Marathon Winter break-in period?
 

just got a pair of 20" MWinters for my folding bike. due to the idiocy of the shop I bought them from, they arrived days later than necessary and on the eve of a huge snowstorm.

I could *really* use them, but the wrapper on the tires says they need to be "run in for approximately 25 miles on hard-top road to ensure spikes are permanently fixed."

Now that there's a layer of snow on the roads, I guess I pretty much can't use them until the snow melts ... in April? Or maybe I can go to a parking garage and do loops.

Any MWinter owners out there *not* break in the tires but not have problems with spikes/studs falling out? I am wanting to tempt fate here in Boston...

This is the same advice we gave to drivers back in the day when I studded car tires.

The purpose was to warn off folks from cowboy stuff--spinning the tires, hard cornering, or skidding to a stop--until after the rubber lubricant used when inserting the studs wore away and the studs firmly seated themselves.

Same applies to you. No cowboy stuff for a few miles and you'll be A-OK. Using the tires for their intended purpose does not constitute cowboy stuff. The warning is really to protect the company from idjits.

Schwable marathons winters are set pretty good, take a look at your tires to see if any studs aren't seated properly - if they aren't use a needle-nosed plier and push them in.

Ah, thank you! And rereading Peter whites page, I see that he refers to the break ib period as "bovine excrement"

mtalinm and I ride the same route but in different directions. Today's conditions were excellent for the Winters, mainly hardpack with minimal fresh and "mashed potato snow." I think my first rides were on pavement so I can't comment about a break-in period, but tsl's advice is likely correct.

I did make note of one thing about the Winters, which was recently discussed on a winter cycling thread. The Winters do occasionally slide a bit, and it can be disconcerting. It seems to me to happen mostly on loose snow on top of hardpack, and I don't recall noting it on black ice. As I understand, it occurs as the bare, non-studded surface of the tires skids until the studs catch. On that recent post I think the writer advised not to oversteer to compensate. Personally I keep it slow under those circumstances; it's nerve-wracking when going fast down hill, but I haven't fallen yet.

thanks tsl. per your advice I took them for a ride last night. what an improvement over a single lowly NOkian A10 in front!

also arriving in the mail was a pair of Lake winter boots, which I found on ebay in part based on your recommendation. I"ve had it fussing with multiple layers of socks, booties, etc.

Jim, I almost rode today and wished I had. gotta teach tmw but will give it a shot on Friday