modernjess

So, I threw the studded wheelset on this morning for 2 reasons, because I might need them for the ride home, and my other wheelset needed a repair. I figured it's coming sooner of later, how bad can it be.

A stiff headwind, 33F, driving freezing rain, and my legs are begging for mercy.

I appreciate their function, but you forget just how much more you gotta work to roll those mothers until you ride. This is especially true on a single speed bike.

It's going to be a long winter. I try to keep remembering I'll be stronger than hell by spring.

NeezyDeezy

good man, keep it up

riddei

Some people change tires (or wheel-sets) between studded and non-studded because of the increased resistance. I am the opposite. after about a week of riding I seem to get used to the extra resistance. I'd rather set it and forget it, than be reminded of how much more work they are every time I switch them on and/or off.

I've got about another month or so before they will need to go on here on the coast.

modernjess

^^ good point. I get that . But this early in the year there can still be weeks and weeks of dry pavement. If it hadn't been for the repair and part I needed for my other hub I would have risked it and run the slicks today. I'll probably switch back again at least once before I go to permanent winter set up.

Scheherezade 

Snownie slush today in St. Cloud, MN. I was being lazy, so I'm trying to call Peter White to get some Hakkapellita W106s ordered.

barturtle

Since you're on a SS do you gear down on your studded wheelset or do you leave it the same as your other set? I'd think given the extra effort required to move them along, I'd move up a tooth or two on the back.

bmike

still haven't put mine on here in BTV... but the flakes were slowly falling this afternoon. have to watch the weather for the ice.

i've got a surly dingle cog in the back (fixed) so i'll move the chain to the inner cog and pick up 2 teeth. this will be my first year riding studs...

FredOak

I'm ordering mine on Friday, just a few miles south of where I am they got 10 inches of the white stuff this week-end with freezing rain.

This weeks forecast isn't too bad but the season typically kicks off with a Thanksgiving snow storm so I'm going to be ready.

modernjess

Yes I do, I run a 16T with slicks and a 17T with the studded set. Chain length with this swap is not a problem with the semi horizontal dropouts on my cross check. Also at some point in the next month when I go to full time studs I'll probably swap the 42T front for a 39T and shorten the chain a few links. Then in the spring I buy a new chain and switch it all back. It's become my yearly routine.

buzzman

mine will go on at the first hints of ice rather than snow. It's the black ice that's brought me down more times in the past than I'd like to admit.

As much as I complain about how slow I feel it's a great work out- and such a pleasure when I take them off in the spring!

And compared to the kinds of injuries a good fall from the ice can give- often enough to keep me off the bike for a month or so. Or being gun shy to ride because of icy conditions. I'll take the studs.

Can you hear me talking myself into getting ready to put them on! UGH!!!!

Lurker1999

When are you planning on putting yours on? I'm still debating getting a 3rd bike (which I don't need) for studded tires or just putting them on my usual daily commuter MTB. Riding studs on a mountain bike 10 miles to work along the Emerald Necklace and Jamaica Pond doesn't sound particularly appealing but..

DoB

I run two bikes because we get these long stretches of clear dry pavement all winter. So I put some cyclocross tires on my regular commuter for most days which gives me protection for the odd light snow and such. I put studs on my 26" hybrid bike and ride that one days when the roads are icy or covered with packed hard snow.

The studs simply suck to much to ride on day after day on clear roads.

PLyTheMan

Am I going to die if I don't get studs for this winter? God I want to snowboard so bad but now I have to ride my bike through it too... talk about a conflict of interests.

buzzman

I have a 10 mile ride along the Charles (mostly) on the bike path from Newton to downtown Boston. When I'm coming home some night and those puddles on the Brighton stretch have turned to ice I will cautiously ride home and put on the tires and leave them on until the middle of March or so. (sometimes mid-April).

I guess I don't really plan when I put them on. I guess I'm counting on global warming to keep me from having to put them on as long as possible.

PS- my bike is a hybrid type commuter- pretty much a MTB- an REI Buzz. The studs I use are Nokian Mount and Ground 26x1.9.

bmike

same here. first sign of a frozen puddle or stretch of black ice and the studs will go on.
i'll keep the road bike rigged for those 'nice' days.

kmcrawford111

I don't know, I bought Marathon Winters last year, my first studded tires, and I thought the extra effort required to ride with them on was minimal. Perhaps their studs are less agressive than average, but it wasn't a problem at all. I did have a knobby for one wheel prior, though.

buzzman

I'm hearing good reports on the Marathon Winters. The Schwalbe makes a 1.75 tire, which would be preferable as far as I'm concerned over the 1.9 Nokians I currently run. The jump from a 1.5 slick to a 1.9 with studs and more tread is definitely noticeable but after a couple of weeks I don't think about it.

tjspiel

Last year I was all excited to convert my winter bike to a single speed until I took that first ride of the season on studs. Somehow the conversion fell off the priority list.

This year my winter bike is an old road bike that's still in really nice condition. I want to save the components from the abuse they would take from road salt so again I was thinking single speed, - until I rode on the studs. Now I think I need lower gearing and will be looking for a smaller chain ring.

Have you ever been to One on One bikes in downtown Minneapolis? If not, it's worth a lunch hour just to see the junk yard in the basement. One third of it is literally a pile of junked bikes. Most of the rest is bins and racks of old components although there are some nice used bikes down there too. Anyway, they have chain rings that are semi sorted by bolt pattern so I'll see what I can find.

I may still go the single speed route. I'm trying to get a feel for what gear inches will make the most sense for me.

slloth

You are my hero...period.

ok_commuter

Another thread I thought was going to be about something completely different...

UberIM

What kind of studded tires and size do yo use?
This is the first year I have a touring bike-converted to ss.......
need 700cc tires with studs

tjspiel

I'm not sure what ModernJess uses but Nokian W106s are popular with folks on the forum and come in a 700 X 35 size.

I would have put them on my bike but I didn't have quite enough clearance so I got the Nokian A10s instead. They're 700 X 32 and don't have as many studs but they're a tad lighter and roll a bit easier (from what I understand).

ItsJustMe

I put on my Marathon Winters over the weekend. They're new; previously I was running Nokian W106s. I think the Marathons roll a little easier. I switched to them mainly because they have twice the studs, with more up the sides for crawling out of ice ruts (this is a problem for me a few times every year) and also because they have reflective sidewalls.

This time of year is teh suxxors for studs; I really needed them Monday, not so much yesterday, it's supposed to be 40-55*F the rest of the week. But they're too much of a PITA to get on and off for me to bother switching them. Besides, they're new so I should run the studs in for a few days.

RE snow versus ice - it's packed snow that does me in every time - the two times I've dumped the bike due to not having the studs on, it's been on packed snow, not ice.

thdave

No studs yet for me--I'm waiting for Christmas break. That puts me in the spirit. I find they slow me down significantly. With them on, it takes me about 6 extra minutes to get to work. That said, it's fun to ride with them in the snow. Love it, unless there's no snow!

When I put them on I clean up my bike at the same time. I keep them on until early March.

modernjess

One on One? oh yes, in fact it's the only bike shop I patronize. My office is a block away, I go there for lunch on average 2 times a week, they built my bike for me to my spec a few years ago. Being able to grab a great lunch and get a set of hub bearings or whatever I need within walking distance of work makes me feel blessed. In fact that's exactly what i did yesterday.