It's that time of year again (commuting/ice content)

[stien]

With the days getting so short and our new house within 10 miles of my work (14 for my wife), commuting by bike is looking better and better. I've been towing our two lab mixes in a kid trailer to work and my wife gets to go solo. We diverge after about a mile on the road together. It's a sweet setup.

This morning I could see ice on the car windshields but pushed for a commuting day. The roads are all salted and sanded. I had no problems as it warmed up plenty on my pancake flat ride to the south. However, my wife has a hilly ride and I know cold air tends to hang out in low spots. She was late checking in with me so I called her. On the last ring she picks up and says it was a very dicey ride, and that she had to stop to let air out of her tires because she hit so much glare ice. Luckily she stayed upright.

So as much as adding bikes #12 and #13 to the stable would be, I'm trying to think my way around getting two new bikes that can fit wide studded tires. Our commute/training bikes are Emonda ALRs that fit fairly large tires. She had Strada Bianca 30s on there with very tight clearance, and I ran Parigi Roubaix with a good amount of clearance. I took them off because they were a bit too close (hers) and a bit too fragile (mine). Now we have slick narrow training road tires fitted. I'm debating some Panaracer T-Serves, Gatorskin all seasons or Bontrager AW tires at a lower pressure to mitigate some dicey conditions. Of course this won't be the be-all-end-all of ice traction, but I'm looking for something a little more acceptable for sanded and salted roads. Any suggestions or experiences to share?

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5671/31345615911_0d61b971a0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PKUtxD)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/PKUtxD) by Alex Franks (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129875676@N07/), on Flickr

[p nut]

11 bikes, and none that can fit fatter tires?

For icy conditions, you can't beat fat studded tires. Even if that means picking up an old Rockhopper for $100 and installing some Nokians.

[cp43]

My experience is that studded tires don't have to be super fat. I ran 35mm Nokians for a few years, and never had a problem. For a road bike, they're kinda fat, but they fit with no problem on my touring bike. If you'll be riding regularly where there is ice on the road, I'd say do what it takes to be able to run studs. YMMV.

Chris

[veloduffer]

There's really no substitute for studded tires for ice. No regular road tire has a significant enough footprint, even deflated, to provide good grip. And the last thing you want is slipping on a road with car traffic.

You think about getting a cross or gravel grinder that can fit at least 700x35 tires that can provide lots of studs. Also there some good hybrids like the Cannondale Quick CX

And if you ride when it's snow or slushy, disc brakes are better than rim brakes for winter riding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stien]

11 bikes, and none that can fit fatter tires?

For icy conditions, you can't beat fat studded tires. Even if that means picking up an old Rockhopper for $100 and installing some Nokians.

Well nothing that is road oriented as least. We have fat bikes. Funny, I've been riding my old rockhopper with Nokian extremes mounted. It's not ideal IMO, I'd prefer a 700c or 650b drop bar setup.

My experience is that studded tires don't have to be super fat. I ran 35mm Nokians for a few years, and never had a problem. For a road bike, they're kinda fat, but they fit with no problem on my touring bike. If you'll be riding regularly where there is ice on the road, I'd say do what it takes to be able to run studs. YMMV.

Chris

There's really no substitute for studded tires for ice. No regular road tire has a significant enough footprint, even deflated, to provide good grip. And the last thing you want is slipping on a road with car traffic.

You think about getting a cross or gravel grinder that can fit at least 700x35 tires that can provide lots of studs. Also there some good hybrids like the Cannondale Quick CX

And if you ride when it's snow or slushy, disc brakes are better than rim brakes for winter riding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like we might try to trade the Emonda frame(s) for cross frames. 35c is juuust out of reach. We can talk about dyno/disc later!

Edit: after looking at how expensive framesets would be including a switchover to disc, I think I'll go shopping for old touring bikes that can fit wide tires and fenders...

