For any who want pictures along my route to work: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...53177407194417

First of all, I'm using DIY studded tires using the methods mentioned in the sticky thread. I have more studs (1/2" screws) in the front tire than in the back tire.

My first thought is that, unlike summer time, I think that I should be braking harder with the back tire than with the front because a rear skid is controllable whereas a front skid may lead to a fall. I'd like to hear other's opinion on this.

My second thought is that on roads with some car-packed snow, when there has been some sanding, there is a layer of loosened snow on top of hardened snow and, even with the screws sticking out, I find my front tire getting a bit squirrelly and more so with my rear tire but that is less disconcerting. I try to either find bare packed snow where my studs can cut into it or bare pavement.

I've only used factory studded tires, however I've ridden snowy roads a lot over the last 4 or 5 years. The road condition you talked about avoiding is called mashed potatoes, and I think the only tires that would be o.k.on mashed potatoes would be fat bike tires (i.e. Surly Pugsly). That's the only tire that would possibly allow float on these conditions. Otherwise, avoid the mashed potatoes or stay 'light' on your bike.

I don't know what setup you're using, other than the studs, but can you drop the tire pressure a few psi to increase the contact area? I'm not familiar with studded tires so that may in fact be poor advice.....But it might help if your rims/tires can handle it...

Mountain bike and yes, the pressure is lower: tire is rated for 40-65, I'm running the front at 30 and the rear at 35 (to compensate for the extra weight of my panniers and my butt).

We had a lot of wet snow falling on W. The studs didn't really help a lot with that but lowering the tire pressure helped a bit. That and I took the turns really, really easy. A fat tire bike would have been helpful.

I agree with bare packed snow where my studs can cut into it or bare pavement and so used to ride in the right tire track

Beautiful pictures.