Studded tires

[pinot_noir]

How much difference do they make? Do you also lower psi to minimum?

I might get them after experiencing my slippery fall. Now bruised and lightly injured, I consider getting studded tires for the first time ever. If you have recommendations - happy to hear!!

[Papa Dom]

can't call myself stud man haha. asked around again, and friend of mine says he uses studded tires. def feels difference and has increased confidence in snowy or icy conditions. yes, he lowers pressure but not all the way to the minimum. schwalbe winter tires, always a good choice.

[Joe_W]

Biking in Norwegian winter, daily commute: only possible with studded tyres. I can definitely recommend getting them, the looks of pedestrians carefully trying to walk on icy roads as you zoom past are totally worth it! Plus it feels much safer than walking...

Edit to add:
I had the same experience as pinot_noir 12 years ago. I slipped and fell on black ice. Twice. Within a week. I had to sleep on my stomach for a few days, because of my bruised rear end.

[pinot_noir]

Encouragement accepted. Thanx!

Any studded tires in particular that I should consider? Antything besides Schwalbe?

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(12-22-2019, 12:59 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  Biking in Norwegian winter, daily commute: only possible with studded tyres. I can definitely recommend getting them, the looks of pedestrians carefully trying to walk on icy roads as you zoom past are totally worth it! Plus it feels much safer than walking...

Edit to add:
I had the same experience as pinot_noir 12 years ago. I slipped and fell on black ice. Twice. Within a week. I had to sleep on my stomach for a few days, because of my bruised rear end.

Ouch! I feel you, man! Dealing with a bruise in the size of a melon

[Joe_W]

I only used Schwalbe so far - easy to find and not too expensive. I heard good things about Nokian, or whatever they are called. I guess anything is better than nothing...

[pinot_noir]

(12-26-2019, 06:13 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  I only used Schwalbe so far - easy to find and not too expensive. I heard good things about Nokian, or whatever they are called. I guess anything is better than nothing...

Tru dat, Schwalbe is top choice. However not sure whether they have Marathon Winter tires for 28" wheels or only as Marathon Winter Plus :/ Is Nokian a Finnish brand?

[Joe_W]

Sorry, I do not think I can answer either... I had all versions (all 35 or 40-622, i.e. 28" or 29", these are the f' same! ) of winter tyres: spikes in the centre only, on the sides, and both. All were good for my kind of riding I think I prefer the ones with a blank centre strip to run a bit quieter when there's no ice (run higher pressure, careful when cornering!)

According to Wikipedia Nokian is from Finland. I guess they oboe about ice on the roads. I think they had studded bike tyres before Schwalbe started making them.

[pinot_noir]

Nah no worries, you already helped lots @Joe_W !

Cool, I somehow made connection to Nokia company. Wouldn't mind to read more about this.

Have you seen this thread https://forums.bikeride.com/thread-821.html? Scrolled all the way down to the bottom of page & there's "possibly related threads..."

[Joe_W]

Wow, that's 9 years ago... I have been around for a while. Rereading what I thought then: get tyres that have an aggressive tread if you plan to bike on snow (which is fun and good exercise, both cardio and bike handling, and falling down does not hurt too much). I actually rebuilt (replaced studs) my tyres last winter. Kept losing them pins...

[wwwalterrr]

@pinot_noir
You might want to look at 45NRTH tire brand. Some cyclist from Minneapolis had them on this morning, just Instagram scrolling..

[Joe_W]

45 North? That's about... Bern? I think Rome is about 40ish. Frankfurt is 50, Bergen (Norge) is 60°, Tromsø is... 70 something (spent several weeks there on my past job).

The latitudes in North America always surprise me. I studied at USask for a year, I think that's on a similar latitude as Frankfurt, wildly different climate though (nasty continental climate, experienced a temperature difference of 85 C while there).

[wwwalterrr]

(01-03-2020, 03:19 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  45 North? That's about... Bern? I think Rome is about 40ish. Frankfurt is 50, Bergen (Norge) is 60°, Tromsø is... 70 something (spent several weeks there on my past job).

The latitudes in North America always surprise me. I studied at USask for a year, I think that's on a similar latitude as Frankfurt, wildly different climate though (nasty continental climate, experienced a temperature difference of 85 C while there).

Ah damn 45 parallel North in fact goes through Minneapolis!
Honestly I've been to only a single European trip. Can not compare these differences myself IRL, but I am for sure curious about geography and facts like these ... 70N is damn high, it's like the very top of Canada!! How was the biking there?

[Joe_W]

I only lent a colleague's old bike to get around town (in summer) once. In winter I brought my cross country skis (skiing + aurora borealis = tfa[*])

[*] totally f'in' awsome

[wwwalterrr]

Luck you! I was triggered to google Tromsø and it really looks freakin awesome!!
Trip to Iceland is on my mind for a while, but photos of Northern Lights in Norway gave me chills. It's now something to consider

@Joe_W ... have you ever done bike touring in Norway or Iceland?

edit: ops this is moving bit off topic

[Joe_W]

Yeah, a bit OT, but if you want to tour Norway in winter you need studded tyres ;p i would not recommend it, most parts of Norway are thinly settled. I didn't do any multi day bike tours in Norway (I did a couple of hiking tours), but from what I read the west coast bike route should be nice (the landscape definitely is). You need to take a couple of ferries, keep that in mind when planning the days. Waiting for the boat can cost a lot of time (also when driving).

[wwwalterrr]

Thanks for all the pointers, @Joe_W
I'll avoid winter months.

[Joe_W]

Best time (climatologically speaking = averages...) for Western Norway is May and June. The North is only just awakening then. Winter is long in the Arctic.

Minneapolis... I went there (I think... twin cities anyway) to see the Badgers play the Gophers about 25 years ago.

[pinot_noir]

(01-15-2020, 05:32 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  Minneapolis... I went there (I think... twin cities anyway) to see the Badgers play the Gophers about 25 years ago.

Oh the rivalry. I bet Gophers won that game?!
Just out of pure curiosity - where do you live (bike) now? I have noticed many references to Norway ....