what winter tires are you running this year?

qclabrat

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
I know many of you switch to fat bikes in the winter, but just haven't made the plunge yet, nor see much advantage in icy, hilly singletrack trails. Are studs the only way to go when snow and ice has settled on the trails? what about rubber compounds, are there tires out there made with softer rubber, like car tires, for the colder months? Lastly if a CX bike has BB7s would it be a better winter bike than a mtb?
 
nothing will save you on ice. More importantly is the conversation about cross bikes. I would think that from a deeper snow standpoint the thin tires with concentrated weight would slice through the snow better provided you have good tread. Like those old army jeeps.
 
whatever woody was riding last year - wolverines maybe?
(didja have traction bands made of out of 1-way ties?)

they hooked up where the ignitor left me with bike in hand.
 
gensq1.ang.jpg

looking forward to it!
 
Pampa was ripping it up with studded fat tires on sheer ice. It was fun to watch. I think he bought a $30 Walmart stud kit.
 
I have a set of studded nokian extremes. You can ride on ice covered roads or frozen lakes with confidence, but also found that the studs rip out if there is not enough snow and you make contact with rocks. The soft compound cant retain the studs if you are torquing up and over rocks. They are replaceable but tend to avoid using these tires unless the conditions or place is just right. Other studded tires may work better but still may not be worth the investment. You can certainly get by with normal tires, as wide as your frame will fit. Put some screws in the soles of your winter shoes and get off and walk through the icy sections. I am running some WTB 2.4 Mutano Raptors, tubeless for now.
 
qclabrat said:
I know many of you switch to fat bikes in the winter, but just haven't made the plunge yet, nor see much advantage in icy, hilly singletrack trails. Are studs the only way to go when snow and ice has settled on the trails? what about rubber compounds, are there tires out there made with softer rubber, like car tires, for the colder months? Lastly if a CX bike has BB7s would it be a better winter bike than a mtb?
Click to expand...

I think this might be the easiest ON/OFF solution for riding in potentially icy conditions:

http://www.slipnottraction.com/

At least it's easier than swapping studded tires. I also think they would stand up a little better when riding on sections without any snow or ice cover.
 
BlackBean said:
I think this might be the easiest ON/OFF solution for riding in potentially icy conditions:

http://www.slipnottraction.com/

At least it's easier than swapping studded tires. I also think they would stand up a little better when riding on sections without any snow or ice cover.
Click to expand...

Damn we used to make our own when i was 12 back in 1976 on our ten speeds and race flat track style on the ice. looping small link chains on our wheels. Our dads would get so pissed as we were always destroying wheels. We had a gang of marauders on ten speeds riding single track too, good times and who knew it would have been my passion 38 years later...

Yes 10 speeds, BMX hadn't hit the east yet...
 
I've seen some pretty cool Schwalbe studded tires, haven't tried any though. My mountain kings are serviceable in snow ImageUploadedByTapatalk1416014576.944694.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1416014619.662603.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1416014649.714917.jpg
 
last year i ran 2.2 mountain kings in the snow. thinkin about going back to them again, maybe in a 2.4 version.
 
wolverines are pretty soft and probably good in the cold, will wait for the first real snow to try the DYI zip tie or zip tie and chains method. only issue with that setup is if you get a flat. has anyone every gotten a flat riding in the snow or ice? I haven't in the limited times I've been out.
 
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