This is my first winter commute. We had our first real snow last week and I wish I had my studded tires on. The snow's melted now and it's quite mild out. It's supposed to rain/snow for the next week, though. My dilemma is: Should I put the studded tires on even if the forecasted snow might melt away? My tires are pretty crappy (researched them after I bought them) and will wear down on dry pavement. I don't have quick releasing wheels so I can't just get extra rims.
Is there such a thing as affordable studded tires that wont wear down on dry pavement?
MOst of the Nokian winter tires have carbide tipped studs. They are reported to not wear down on dry pavement although I can't attest to it. I am far to cheap to spring for nokians and we get far too little ice to justify it.
Notice, that i mentioned ice, not snow. Studs are for ice. THere are suitable tires without studs for Snow, like aggressively treaded regular MTB tires.
Yep, I know studs are for ice; but snow eventually becomes ice. The roads the other day were pretty icy and it was also snowing. Pretty yucky for my first real winter commute!
As I mentioned, we get ice and snow then it melts. Later in the year the ice and snow builds up so much that it doesn't melt for a while. I figure I'll put on my studded tires and replace them when they wear down, despite the cost. Hopefully that way I'm safe from slipping all over the place until we get substantial amounts of ice/packed snow that doesn't melt away in a day.
Yep, I know studs are for ice; but snow eventually becomes ice. The roads the other day were pretty icy and it was also snowing. Pretty yucky for my first real winter commute!
As I mentioned, we get ice and snow then it melts. Later in the year the ice and snow builds up so much that it doesn't melt for a while. I figure I'll put on my studded tires and replace them when they wear down, despite the cost. Hopefully that way I'm safe from slipping all over the place until we get substantial amounts of ice/packed snow that doesn't melt away in a day.
jenn
I've used my Nokian Extreme 296 studded tires for the past four years. The studs are still very good. I've heard reports of the tires running as long as seven years before the rubber gave out (the studs were still fine).
My studded tires stay mounted on the bike from about mid-November until around April 1. Terrain changes from dry pavement to black ice to snow and back again.
I had Innova tires and in the same conditions the studs were flush with the rubber in less then a season.
Schwalbe also makes studded tires. I haven't tried them myself although a buddy has them. By the end of the season I should have a good sense on how well they work!
If I were you I would put the tires on and not worry too much about the studs wearing out. I had an Innova studded tire years ago that wore out pretty quickly but not before it got me through the winter.
I'm in Toronto where, although it's fairly cold, the roads stay relatively free of snow and ice so I'm riding on bare pavement a lot.
Cheers, Dave
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Originally Posted by pinkskittles
