Originally Posted by
chico1st
some people use skinny tires in the winter some use wide ones... is there a certain situation for each? I dont off road but i do try to keep riding all winter in snow up to say 3" before it gets ploughed usually. I ride in a poorly ploughed city (not toronto)
I always find the hardest part it the fact that there are tire tracks everywhere leaving crazy variance in snow density/characteristics.
What are the arguments for and against each?
And yes I know I can get studded in both and studded makes ice nice.
Skinny tires can cut through certain amounts of snow and slush... once the snow becomes deep enough skinny tires are nay useless. This happens somewhere near 5cm of fresh snow. Skinny tires definitely don't handle as well on loose car tracks, they also get deflected and skid when going through snowy humps and what not on the road. It ain't stylish but, you can hack it mostly.
The wider tires are easier to balance on but will tend to float over stuff which is good in deeper/loose snow but so-so in lesser snowfalls. They also have more rolling resistance.