Difference between "winter" tyres and studded tyres

[horizon]

Winter tyres I could use every year for several months, and be significantly safer on any icy patches I meet, especially the ones I don't see first!

So mi'lord, I ask the witness again, "Do winter tyres keep you upright on the ice or not?" Because if they do not, I put it to this court that they are in fact no better than ordinary tyres. Either they do or they don't. Either your bum is bruised or it is not. Better is not good enough. I rest my case mi'lord.

[mig]

yes they will. i have ridden in full control, downhill on glare ice. 700 x 35c winter marathons inflated to maybe 55psi.

[The fat commuter]

yes they will. i have ridden in full control, downhill on glare ice. 700 x 35c winter marathons inflated to maybe 55psi.

Winter Marathons are the studded tyres, are they?

[gaz]

[youtube]-k7K0MKVxSA[/youtube]

[mig]

yes they will. i have ridden in full control, downhill on glare ice. 700 x 35c winter marathons inflated to maybe 55psi.

Winter Marathons are the studded tyres, are they?

http://www.schwalbe.com/en/spike-reader/marathon-winter.html

aye.

[horizon]

yes they will. i have ridden in full control, downhill on glare ice. 700 x 35c winter marathons inflated to maybe 55psi.

Winter Marathons are the studded tyres, are they?

http://www.schwalbe.com/en/spike-reader/marathon-winter.html

aye.

This is my point. Studded are brilliant and effective. "Winter" tyres (i.e. non-studded but with better compound in the cold) may be excellent on cold wet greasy frosty surfaces but not 100% on ice itself. That doesn't make "winter" tyres useless but you may still want to use studded when conditions (rare as they are) demand it.

[SA_SA_SA]

I read of some people only fitting a front spiked tire, as this allows quicker swapping: they just accelerate more gently.

Has anyone done this for unspiked winter tyres?

[Bicycler]

I read of some people only fitting a front spiked tire, as this allows quicker swapping: they just accelerate more gently.

Has anyone done this for unspiked winter tyres?

AFAIK there's only one non-studded winter tyre out there the Conti Top Contact Winter II

The benefit of that tyre has to be that it is suitable for a wider range of conditions and is thus much more convenient to leave on over the whole winter. From what I read it isn't a slow tyre in the same way that studded or heavily treaded tyres are. If you are going to go changing tyres according to conditions you'd be better off with a set of proper studded tyres because you aren't going to bother with the faff of changing unless things look suitably perilous

[ChrisButch]

AFAIK there's only one non-studded winter tyre out there the Conti Top Contact Winter II

There's also, at the other size extreme, the Michelin Pro4 Grip in x23 only. This, and the Top Contact Winter, still seem to be the only two with a tread compound optimised for cold conditions (as distinct from the various '4 season' tyres designed for a wider temperature range). Hence this topic being academic for all those (the majority?) who need tyres in any size between x23 and x37!

[Heltor Chasca]

I apologise to the OP for I think I'm hijacking your thread a little. My ears have pricked up as I've always fancied some winter spiked tyres.

One question: I currently run 26x1.75s on my bike. Is the profile that much different on 26x1.75 winter spiked tyres? I'm asking as I have full mudguards and just want to make sure there will be free.

Many thanks...................hc

Edit: Fat fingers and typed in imaginary tyre sizes!

[Bicycler]

One question: I currently run 26x1.15s on my bike. Is the profile that much different on 26x1.75 winter spiked tyres? I'm asking as I have full mudguards and just want to make sure there will be free.

That's a big difference. Do you mean 26x1.5? If so it's about an extra half centimetre. My studded tyres are slightly smaller than the other tyres I have in the same size.

[mjr]

Dunno 'bout you lot, but with the exception of blizzards, I've rode through every weather the UK has thrown at me.

Me too, but I did end up sideways on the ground last winter. That didn't happen in the harsher winters before where it was properly obviously icy - I slid the back end a bit, but stayed upright.

Studded tyres work fine while you are riding the bike on ice but not much use when you are pushing it or even just putting your foot down carelessly.

I think I've seen some howlers on video where someone has put a foot down and suddenly discovered the spiked tyres have traction but their foot does not

http://www.cesarvanrongen.nl/projecten/ ... tting.html still says "I hope they will be available next fall." Is there anything similar actually available in/to the UK? Has anyone here tried that spray-on car tyre grip on bike tyres?

[The fat commuter]

AFAIK there's only one non-studded winter tyre out there the Conti Top Contact Winter II

The benefit of that tyre has to be that it is suitable for a wider range of conditions and is thus much more convenient to leave on over the whole winter. From what I read it isn't a slow tyre in the same way that studded or heavily treaded tyres are. If you are going to go changing tyres according to conditions you'd be better off with a set of proper studded tyres because you aren't going to bother with the faff of changing unless things look suitably perilous

I'll give a review of these tyres over the winter as I've just ordered some today.

I didn't think studded tyres were suitable for me for my commute to and from work. Apart from the 100 meters from my house to the main road, the roads are usually snow free in winter. They do suffer from frost though so I'm hoping that these tyres will be similar to winter car tyres in their grippyness - time will tell. I'm also reluctant to put spiked tyres on as there are stacks of metal obstacles that I have to negotiate on the way too and from work. As well as the tram tracks, there are oodles of manhole covers on my route.

[Heltor Chasca]

One question: I currently run 26x1.15s on my bike. Is the profile that much different on 26x1.75 winter spiked tyres? I'm asking as I have full mudguards and just want to make sure there will be free.

That's a big difference. Do you mean 26x1.5? If so it's about an extra half centimetre. My studded tyres are slightly smaller than the other tyres I have in the same size.

I need to birch myself! Sorry typo: 1.75 (I'll edit) ...............hc

[Bicycler]

Ah, okay. Well mine are 26x1.9 and are slightly smaller than my normal tyres in the same size but well within the normal variation you can get between two different types of tyres in the same size. I'd have thought studded tyres wouldn't be a problem if non-studded tyres of the same size fit. Remember that you may need a bit of extra mudguard clearance when cycling in snow.