Advocacy & Safety - How Many studded tires does it take?

A poll for all your safety-minded winter cyclists...

How many studded Tires/Tyres do you need?

I'll tell you, I had serendipitously mounted a NOKIAN Hakkapelliita 106 on the front due to it still being mounted on my Schmidt Hub Dynamo, and guess what! -3 degrees, and wet this morning.

So what's a commuter to do...be happy that I didn't exchange the tire, and out and about. Fish-tailed a bit under the train bridge, but didn't go down until I had fish tailed on the flat and then went down sliding on pure ice. A car inquired if I was OK. After he took off, I saw a school-boy bite it on the sidewalk.

So, it was back home, bend the break uh...brake lever back to normality, and mount the 106 on the rear.

After this was done, and my heart left my throat (it was SLICK out there!!!) I ended up passing about 500-1000 cars on my way to work.

I was safer on my bike with the spikes then off the bike or in a car!

Yipeee!!!

(more techie-info on the Nokian tires can be found at http://www.nokiantyres.com/bike/winter/index.html)

I love these tires: http://www.nokiantyres.com/bike/images/w106.jpg

My vote is for 2, even though I presently own 0 studded tires. My plans are to set up a free (my brother fished it out of the canal behind his house) beater Norco MTB with studded tires to use for commuting on those slippery / snowy days and keep the slicks on my present commuter for the winter. My LBS has some studded tires for $45 CDN that aren't Nokians but look almost as good (Innovas). I should have everything together in the next week or two. From your post I don't think I'll entertain the option of studded front only.

I don't need 'em down here but if I move up to Minneapolis I'll be looking for some.

i bought and used 2 studded tires last winter - bought after a fall on ice - and was VERY satisfied with them.

this year, about the beginning of November, so about the time there is a chance of snow and ice but not really any, i mounted the front studded tire just to be safe (i.e. if i woke up with snow on the ground or ice).

yesterday, so 2nd week of December i mounted the back studs too as the thermometer is not supposed to get over over 0C most of this week.

i have the Schwalbe non-agrressive studs so that with full pressure, that going straight on asphalt the studs do not touch. the local bike shop has them for €37 each. when the surface is bad, reduce the pressure and the studs bite. i rode on ice last year and was pretty stable. this year just to see how it is i will try riding on a frozen lake and report back. i don't expect it to be like riding on wet pavement, but it should be relatively safe compared to no-studs which is DANGEROUS on pure ice.

i think the front is VERY important and the back nice to have. since i ride 20-40km/day throughout the winter, both is worth the extra expenditure.

Freaky,
That's my front winter tire.
I only have one but haven't needed it so far. The hummmm off the road with studs is kinda cool. Two studded tires would prolly put me into a trance listening to them.

I use 2, but make my own. #6 3/8" pan head screws. I want the Nokians but I can't justify paying $140(Can) for one tire.

The homemades work perfectly, but wear down quick on pavement. I have to restud mid-winter.

They last ALL winter off road, and you stick to ice like snot on a door knob.

One winter I was heading to work, which is on a very steep hill. It was freezing rain and about 25 cars where scattered over the road as they couldn't move any further. I whipped on by, waving and promising to send help. Ohhhhh, that felt good!

Just imagine me coming around the turn, studs chattering on the road, and just starting my ascend up the hill, and the looks on peoples faces when they turned around to see what the hell that noise is was just PRICELESS!!!!

Digger

Digger,

Thanks for that picture. It's a great one!

The ice we had here on Monday made it into the papers. Apparently, it was worse than I'd feared, over 40 people were injured, some fairly severly...

Gotta remember, that even when you're up and running, others often can't control their vehicles...sigh.

have fun,
Tom