Winter is rumored to be approaching
10-13-11, 07:32 AM
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Winter is rumored to be approaching
They say winter's coming. The weather so far is very pleasant, and we all know that can't be allowed for any length of time. So there might be some truth to the gossip. I'm looking at getting some winter-specific tires this year to mount on my second set of wheels. I'm riding my GT Xizang, a titanium-frame hardtail mountain bike. Most of the year I'm wearing highway tires (Schwalbe Marathon Plus 26x1.5 belted tires) so for safety's sake I need to switch to something more aggressive for ice.
Have any of you tried the Schwalbe studded snow and ice tires ( like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Bicycle Tire Tyre 26x1.75 )? How about other makes or sizes? Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete?
What else do you guys and gals do to prepare for the cold months?
Have any of you tried the Schwalbe studded snow and ice tires ( like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Bicycle Tire Tyre 26x1.75 )? How about other makes or sizes? Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete?
What else do you guys and gals do to prepare for the cold months?
10-13-11, 07:59 AM
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The Cyclocross bike will get a major make-over in November. I’ll be fitting winter tires to new a 36 hole Velocity/Shimano touring wheel-set. I’m considering adding a Surly fork that will provide plenty of tire and fender clearance. I’ll make these changes for the long term, this bike will become a 75% paved road and 25% gravel & dirt path trekking bike during mild weather.
Selecting tires for winter is a challenge here in Chicago. The roads are cleared quickly, deep snow is not a significant issue. Snow plows, salt and urban traffic keep most of the pavement clear, but ice is always a risk. My solution is to have one wheel-set with studded winter tires and another with four-season stud-less tires. If the weather has been dry with some sun, I’ll use the four-season tires. If the weather is less favorable, I’ll have studded tires on another wheel-set.
Tires are like shoes, multiple pairs are needed.
Peter White has a great review of studded tires from Nokian & Schwalbe, plus some good general information: https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp
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When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
Last edited by Barrettscv; 10-13-11 at 12:59 PM.
10-13-11, 08:13 AM
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Likewise. The daytime temps will now be comfortable for riding 
. Of course that also mean you can't ride early in the morning or late in evening...without lights and a little danger.
. Of course that also mean you can't ride early in the morning or late in evening...without lights and a little danger.
10-13-11, 09:43 AM
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2) give the xc skis a new coat of glide wax
3) PRAY FOR SNOW!
My commute this morning was certifiably COLD: ~29F, and the mountains have a fresh coat of "the white stuff", so ski season can't be far off.
SP
Bend, OR
10-13-11, 12:39 PM
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So I won't mention the perfect mid 80s temperatures down here. If this winter is like last year, I may have to break out the jackets a time or two during the season. 
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10-13-11, 01:41 PM
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I'm wishing for a bit of winter, anyway! 100 deg.F yesterday, supposed to be even hotter today.
Re: Tires, I've had good luck with the Schwalbe Marathons, but mine are kinda small (16") since they're on my folding bike (which I use to commute to work and back).
Rick / OCRR
Re: Tires, I've had good luck with the Schwalbe Marathons, but mine are kinda small (16") since they're on my folding bike (which I use to commute to work and back).
Rick / OCRR
10-13-11, 01:51 PM
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Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete?
10-13-11, 02:25 PM
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Don't listen to rumours- I need proof.
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10-13-11, 03:21 PM
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They say winter's coming. The weather so far is very pleasant, and we all know that can't be allowed for any length of time. So there might be some truth to the gossip. I'm looking at getting some winter-specific tires this year to mount on my second set of wheels. I'm riding my GT Xizang, a titanium-frame hardtail mountain bike. Most of the year I'm wearing highway tires (Schwalbe Marathon Plus 26x1.5 belted tires) so for safety's sake I need to switch to something more aggressive for ice.
Have any of you tried the Schwalbe studded snow and ice tires ( like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Bicycle Tire Tyre 26x1.75 )? How about other makes or sizes? Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete?
What else do you guys and gals do to prepare for the cold months?
Have any of you tried the Schwalbe studded snow and ice tires ( like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Bicycle Tire Tyre 26x1.75 )? How about other makes or sizes? Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete?
What else do you guys and gals do to prepare for the cold months?
10-13-11, 04:37 PM
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96 degrees, sunny, low humidity, hardly any breeze . . .
This is Tucson, AZ after all!
Did ride with vest for the first half hour of our daily tandem toot . . . a cool 60+ at 9 a.m.
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
This is Tucson, AZ after all!
Did ride with vest for the first half hour of our daily tandem toot . . . a cool 60+ at 9 a.m.
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
10-13-11, 04:39 PM
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Got the stationary cleaned and checked over so it's ready to go for another (##%%^^%##@@@!!!) winter season.
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My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
10-14-11, 05:27 AM
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10-14-11, 06:31 AM
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Such a wide range of temps - from 34F to 72F today. I'll ride to the pool this am to go swimming, then a ride - the problem being the number of layers to wear and shed!!
