View Full Version : Just Picked up My Continental Spike Claw T120
**Edit** Now Spike Claw 240's
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4412/240spikeclawzo1.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5022/240spikeclaw1ou9.jpg
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I was at my LBS and got a Good guy discount on these so I had to get them.... I think I may mount them this weekend.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3125/dscn6081mediumcy8.jpg
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8279/dscn6082mediumrl4.jpg
I went with the half spikes as my commute can have a lot of cleared sections and concrete as well. Still, I would like to pick up a Spike tool and spare Spikes to experiment.
Tequila Joe
11-02-06, 08:23 PM
Good tire according to this review...
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/article2340.html
Cheers
TJ
Good tire according to this review...
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/article2340.html
Cheers
TJ
Thanks for the link TJ... I was going to use my old homemade jobs, but then I was at my LBS and he showed me these for $38cdn each ($50 retail). It's one of those times when I don't think and I just act. Good thing your link states it was a good move. I was considering the Schwalbe ones from MEC, but held off...
Say, that Stud Tool you got from Nokian, is it like this one?
http://www.universalcycles.com/images//products/large/1782.jpg
I may want to fill in those holes and make my 120's into 240s, depending on how the conditions look this season.
Tequila Joe
11-02-06, 08:44 PM
Yes, it is very close to the one they sent me. At first, pushing in the studs took a bit of elbow grease but once I got the hang of it, it became much easier. The key was to start the stud in on an angle and rotate / wiggle the tool as you pushed the stud into the tire.
Cool, thanks for that. I suppose a person could use a soapy solution of water to help but them it would also help to eject the studs just as easily too... :D
waffenschmidt
11-02-06, 10:42 PM
When I was a kid working in my father's service station, 35 years ago, we used a soap solution to lubricate the holes when we studded tires. If we didn't, the fingers of the pneumatic studding tool would break. I don't think the soap solution caused any problem with studs working their way out.
When I was a kid working in my father's service station, 35 years ago, we used a soap solution to lubricate the holes when we studded tires. If we didn't, the fingers of the pneumatic studding tool would break. I don't think the soap solution caused any problem with studs working their way out.
Once the solution evaporates, it 's probably not an issue either. I my self would use soapy water
Do the studs contact the pavement when the bike is 100% vertical? If not I would think you would definately want centre studs on the front tire for braking. Are those carbide?
Do the studs contact the pavement when the bike is 100% vertical? If not I would think you would definately want centre studs on the front tire for braking. Are those carbide?
Yes, I think they'll make contact when the tire is loaded with rider weight.
Primarily I did not want studs in the centre for as I mentioned, my commute is mainly on cleared roads, and concrete pathways on a bridge. Full spikes can be treacherous on these types of surfaces as I have discovered in the past.
I thought I would play it by ear and see how the winter shaped up. If I found I needed more traction, I would install more spikes, or just revert to my homemade fully spikes tires.
The Spikes are Hardened Steel which I presume may be carbide.
clevernamehere
11-03-06, 01:02 PM
Just a thought,
Could there be any trouble installing the studs after the tires have been used for a while. I'm wondering if the holes might get filled with "gunk" & make it difficult to install the studs.
Just a thought,
Could there be any trouble installing the studs after the tires have been used for a while. I'm wondering if the holes might get filled with "gunk" & make it difficult to install the studs.
I was wondering the same thing, but then thought they could be clean before installation. And it would be no differnt that replacing a lost spike.
What do you think? You ride the same area as I do in winter. Should I go Full Spikes?
I can bring them back and trade them in for the 240 Spike Claws.....
goldfish
11-04-06, 06:06 PM
i just took my SS mtb out for a ride through the snow, and very quickly decided i wanted some studded(spiked?) tyres...Viper let me know how these work out for you, i'd be interested in your oppinion.
i just took my SS mtb out for a ride through the snow, and very quickly decided i wanted some studded(spiked?) tyres...Viper let me know how these work out for you, i'd be interested in your oppinion.
For Sure Goldfish, I may trade them in for the 240 fully spiked tires now. If it wasn't already apparent, today's small section of ice we encountered remind me of how nice full spikes would have been.
