Originally Posted by
Steely Dan
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i don't trust any non studded tire over ice after a couple of bad spills during my first year of winter bike commuting before i got wise to studded tires, but riding on studded tires when the streets are clear and dry is a literal and figurative drag.
Agreed. Black ice is a nightmare for morning commutes. Damp pavement or runoff that freezes at night is the worst I’ve gone down hard on sunny 33 degree mornings. I don’t mind sliding at 20mph so much as riding slow and going down hard – that is when it is easy to sprain an ankle (killing my commuting for 4-6 weeks).
[MENTION=191377]maloosik[/MENTION] I use tires that have studs on the sides and not the middle (Nokian W160). If it looks dry and fast I can use higher pressure and not ride on the studs. If the weather is bad, I’ll cut the pressure down so that the studs are on the pavement.
(although my favorite is full studs on an electric bike. ;-)