Hello!

It's starting to get cold around these parts (Upstate NY) and I have encountered slippery roads a couple of times. Ordered and installed a pair of Nokian Hakkapeliitas 106W from SpeedGoat.com. These must be properly broken in for 30 miles. Questions I have are:
a) can I leave them on from now until March/April and ride them even when there's no ice/snow on the road?
b) can I ride them on dirt/gravel trails?

Thank you!
GreenAnvil

Yes and yes.
The carbide steel studs Nokian uses is very hard so you will probably get several years use out of the tires even riding them everyday. The studded are probably much slower than your standard commuter tires so that is the tradeoff you have to make.
Craig

That's the intended use for Hakkapilitas -- they are a winter tire, lightly studded and with a knobby tread. They are great on pavement. Whether they are slower than a similar knobby tire without studs, I don't know. I put them on in December, take them off in March, and don't worry about road conditions.

Paul

Thank you all for your replies!

GreenAnvil

Green -- you sure can leave them on. It will give your legs a better workout since you will find them a little slower. That, however, is easier than struggling to take them on and off as you try to guess what the weather will be like. I pretty much leave mine on the whole winter, although if we have a prolonged warm spell I might take them off, just to feel the speed. The worst that happens when you leave them on all winter is you come out of the winter with stronger legs!

Hakkas are pretty tough. I wouldn't expect to even lose a stud during the first year. It will be like riding through sludge on dry, clear road though compared to your usual slicks.

I ordered a pair of 106's for this year too, as it's looking like it may be very messy here in Albany.

I just purchased a set of Nokian 294 2.1's for my Fat. There is a tag on the tire that notes that I have to break the tires in for 30 miles for optimum performance. Why is this? I'm not in a rush for freezing weather, but I do want to try these thigs out!:)

Put 'em on. Ride 'em. Don't worry about 'em.

I think the question of whether you can run these tires on dry roads on a regular basis has been answered with a yes. The better question to me is....why? If you have extra wheelsets, which i do, it is a much better option to swap wheels in and out unless you live in an area with continual ice. That is not the case here in Kansas. We may get 20 days max of icy roads the entire winter.

The answer to why: Re-freeze. Water can be on the roads for any number of reasons and then freeze there. Here that's a reliable possibility for 5-6 months. The tires can take it, it's what I bought 'em for, and damn sure I'd kick myself for needing them and not having swapped 'em.

I just purchased a set of Nokian 294 2.1's for my Fat. There is a tag on the tire that notes that I have to break the tires in for 30 miles for optimum performance. Why is this? I'm not in a rush for freezing weather, but I do want to try these thigs out!:)

Thirty years ago when I used to stud car snow tires, the same sort of break-in applied. We told cuctomers 50 miles, but it's the same idea.

The reason is to firmly seat the studs. Studs are inserted after the tire manufacturing process. A light break-in period both makes certain the studs are pushed-in all the way, and it lets the tire's rubber re-adjust around them. The reduces the chance of throwing a stud.

So no sudden starts, panic stops and go easy on the cornering for the first one to three hours of ride time.

Keep in mind too that every new tire (summer, winter, bike, car, airplane...) still has a light coating of mold-release from the manufacturing process. You should always take it easy (especially cornering) until that's worn off. New tires are especially slippery in the wet. Do your break-in rides on dry roads whenever possible.

There's also that big rind of mold flash on the W106's to wear down. I'm about 30mi into my break-in of them, I think I'll put in another 10-20mi before I consider them properly broken in.

Thank's for the knowledge. I know about mold release, having a street bike. Things can get pretty squrrily!