aharris

Well, I've had them since the snow fell on the Patriot's game and I worried a bit, but I haven't put them on. On the coast we haven't really had a killing frost (I heard a katydid going at it just before thanksgiving). It looks to be in the upper thirties/ lower forties next week.

When should I put on the studded tires? (Got scwalbe winter...sorry for the spelling) mostly for the black ice on shaded commute.


Thanks

irclean

I've got the same tires (Schwalbe Marathon Winters) and I just put them on this week. I figure once the nightly temperature starts falling low enough to freeze any moisture on the ground, making my morning commute potentially hazardous, it's time for studs. From what I've read in these forums the carbide studs on the Schwalbes will last a long time even if the winter roads are relatively clear. As per the manufacturer's instructions avoid heavy braking or acceleration (emergency stops notwithstanding).

HardyWeinberg

For me the black ice season is pretty predictable; the start of it, anyway. So I just each year hope I get a weekend in between when I see it's coming and when it does.

akohekohe

I don't need them now but when I lived in the Northeast I simply kept two sets of wheels, one with the studs and one without. Thus I could switch back and forth quite easily as conditions change. It is a good idea to have an extra set of wheels hanging around anyway so you won't suffer any down time if you destroy a rim by hitting a pothole or something.

chipcom 

If there is a reasonable risk of icy patches on your commute route, it's time for the studs.
Only you can measure that risk on your route.

ItsJustMe

I don't use any rule of thumb, because some years I need them on first week of November, sometimes not until 2nd week of December. My rule of thumb is to put them on the first day that I need them.

BTW, I run Marathon Winters too. Beware; they do NOT do well in deep snow. I have some Nokian W106s that do well in snow, but the Marathon Winters have almost no tread that's any good from side to side, so they tend to wallow.

When I wear these out, I'm going back to Nokians. Of course, if they last like my summertime Marathons, it'll probably take 10 winters to wear them out.

I've decided that I'll just have to drive the car on days when the snow plow hasn't hit my street yet.

irclean

Or, you could just get a second winter bike with the Nokians installed for those deep snow days.

mikewille

Go ahead and throw 'em on.
Better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

john206

cyclocross is just about over (so I have alternate wheels to use) but frost and some snow likely coming to seattle. Whats the best choice for mostly bare road with icy sections on my commute. I don't think big knobbies will be very fun. I'm looking for smooth fat tires with small studs.

MNBikeguy

Shaded trails have much more surface unpredictability than roads. I'f you're having doubts, put them on now before you need them.

ItsJustMe

If I had working Nokians, I'd just put them on my one-and-only bike. I don't mind riding on the studs all winter.

Studs is studs; the Marathons don't roll that much easier than the Nokians, so really the Marathon Winters were just a bad idea all around. I'd trade them even-up for a pair of Nokian W106s right now even though the Nokians are $40 cheaper per set.

al-wagner

+1 to that

randomgear

I plan to wait until I see frost or puddles with ice on them.
Once their on, they stay on 'till about mid April, when I no longer see any frozen puddles on my commute.

Hot Potato

I have multiple bikes, so on or around November 15th I equip two bikes with studs. One Giant Seek1 with a Nokian 240 in front and a Scwalbe Marathon Winter 35mm in back (Very little clearance between the chainstays if I use a N240 in the rear, whcih I naturally discovered after I owned the Nokian 240). One Jamis Aurora with Nokian 106's front and rear.

The seek1 can be ridden in any snow/ice environment that I would venture out in. The Jamis is for those winter days when the roads are clear, but daytime thawing and night time freezing make ice patches inevitable. The N106's roll a lot easier but still prevent a crash on black ice. The N240's have seen service in some frightful conditions.

ItsJustMe

Eh, crud. Looks like I should put those studs on now. A couple of years ago the forecast looked about like it does for tomorrow, and I thought I could get by one more day, and I took one of the few falls I've taken as an adult, when the snow came hours earlier and inches heavier than predicted.

ItsJustMe

Studs are on for the season as of tonight. FWIW, the Marathons I bought new this season got 2362 miles on them to date and look almost new. The front actually does look new, the rear has the very shallowest grooves right in the center worn down. I won't be surprised to see the rear last 7000 to 10000 miles before the front goes to the back and I put a new one on the front. Pretty good for a $25 tire. I hear puncture resistance is decent too but I can't say since I don't get punctures even with cheap tires; just not many road hazards here.

daven1986

As I am about to start year round commuting I have decided to get a set of studded tyres. Am going for the Marathon Winters because here in London we don't usually get much snow but we do get a lot of ice. How much better are these than making your own studded tyre?

(sorry for the bit of a hijack!)

Thanks
Daven

Hot Potato

The studs are carbide tipped, and long lasting. I have never made studded tires myself, but have seen photos of home made studs. The Nokian and Schwalbe products appear to be far superior to my eye.

daven1986

Thanks

ItsJustMe

I've never made my own, but the local LBS owner advised me to do so, said he made his own all the time. However, he went down the procedure; buy a box of screws and a pair of fat tires, spend an hour driving the screws in, then buy a pair of tire liners. By the time you buy all that crap, you've spent at least $35 or $40 per tire, and that's about what a pair of Nokian W106s cost.

Add to that, he said "...and you only have to replace the screws once a year or so" - but the carbide studs on proper studded tires last many years. By the time you get done, I think you'd have spent more money on the DIY tires than on commercial ones, and spent a lot of time screwing around with them too. After weighing these considerations, I just bought a pair of Nokians.

Personally I would go with the Nokian W106s. Rolling resistance IS a little higher, but it's not great on either of them and the Nokian is cheaper.

daven1986

Yeah that is what I thought. I can get some Schwalbe Marathon Winters for £33 a tyre and any decent tyres that I can put studs in cost almost that. Don't need them for a while though

benda18

while i generally agree, it's definitely worth a few minutes of planning before installing. i wouldn't ride 1 day more than I needed on studded tires.

daredevil

Like others have said, time to get that second bike for bad weather so you can leave em on. I'm glad I have mine on right now. Awoke to a couple inches of snow.

chipcom 

Good luck getting the weather to cooperate with your planning.

Having a second bike set up for icy/snowy days somewhat negates the need for planning and worrying about working a little harder on the studs one day more than necessary.

ItsJustMe

I just put mine on and leave them on all winter. I do wait until I need them, but I don't switch them on and off as needed. There are many days (the majority of days) in the winter when I don't need the studded tires, but this is Michigan, and snow and ice can occur without much warning. If it suddenly started dropping freezing rain and I was at work without studded tires, I'd be SOL.