Author Topic: Winter tyres cheap - heads up  (Read 3939 times)

Re: Winter tyres cheap - heads up
« Reply #25 on: 22 September, 2017, 01:34:26 pm »
In recent winters, I've been using the Conti Top Contact Winter II, as being much better than the Marathon Winter on dry road, whilst still giving a reasonable amount of anti-skid.

Interesting, the manufacturers claim great things for non-stud winter tyres on cars at least.  Have you tried those on black ice to see how much they can do?

Re: Winter tyres cheap - heads up
« Reply #26 on: 22 September, 2017, 02:46:25 pm »
I mostly exhibit a healthy amount of caution when it's icy, despite the tyres, but I did try out riding straight up a steepish lane that had ice all over it. The rear tyre span out when the gradient got up to something like 8%, at which point controlling the feet well enough to actually get off the bike was pretty difficult.

Re: Winter tyres cheap - heads up
« Reply #27 on: 22 September, 2017, 03:38:01 pm »
I was going by what I see on the Schwalbe page: https://www.schwalbe.com/en/spikes.html although this may not be up to date or show previous versions of the tyres that had different stud arrangements.

For me, neither of those (Winter or Marathon Winter) have studs on the centre line.

Agreed - but I didn't say the tyres had studs on the centre line - just that they had studs on the centre part of the tread, and that the Marathon Winters additionally have studs on the outside of the tyre making them more versatile than the plain Winters  :) And on Schwalbe Snow Studs, the studs are only at the outside edge, so pressure needs to be dropped considerable for them to bite.

Peter White has a pretty good explanation of what configuration of studs work best in different conditions.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Winter tyres cheap - heads up
« Reply #28 on: 06 October, 2017, 01:57:44 pm »
"Snow Studs" down to £15 at Planet X

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Winter tyres cheap - heads up
« Reply #29 on: 06 October, 2017, 08:05:56 pm »

I have studded tyres for the Brompton (requires some protection on the frame to stop scratching). They were very useful last winter. I managed to do rides I wouldn't have been able to other wise. You notice them slip ever so slightly until a stud digs in and than away you go. Such a revelation after a few ice related falls in the past.

The issue with having grip on the bike right upto the point where you want to put your foot down can be mitigated with a set of microspikes. I've been using a pair of these (they live in my pack during the winter) for a couple of winters and they really help especially as footpaths are often just sheets of ice it seems...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Winter tyres cheap - heads up
« Reply #30 on: 10 October, 2017, 10:50:41 pm »
I have used the marathon winters the last couple times it snowed, but mostly they work by magic to keep snow away.  I tend to find that if I come across anything like what Kim has posted I’ll be walking as I don’t have the skillz for staying upright on that.
simplicity, truth, equality, peace