Our Road Club has started meeting for un-offical rides with MTB's. We rode the river trails today. There was a few sections that we unridable due to ice sections that were off camber. Even walking across them was tricky :D
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5125/mtbridehv0.jpg
East Side of River, CNR Rail Bridge
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3677/mtbride1kt9.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/499/mtbride2bn7.jpg
Unridable
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/2491/mtbride3rg4.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1900/mtbride4gb5.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6401/mtbride5hg5.jpg
A Rock deposit from the Ice Age
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/4986/mtbride6hf3.jpg
Track Standing for the picture
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/7868/mtbride7bu8.jpg
goldfish
11-05-06, 12:11 AM
as always, great pictures ViperZ! I didn't realize how much more snow we have than you right now!
I had a lot of fun today though! I never realized how much fun it could be riding in the snow! i'm really looking forward to biking this winter(and really looking forward to some spiked tyres). Also, winter biking has given my crappy beater MTB a new lease on life :)
Cheers :beer:
Crazy, we have no snow down south. In fact I'm about to head to to Buffalo Pound for some ice free mtb right now! Current temp there is 4C... oooohhh I can't wait!!!!
On ice like that, full spikes would be the bomb. I'm on 296 Extremes in the winter and have never had a slip up on them.
More aside - you Saskatoonians have some sweet trails in your town. I've raced the Silverwood race for the last couple of years and am always impressed with the quality of the trails. Actual, technical MTB riding in the city, sweet! In Regina we have ZERO real MTB trails in town, always having to drive to ride your MTB is kind of a bummer.
Crazy, we have no snow down south. In fact I'm about to head to to Buffalo Pound for some ice free mtb right now! Current temp there is 4C... oooohhh I can't wait!!!!
On ice like that, full spikes would be the bomb. I'm on 296 Extremes in the winter and have never had a slip up on them.
More aside - you Saskatoonians have some sweet trails in your town. I've raced the Silverwood race for the last couple of years and am always impressed with the quality of the trails. Actual, technical MTB riding in the city, sweet! In Regina we have ZERO real MTB trails in town, always having to drive to ride your MTB is kind of a bummer.
Hey KrisA, thanks. I have always felt fortunate that the river trails here offer quick access to a days worth of technical single track riding. It's a really blast to have. I have never ridden around Regina, so I can't comment. The Silverwood race is a Saskatoon Classic. :beer:
We had a lot more snow 2 weeks ago, but most of it has evaporated. This was a road ride 3 weeks ago.
Temperature of -9C
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/3752/rc14nl0.jpg
So you run full spikes with out problems.... I think I will go full spikes as well then. It great to hear experiences from riders in my area, as we are faced with the same environmental challenges.
clevernamehere
11-06-06, 11:58 AM
ViperZ,
That little patch of ice on the trail looks like it'd be no problem with fully studded tires.:) 'course, I wasn't there...
I've had no problems with riding the Nokian Extremes on pavement. I did slip once in the parkade at work (very smooth concrete). When the streets turn to icy ruts/bumps/potholes etc, it's good to have studs in contact at all times.
Oh, and hey! that guy in black is riding my bike! He must have returned it before I noticed. Oh, no, wait a minute... it's my bike before the disc brake upgrade.:)
ViperZ,
That little patch of ice on the trail looks like it'd be no problem with fully studded tires.:) 'course, I wasn't there...
I've had no problems with riding the Nokian Extremes on pavement. I did slip once in the parkade at work (very smooth concrete). When the streets turn to icy ruts/bumps/potholes etc, it's good to have studs in contact at all times.
Oh, and hey! that guy in black is riding my bike! He must have returned it before I noticed. Oh, no, wait a minute... it's my bike before the disc brake upgrade.:)
I went back to Doug's to trade in the 120's for the 240's and they were all sold out of them. They hope toi have some more in at the end of the week. Jay said they receievd a shippment in and they just flew ou tthe door.
That's Hans riding the Marin.
clevernamehere
11-07-06, 06:25 AM
I went back to Doug's to trade in the 120's for the 240's and they were all sold out of them. They hope toi have some more in at the end of the week. Jay said they receievd a shippment in and they just flew ou tthe door.
That's Hans riding the Marin.
Uh Oh, you're gonna wish you had them this AM! hopefully the roads will be thawing out by the time you leave. I left at 6am & most of the roads were still covered in a nice even glaze of ice. (sorry about that.... I know I wished for it on your shoe review thread. :eek:)
Uh Oh, you're gonna wish you had them this AM! hopefully the roads will be thawing out by the time you leave. I left at 6am & most of the roads were still covered in a nice even glaze of ice. (sorry about that.... I know I wished for it on your shoe review thread. :eek:)
Hey Clever, did you ride you bike today? I stepped outside and the steps were slipperier than a curling rink. I decided to work at home today seeing as I do not have studded tires now... Well I do, but they are the 120s and I'm waiting for the 240's :(
clevernamehere
11-07-06, 09:22 AM
Yeah, I rode today. Actually found myself giggling like a kid at Christmas... it was just fun to be able to ride a bike on glare ice that people could barely drive on, let alone walk on.:) In fact, when I stepped out onto the driveway this am, I decided not pull the garbage bin out into the street because it would be too dangerous... it was a relief to get onto the bike... much easier than standing on that stuff.
