Originally Posted by
Banzai
Gravdals don't look different, functionally, from SMWs. Tight spaced chevron/v tread. Inner and outer row of studs. SMWs were cheaper though, and Schwalbe tires have always got me there. So I got Marathon Winters. Given the close similarities, I don't see Gravdals outperforming the SMW.
Here was the review from someone who used both:
http://www.bikeforums.net/winter-cyc...h-gravdal.html
Third winter biking. Previous winters have been with the schwalbe marathon...In both directions I run into the same things: snow, slush, frozen ruts & ice. And in both directions I have the same feedback: They push through slush (what wouldn't?), react to ruts as any tire (BUMPBUMPBUMP) & can take on ice better than the marathons, which are the only other studded tires I've ridden extensively...
These are marathon winters:
These are Gravdals:
Another maybe a little tougher looking pic of the marathon winters:
They look fairly different to me.
The Marathon Winters are great tires. They're what I ride in the winter. And they're definitely a lot cheaper. I just keep getting the impression that the marathons are faster, the gravdals are slower but grippier (and way more expensive). Schwalbe Marathon Winters are grippy enough for me for most of the riding I do.