Originally Posted by ghettocruiser
I didn't have much luck with the snow studs. They did roll well on pavement, because the studs are well off to the side, but on ice they were barely better than a regular tire.
With a spiker on the front and the snow stud on the back, the rear tire would often let go and drift out enough that by the time the studs on the side caught the ice, the back of the bike was almost sideways, and I'd end up spinning around anyways, as if I had a regular tire on the back.
Maybe I had the pressure too high.
Certainly sounds like it. If you have the right tire pressure and studded tire you should be able to pull wheelies on it.
Originally Posted by ghettocruiser
The durability was a little disappointing too. The bead came off the tire after only a few hundred kms, and the studs seemed more rusted than the other types as well.
Edit: on my last visit to MEC I noticed that the casing looked different, so maybe the durability of the beads has improved.
I'm not sure what MEC is selling, I got 3 seasons out of a pair of nashbar branded studs on my commuter. Beads coming apart is usually a sign of over-aggressive mounting technique, did you mount them yourself? Riding on dry pavement will wear them out and a few will pull out but if you try and keep on the shoulder where the snow/ice is it seems to increase their life span.
They don't salt here like they do in some places but I've already had the studs on since October 20 and they probably won't come off until April.