Winter Cycling - Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro review

I was finally able to get a good ride in with the new studs on. I got these in the mail just as the snow turned to heavy rain, then because of work I couldn't ride. The roads where I live are pretty clear and the snow is to deep to ride the trails. But I was able to find some pack snow and ice to give the tires a good test.
Mounting the Ice Spikers was a breeze. They're mounted to Sun Rhyno Lite rims and went on without tire levers and they spin true on the wheel pumped up to 30 PSI.



Like all studs they are a little slow on the asphalt and don't grab as well as a non studded tire. But that's not what they're made for so no big deal. Just remember to take turns and heavy breaking easy. They're also noisey which can hinder your hearing a car coming up from behind.

Found some good solid ice that was off to the side of the road on a pretty good climb. The road is chipped sealed and I could ride on the ice as fast as the road. Did a few track stands then mashed the pedals with out loosing traction.



Had some good packed snow from some 4x4's on the state land and was able to ride a short ways on. Here again it was on a climb and the tracks were not smooth but packed down well. Spun all the way up with no traction loss and rode back down with no sliping or sliding.



My ride back home takes me on a hill that I normally hit 45 plus on but with the studs I kept it around 30. Didn't want to push it. In the sand and gravel they hooked up well and can't really tell you have studded tires on.

I have the same tires and absolutely love em. They do really well on hard and loosely packed snow as well. I've put a good amount of miles (about 150) on dry pavement and the carbide has held up really well so far.

I have the ice spiker (similar to the pro, but with a steel bead). I rode it on road, MUP and singletrack in calgary around christmastime.

I thought it was great - much grippier and more sure than my Haaka 106.

I looked for a Pro or match for the Nokian WXC for some time in the fall, before giving up and getting the regular ice spiker for the rear wheel.

The zip that comes from a sub-700 gram studded tire is much appreciated in a season where everything else slows you down.

I hope Schwalbe rolls these out in a 29er version. The 29er version of the Extreme 296 bites.

I have Nokian Mount and Ground tires now - great for hard pack or ice, but I'm sliding all over in the snow, especially that semi-packed snow that car tires leave behind on the road. How are the Ice Spkers on that stuff. I'd love to know, I had a heck of a time on a downhill ride getting home tonight. I thought I was a goner at one point. Thanks. Ron

I think there are way too many variants of semi-packed snow for a single answer.

As a general rule of thumb aggressive tires can work in a greater range of conditions, at the expense of speed and efficiency on clearer pavement.

I think there are way too many variants of semi-packed snow for a single answer.

As a general rule of thumb aggressive tires can work in a greater range of conditions, at the expense of speed and efficiency on clearer pavement.


Yep I agree, before the studs I had put a Panaracer Smoke on the rear and it did great in loose snow. But like all non-studded tires it was a little squirrely on ice. If there is ice under the snow and the studs don't reach that ice then yes you can slip. You just have to gage the condition of the snow while riding, it's one of the fun challenges of winter riding.
Last week I did take the Ice spikers on a winding trail on some state land that the 4wd people had nicely packed down some deep icey ruts. Riding it on a down hill was like deing on a bob sled course. Slipping was never on my mind and staying in the narrow rut was. No slipping at all. Still very happy with my purchase.