I left home 1/2 hour earlier than usual, just so there weren't as many motorists out there sliding around. Also adjusted my route a bit to stay off the busier streets. The biggest concern really is "the other guy", not my own balance or control of the bike.
The Nokians were excellent. This is the kind of weather were I'd rather bike than drive.
I had one brief moment where I forgot that I was riding on ice. I was slowing down to turn off the trail along 14th St. As I turned, I hit the brakes a little too hard & the front tire slipped a few inches. The good thing is, with the studs, as soon as you let off the brake, they grab again, so I didn't even come close to falling.
Must be nice to be able to work form home on a moment's notice! Consulting?
Good Job Clever! :beer:
Sounds excellent!
Yes I work for a consulting firm :)
It's snowing to beat the band here in Saskatoon...
Doug's will not have the 240 Spike Claws until Friday (Nov 10th) at the earliest. I'm not sure if I should wait, or run the 120's for now until the 240's arrive. I would end up with 2 sets of studded tires, however I have 2 bikes I could put them on, or I could use the 120's for spring time when the ice is less extreme. Or I could sit tight, wait fo rthe 240's to arrive and then exchange the 120s fo rthem. I just hate giving in and not riding.
City Park Cycles has the 296 Nokians in stock, but wowee they are expensive. They cost more than a pair of 120,s and 240s combined.
Damn it Jim, still no 240 Spike Claws :mad: :mad:
I should just rock the 120s for now and then get the 240s if I find I need them
goldfish
11-11-06, 07:22 PM
i just ordered some 240s off of the webbernet(it takes an hour to drive to my "local" bike shop and i was ordering other things anyways). not a lot of ice here right now, just icy temperatures. i'm honestly hoping for ice when i get these tyres because i'm pretty psyched to try these things out.
Viper, would it not be easier to just get one of those stud tools you posted above and spend a bit of time in the evening and just turn your 120s into 240s?
i just ordered some 240s off of the webbernet(it takes an hour to drive to my "local" bike shop and i was ordering other things anyways). not a lot of ice here right now, just icy temperatures. i'm honestly hoping for ice when i get these tyres because i'm pretty psyched to try these things out.
Viper, would it not be easier to just get one of those stud tools you posted above and spend a bit of time in the evening and just turn your 120s into 240s?
I was planning on doing that until I notice the studs are about $18us/per 100, plus you need to buy the tool. Doug's will give me the 240s for the same "Good Guy price" I paid for the 120s.
goldfish
11-11-06, 11:22 PM
I see your point :)
Yes, hopefully they have them in this week so I can start riding again.
Whoo - Hoo !! I'm back in business :)
Doug's Spoke N Sport called me today and told me the 240 Spike Claws were in! What was funny was I was phoning them every other day asking if they received them yet. Today when I called Jay, he said he was sorry they had not arrived yet, but to keep calling to check for he didn't mind ;) I left my desk for a second to come back to a voice mail from Jay, asking me when I was going to come pick up my 240 Spike Claws, for they have been sitting there forever, waiting for me :lol:
I Love those guys at Spoke N Sport, and can't say enough about them.... Doug, Jay and the crew are the best :beer: (and that's not the 240 SC speaking neither ;) )
Here are some pictures of them.
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4412/240spikeclawzo1.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5022/240spikeclaw1ou9.jpg
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3144/240spikeclaw2rz4.jpg
I have them pumped up to 40 PSi ( I may lower the pressue) I'll report and update how they work out.
goldfish
11-15-06, 10:32 PM
sweet winter tyre p0rn!! i hope they work well, mine will be here before too long. in the mean time, we don't have any snow here right now, just sub-zero temps. i hope it snows and ices up like mad the first day i get those bad boys.
i'm pretty anxious to hear your assessment of them Viper, judging from my roadtrip to AB last february, your winters are the EXACT same as ours (drove through brandon to regina to some other town to Calgary, then on the way back we went north to edmonton and came through saskatoon and down to regina to brandon to winnipeg to home; it was a total whiteout from the AB/SK border until regina, rough times).
sweet winter tyre p0rn!! i hope they work well, mine will be here before too long. in the mean time, we don't have any snow here right now, just sub-zero temps. i hope it snows and ices up like mad the first day i get those bad boys.
i'm pretty anxious to hear your assessment of them Viper, judging from my roadtrip to AB last february, your winters are the EXACT same as ours (drove through brandon to regina to some other town to Calgary, then on the way back we went north to edmonton and came through saskatoon and down to regina to brandon to winnipeg to home; it was a total whiteout from the AB/SK border until regina, rough times).
