This has been my fifth winter riding studded tyres when it's icy and I’ve been asked to write an article in case any other member should wish to consider investing in a pair. Maybe near the end of winter they will be a little cheaper than at the onset of next winter.
If you dislike riding alone in cold weather (unless the use of these tyres should become more widespread) read no further because you're unlikely to get much company and, in any case, you probably wouldn’t wish to ride on ice alongside someone with regular tyres. If you’re content to sit out any protracted arctic spells or have freedom of choice regarding which days to ride, to be honest, they’d be a bit of luxury. However, if you actually enjoy getting out on the coldest of days or have restricted riding opportunities they’re definitely worth the money.
When I first started riding a bike again as an adult, I came off on unexpected black ice a couple of times and saw others in a group do so when we thought we would be safe. Then taking a more cautious approach I endured one or two bade winters when I was consigned to a turbo trainer in the garage for periods. Finally, having ridden through heavy rain to a bunkhouse weekend in the Welsh Marches leaving me soaked for the final climb only to find snow and severely rutted ice for the few final nervous miles across the top which seemed to take an eternity, I invested in a pair for the winter of 2014/15.
I bought Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus tyres which, having 4 rows of studs were a little more expensive than the ‘Plus-less’ variety which had just two rows near the centre of the tread. I figured the extra two rows nearer the edges of the tread would be a good idea as I intended to make full use of them. They’re now called Schwalbe Marathon Winter Performance Rigid Tyres and are currently available for £29.99 from Wiggle and possibly other online retailers.
These were for my cyclocross bike which had loads of clearance so I didn’t need to worry about the fact that that they’d need a little extra clearance than a normal set of 700x35s. The other potential expense is you need a pair of spare wheels with an equivalent cassette (or a spare bike) because these aren’t tyres for riding when there is no risk of ice. During the winter I have the cheap wheels that came with the bike fitted with the winter tyres and a normal pair of tyres on the better wheels I upgraded so it only takes a couple of minutes to swap the wheels.
They’re a tough, fairly heavy rigid tyre but were only slightly trickier to get on the rims than regular tyres, mainly because if you grip them in the palms of your hand you’ll find how penetrating the studs are.
Having fitted them, first of all you need to gently run them in for about 30 miles on tarmac (to ensure the studs are properly seated), so off I set on a mild day in mid-December hoping that I wouldn’t encounter another cyclist. One certainly attracts the attention of any other road user who isn’t cocooned from the elements as you crackle along the ice-free road surface (I’ve since become entirely accustomed to feeling a bit of a prune so this no longer troubles me). Besides the small weight penalty there is of course a fair bit of rolling resistance and I was about 2mph slower than normal although this was partly due to the advice to run them in gently.
With the inaugural ride out of the way, I eagerly awaited the arrival of snow or ice and mercifully only had to wait a couple of weeks. I headed out into the narrowest little used lanes in search of the most severe ice. The effectiveness of the studs was an unknown so I was a little nervous initially but they seemed to be OK on normal frost and black ice. When I came across some sheet ice I rode onto the verge, dismounted and placed the bike at an angle on the ice. All seemed well so I hopped back on and rode across the ice, turning back and repeating the exercise a few times as my confidence grew.
I enjoyed a further four icy rides that winter and by February had total confidence in the tyres. What a revelation! Thick sheet ice was no problem at all (providing you don’t stop and attempt to put a foot down I suppose). I only once did a daft thing and rode up a very steep hill on a tarmacked farm track across which running water had frozen to form thick ice. Halfway up it dawned on me that getting out of the saddle wasn’t an option and neither was getting off and pushing. Having cleared the ice, I soon came to a dead end and, retracing, I decided that braking on such a steep descent might not be wise so walked down the grass verge pushing the bike along the ice while squeezing the brakes for balance.
If one only uses these tyres when it’s necessary they’ll last many years. Eventually the tungsten studs start to wear but they can be replaced. I bought a bag of replacement studs with the requisite tool but I haven’t lost any studs or worn them out yet. I’ve ridden with the tyres 22 times during five winters clocking up 535 miles so far and they’re still fine. My longest ride has been 48 miles (generally about 25 miles is sufficient in sub-zero temperatures) and my top speed 39 mph, almost certainly not on ice. I reckon I’ll need to replace some studs within another couple of hundred miles but as I’ve only managed 70 miles so far this year that may not be for a while.
I have just a few of words of caution. I’ve never felt the slightest slip (other than slightly spinning the rear wheel on an icy climb when I forgot to remain in the saddle) but I do ride a little more cautiously on ice than normal, don’t lean too far into any corners or allow myself to gain too much speed on descents. Of course you need to look out for other vehicles that are out of control but that’s not unusual.
I may be a little weird but I think these tyres are great fun. In the last 5 years I haven’t missed a single ride due to ice, nor have I been tempted to endure an hour going nowhere on the turbo trainer in the garage.
