winter marathon tyres

[ersakus]

Used them for the first time today and the frost disappears What a hell of a noise they make and it makes a big difference to speed you can go. I'm still worried that by using when there is no ice will ruin the studs for when the weather does turn.

This is pretty much what happens in UK. We don't have proper ice cover. Mine got used every day we had temp.s of 3C and less last year. The carbide studs are still in very good condition. I have them on now and really don't worry about this. We will have a cold month in front of us (Metoffice) and they will get used.

[niggle]

I can only find 26" Schwalbe Marathon Winter tyres in stock on line here and they want £45 each!

EDIT: thanks to another thread they are here for a fair bit less: http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;n ... ;orderby=4 should be about £60 for a pair inc P+P

[DougieB]

Used them for the first time today and the frost disappears What a hell of a noise they make and it makes a big difference to speed you can go. I'm still worried that by using when there is no ice will ruin the studs for when the weather does turn.

I cycled London to Edinburgh Feb 2010, when all the snow was on. light snow all the way up to Yorkshire. And then a full day slog pushing over the North York Moors, and sliding down the other side. too much snow to ride.

snow/slush/ice between all the way to Middlesborough (some busy A road), and that's the scariest riding I'd done in a while. cars sliding around all over the place. I was on normal road tyres, and going easy on the slippery stuff so it wasn't too bad. but the constant risk of a car sliding into me made it an unhappy cycle.

remember, you may well be able to compensate for icy roads, but drivers still act like idiots and crash into things.

[niggle]

Used them for the first time today and the frost disappears What a hell of a noise they make and it makes a big difference to speed you can go. I'm still worried that by using when there is no ice will ruin the studs for when the weather does turn.

I cycled London to Edinburgh Feb 2010, when all the snow was on. light snow all the way up to Yorkshire. And then a full day slog pushing over the North York Moors, and sliding down the other side. too much snow to ride.

snow/slush/ice between all the way to Middlesborough (some busy A road), and that's the scariest riding I'd done in a while. cars sliding around all over the place. I was on normal road tyres, and going easy on the slippery stuff so it wasn't too bad. but the constant risk of a car sliding into me made it an unhappy cycle.

remember, you may well be able to compensate for icy roads, but drivers still act like idiots and crash into things.

At the weather's worst last winter the cars were no problem to me, as there were hardly any on the roads and those few could not get up the hills, neither could a coach one morning when the black ice started, the coach ended up sideways across the road leaving only the opposite verge as a way past. I was only riding very slowly but when I stopped and put my feet down I realised why the coach had ended up like that as I very nearly ended up on the floor myself. It was a real problem for me just to walk across the road and hold the bike up at the same time, but I was then able to ride up the hill on the verge in the crusty snow, I was on MTB tyres and they did a good job on snow at least.

I never fell last winter despite about a fortnight of untreated black ice, but one reason for this IMO was that I did not take chances and walked over anything that looked dodgy, particularly on hills. I was late to work a fair bit but many of my car dependent colleagues did not make it in for over a week. The proliferation of severe black ice was due to a combination of the council running out of salt and of course the temperatures being above freezing during the day when it rained a lot, then freezing hard over night.

[ersakus]

Used them for the first time today and the frost disappears What a hell of a noise they make and it makes a big difference to speed you can go. I'm still worried that by using when there is no ice will ruin the studs for when the weather does turn.

I cycled London to Edinburgh Feb 2010, when all the snow was on. light snow all the way up to Yorkshire. And then a full day slog pushing over the North York Moors, and sliding down the other side. too much snow to ride.

snow/slush/ice between all the way to Middlesborough (some busy A road), and that's the scariest riding I'd done in a while. cars sliding around all over the place. I was on normal road tyres, and going easy on the slippery stuff so it wasn't too bad. but the constant risk of a car sliding into me made it an unhappy cycle.

remember, you may well be able to compensate for icy roads, but drivers still act like idiots and crash into things.

At the weather's worst last winter the cars were no problem to me, as there were hardly any on the roads and those few could not get up the hills, neither could a coach one morning when the black ice started, the coach ended up sideways across the road leaving only the opposite verge as a way past. I was only riding very slowly but when I stopped and put my feet down I realised why the coach had ended up like that as I very nearly ended up on the floor myself. It was a real problem for me just to walk across the road and hold the bike up at the same time, but I was then able to ride up the hill on the verge in the crusty snow, I was on MTB tyres and they did a good job on snow at least.

I never fell last winter despite about a fortnight of untreated black ice, but one reason for this IMO was that I did not take chances and walked over anything that looked dodgy, particularly on hills. I was late to work a fair bit but many of my car dependent colleagues did not make it in for over a week. The proliferation of severe black ice was due to a combination of the council running out of salt and of course the temperatures being above freezing during the day when it rained a lot, then freezing hard over night.

After last winter I now have studded one pair of my boots as well. I use screw-in ice studs. They can be removed with minimal damage to boots when spring comes.
This one:
http://www.supatracks.com/best-grip-screw-in-ice-studs.html

[resus1uk]

As an old triker I'm using my winter trike with two Snow Stud tyres from last winter's MTB on the front & idler. I managed to get a single Winter tyre in the autumn to fit the drive wheel.

I found the MTB took me over stuff I could not even stand on. I frequently slipped over whilst stationary.

At my age I can't risk a fall & broken hip. Therefore the trial of a winter trike (Longstaff conversion)

I agree with the noise, seems to keep the dogs away & pedestrians look round.

Good on the untreated roads on the Wolds. Weight of thw whole thing is certainly more than my Higgins Ultralite, but load carrying for shopping is better.

