when to use winter tyres?

[jawaka]

For example it is below zero but is dry on the roads but you never know whether you might meet an odd patch of ice. Or the main roads are clear but you have to use a few snowy side roads for a small part of the journey. Or there is a very heavy frost and there may be ice about, although I did come off on a patch of frost alone. I suppose what matters is whether tarmac riding rips out the studs: if it is not a problem then I might as well just be safe.

[meic]

I dont find that tarmac riding rips out an enormous number of studs.

They are now available for purchase, though it would be cheaper to buy whole new tyres than the studs that are on them.

I have done far more miles on tarmac than on ice with mine and the hard work of riding them puts me off far more than losing a few studs. I imagine this is why they are not so popular in the UK as the number of days where you have nothing but sheet ice to ride on are few and far between (well down South that is the case).

[Fatou]

I have been riding with one on the front tyre, took it off on Sunday.

Rode to work Monday morning, lost the front wheel on a sharp right - black ice - knackered bike and shoulder.

Taken 2 days off to nurse injuries and replace bent bike bits.

The whole journey was wet roads and the air temp was fine, just one little patch at work. Couldn't even stand on it, it was too slippy.

In the past I've snorted in disdain at the idea of winter tyres, this could have happened with them on but they did grip very well in sheet ice, still hairy when the ice has thawed somewhat, forming grooves and then refreezing.

[stewartpratt]

I was using Snow Studs last week - surprisingly they weren't significantly harder to roll than my Big Apples on clear tarmac, and they gripped fine. No studs lost as yet (including one lock-up when the Paperboy of Doom suddenly appeared in front of me from behind a Transit van), though they've only done 40 miles or so in that week.

On a short commute, if there's an appreciable risk of black ice, they'll be on. I tend not to do the long commute if there's a significant risk of ice, but that's largely because I don't have any 700c winter tyres (or a 700c bike with enough clearance to take them).

[Vorpal]

I have done far more miles on tarmac than on ice with mine and the hard work of riding them puts me off far more than losing a few studs.

+1

I haven't lost any studs, but everywhere is harder to get to and takes longer. My (hilly) commute takes me a minimum of 30% longer on winter tyres. Most trips take 10 - 15% more time.

[Si]

Put mine on when we had the first ice before Christmas and left them on. Done plenty of miles on ice-less tarmac and haven't lost any studs. Yep, they are slower than my M+s and their cornering ability isn't as good (as you'd expect from high pressure knobblies), but they are perfectly usable.

Of course, it helps if you have a spare bike for those days when you know that there will be no ice.

[philg]

I have one bike (actually, an old set of wheels fitted) with Marathon Winters which pumped up to max is not significantly slower than M+, and when icy can be deflated to give much better grip. I use it on any commute where the overnight temps get close to zero, as there will be ice patches on high ground.

The MTB has ice spikers which are very much slower, but that is mainly for playing around in the snow with, so doesn't really matter.

[TonyR]

I've had Conti TopContact Winter II's on for the past couple of weeks. They're about 10% slower than my Gatorskins but pretty good on snow and not completely smooth ice. If its really icy I'd put on my Hakkapeliitta studded tyres - they're a lot slower but very secure even on sheet ice. If its just the chance of the odd bit of black ice though, I'd put them just on the front and have either the Gatorskins or TopContacts on the back to get a good balance between security and speed. It doesn't really matter if the back wheel spins or slides out on you but if the front wheel goes you're on the ground before you know it so having a good front wheel makes sense.

[PeterJ]

I recently bought a set of Continental Top Contact Winter 2s when my 3 year old summer tyres started to feel unstable in cold wet conditions. They are comfortable, and reasonably quick provided that they are pumped up hard. They feel safe in the wet but I haven't found them particularly confidence-inspiring in icey or slushy conditions - they feel as though they are going to slip.

I also have a set of studded Marathon Winters. These are much harder to pedal but they are very confidence inspiring when there might be patches of ice. I left them on the bike for most of last winter, but found that the centre studs wore down significantly - I spoke to Schwalbe about this and was advised that I might get two winters out of them. However, I don't think I've lost any studs.

For me, the Continental Top Contact Winter 2s are a good tyre for when it's cold and wet but if there's likely to be ice around I'm happier on the Marathon Winters.

[gaz]

My Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded tyres arrived today.

Winter seems to be taking a break at the moment.

Should I fit them now to make sure the roads don't ice up again?

[TonyR]

My Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded tyres arrived today.

Winter seems to be taking a break at the moment.

Should I fit them now to make sure the roads don't ice up again?

You need to fit them and ride them on tarmac for 30 miles or so to bed the studs in anyway before you try them on ice and if we get the added bonus of no ice you can feel appreciated.

[brumster]

I run my Winter Marathons as soon as the first icy / winter weather arrives. My commute crosses a couple of valleys & the conditions can be different either side. I hope I'll be able take the winter tyres off soon though !
*I do have more than one bike, so I've got the option to commute without winter tyres if the weather is mild.

[chrismcg]

I've had Marathon Winters on my bike for commuting since Oct 2011! Keep meaning to change them for the warmer months but don't seem to get round to it, they are a bit more effort than using normal Marathons but I'm cycling to keep fit anyway. Probably done around 1.5 - 2k on them almost entirely in non-snowy non-icy conditions and there are a only couple of studs missing on each tyre, I guess that wouldn't make much difference to their ability to grip on ice. Sure it helps that I'm fairly slow and don't tend to corner/brake hard.

Even if they only lasted one winter I'd use them the whole way through, for me the cost of them is far outweighed by knowing I'm not going to break an arm coming off on ice, and that I can keep cycling all year round.

[meic]

My Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded tyres arrived today.

Winter seems to be taking a break at the moment.

Should I fit them now to make sure the roads don't ice up again?

I take it that you didnt get around to fitting them.

I have just seen the forecast for next week, it is going below 0 on Sunday night and staying below for four days and nights. With some snow thrown in.

[gaz]

You're right. They are still hanging up in the garage.

I'm planning to fit them and run them in by the end of this week, then I'll have to decide whether they stay on or get fitted to some spare wheels in readiness.

Local forecasts suggest some chilly nights ahead but daytime temperatures remaining above freezing with no sign of the white stuff.

Edit 5 Feb 2013

Broke a spoke today, so used the opportunity to fit the spikes; outbreak of blossom and daffodils forecast for next week.

Edit 6 Feb 2013

10 miles on the commute today, ye gods these things turn riding into hard work! I'll finish running them in tomorrow.

Edit 2 March 2013

Well they're still on, very tempted to take them off now but I know what that will do to the weather, a couple of weeks longer?

Edit 22 March 2013

They're still on, promise; all the snow, ice and blizzards are not my fault.

Edit 5 April 2013

Removed, for tax reasons . Marathon plus back on.