Hakkapeliitta appreciation thread

[Erik.Lazdins]

Sunday Dec 14th - I rode my Serotta in 70 degree temps.
Apres velo I rode bikes with my kids at 74 degree temps.

That evening the temperature had dropped to 25 and sleet began to fall on the warm ground, only to refreeze as it dropped to the teens

The next morning - Dec 15th, I set out for a ride on my Bleriot with the Nokian Hakkapeliitta A10s mounted

I forgot how absolutely terrific these tires are on ice.

At 14 degrees, overcast and a biting north wind the tires say, "come on is that all you have in your legs? I cannot be broken loose!"
At 26 degrees, drizzle, and the effects of salt beginning to soften spots the tires slip on occasion but the knobbies have your back.

My trainer languishes unused for a second season!

:beer: :beer:

[xjoex]

I have a set of mount and grounds on my extra set of mtn wheels. I rode them on Saturday in a couple of inches of snow. I got them two years ago, and have not rode my trainer since. This is not me, but its from that ride:
http://boulder.inotion.com/joe/2008/12-14_bavington/100_3006.jpg

I also run Kenda Klondikes on my commuter. Studded tires are so nice.

-Joe

[cp43]

I commuted in today in snow/freezing rain. I don't think I would have make it without the studded tires, Hakkapeliitta W106. This was the first time I really needed them, and they didn't disappoint.

Chris

[spiderman]

as soon as i wear out my klondike studs...
...third season...
going strong.
one of the nicest rides in today
on ice and snow pack.
very, very nice ride.
now to decide whether to ski at noon
or ride the cross some more.
the soft, pure snow may be calling me to ski too.

[billrick]

This is the year that I will buy some of these studded tires.

Question . . . do I need front and back or will I survive with a single studded tire on the front? This will be for paved bike trail commuting in the DC area. Would be nice if I can just set up a front wheel to swap in when it gets messy. Most of the winter days are clear of ice here.

:)

[JStonebarger]

Question . . . do I need front and back or will I survive with a single studded tire on the front?
:)

I kept hearing that I'd wash out the back with only a front Hakka W106. Still, both lazy and cheap, I'm not willing to buy a second set of wheels for my fixie commuter or constantly swap tires. My compromise: Hakka W106 on the front and Hakka A10 on the back. I have another front wheel with a road tire for when the roads are clear, but the smoother running A10 stays on the back 'til April. Works for me.

[dancinkozmo]

can anyone recommend a good source for these ???

thanks

[JStonebarger]

can anyone recommend a good source for these ???

thanks

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

But they may be out of some models/sizes. Also try BikeTiresDirect -- they carried the 106 earlier this Fall.

[CNY rider]

There's a steep winding downhill of almost 2 miles just outside my front door.
I go down it every morning to go to work.
Much of the winter it's covered in compressed snow, plus or minus some underlying ice.
Without the Nokians there would be no possible way for me to bike commute to work.
The occasional morning where you wake to 1-2 inches of fresh powder, and head down the hill before plows or any cars are like bliss. Just like carving fresh powder on skis. :beer:

[billrick]

Ha, ha! Thanks for the link, Peter answered my question about one tire. I'll order two. Here are his thoughts in case anyone else has the question:

One Tire in Front?

People often ask me if one studded tire in front is sufficient. Well, one studded tire in front will help keep you from crashing hard and breaking your collar bone or your pelvis. When the front tire slides, you go down quite fast and without warning. If the rear tire slides you can still go down, but not as fast, and the results are usually not so calamitous, since you usually have enough time to get a foot out of the pedal. But with just a front studded tire, you can still crash. You can still not be able to climb a hill with black ice. You can still not be able to get out of an icy rut. You can still spin on a downhill curve. You can still lose control in a busy intersection with lots of traffic. And you can still spin during hard braking. So, for the life of me, I can't see any reason to use a single studded tire in front, except to save a few dollars.

I do occasionally sell a single tire to someone who's been told by a friend that you only need a front studded tire. Similarly, there are many folks who think you can get away with snow tires just on the drive wheels of an automobile, which leads to cars spinning out of control because the front or rear has so much more traction than the other. Invariably I get a call a week later from the same customer ordering a second tire. He ends up with no cost savings, since he has to pay twice for shipping.

If you are buying tires for riding single track in winter, and you need to save money, there is a way to do it. Get a very aggressive tire for the front, an Extreme 294 or Ice Spiker, and then use an Extreme 120, Mount & Ground or Snow Stud in the rear. You won't get quite as good grip while climbing a steep trail as you would by having aggressive tires front and rear, but if your trails aren't too steep, you should be just fine. The more aggressive front tire will still be there to get you through icy ruts. For the commuter riding paved roads, there really is no alternative to having the W106 or A10 on both wheels. So unless you're riding to work on rail trails, I strongly recommend you use studded tires on both wheels, not just the front.

:)

[mtb_frk]

Crashing on ice really hurts and of course it always happens at a bad time like when a car is about to pass you or something. I put on a set of nokians last year on my mtb and couldnt believe how much of a difference they make. At first I would get off the bike and try to walk across the really icy spots, but riding the bike was a lot better. The studs dig in and you get much better traction. I put a set on the cross bike this year, it is only way to ride in the winter.