Originally Posted by
Papa Tom
HOWEVER, I have always been intrigued by those studded tires and would LOVE to try a set for recreational riding during the winter. Are they expensive? And can I make my own set from an extra pair of MTB knobby tires?
Yes. And Yes. The ones in the pic 65er posted are home made. Last I knew, there were instructions down in the Winter Cycling forum.
One caveat: While home brew work fantastically off-road and on roads covered with ice and hardpack (as they seem to be in Alberta), they're not so hot when they meet pavement. (Although according to my nephew, the sparks are impressive.) Likewise, commercial ones with steel studs also wear out quickly on pavement, and are better suited for off-road.
My tires have carbide studs, just like those in car tires, only shorter. I run Nokian Hakkapeliitta W106 in 700x35/38. They're 35mm wide, but the height of a 38. I'm entering my seventh season with them Upstate on Lake Ontario. At their current rate of wear, I estimate they've got another seven years left in them.
See
http://peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp