Studded tires and/or beater for winter?
 

I am already thinking about how to continue commuting to some degree in winter. I live in the northeast snow-belt where we typically get 100+ inches of snow per season and lots of salt is used on the roads. I have a steel frame touring bike that I bought new this past spring. I have been commuting ~4 days per week and my commute is 11.5 miles each way. I am trying to decide between:

(1) Buying a pair of Nokian studded tires for my current bike. I think that 700x35 studded tires will fit under my fenders. The cost of this will be ~$130.00.

(2) Buying an old mountain bike and getting 26" studded tires for it. Cost will be also ~$130.00 for tires plus cost of used bike, plus cost of fenders, plus cost of rack (unless I luck out and find a "commuterized" mountain bike)

There are two questions I have:

(1) Does anyone have experience with winter commuting on fat 26" tires versus skinnier 700c tires? Which is better?

(2) Will salt destroy my steel frame? Would an aluminum frame be a better winter commuter? I have spent around $1000 on setting my current bike up the way I like it and do not want it destroyed in one year.

Also, cost is a constraint. My ideal winter bike would have an internal gear hub, chain case, and disc brakes, but that just isn't going to happen. My spouse has become, shall we say, "sensitive" to my bike related purchases.

How about a cheap box store MTB? One of those heavy ones with full suspension? I've been thinking of getting one for winter/all-weather rides. Sure, they'll be slower. But in bad weather, slow + heavy = stable. And they'll come with MTB tires and so forth.

I was just thinking the same thing. I have a new hybrid I'm using now and I've seen what a bike will look like after one winter and I don't fell like ruining the new one.
But I have my old MTB beater in the garage that I think I'm going to tune up and get it ready and try it out slowly as the weather progresses. That way I'm not out any money (except maybe for some fenders) and then if all goes well next year decide on what to do.

Studded tires: Yes. Worth every penny the first time you hit a patch of black ice you didn't see.

Winter-beater bike: Yes. Steel frames are actually OK in road salt but the life expectancy of chains, components, and bearings in those conditions is very short. And the last thing you will want to do is break a nice brifter when you try to shift and find that your derailler cable has just frozen solid.

Go with the studded tires and don't worry about the frame (my steel commuter) has 6 years of year round riding and not a hint of rust. Components such as: chain, chainrings, cassettes are another story (necessitating yearly replacement in my case). I find that bottom brackets and pedal spindles need more re-greasing in winter conditions as well. Also, rim brakes get clogged with ice/snow and rim brake surfaces take a real beating too. Other than that, 700c series tires do just fine in snow.

700x38C vs. 26x2.1 - I've been on both, and the 700C was definitely faster. I found that the narrower tread cut down through the soft snow to whatever hard surface was underneath [hard snow, ice, pavement]. When on bare pavement, the difference was even more profound. I found that the 26" tires were only superior when riding in frozen ruts and on steeper climbs.

As for the bike, if you can fit the studded tires onto your current ride, you might as well do it. Another option is to find a used mountain bike that uses disc brakes. If you want to use the stock 26" wheels, you're good to go. You could also rebuild the disc hubs to a 700C rim - there will be clearance on most mtn bike frames, even with fenders. In either case, sell/trade the suspension fork for a disc-compatible rigid fork and you will have a foul-weather machine par excellence.

Chains suffer mightily under a salty onslaught. Buy a better-quality chain with nickel plating to maximize life. I've used Finish Line Wet XC lube for quite some time with excellent results. Even if the chain does rust, adding more oil and then going for a quick spin gets it fixed right up. For the rest of the drivetrain, go singlespeed. :D

I have no winter biking experience, however, I have owned a steel bodied car for many years in northeast winter conditions. The #1 thing to do to prevent corrosion is to wash off the salt. After each big snowstorm once the roads are clear and dried out I'll go to a DIY carwash and hose off the undercarriage.

I understand a high pressure hose is deadly to bike bearings since it'll wash out grease, but a gentle rinse and re-oiling will probably do wonders to keep corrosion at bay.

My bike already has some surface rust, which I've touched up, so I have no worries about seeing a little more this winter :)

I have Nokians Hakka 35s, and they've been good to me, they're now at end of life. A bunch of studs are gone, and some pushed through the tire and caused some flats.

This year I'm going with Marathon Winters. 240 studs, $65 each. I think the extra rows of studs will help, because one of the problems I had with the Nokians is that they didn't like climbing out of icy ruts. Also they have reflective sidewalls. My winter nemesis is mainly ice, so the lesser tread shouldn't be a problem.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

I have a steel framed mountain bike from the 90's that I've used in the winter for about 4 seasons. The only rust on the frame (that I can see) is a small spot where a brake cable rubbed through the paint. It's a Specialized Rockhopper and I think they did a good job on the finish. I've got some other old bikes where it seemed to take almost nothing to chip the paint. Those bikes would not do as well in the winter.

Any unpainted steel rusts. A coating of oil helps.

I've used 26" studded tires and they're great on hard packed snow and ice, not so good on loose snow. I'd like to try an old road bike that would take 35c studded tires.

My LBS dude said spray the bike with Pam (the cooking spray) before the season gets started.

Ha, that's awesome. Did he say why?

I'd skip the pam. I ride a steel frame all winter and it's plenty salty around here it's not a huge concern, your parts though can take a beating. Treat the frame by washing it and apply a layer or two of car wax on the frame. It help shed and repel grime a bit and makes it easier to wash off during the season.

As far as studded tires go, I high recommend the Nokian W106 35mm. For me, they are the sole reason I find winter commuting possible. There is a lot of advice about studs on this and the winter forum and it has a lot to do with your location and the prevailing conditions as to weather they are right. Some people can do quite well without them, but I can't. Most of what I deal with is ice and hardpack which is where the studs shine. Crashing in the cold is the worst, They save my ass every day.

Remember though studs do not help in much if at all in fresh or deep snow. But for me that is rare, we do get a lot of snow but it gets plowed off really quickly around here. Leaving hardpack and black ice and lotsa sketchy stuff that regular tires have trouble with.

I ride a single speed which is ideal from a maintenance standpoint, although its not for everyone.

I'd say treat the frame with wax, get some skinny studs, lube your parts really well, try to keep the bike clean (it's hard) during the winter, and replace your chain at the end of the winter.

Blech! Forget that! The last thing you want is that crappy suspension. Yuk. Definitely NOT stable! http://www.bagophily.com/images/barf.gif

You'd be WAY better off going to the Salvation Army thrift store.

For additional protection, basically. All the guys at my shop are winter riders (shop motto is "ride year round or die"), and they're a great source of winter clues.

+1 (I ride the same Minnesota weather, and he's spot-on)

It's August...not even technically the middle of August! No winter questions until the middle of September! I mean it:notamused::twitchy:

+1

tastes better

I have my bike covered with this

http://www.tdiparts.com/catalog/imag...plubewurth.jpg

http://www.tdiparts.com/catalog/prod...roducts_id=799

It would have to rain mineral spirits to wash it off the frame

+2
:crash:

p.s., studded tires ftw.

Ice bike (somebody above put up a link) and some other sites have directions for making your own studded tires out of old MTB tires. Apparently they work quite well and last quite a while. Google "homemade studded bike tires"

I don't have any experience in the snow to speak of, but common sense tells me the only areas to worry about (as far as damage) are unpainted, exposed areas of steel. So the chain, maybe the casettes and cogs (which I would keep greasy) and the bottom bracket and headset. I think the pam or whatever may be a good option to spray in and around the headset and bottom bracket.

It's August - start talking about lighting if you tend to work late.
Enjoy the rest of the summer.

P.S.: If you post from the Land of the Midnight Sun, you can be forgiven about asking about ice and studded tires.

Beater for Winter
 

I bought an old Univega steel hybrid for $90, outfitted it with SKS fenders and Nashbar studded tires. Works like a champ. Even the cheap vinyl seat is good: it sheds snow and rain. The fenders are almost essential to keep flying snow out of your face. Due to riding over packed snow, I had to add a suspension seatpost to keep vibration down. I've used this bike for five years straight in Iowa winters, same tires, and it has very little rust. The component that will suffer the most is the chain: lubing with chain lube and then soaking it with motor oil has worked well to keep salt and rust off. And keep the frame waxed.

Nokian and Schwalbe are the only two companies that make their tire studs out of tungsten carbide. The general consensus is that these tires will last you years, whereas cheaper studded tires will wear very quickly.

I'll be ordering a set of Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires in the coming weeks.

Nokian studded tires on something with hub gears and drum/roller brakes. Anything else is asking for too much effort.

Sorry to bring it up so early.... :)

Thanks all for the advice. I'm keeping my eyes open for a good deal on Craigslist. I don't have a spare bike, so if I can find a cheap one, I'll grab it. After reading all of the responses, it seems like 700x35 tires may work out fine. I'm going to try and find a cheap bike that will take the 700x35 tires. That way, the studded tires could be placed on either my current bike or the old one, and some of the parts will be interchangeable too. It may be helpful to be able to salvage parts in the event of a crash, or if salt completely destroys my bike.

There was a Fuji Touring Series III for $80 yesterday on Craigslist in Buffalo. It came stock with 700x35 tires, so the studded tires would have fit. Of course I just checked back and it is gone. Dang it. :(

Luckily I have a long time to shop before I have to worry about snow and ice.

Like some of the other posters have said, I'd worry less about the frame due to salt and worry more about what's going to happen to the gears, chain, and other components. The cost of replacing those things come spring might be more than just getting a decent beater bike. I'm personally of the mindset to get a beater bike for winter because even with studded tires, you can still slip on a patch of ice and ding your bike up pretty good.