Now
Partly Cloudy
Temperature
34 °F
Feels Like 29 °F
Wind(mph)
5
Sunrise / Set
7:07 AM
6:21 PM
Moon
Waning Gibbous
More Astronomy
Today
72 °F
Clear
Tonight
43 °F
Clear
Tomorrow
81 °F
Clear
Sunday
70 | 43 °F
Clear
Monday
63 | 34 °F
Clear
Tuesday
58 | 34 °F
Clear
I won't ride with any ice or snow on the trail - too much of a chance of breaking something, which at 71, is NOT a good idea. So, no studded tores for me, just ride the mtn bike with Panaracer tires when things are clear. They plow the trails, and with sunshine, they are usually OK to ride during the day, which is what I generally do.
Now
Partly Cloudy
Temperature
34 °F
Feels Like 29 °F
Wind(mph)
5
Sunrise / Set
7:07 AM
6:21 PM
Moon
Waning Gibbous
More Astronomy
Today
72 °F Clear
Tonight
43 °F Clear
Tomorrow
81 °F Clear
Sunday
70 | 43 °F Clear
Monday
63 | 34 °F Clear
Tuesday
58 | 34 °F Clear
I won't ride with any ice or snow on the trail - too much of a chance of breaking something, which at 71, is NOT a good idea. So, no studded tores for me, just ride the mtn bike with Panaracer tires when things are clear. They plow the trails, and with sunshine, they are usually OK to ride during the day, which is what I generally do.
Last edited by DnvrFox; 10-14-11 at 06:35 AM.
10-14-11, 09:53 AM
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They say winter's coming...Most of the year I'm wearing highway tires (Schwalbe Marathon Plus 26x1.5 belted tires) so for safety's sake I need to switch to something more aggressive for ice.
Have any of you tried the Schwalbe studded snow and ice tires ( like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Bicycle Tire Tyre 26x1.75 )? How about other makes or sizes? Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete??../
Have any of you tried the Schwalbe studded snow and ice tires ( like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Bicycle Tire Tyre 26x1.75 )? How about other makes or sizes? Do the studs cause loss of traction on hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete??../
Should I get studded tires for winter cycling?
...this [post] was a good synopsis of the options for studded tires:
I ride well-plowed roads where hard packed snow and black ice are the main concerns, so Marathon Winters are ideal. On occasion I leave early enough before the plows are out, and I encounter up to about 3 or more inches of new, and slightly tamped-down snow. Under these conditions the Marathons perform pretty well, and I have gone up hills the cars couldn't handle.
For the opening poster, I too considered that question in the title of this thread, mostly concerned about the increased rolling resistance, since I usually ride dry, or at least non-icy pavement. IMO, it's virtually negligible with the Marathons. What convinced me to get studded tires was a post by tsl; I wish I could find it again. His comment was that even in Rochester where roads are well-plowed (and I'm sure they have the experience) there still may be patches of ice that could take him down, and off the bike for weeks.
I put the studs on my beater bike in December and keep them on until April, and this will be my fourth season with these tires. I ride them about two thirds of the winter season on my six day per week 14 mile commute; I take out the road bike the rest of the time when the streets are perfectly clear.
...this [post] was a good synopsis of the options for studded tires:
For the opening poster, I too considered that question in the title of this thread, mostly concerned about the increased rolling resistance, since I usually ride dry, or at least non-icy pavement. IMO, it's virtually negligible with the Marathons. What convinced me to get studded tires was a post by tsl; I wish I could find it again. His comment was that even in Rochester where roads are well-plowed (and I'm sure they have the experience) there still may be patches of ice that could take him down, and off the bike for weeks.
I put the studs on my beater bike in December and keep them on until April, and this will be my fourth season with these tires. I ride them about two thirds of the winter season on my six day per week 14 mile commute; I take out the road bike the rest of the time when the streets are perfectly clear.
10-15-11, 07:52 PM
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Jim - These are the SAME set or Marathon Winter tires you're going into the 4th winter on? How's the tread and studs? Worn out yet? Are the studs slippery on dry concrete?
10-15-11, 08:44 PM
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I don't recall any problem with slippage on the usual blacktop roads I ride; not much concrete around here, though I have ridden a bit in Michigan where concrete roads are prevalent. Nonetheless, I think the enhanced traction on ice outweighs any problems with concrete. I recall one fellow subscriber who rides my commuter route in Boston commenting that he found the traction on wet enameled road lines to be better than non-studded tires. Of course the studs likely will bite into enameled paint better than concrete.
10-17-11, 06:40 AM
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Yeah, those heavily-painted lines on the pavement can be really slick when wet, and will upset you in half a nanosecond if you're not tracking straight and level at the time you're on them.
10-17-11, 01:10 PM
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And to think, a few years when I moved to Utah and saw studded snow tires available for MTBs, I was amused. I might get some next winter, after my back and neck heal...
10-18-11, 07:03 AM
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One thing I've always liked about this time of year is the 'CRUNCH' of fallen leaves as my bike tires roll over them in the quiet on a paved road or trail.
10-18-11, 09:39 AM
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Better watch out for unseen potholes under those fallen leaves. There was a real tragedy reported around here a couple years ago involving an unnrecognized pothole.
10-19-11, 12:21 AM
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Those same potholes can be filled with water or ice and seem to disappear as well. Nasty gotchas.
10-19-11, 06:24 AM
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