Hey Goldfish, thanks! You are right, I think the Peg gets the same type of weather as Toon town :)
Took the Spike Claws out for a quick spin, that actually turned out to be a longer ride than I thought. There is a lot of snow here so some parts are pretty tough going. Once on hard-pack and Ice though, there is no stopping these tires, I could not get them to spin at all. I was able to get them to skid, but they clawed about it, and really didn't want to. I had to yank hard on the back brake and push the back tire out, and even though it was a skid, it was as if it still had traction during the skid.
I tested it on the concrete side walks that were cleared and I tested it on the pavement areas that the cars had cleared on the road. On both surfaces the tires still felt as if they had excellent traction despite running full studs on it. Typically this can be slippery with full studs, not with the Conti's it seems. They did buzz more on the pavement and sidewalks, but that is to be expected.
The tires really shed snow fast and didn't seem to clog up at all, it would seem the open lug design would be good to excellent for this.
All in all I think they were a great purchase at the asking price of $58 each, however Doug's gave me a even better deal on them :D
The platform pedals worked great too :)
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3741/img2975mediumfb0.jpg
After 10 minutes of riding, the tires were still clear of snow (don't mind the Alias in the way ;) )
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/3163/winterride1jh1.jpg
Riding through Weaver Park
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7927/winterride2bt8.jpg
We've got loads of snow
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2918/img2996mediumsd3.jpg
I need Disc Brakes
I have been riding everyday with these tires and I can't say enough good things about them. They provide the confidence to allow a rider to climb in and out of icy ruts with out even batting an eye. Traction on ice is incredible, and if it were not for the studs, the durometer of the rubber compound seems to help as well! Deep snow they seem equally at home with out clogging and they provide a lot of forward progression without ever spinning out.
The best way to describe the feeling is like Velcro tape :)
Again I'm amazed at how well behaved the full stud tires are on concrete surfaces and cleared sections of pavement. Other than the clatter of studs and the chunky feel of the tire, the downside is marginal, as grip is still very good.
These are an excellent value for the asking price of $58 each. Now I'll await to see how long the studs last.
Of particular note, these tires are made in Finland.
goldfish
11-22-06, 05:30 PM
just got my spike claw 240s, they're sittin on the floor in front of me right now. its +5c outside right now :(
theres a winter storm watch for tommorow night :D
I'll post a review once they're mounted and i can ride 'em in their intended conditions...hopefully tommorow night :)
just got my spike claw 240s, they're sittin on the floor in front of me right now. its +5c outside right now :(
theres a winter storm watch for tommorow night :D
I'll post a review once they're mounted and i can ride 'em in their intended conditions...hopefully tommorow night :)
Good to hear Goldfish :)
I'm really curious to see how long the studs last as it seems I'm seeing a good mix of ice, snow and bare pavement.
Here is a recent picture of my bike set up for daily winter commuting.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/1479/wedgecomnx1.jpg
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/5886/wedgecom1gr6.jpg
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9797/wedgecom2rr5.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9582/wedgecom3pr4.jpg
I have found the tires really provide sure footed traction on pretty much any surface, but they really excel on ice and off camber ice ruts.
In fact they are so sure footed I think I may go back to me SPDs now :eek:
Do it. I ride SPD's all winter with no problems. It's nice having the extra power for plowing through deep snow. To me the only downside of SPD's in the winter is having a cold piece of metal on the bottom of your shoes. If I had a long commute I'd likely ditch them when it was under -20C.
Do it. I ride SPD's all winter with no problems. It's nice having the extra power for plowing through deep snow. To me the only downside of SPD's in the winter is having a cold piece of metal on the bottom of your shoes. If I had a long commute I'd likely ditch them when it was under -20C.
I use to ride with SPD's all the time in winter, however this year I decided to try the DH platforms. While they are kind of reassuring in that it allows me to dab when ever I please, however I had to lower my saddle for it to be effective. This feels weird, additionally, I really miss pulling up on the pedal stroke.
