Lost my nerve :(

[Supersuperleeds]

Any of those sizes will do just fine. I'd tend to err on the side of smaller with studded tyres, this means that there's marginally more pressure on the studs when they make contact with the ice & also studded tyres need a bit more tyre clearance which the smaller size helps with, a little.

Thanks. I can't believe the difference in pricing. Winstanleys want £35 a tyre, Amazon want £49

 

[middleagecyclist]

They are meant to be winter tyres, not just ice tyres, and pumping them to 60-odd psi they'll roll just like any other fattish tyre, but with a funny buzzing noise attached.

At least one on here (@Fossyant, IIRC) has run the same set of tyres for 4 winters, they don't wear out any faster than any other rubber tyre. You'll struggle to wear out the studs, I reckon.

I'm on to my 3rd year. Mind you they only get a few weeks use per annum so they are only 3-4 months road old really!

 

[cyberknight]

You have to consider whether £80 is expensive compared to being off the bike due to a fall(including any repairs) and the pain of any injuries.

Yes , if you have £80 to start with , for some its ride what we have or not get to work in the 1st place , no public transport , cant afford a taxi , wife needs the car what with an 11 month old and a 5 year old with renal faliure.

 

[Kookas]

I'm nursing cracked ribs from a recent crash (not weather related) and I too have been taking it very, very carefully on the slippy roads.

We can say 'man up' and all that macho hoo-hah, but riding on roads where there's a likelihood of black ice isn't much fun at all. I can easily understand the urge to garage the bike 'til it thaws.

Meanwhile, I've decided to invest in a pair of Marathon Winter tyres, after hearing Fossyant rave about them. Just for a bit of peace of mind.

I've also had a bit of a bad crash - technically the worst injury in my life, but that's not saying much tbh since all I've had before were papercuts - recently, and if anything I feel more comfortable about riding on the road. Though admittedly, none of the roads around here are too slippery.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Yes , if you have £80 to start with , for some its ride what we have or not get to work in the 1st place , no public transport , cant afford a taxi , wife needs the car what with an 11 month old and a 5 year old with renal faliure.

I've been commuting in all weathers for over 30 years and have always rode what I have, I've never brought special tyres or used a different bike. These days I have a car parked round the back that I could use, but I'd rather use my bike. eighty pounds is a lot of money to pay for tyres, even more so when its only for occasional use, with Xmas coming up I haven't got that much money spare and if I had I wouldn't spend it on tyres.

 

[HLaB]

Okay, next idiot question. My current tyres are 700 x 38c. I presume I need to get the 40c tyres and not the 35c? Or do I have to get the snow stud ones which are 700 x 38c?

You are probably better with the 35c studded tyres, 40c ones may be too large for your frame, etc. You are not restricted in going smaller (unless you go way too small) but you may be restricted from going larger.

 

[Hip Priest]

I've been commuting in all weathers for over 30 years and have always rode what I have, I've never brought special tyres or used a different bike. These days I have a car parked round the back that I could use, but I'd rather use my bike. eighty pounds is a lot of money to pay for tyres, even more so when its only for occasional use, with Xmas coming up I haven't got that much money spare and if I had I wouldn't spend it on tyres.

How do you deal with sheet ice? There are some roads round my way that appear to be literally impassable on a bike with standard tyres. Is it simply a question of good bike handling?

 

[Crankarm]

How do you deal with sheet ice? There are some roads round my way that appear to be literally impassable on a bike with standard tyres. Is it simply a question of good bike handling?

Basically you sheet yourself as you ride over the ice unless of course you have studded tyres on your bike - what ice?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

How do you deal with sheet ice? There are some roads round my way that appear to be literally impassable on a bike with standard tyres. Is it simply a question of good bike handling?

When commuting sheet ice is something I don't normally see, out on a Sunday ride I'll stick to main roads as much as possible, if I do have to use small lanes and come across sheet ice I'll get off and walk, its usually where the water has run off the fields or where there is a ford and it only in small patches, I'll assess each one at the time I come across it, and yes good bike handling helps as well .

 

[summerdays]

Buggi - sorry to hear of your fall. When your confidence gets knocked then it does take a while to get it back. However at the moment you are probably over thinking it and tensing up which isn't going to help matters - I was doing it myself last week when I was worried whether my back brake was working properly as I didn't want to just be using my front if it was slippy. I do use studded tyres though I've yet to fit them to the bike this year, but I don't think it's been as icy here yet as it has other places.

I hope your hip gets better quickly and the strong memories fade.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

You are probably better with the 35c studded tyres, 40c ones may be too large for your frame, etc. You are not restricted in going smaller (unless you go way too small) but you may be restricted from going larger.

Glad you said that, I ordered the 35c. I'm pretty sure when I got the bike it had 35c on it, but I could be wrong, I usually am.

 

[Hip Priest]

Basically you sheet yourself as you ride over the ice unless of course you have studded tyres on your bike - what ice?

Have you got studded tyres on your bike Crankarm?

 

[mrmacmusic]

I've been commuting in all weathers for over 30 years and have always rode what I have, I've never brought special tyres or used a different bike. These days I have a car parked round the back that I could use, but I'd rather use my bike. eighty pounds is a lot of money to pay for tyres, even more so when its only for occasional use, with Xmas coming up I haven't got that much money spare and if I had I wouldn't spend it on tyres.

Totally agree, but I would argue that sticking the Marathon Winters on around the end of November and then not taking them off until, say, the beginning of March is hardly occasional use – that's about 25% of the year! (Plus as mentioned earlier, they are much cheaper if you buy them from Germany)

My normal commute route sees me mostly on un-treated back roads and farm roads designated as cycle-path (along with some A-road and a short smoothly finished cycle-path section), and I decided that fitting studded tyres would let me continue to commute through the winter in relative safety. It's only my first winter commuting, but so far I'm extremely glad that I invested in the Marathon Winter tyres – I can pump them up for "just cold" winter commutes, and drop them right down on those sub-zero days when I know I might come across long icy stretches, ruts and re-frozen slush on those back roads, and boy have I seen lots of those sort of conditions these past few weeks. Winter is here, and the winter tyres are on doing their job

 

[BSRU]

Yes , if you have £80 to start with , for some its ride what we have or not get to work in the 1st place , no public transport , cant afford a taxi , wife needs the car what with an 11 month old and a 5 year old with renal faliure.

Mine did not cost £80, more like £54 which is reasonable for a pair of tyres plus I did not wait until I needed them before attempting to buy them. I realise it is still money but planning ahead helps ease the financial pain.

 

[fossyant]

Yup 4th winter for me. Still ride the 23mm fixed when it's not icy, but first sign of sub zero and I'm on the studs. Getting very confident (probably overly so) on them now, and probably cornering a bit hard on them (bear in mind they are MTB tyres so do drift a little on bends) - even out 'cornered' a guy on a motorbike going round a roundabout this morning - closed the gap right down on him !