[d_douglas]

I chickened out this morning. I live in balmy PNW and we were hit with some very wet snow last night that turned the streets very icy. Its a beautiful sunny day out this morning, but I elected to take the bus instead of risking it.

Good tires or not, it was a smart move :)

[CNY rider]

I have been winter commuting for years in upstate NY.
The best traction I have ever had in winter outside of studded tires is with Continental's winter contact tire.
Currently running them in 26 inch size.
I have gotten out of a few bad unexpected situations with those, where I think I likely would have gone down on a typical non-winter tire.
Having said that I echo the comments above: There is no substitute for studs in icy conditions.
It's just that they ride so poorly otherwise, that I keep them mounted on a second wheelset for occasional use. I can't stand riding them for daily commuting.

[veloduffer]

If you have a bike with 26" wheels, I have a good set of Nokian studded tires (and tubes) that I can sell you dirt cheap.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stien]

If you have a bike with 26" wheels, I have a good set of Nokian studded tires (and tubes) that I can sell you dirt cheap.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just sold my 26" Nokians today actually. My 26" bike fit me well when I was 12 years old. Going to look for something with 700c.

[Mzilliox]

we rode this morning too, forecast for potential snow. all i got was some nasty rain and 36 degrees. its cold time for certain. Im gonna be switching to the cross tires soon.

[chiasticon]

just chiming in to state my jealousy that:
1 - your wife likes to ride too
2 - you live close enough to work that commuting is a feasible option, and
3 - you get to take your dogs to work(!)

and here you are complaining that you need to purchase bikes 12 and 13...?!?! :confused::eek::rolleyes:

and the rich get richer...

[smontanaro]

For icy conditions, you can't beat fat studded tires.

I've had no problems in the past with 45NRTH Xerxes, which are only 30mm wide. If you live where it also snows, narrow tires actually have the advantage that you sink down to the road surface. If it's icy at that level, you've got studs. If not, you still have traction (rubber and/or studs on asphalt).

[saf-t]

The safety guy says studded tires for ice. Period. They work, and you and your wife are way more likely to stay upright on black ice, which is my primary concern.

Heavy? Yes. Noisy? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.

I've been running (26") Nokian W106s on my hardtail for a number of years now but every year think about getting a pair of the 700 x 35s for the commuter.....

[Ken C]

I use these to commute in Rapid City SD in the winter. It snows and melts quickley, but black ice is a concern early in the morning and late at night. They are pretty narrow but are effective on ice and light snow pack and roll OK on dry road.

I leave them on all winter, dont need them most days, but protection against black ice is worth it. they should fit a strada bianca fine.

i am curious about trying the winter contact tires though.

[stien]

just chiming in to state my jealousy that:
1 - your wife likes to ride too
2 - you live close enough to work that commuting is a feasible option, and
3 - you get to take your dogs to work(!)

and here you are complaining that you need to purchase bikes 12 and 13...?!?! :confused::eek::rolleyes:

and the rich get richer...

Haha well she not only likes to ride but is competitive in racing as well!

Living on Cape Cod where the road riding is not great, we had to get some perks. Living near a an amazing job where I can bring dogs in is one of said perks!

I am purchasing a bike to leave studs on, actually one I sold to a local about 2-3 years ago. I just emailed and asked if she was using it, if I could buy it back. A Giant Seek that I converted to drops and bar ends. Disc brakes, 700c wheels and lots of clearance, what's not to like?

We had another bout of morning fog turning into glaze this morning. She wouldn't even talk about commuting last night until I get this bike! I'll be posting an ad for 700c studded tires shortly.

[marciero]

Studs went on the CX/commuter, along with swappage of carbon with steel fork, plus fenders, Tuesday morning and there was plenty of ice to warrant it. After trying the wider Nokians with the more agressive tread, I went back to the Schwalbe Winter Marathons, in 35. The more aggro tread did not seem to give me noticeably better purchase on snow, and the Schwalbe are probably superior on the ice, which is my main concern. They ride closer to a road tire.