I'm just too much of a bio-mechanical machine I guess ;)
My Ride Home tonight was fantastic as it was snowing and the streets were covered with just the right amount of snow. Enough to blanket the streets, yet not to deep.
A person had to be careful as ice lurks under the snow that you can't see, however I was fine as were the tires. One time I hit a patch of ice under snow that skidded the front tire momentarally, but it was nothing to be alarmed of as the tire hooked back up as quickly as it skidded :D
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5808/img3060medium2ub3.jpg
What a great ride home!
clevernamehere
11-23-06, 09:50 PM
I'm envious ViperZ!
I made the mistake of believing the forcast for 10 to 15cm of snow & decided to drive today.:(
This evening as we were driving around running errands, I kept thinking "this would be a perfect night for a ride"... absolutely love riding on a fresh, thin layer of snow at night.
goldfish
11-23-06, 10:43 PM
BAH, and here i am, on the evening we were supposed to have this "winter storm" and guess what?? NO SNOW. friggen sucks.:mad:
hopefully soon.:( :)
2manybikes
11-24-06, 12:01 AM
Cool, thanks for that. I suppose a person could use a soapy solution of water to help but them it would also help to eject the studs just as easily too... :D
You would think so, until you have replaced some studs. Soapy water won't let them out.
Use Windex anyway. Squirt a little right into the hole. You can get Windex all over the tire and it evaporates on it's own. It's a good lube for this job. As you put the stud in you turn it as if it were a screw and start with it tipped 45 degrees and straighten up as you turn it.
This works on removing too. You tip the stud about 45 degrees and spin it and pull. I use dental pliers with a slight concave jaw that grabs the round stud just right. For installation too. If removing studs let the Windex get down in the hole before removing the stud. The head is like a nail head. When it seats properly soapy water will not let it come out there is a good mechanical grip. The edge of the nail head is held in place with rubber over the edges. The studs get wet all the time they are very secure if you don't skid the tire.
Those studs look just like the tungsten carbide studs in Nokians. If they are, the studs don't wear down. Eventually the casing behind the stud lets it retract too far into the hole to grab the ice very well. For best traction with my Nokians I run 22 psi in front and 25 in back. I'm 180, the bike is probably 35 lbs, and the panniers have 40 lbs or more. The low pressure helps traction in all conditions. I can feel it. You probably can too.
Now go outside and play in the snow. :)
Hey Clever, well it doesn't look like we got that big snow storm they were predicting. However it is -19C right now :)
2many, thanks for that, I will have to get a studding tool :)
clevernamehere
11-24-06, 08:58 AM
Yeah, took a while this am to figure out/remember what to wear. Got the top layers right. Shoes were OK, but if the temp drops much more before home-time, my toes are gonna hate me.
goldfish
11-24-06, 06:20 PM
OH YEAH BABY, SNOW TODAY!!!
I slapped the tyres on the mountain bike and took to the snow/ice/slush combo like a duck to water! I loved it.
The tyres grip fantastically. being the stupid young guy that i am, i came within fractions of a millimeter of slamming my body into the snow-covered-asphalt SEVERAL times while "testing the limits" of the grip.
During normal riding, it can get a little hairy when riding at the edge of the road where there are somewhat scary ruts with snow, ice, slush, and water all bump-n-grinding together, but it was never anything that made me feel even remotely risky. The only other time it got weird was when i was about to climb up a rounded-off curb from an angle and the back end slid out from under me, but theres not much any tyre could have done for me there.
Also tried out my new fizik gobi saddle for the first time, and it was really comfortable, i would definetly recommend it to anyone who has the exact same ass shape as me ;)
All in all, a fantastic tyre, fantastic saddle, a fantastic ride.
2manybikes
11-25-06, 07:00 AM
Real studs have studded tires. :D
willtsmith_nwi
11-25-06, 08:06 AM
Those look great. At some point, either Continental or Nokian need to step up and make a 29er in 2.3 width with studs.
Yeah, took a while this am to figure out/remember what to wear. Got the top layers right. Shoes were OK, but if the temp drops much more before home-time, my toes are gonna hate me.
:beer: My Right Thumb has been getting cold :eek:
Those look great. At some point, either Continental or Nokian need to step up and make a 29er in 2.3 width with studs.
Can you mount 700C tires on the 29" rims? Othere have been telling me they can get road bike rims into their 29'er.. Is this true?
Real studs have studded tires. :D
:lol:
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