- I am overly cautious (i.e. a coward on my bike), and thus need a lot of convincing that 'X' is true before I entrust my elf/safety to it.
In this case, I'd say only the third is true
Understandable - cycling on ice on the wrong tyres is terrifying and best avoided.
To clarify the observations on using Top Contact Winters on ice, as I said, they require more caution than studded tyres......and even studded tyres are best deployed with not insubstantial levels of caution on sheet ice, particularly when turning, braking or negotiating adverse cambers and inclines.
Top Contact Winters can be ridden in a straight line across sheet ice with a very significantly higher level of confidence than a regular non-winter-specific tyre. Cornering on sheet ice, virtually impossible on a regular tyre, is possible on Top Contact Winters.....considerable caution is required, particularly being careful to go slowly, but staying upright is not that difficult. In any case, when I suspect sheet ice is going to be a major problem, I will most likely select studded tyres.
Continental used to have a short excerpt video on its Top Contact Winter webpage.....it's no longer there, for whatever reason (I'm sure all the Apollo landing conspiracy advocate types will insist its removal was for nefarious reasons), but can be found in the segment from 1'34" to 1'48"
HERE.
The video shows a rider braking on ice, firstly using Top Contact Winters and then on 'summer' tyres. Having ridden Top Contact Winters across sheet ice, although I have always exercised far more caution than the test rider did, the capability exhibited by my tyres has given me enough reason to believe the demonstration is credible.
People who haven't tried them are entitled to their less well-informed opinions....I merely pass on my experience for others to ignore, disbelieve or act on as they see fit. It makes no difference to me whether they buy and fit them, but when I started using them several years ago, I wished I'd known about them sooner. Like I said, it amazes me they aren't used extensively and better known.
Anyway,
THIS REVIEW may be of some use to those considering these superb tyres.