I put my studded tires on earlier this year than I did last year.

Last year I waited until late November, when it had gotten pretty ugly outside, to put them on. It was my first winter commuting, and the experience was not great. I developed tight hamstrings from fighting the studded tires too hard. I learned to stretch better, leave earlier, and spin in an easier gear on the studs.

This year, I put the studded tires on in late October. I intentionally did my first commute on them on a day when I wore shorts and winds were light and variable. And I left 10 minutes earlier than normal and took it EASY.

I'm glad I took that approach this year. Yes, they are a lot more work pedaling, but I got my body adjusted to the increased workload well before the slop hit the roads. I know some of the more experienced members of this Forum have a different approach, but I plan to tackle it this way every year now on. It works for me.