Winter/snow riding

[salko]

So I just bought a second 29" wheelset for my Turbo Levo off ebay and now I'm considering putting some studded tires on it for winter conditions (snow, ice) and to be able to easily switch back to normal tires as winters here in Slovenia are very unperdictable last years ... Does any1 have recommendations about good studded tires and which width to go for? Also looking for any other usefull tips for winter/snow riding as this my first Levo and I want to ride it as much as possible also during the winter ... Thank you!

 

[steve_sordy]

Schwalbe Ice Spiker tyres are the only ones I know about. They have several types depending upon what you are looking for. I have never used any or know anyone that has.
Schwalbe Ice Spiker tyres - Google Search

I sure would not want to go too far off the back of the saddle with them on!

In winter, I have always found mud tyres to be very good. But that is in snow and slush. They are no better than normal tyres on ice.

 

[Channing]

Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro evo These are 27.5/2.6 only 2 rides but they work GREAT!

 

[salko]

I see that for 29" rims Ice Spiker Pro only comes in 2.25" width, is this an issue? And the same tire for front & back? Are there any other differences between wired tire and folding tire version beside folding tire being foldable for easy storing into backpack?

 

[knut7]

45nrth Wrathchild 29x2.6 seems to be a good studded mtb tyre, will be testing it this winter. The 45nrth Nicotine 29x2.35 has less grip on ice, but I guess it works better on partially bare surfaces. Terrene Cake eater 29x2.8 is the widest, also low stund count. Retyre is making a 29x2.35 with a healthy stund count. It's a regular tyre, not the one with zippers.

I've got a few studded tyre reviews on my youtube channel, EMTB Videos.

 

[salko]

After watching this video I'm not sure I want studded tires anymore. Now I'm looking for good non-studded winter tires. Came accross HillBilly's and Schwalbe Magic Mary. Any other recomendations? Which tire width choose for front and rear?

 

[Zimmerframe]

After watching this video I'm not sure I want studded tires anymore. Now I'm looking for good non-studded winter tires. Came accross HillBilly's and Schwalbe Magic Mary. Any other recomendations? Which tire width choose for front and rear?

I think the overall conclusion, based on the thumbs down and he comments, was that he'd not run the tyres in correctly, hence the studs falling out.

 

[RickBullotta]

There's a big difference between tires that are optimal for snow and tires that are optimal for ice. Snow (real snow) requires a large surface area to allow more "float" on top of the snow and for a massive contact patch. Ice much less so, and in fact you may have better results with a narrow ice tire than a wide ice tire. If you'll be riding deep snow occasionally, you'll want a 4" to 5" tire, and probably studded if you'll be encountering ice. If you'll rarely be riding in deep snow, but some snow, a 2.8-3" tire with studs would be good, but you won't be as effective in the untracked deep stuff. If mostly just hardpack snow and ice, you have a ton of options. Also, I prefer concave bike tire studs, as they aren't as frightening if you find yourself on pavement or concrete.

 

[YrianX]

I have been riding the Schwalbe Ice spikers 27.5 2.60 all last winter on my clockwork bike. quite happy with them and grip on ICE is INSANE! Super slow rolling though....

If you have a lot of deeper snow and ICE I would not be worried about the 29. 2.25 dimension as that would rather break through the snow and grip better on ice with smaller contact patch and higher load on the spikes rather than floating on top of snow, which the 27.5 2.6 has a tendency to do at times.

Got some 2.25 commuting tires on 30mm internal rims and that works just fine, but f your rims are wider than that I would be a bit more apprehensive

 

[YrianX]

I'll add that when I say deep snow, I'm not talking deep powder though, rather maybe like 5-6-10 cm or something. RickBullotta is right in his statement on really deep stuff and wider tires there for sure.

When I commuted on my spikers last season some of it was on bare tarmac as well, which actually still worked pretty OK for being spiked tires... And pure black ice patches and "invisible" thin ice layers on top of the tarmac was never a problem for those tires, which is the reason I ran Spiked in the first place.

 

[knut7]

There have been a few batches og Ice Spikers where the studs came poorly seated. I bought a set in 2017 I believe it was, and I had to properly seat several studs before I started using them.

If you take a brand new studded tyre, go ride and lock the wheel completely when braking on ice, chances are you will lose most of the studs that are in contact with the ground. So breaking in the tyres are very important. But a tyre that has been ridden for a season can still lose studs. So it's worth getting spare studs and a stud tool.

I just did a studded tyre video where I tested rolling resistance and grip on tarmac on the Ice Spiker Pro 2.6 vs the Nobby Nic 2.6 Performance. If I remember correctly, we didn't lose a stud in that test, or did we lose one...

 

[Channing]

Haven't lost one stud yet on 4 rides, followed recommended "break in" procedure. If you want secure grip on ice, studs are the only way.

 

[salko]

Received Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Evolution tires today, they are already on the rims and tubeless just done. Was very supprised there was no manual how to bed-in the tires, does any1 have official insctructions how to do it properly?

 

[salko]

I have now found this on Schwalbe site:
Do the tires have to be run in?
In order to ensure that spikes are permanently fixed, tires should be run in for about 40km on asphalt, while avoiding any fast acceleration or heavy braking.

Now I'm still confused as there is no information about at which pressure to run in, some say 20psi, some say at max tire pressure (54psi) ...

 

[Channing]

I'm running my'n 25-30psi

 

[cappuccino34]

I've just fitted a pair of these to the wife's bike (I know, after the ice has melted but they took ages to arrive, no thanks to DHL returning to sender first time around....)

Did anyone have any issues with the sidewalls being porous? On her front tyre I've got lots of specs of juice coming through the sidewall. It doesn't specify that they need tubes but, that said, they don't specify much at all given the specific use of the tyre.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I've just fitted a pair of these to the wife's bike (I know, after the ice has melted but they took ages to arrive, no thanks to DHL returning to sender first time around....)

Did anyone have any issues with the sidewalls being porous? On her front tyre I've got lots of specs of juice coming through the sidewall. It doesn't specify that they need tubes but, that said, they don't specify much at all given the specific use of the tyre.

Did you use the spikes of one tyre to test the sidewalls of the other ??

This seems to be a general tyre anomaly .. some seep .. other don't .. Most seem to seal with more sealant and pressure and then you're good .. a few don't and you have to take them back ..

Today's free french lesson of easy words .. anomaly .. is anomalie ....

 

[Zimmerframe]

Do they still have Jager girls in bars who go around with a back pack and a jet and you get direct shots ?

 

[cappuccino34]

Did you use the spikes of one tyre to test the sidewalls of the other ??

I did check how they were packed to see if it could have done some sadomasochistic act on the way here.

 

[Orangie]

Maxiss shorty