I hope it snows, it snows and snows this winter ........

[Crankarm]

Not fitted mine yet: they are staying on when I do, as I got a cheap MBSO for the purpose.
Do you think, Crankarm, the winter bike will be attractive to thieves for the marathon winters?

Maybe, I haven't seen any bikes with studded tyres so they make a bike look unusual. Anyway I don't want to tempt fate. So nuff said on this.

 

[middleagecyclist]

The only trouble i had with mine over the two last years was the snow and slush melting from the tyres and under the mudguards when I took the commuter inside at work. I think I'll fit them to the MTB this year and make it easier to clean off the bike before entering the warmth. On the plus side it means I will not have to swap tyres too often if the weather is changeable but on the negtive means I will have to use a small back pack rather than a pannier. Small price to pay I suppose...

 

[DrLex]

Buying Winter tyres down South isn't so much as tempting fate, but more a talisman against icy conditions. Bought a set of Marathon Winters around this time last year, marvelled at their weight (almost a kilo each), and fitted them to the pub bike ('80s Saracen with BioPace!). One bedding-in ride later, bike returned to corner of the coach-house with 6 missing studs where it remained until Spring, when the normal tyres were restored.

Riding SFX is somewhere between Rice Krispies & frying bacon; breakfast-related for sure, and made me quite hungry by the end of the ride.

(I love the look & value of the On-One Fatties, but with not living by the beach & failing to get much use from £50's worth of studded tyres, I reckon it'd work out as £100 a ride over the likely snow commutes in the next 5 years!)

 

[Crankarm]

I rode to work on them today, 35 miles. It was just like riding on snap crackle and pop or a sizzling sausage. I pumped the tyres up to 65-70psi. It was not as hard work as I thought it would be though. Very comfortable ride if a bit noisy. There don't appear to be any missing studs, yet. One more day then I put Armadillos on. The SMW are great for riding on slippery wet leaves, very stable handling.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Well done, you're more organized than I am!

 

[Crankarm]

Well done, you're more organized than I am!

Well I want to make sure I can get to work when the cold weather starts. Although I could drive all the way 1) the cost of fuel is too high 2) the A14 is a non starter really a living hell. Drive half way cycle the rest seems to be the best option.

I might look for a cheap set of wheels so I don't have to keep changing tyres.

 

[donnydave]

Drive half way cycle the rest seems to be the best option.

.

Same here, last year when the weather got grotty I chucked the bike on the car and got a lift from the missus to the guided busway (approx halfway) then slipped and slid the 7 miles to the science park to work, knowing that if I fell off on the frost/ice/snow it would only be other cyclists and a few cows/sheep who would see me and my chances of being mangled by a car were low. Mind you, that was on my mtb with knobblies which has since been nicked. I'm a little wary of frost/ice on 25mm gatorskins and I don't think I can fit anything more suitable to the conditions on my current bike due to frame clearance, so I'll see how it goes.

 

[Crankarm]

Same here, last year when the weather got grotty I chucked the bike on the car and got a lift from the missus to the guided busway (approx halfway) then slipped and slid the 7 miles to the science park to work, knowing that if I fell off on the frost/ice/snow it would only be other cyclists and a few cows/sheep who would see me and my chances of being mangled by a car were low. Mind you, that was on my mtb with knobblies which has since been nicked. I'm a little wary of frost/ice on 25mm gatorskins and I don't think I can fit anything more suitable to the conditions on my current bike due to frame clearance, so I'll see how it goes.

I wish I had ridden last winter as driving all the way was costing me a fortune in fuel, just fuel, not including all the other running costs, new set of tyres, plus hold ups on the A14. Back then I was leaving earlier than I do now when I cycle to make sure I got to work. Crazy.

 

[donnydave]

It only takes me 10 mins max longer to cycle than it does to drive (just pure travel time, ignoring dressing/changing time) and I've found even when its windy my journey time only varies by ±5mins whereas in the car it could be +30 mins some mornings, thanks to everyone's favourite road, the A14.

Last winter was the first where we only had one car between us so my wife has motor vehicle priority as her journey is 22 miles compared to my 12.5 miles. Its amazing what you put up with when there's no other option, and how quickly it just becomes normal, then you wonder why on earth you were daft enough to do things the way you used to - in my case run a second car purely for me to travel an entirely reasonable cycling distance. What a numpty!

 

[green1]

Judging by the medium range forecast, you might not need to wait that long. First taste of winter could be at the end of this month.

Forecasting snow up here for the end of the week.
Isn't even bloody November yet!

 

[hennbell]

Its all your fault, who started this thread?

Got about and inch and a half of slushy snow on Saturday morning, had some brilliant fun on a mud guard equipped cyclocross. Sunday everything froze but not smooth ice but very textured and impossible to ride on surface, so no riding on Sunday. By the end of the day on Sunday most of the snow / ice was removed from the main roads. This morning -11 C, no snow or ice on the main road but lots of ice "mine fields" and now I am coming down with something.
The snow and cold are a couple or three weeks early, hope that don't stay for the rest of the year.

 

[summerdays]

Forecasting snow up here for the end of the week.
Isn't even bloody November yet!

How far north is that? (I've just looked out my bobble hat as they said it was getting colder.)

 

[Maz]

Try using zip ties, works a treat, but you better have disk brakes.

Not having disk brakes would definitely have its down side!!

 

[DrLex]

Packet of spare studs arrived from Schwalbe this morning. Half an hour later, six studs replaced - best technique i found was to pinch the tyre to elongate the hole and then use pliers to push in stud like a button into a buttonhole, then twisting to seat properly. Central ones easier than the shoulder ones; thankfully 5:1 ratio in my case.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Packet of spare studs arrived from Schwalbe this morning. Half an hour later, six studs replaced - best technique i found was to pinch the tyre to elongate the hole and then use pliers to push in stud like a button into a buttonhole, then twisting to seat properly. Central ones easier than the shoulder ones; thankfully 5:1 ratio in my case.

Did they charge you?