Originally Posted by
1989Pre
Wow! I thought all studded tires were about 100 dollars a pop.
Depends on what mileage you're hoping to get out of them, and your riding conditions.
Over here, the department stores still sell studded tires where the studs are regular construction steel.
They can still give OK mileage on all-snow/ice surfaces, but as little as 200 miles of mixed riding can render cheap studded tires effectively "toothless".
Good quality studded tires use studs with a Tungsten Carbide core. In these, it's near enough impossible to wear the studs out. The carcass might give out, and the studs get a bit blunter. But that's about it.
The SW is a decent but not great Winter tire. The tread pattern is fairly shallow and poorly self-clearing. They don't do well in mushy or soft snow.
And at a 100 stud count it'll save you from Bambi moments, but you still need to adapt your riding/braking considerably when traversing ice or hardpack.
Studs are good quality though. They are a good choice for casual riding on mixed tarmac/ice roads.