Azriel

I'm guessing thicker tires are better for winter?

Steve B.

Well, that'll keep the air warmer.

Actually I read that a tire like the Continental Grand Prix 4 Season uses a different rubber compound then their 5000, specifically for off season and winter conditions. I know that some winter specific auto tires use a softer rubber for ice. Ive no idea if the Conti winter tires work better, I use the 4 Seasons year round as they are durable.

MNBikeCommuter

Much depends on your location and the winter conditions. It's hard to answer without that info.

murphyqin

1, choose the tire with a large amount of rubber, the better the rubber, the better its anti-slip performance, very suitable for cold winter.
2. Choose as wide a tire as your mountain bike's rear fork allows. That you still don't believe, the more wide tyre, the greater the contact area of tire body and the ground, so you even in wet rain and snow weather ride, it's slippery ability must be better than the narrow tire
3, choose spend relatively coarse tires, especially tire internal fine grain, coarser tires, tire flower edge texture among this kind of tyre can quickly cut loose pavement surface, Let the tires reach the hard surface quickly.
Our bikes can also be like cars, with two sets of tires, the winter with anti-skid tires, other seasons with small pattern fuel-saving tires.

parkbrav

Great thread, as it is now time to start looking for deals on winter cycling tires

2_i 

The best time is when winter starts winding down.

rumrunn6

parkbrav

haha, touche. Funny thing is, I think we're both right.

And both wrong. With costs so high these days, there's never a right time to buy anything

2_i 

Indeed, any predictions are quite fragile now. But, if I may add what worked in the past, it is looking into German vendors as the winter was about to close down. It is far more common to ride there in winter, so the winter tires tend generally to be cheaper. If you were buying 2 tires, the savings were easily paying for the shipping. If you were buying 4 tires and selling 2 on Ebay at the start of next winter, you were pretty much getting the 2 other tires for free.

CliffordK

There is a bit of a tendency to get more flats in the winter. So, heavier tires may help a bit.

Nonetheless, there are a lot of variables with many different winter conditions, as well as what kind of bike you're riding.

The toughest tires I've had were my Michelin Protek Cross Max tires. A bit heavy, and minimum size of about 35mm. But, I never managed to get a flat with them, and they seemed to have great traction in a variety of conditions from wet pavement to slush.

KPREN

Studded tires is the only way to go in winter. Everything else will put you on the ground sooner or later

mdarnton

I ride studs when winter is really bad. They have quite a bit of drag, but when you hit an unexpected spot of ice, feel about a half inch of skid, then the tire locking in, it's a wonderful feeling.

2_i 

Whenever possible, given the winter conditions and availability for the wheel size, I ride the non-studded Conti TopContact Winter, rather than studded.

MNBikeCommuter

I've found in MN that the tendency goes down in winter. Crap gets covered up with some snow/ice, snow plows clear off the road, idiots aren't rolling down their windows and chucking beer bottles out, etc.

Everton FC

I'd imagine up here in Alberta, studded tires would be the way to go. Funny how thin 13"-14" car tires on my daughter's old Echo cut through the snow like a knife. But I'd feel safer on my 26er w/at least a 2.0 studded tire. You get a lot of chinooks that turn into black ice over night up here, in the winter. It can go from -30c to +2 in 48 hours, then back down to -15. Studs seem sage. This will be my first winter riding up here. I hike a lot, but I will bike this winter as much as I can. So this thread is quite a good one for me to read through.

rumrunn6

what always seems to get me is: fresh powder over ice. the powder compacts into the treads, so much so, that it renders the studs non-existent & BAM! I go down!

I took this photo shortly before a crash & shoulder injury. how dumb am I?

actually happened twice last winter, once at night

stevel610 

Me too.

Everton FC

How many of us up here in the Great White North have ended up on our "arse", slipping on black ice covered in "powder"?!

Did the shoulder injury require surgery?

rumrunn6

thank you, no
AC Joint Sprain

rumrunn6

just a follow-up cuz I just came across this pic, from last year I think, maybe the year before. regardless, this is easy peasy w/ studs