Preparing for the ice age (studded tyres)

[Piemaster]

Marathon winters for a couple of years now on the rigid mtb. I alternate between M+ and the winters. I think the winters are a little more work but not much. Struggled a bit on untreated roads last winter where the snow had re-frozen into multiple ruts, but it was no harder than trying to walk on it. Actually probably less so.


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Would anyone be interested in a group buy of Nokian A10 32mm Studded tyres?
IIRC they were somewhat cheaper than the Schwalbe's too.

Yes - if 32x700c. But that link only lists a size of 26x2 x 1 1/2?
32s should fit the Pompino OK, I've been concerned the schwalbe 35's + mudguards might be a bit tight on it.

 

[rusky]

The quickest way to loose studs is to drag the tyres sideways

 

[Jezston]

Yes - if 32x700c. But that link only lists a size of 26x2 x 1 1/2?
32s should fit the Pompino OK, I've been concerned the schwalbe 35's + mudguards might be a bit tight on it.

Fair does - trying to find somewhere doing the 32x700 size - most places are doing 650 or 622 that I can find - but 700s definitely exist.

 

[mcshroom]

622 is the ERTO rating for 700c. So you want tyres that are 622-32

 

[Piemaster]

Yup, 622-32.
Jezston - the W106 are listed as available in 622-35. I'd be surprised if anything bigger would fit the pomp frame as they look to be quite high volume from the Peter White link earlier in the thread. They may suit my expected use better too, my expected route is a minor road which I doubt will be treated and there is a fair climb/descent involved, which I don't much fancy sledging down.

 

[Panter]

ATTENTION!


I think this thread seems as good as any to bring up something I had been planning for some time.

I have a Finnish contact, and last year he helped me discuss with a retailer getting a set of these tyres shipped over:

Nokian A10
http://www.suomityres.fi/hkplstud.html

These are 32mm studded tyres - somewhat narrower than the thinnest 37mm Schwalbe tyres, and are thus capable of being fitted to many road bikes - including mine

I should also say, that even if your rims say they'll only take a 25 or 28, they'll probably take bigger - mine are only specced for 25 but I had a set of 37s running on it for a few weeks with no problem. Caveat emptor and all that.

In the end I never bought any as it had started to thaw out, but by then I had been off the bike for 3 weeks, and apparently this winter is going to be harder and longer so this year I'm going to do it.

As I'm going to be ordering them from finland, why not order a few sets?

So ...

Would anyone be interested in a group buy of Nokian A10 32mm Studded tyres?


IIRC they were somewhat cheaper than the Schwalbe's too.

Definitely interested, if there is a 700 size ice tyre available

 

[rusky]

The A10 is an odd sizing. I would go for the W106 or W240 as they are both available in 26" & 700

 

[Jezston]

The A10 is an odd sizing. I would go for the W106 or W240 as they are both available in 26" & 700

The thinnest W106 is 37mm and the thinnest W240 is 40mm - the A10 comes down to 32mm which means many road bikes will take it. 37mm and 40mm 700c will be limited to hybrids and some tourers.

 

[PpPete]

I'd be interested in a pair of 32-622

 

[Jezston]

Hopefully I shall be hearing back from some vendors on Monday.

I'll also try contacting some distributors to see what their minimums will be, and I'll talk to a friend in the trade to see if there's anything they can do.

Then I shall start my own thread

 

[rusky]

The thinnest W106 is 37mm and the thinnest W240 is 40mm - the A10 comes down to 32mm which means many road bikes will take it. 37mm and 40mm 700c will be limited to hybrids and some tourers.

I was just going on the sizes available in the link, I didn't click any further to see this http://www.suomityres.com/specs.htm

 

[MossCommuter]

Just a thought...

Clas Ohlsen stock Nokian tyres.

Last winter I saw studded tyres on sale there... I wonder if they were Nokian ones?

Next time I am in town I'll pop in and see if they have any and if so what brand they are.

Either way, I'd like some studded MTB tyres.

 

[Jim_Noir]

I've been looking at these for this year. Only had one slip last year... but still. The time I commute is around 6am and after 7pm, so it's either fresh snow/ice or slush!

 

[threefingerjoe]

I've been using the Nokian W106 for about 5 years. I have them mounted on an old set of wheels, so I can throw them on in a hurry, if I come out in the morning and find that it got icy or snowed overnight.

I find them to be slow, but on ice or snow that's not an issue. You are going to be slow, anyway. The point is, they let you ride when you probably otherwise couldn't.

The Nokian W106 is designed for ploughed roads with blackice. They have their studs in 2 rows down the center. The W240 has 2 more rows of studs at the edges, to aid in climbing out of snowy/icy ruts. Around here, (St. Louis, MO, USA) I find the W106 to be adequate.

One more piece of advice: only buy Nokian or Schwalbe studded tyres. As far as I know, those are the only companies that use CARBIDE studs in their tyres. Others use mild steel studs, which wear out quickly.

 

[MossCommuter]

Just a thought...

Clas Ohlsen stock Nokian tyres.

Last winter I saw studded tyres on sale there... I wonder if they were Nokian ones?

Next time I am in town I'll pop in and see if they have any and if so what brand they are.

Either way, I'd like some studded MTB tyres.

I went in the Manchester shop yesterday; the studded tyres are in stock (700's and 26"). They're not Nokian but Suomi brand. 33 quid.