Icy roads & studded tyres

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Dave Cox
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Icy roads & studded tyres

Post by Dave Cox » 14 Jan 2014 16:50

Lots of twitter and Saracen message board chatter about falls this morning so I waited till 10.00. The ice seemed to have gone but I took the MTB with snow stud tyres again just to be sure. All OK till Bushwood Lane which was very icy even at 11.00+. A 4X4 was in the ditch with another trying to pull it out while 3 touring cyclists went through very gingerly! I also got some wheel spin but the steering was excellent. But with low pressure to make sure the studs engaged it was a very slow ride to Hatton Lock!

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CakeStop
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Post by CakeStop » 14 Jan 2014 19:37

What's it like riding with studs on roads that aren't icy?

Saw a cyclist down on the Pershore Road early this morning, looked like it may have been due to ice rather than a collision and I didn't stop because people were already looking after him / her in the safety of the pavement. Not much further towards town the roads appeared to be wet and ice free rather than slightly sparkly but given the amount of ice on the car I wouldn't have fancied joining the fair few cyclists I saw. Hopefully the victim was OK and isn't one of us.
Eat cake before you're hungry

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Philip Whiteman
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Post by Philip Whiteman » 14 Jan 2014 20:58

CakeStop wrote:What's it like riding with studs on roads that aren't icy?

.
When bedding in new studded tyres, they have to be ridden on dry roads for at least 25 miles. This experience was no different to normal studded tyres.

Incidentally, they prove themselves on Sunday's Club Run when I rode independently to the cafe. The only time I have experienced slippage within recent weeks occurred when attempting a 20% ascent across rock hard sheet ice, so they are not infallible.

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GrahamGamblin
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Post by GrahamGamblin » 15 Jan 2014 09:27

Steve - the studded tyres I have are only studded around the edges. At normal pressure the only difference when riding over non-icy stretches is that you hear the studs on the tarmac when cornering. If you reduce the tyre pressure so that studs are in contact with the surface constantly, then you hear them constantly - but I haven't notice any difference in the ride, only in the grip on ice!
Graham

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CakeStop
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Post by CakeStop » 29 Dec 2014 16:11

I went for the 35mm Schwalbe Marathon Winter Performance tyres in the end. Took them for their first properly icy ride this morning aiming for every patch of ice I could find. Went over loads of stuff I wouldn't have gone anywhere near with normal tyres (actually I wouldn't have attempted the short descent from my home on normal tyres).

Took a while to get the confidence up and ride fairly normally but, while I was still riding reasonably carefully when on roads, they felt safe. Slightest hint of rear wheel spin before it gripped when accelerating on some sheet ice but nothing scary. They seem fine off road too, just failed to get up one steep wet grassy bank the other day but no trouble today when it was frozen.
Eat cake before you're hungry

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