I wonder if there are any 20 inch tyres to fit my wife's shopper? (Pashley Picador trike). That would be like Bodacea's chariot................

[7_lives_left]

I wonder if there are any 20 inch tyres to fit my wife's shopper? (Pashley Picador trike). That would be like Bodacea's chariot................

See this forum thread.

I have had the bike shop just phone me that the 20 inch Winter Marathons I ordered in August are just in, so they are available but difficult to get hold of. Mine are also destined for a trike.

[niggle]

After last winter I now have studded one pair of my boots as well. I use screw-in ice studs. They can be removed with minimal damage to boots when spring comes.
This one:
http://www.supatracks.com/best-grip-screw-in-ice-studs.html

Studded boots sound a good idea. Initially I got excited by that website as they do a screw in stud they say is suitable for MTB tyres, but counting the tread knobbles on my Schwalbe Landcruisers to put a single row of studs on each side of both tyres, on alternate knobbles, would cost £64! Might as well buy these Schwalbe Snow Studs for about £56 a pair posted: http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;p ... 1619ebadc8

[ersakus]

After last winter I now have studded one pair of my boots as well. I use screw-in ice studs. They can be removed with minimal damage to boots when spring comes.
This one:
http://www.supatracks.com/best-grip-screw-in-ice-studs.html

Studded boots sound a good idea. Initially I got excited by that website as they do a screw in stud they say is suitable for MTB tyres, but counting the tread knobbles on my Schwalbe Landcruisers to put a single row of studs on each side of both tyres, on alternate knobbles, would cost £64! Might as well buy these Schwalbe Snow Studs for about £56 a pair posted: http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;p ... 1619ebadc8

That is right, for the tyres it is not worth it. My boots on the other hand look lovely! I can't wait to use them on our hiking trip in the mountains this winter. If we have another winter like last year they will come in handy in UK as well. Studded boots should help me quicken the school run on icy pavements. Also if I have a flat tyre I can walk fast to the destionation (work) without slipping.

[Tym Burman]

I bagged some Schwalbe W-Ms last November and commuted 10 miles each way daily through December and January, the studs are still perfectly sharp (tungsten-carbide tips, not just steel). Yes, they are heavy, even tho I am used to riding a tourer with 700x32 tyres. Yes, they are noisy on dry, paved surfaces. However, after reading about someone breaking the head off their femur crashing on off-camber ice these inconveniences are worth it to ride all winter without worry. They help you climb out of ruts in frozen slush and are seriously puncture resistant. I am in Shropshire and there were heaps of ungritted traffic-free lanes to hunt down earlier this year, serious fun. I am looking forward to more of the same this winter.

[niggle]

Started project 'DIY studded tyres' today. First tyre equipped with 64 twin thread countersunk zinc plated screws 4x16mm or 8x5/8". £4.34 for 100, but need two packets. I used a gimlet to make the holes by hand, which took a bit of effort but did not remove any rubber so the pilot holes were really small and the screws went in nice and tight. One problem was finding the holes on the inside as they closed up again once the tool was withdrawn. Took me a couple of hours to do the one tyre, but the result looks convincing.

If anything they are a little too long but I cannot be bothered with doing anything about that and they should wear down with use. The tyres are Schwalbe Landcruisers, 26x1.9/2.1", which were lying around spare in the back of the garage and only cost me about £8.50 each from Wiggle in the first place and are still only £9.44: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-land-c ... e=googleps I have yet to decide how to line the inside of the tyres, but I will try and post a photo when I have them installed on a wheel.

[niggle]

Photos as promised:

Front tyre has 64 'studs' (screws) and rear has 32 at the moment. Grip was definitely better than without when riding on black ice this morning, but not nearly as good as on an ice free surface. The rear might benefit from another 32 screws but I don't think adding more to the front would make any difference.

[SleepyJoe]

I have ridden my Marathon Winters on my mountain bike for the first time this morning.
I had great problems in finding any stock in the UK and ended up using Bike24 in Germany.
I ordered them last Saturday evening, shipped from Germany on Tuesday and arrived on my doorstep Thursday.
Total cost of Euro 71. Cheaper than anywhere in the UK with good delivery, so I am pleased with their service.

Ride in this morning was OK. The road/cycle paths are mostly dry and clear with the occasional frozen puddle.
They are slower compared to my slicks on my normal touring bike, but only like riding into a head wind, so I can live with that. On a cold icy day, I would be riding slower anyway as I would be cautious of icy patches.
I didn't really get a chance to fully evaluate thier ice riding ability, but riding across a few frozen puddles was easy - no noticable slipping or sliding. I think I still have to get over my fear of ice and just ride over some more tonight. It will take a while before my confidence increases but it looks like I will get plenty of ice practice over the next few weeks.
Riding on tarmac sounds like you are on pea shingle. I don't need a bell anymore!
Impressed so far

Mark

[ersakus]

I think I still have to get over my fear of ice and just ride over some more tonight

Mark

So true. You do learn what these tyres are capable of in one winter. They do bed in and get a bit quieter and faster. In my experience I have 3-4 minutes added to my 22minute journey on icy tarmac. That is a tiny price to pay for safety on icy days. Your legs get stronger as well after an icy winter !

[Neil from Fife]

I can't do my full commute at the moment due to the amount of snow. This morning they did slip in the deeper snow as I cycled to the train station but on more compacted snow and on the slush filled main roads they held up well. On the way home I got braver and pedalled harder and on the snow I was slipping on this morning the tyres stayed steady. You do need confidence but I'll still not risk my full commute at the moment.