I can only speak from personal experience. Contrary to what a lot of people will tell you, carbide studs do get rounded off at the tips and eventually wear out. It all depends on how much riding you do on bare pavement and how much you weigh.... If you ride longer distances every single day for a couple of months in a row then yes carbide studs will wear out. If you ride less often on bare pavement, studs will last for a couple of years...I've noticed that the rear wears out faster than the front, so what I do is I rotate my tires every year to get a more even wear and make them last longer. Also try not to skid or ride too aggressively on pavement because the studs can get ripped out. ..Personally I've worn out one pair of studded tires in 3 seasons, and I have another set which is 8 years old and still good...I also have two bikes set up for winter. One has studs and the other has regular tires with some aggressive tread. I only use the studs when I feel it's necessary, and ride my bike with regular tires when conditions aren't too bad. Every winter is different.