Originally Posted by
storckm
But I put my first ever pair of studded tires on this morning before going to school. It was slightly above freezing, snowing slightly, and I didn't really need them, but I figured it was a good time to go ahead and put them on.
And I'm shocked at how sluggish they make the bike. Like adding a trailer with two kids and forty pounds of groceries. And packing the wheel bearings with sand.
Still, I'm almost hoping for some icy patches.
And my fixie has smooth tires still, so I'll ride that when everything's clear (and I don't have a whole lot of stuff, and I won't need lights).
And really, I don't see why anyone should care. (This isn't not facebook, after all.)
This is the reason many of us seek to avoid studded tires at all costs. They work best on icy packed snow or pure ice. On the pavement they are terrible. IF you can find a used bike for almost nothing and have the room it is worth it to have a bike set up with with low gearing dedicated for the studded tires. Or put them on your fixie with a larger rear sprocket.