OP
OP
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
I hope it snows, it snows and snows this winter ........
- Thread starter Crankarm
- Start date
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Maz
Guru
You should be an easy target...I'll be waitin' for ye!!...
It should be 40km on smooth dry tarmac with no harsh acceleration, braking or cornering.Much appreciated. Thanks. I should have looked more thoroughly.
But living in the real world I just rode them to work and back a couple of times.
OP
OP
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Thanks you. Will fit and bed them in over the weekend. The other half might have something to say having a bike in bed with us over the weekend, but she'll get over it. Reminds me of the CRC ad of the guy who sleeps with his bike. Some cyclists must though mustn't they .............?
Kiwiavenger
im a little tea pot
- Location
- Carclaze, St Austell
That's not a winter tyre!
This is a winter tyre!
mad max winter specials!!! i need some winter tyres and the wifes suggestion was "just stick a couple of nails in your current tyres!!!
pah! women...
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
If you read the entire post you'll see how I had just this in mind and the last paragraph steered it back towards CYCLING, though I did omit to mention I'll stick with the Nevegals already on the Giant.
I guess those Schwalbes will come into their own on the hard pack stuff after the cars had mullered it down. Dare we ask the price?
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Yes but 6 x bus and I would almost pay for the tyres, and I've now used mine on two winters - so definitely covered the cost. I fit them on a spare bike so that I can just take that on the days I think need them and the main bike is ready for all the other days.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Just looked at the prices. I've bought decent bike for less than a pair of them!
Any cheaper alternatives or DIY workarounds? Does anyone do tyresocks or even snow chains for sickles?
Any cheaper alternatives or DIY workarounds? Does anyone do tyresocks or even snow chains for sickles?
I did read about a DIY workaround but it sounded like it took so long and results were patchy that the better idea was just buy the tyres already fitted with studs.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
I built some like that, they work surprisingly well (although you need knobbly tyres of some description, small screws and lots of gaffer tape).
I used screws that were too long in mine, and didn't cover the heads well enough, so the screws eventually worked through the tape and killed the inner tube, but if I built some again then that should be solveable.
I bought the snow studs as it was quicker than making my own really.
Kiwiavenger
im a little tea pot
- Location
- Carclaze, St Austell
i have managed to get some £4 knobblies for larking around off road that i may look at. if it doesnt work what is £4 in the grand scheme of things!! lol
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
If I did it again I'd glue the tape in place, and use the shortest screws I could find - you only need a couple mm of screw head through the knobbly block to work as long as it makes contact with the floor. I don't think it's worth looking at countersunk screws unless you are predrilling the tyre. Also it's probably best not to use screws in a central ring under the tyre, but just on the edges. Sort of a semi-spike tyre.
I will warn you screwing the screws in is tiring and takes forever though
hennbell
Guru
- Location
- Lloydminster, Alberta , Canada
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI-fR2tXR_8&feature=related
I had a friend give this a go, very heavy tyres and you tend to break a lot of screws.
I do not go with studs unless it is very slippery, freezing rain is about the only time I would consider it. And when we do get freezing rain it is best just to stay inside until it goes away. But our winter is a dry cold winter, roads are generally free of snow or ice depending on the amount of travel they get on them.
Bodhbh
Guru
Apart from putting in screws yourself, I believe some people use cable ties around the tyre.
Spike tires aren't cheap, but then they do have an added fun value. Riding up sheet ice, along frozen streams or the canal tends to put a big f'in smile on your face. For me it costs 6 quid per day lost from the cycle commute to public transport. Then there's the cost of hitting black ice. Obviously depending on your circumstances they may or may not make sense, that and the randomness of British weather which might let you down on the snow and ice front. I got two winters good use out of mine (and liked riding them so much I booked a weeks hols over Christmas in Finland on the MTB)
