Winter Cycling - Nokian W106 owners, What tire pressures are you running ?

Background: Yesterdays snow and ice event means it time to mount up the studded tires. This is my 4th year on these. Nokian W106 35 mm, Surly cross check, 8spd IGH. I didn't ride much last winter due to an injury but I will be riding daily this year.

So since it's been a while I'm just looking for input and advice on tire pressures from those of you that ride these W106 tires. I have a tendency to run all my tires at full pressure (65psi for these) mostly because I'm pretty big and I want the least rolling resistance but, I know that they may perform better stud-wise and traction-wise at lower pressures.

So, what pressures do you run and have success with and in what conditions?

If there is snow on the ground, you do not want it to lock between the tire and the ground and lead to skidding, particularly sideways. You need to go then down in pressure. I may be riding at 30psi on the front and 35psi in the rear. When conditions worsen, I may be going to lower pressures but then I may switch to more serious tires as well.

i was riding a set of Nokian 700 x 35s at 65psi today and thought them a little skittish on hard pocked ice.



I'm going to go with 50PSI rear, 40 front.

At 175 pounds, I typically run them at 50F/55R. I reduce pressure when conditions warrant and have run them as low as 25F/30R without difficulty.

HOW do you pedal in the snow with such low pressures? I am already using 2nd and 1st gear to get up my last hill on the way home, and I fear that if I run my pressures any lower, the increased work will mean that I have to get off and walk.
???? I know I don't have this figured out yet, so please be patient with this rookie...

To begin with, bigger tires can run lower pressures. See PSI Rx (http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/200903_PSIRX_Heine.pdf).
Studded snows are a bear to pedal anyway. The little bit added by lowering the pressure isn't noticeable when factored in with that, and with the added horsepower required to get through the darned snow anyway.
The issue is control and traction. Lower pressures allow the tire to conform to the shapes of ice ruts and so on, so that they don't push the bike around, and so that you can maintain traction. In the absence of control and traction, you're walking anyway.


My four-seasons all conditions bike has a road triple (52/39/30). In the three seasons I run a 12-23 cassette it, and seldom use the granny. In the winter I run a 12-27 cassette on the same bike, and use the granny for many climbs. It's just a fact of life.

On the plus side, come spring, when you take the studs off or switch to your three-seasons bike, you'll fly on the flats and climb like a goat.

True story: My club's first ride of the season is a hilly one (Darned sadists!) It concludes with a long grinder. Last spring, after pedaling the darned studs all winter and cursing every mile, I took my Litespeed with a standard 53/39 double and 12-23 cassette on the ride. Not only did I pass everyone on that hill, I completely dusted a Cat 3 racer who ended up puking at the top. Not bad for an old guy on a standard double.

To begin with, bigger tires can run lower pressures. See PSI Rx (http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/200903_PSIRX_Heine.pdf).
Studded snows are a bear to pedal anyway. The little bit added by lowering the pressure isn't noticeable when factored in with that, and with the added horsepower required to get through the darned snow anyway.
The issue is control and traction. Lower pressures allow the tire to conform to the shapes of ice ruts and so on, so that they don't push the bike around, and so that you can maintain traction. In the absence of control and traction, you're walking anyway.


My four-seasons all conditions bike has a road triple (52/39/30). In the three seasons I run a 12-23 cassette it, and seldom use the granny. In the winter I run a 12-27 cassette on the same bike, and use the granny for many climbs. It's just a fact of life.

On the plus side, come spring, when you take the studs off or switch to your three-seasons bike, you'll fly on the flats and climb like a goat.

True story: My club's first ride of the season is a hilly one (Darned sadists!) It concludes with a long grinder. Last spring, after pedaling the darned studs all winter and cursing every mile, I took my Litespeed with a standard 53/39 double and 12-23 cassette on the ride. Not only did I pass everyone on that hill, I completely dusted a Cat 3 racer who ended up puking at the top. Not bad for an old guy on a standard double.

All true stuff.
Love that last bit.