- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Knobbly tyres will work very well in fresh snow and they'll cope with slush but the consistency of it tends to want to kick the wheels sideways in my experience so a bit of care is needed.
Winter tyres and ice?
- Thread starter sazzaa
- Start date
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Schwalbe Ice Spikers.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Not going there
You dont need to as there shouldnt be a debate anyway.
"Wearing a helmet is a personal choice" I think we should have T shirts printed with it on.
We have no ice and no settling snow in my part of Denmark up to now. We are struggling to get below freezing, even at niight.
Steve
Herzog
Swinglish Mountain Goat
- Location
- Bern, Switzerland
Schwalbe Marathon Winters are great. They go on one of my bikes in December, staying on till March (ish) - I live in Switzerland. They're heavy and noisy when used on clear roads, but great on icy roads. Had a pair last me 3 winters of regular use now with no slips.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Another vote for marathon winters. They are hard work though especially uphill but you can go out and do a decent ride on them and not worry.
- Location
- Glasgow
Marathon winters (sleek studded) work brilliant on ice, not so good on fresh snow and slush.
Marathon ice spikers (knobby studded) work brilliant on ice, snow and slush.
Both can be used on not iced surfaces at max pressure, lower pressure needed for the studs to grip the ice.
Always use caution though, tight cornering or fast downhills on ice, not even the Marathons will save you
My review of the tyres, from last winter, here.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
You'll be on your ar$e on ice with those ! Sorry.
Rohloff_Brompton_Rider
Formerly just_fixed
Yep, I've got these on my bike, however on rough ice they're quite effective. On black ice they're better than summer tyres.
That said they're a better compromise than studded for long commutes on main roads. Tbh tho, the schwable studded winters are awful in snow, I mean really awful where these come into their own.
So I find with living in the hills that tyres become a compromise between an all rounder that can handle, ice, snow and dry roads without weighing an absolute tonne.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
In an ideal world you need two bikes for winter (or more). You need your everyday one, then one that can cope with ice, and possible snow if you are so inclined to ride in those conditions.
Until it freezes over I ride 23mm Conti 4 Seasons all year round. Any sign of ice (when the side roads glaze over) then it's out with my MTB and spiked Schwalbe Snow Stud tyres. It's slow, but sure footted.
I wouldn't want to be riding it every day through winter. A few weeks is enough.
Facts.
You won't wear out the studs, the tyres will wear out first.
They are noisy and slow.
Depending upon tyre, some will do off road mud as well as snow. Others are road specific
They aren't fool proof. So long as you don't try and be stupid, you won't come off.
They aren't much fun on tarmac, especially if you are used to a 23mm tyres road bike.
Until it freezes over I ride 23mm Conti 4 Seasons all year round. Any sign of ice (when the side roads glaze over) then it's out with my MTB and spiked Schwalbe Snow Stud tyres. It's slow, but sure footted.
I wouldn't want to be riding it every day through winter. A few weeks is enough.
Facts.
You won't wear out the studs, the tyres will wear out first.
They are noisy and slow.
Depending upon tyre, some will do off road mud as well as snow. Others are road specific
They aren't fool proof. So long as you don't try and be stupid, you won't come off.
They aren't much fun on tarmac, especially if you are used to a 23mm tyres road bike.
This was me using Ice Spikers last year, 18th of January to be precise.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ry3rNNrHUM
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ry3rNNrHUM
Rohloff_Brompton_Rider
Formerly just_fixed
I did say winters...a totally different tyre.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Depends. The winters are really a road tyre, and don't have any knobbles. If you went Snow Stud or more extreme Ice Spikers then these do snow and mud well. The ice spikers are extra slow on road.
Best compromise (if you have a MTB spare) and have a mixed surface commute - i.e. choice or road and off road, then the Snow Studs are the best option. If I had road only option then I'd look at something else.
Having a dedicated ice/snow bike is the best idea if you intend to commute all year.
I've only used mine once this year, and it wasn't icy. The only icy day I've had, I'd taken the 23mm equipped fixed by mistake. Tomorrow, though may be different as it looks like it's going to freeze, and it's wet out there. Oh joy 20 miles into the city centre round trip on Snow studs.
Rohloff_Brompton_Rider
Formerly just_fixed
Below 7 degrees Celsius you are not safe on summer or four season tyres, not me that says so but lots and lots of tyre manufacturers research.
Which is why I change both car, bike and the now sold scooter tyres when the temp drops below 7 degs regularly.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
