any studs and they don't appear to have worn down at all.

Pressure-wise, I run them at max most of the time...I think that most of the time most people use them just in case they hit the odd unexpected patch of black ice - I've found that they can handle this fine at max pressure (although if the ice is at a give way line and you put your foot down not realising that you've stopped in a patch of ice it can have comic results for everyone else).

When we get snow sticking on the roads then I lower the pressure so that they can get a bit more grip...like wise when the snow gets compressed and freezes into rutted ice fields. I normally lower to a good MTB thumb pressure which I would guess is 35-50psi.

[mig]

i have found pressures in these type of tyres to be rather a fine line. they do grip better with the bigger surface area of a reduced pressure - and more of the studs coming in to play - but there does need to be enough pressure in the tyre to push snow out of the way if that's how the weather has played out. as always when dealing with tyre pressures this then relates back to how much weight that tyre is carrying.

best idea i think is to give your tyres a go at varying pressures and see what works best for you.

brucey - i have a spare one which you can loan to have a play with if you like? they're great fun in the right conditions even if only for the looks from passers by as you pedal along (fairly) serenely!

[xcalibur]

I'm not in the UK, but on the west coast of Norway, and winter are in some ways much the same; shifting weather, rain, frost, snow and milder weather all in a couple of days; of course longer periods of frost now and then, some winters colder than others.

I have mostly used Schwalbe Ice Spiker and Nokia, they last more than one season, often two or four depinging on use. Studs last much better on some brands than others. A low cost chain here sells Asian Chen Shin brand at a 1/4 of the price of others, but the spokes are worn down long before 300 miles, grip on ice is long gone before winter is. Spikes are only usefull for ice, they don't make much difference for snow or slush covered roads, then it is courser threading often with rubber knobs which gives better grip.

For air pressure I think much like mig; weather changes every day, on icy days less pressure and for less icy days higher pressure. In the end you have to adjust it individually for user and bike, so I just let some air out when roads are glass ice. I like higher pressure usually, so I tend to have as high as possible when the situation isn't calling for anything else. I use spikes only when needed, I don't like them very much; they are noisy, higher rolling resistance, etc. but they are the only thing that works for ice. A general advice is to ride them in carefully when they are new, it lets the spikes sette in and they won't come off later on.

[TonyR]

Studs last much better on some brands than others A low cost chain here sells Asian Chen Shin brand at a 1/4 of the price of others, but the spokes are worn down long before 300 miles, grip on ice is long gone before winter is.

Schwalbe and Nokian use tungsten carbide spikes which are almost as hard as diamond. Hardened steel spikes are much cheaper and much softer.

[Brucey]

brucey - i have a spare one which you can loan to have a play with if you like? they're great fun in the right conditions even if only for the looks from passers by as you pedal along (fairly) serenely!

that is a very kind offer, I might take you up on it at some point; sounds like epic fun!

cheers

[meic]

I am not sure that just one studded tyre is much use, unless you are planning on fitting it to a unicycle.