Studded bicycle tires?

B

Buck268

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
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1,864
Just curious if anybody here who rides in the winter has used the Nokian W106 and/or the W240? I do a lot of bike commuting (although less this year) year round and enjoy the benifits of a good studed tire. I'm just trying to decide if I want to trade off the extra snow traction of the W240 for the lower rolling resistance of the W106...

BTW, you can check both out at http://www.suomityres.fi/winter.html
 
I recall a Bicycling magazine article from a few years ago on the then-available tires and how to make your own.
They had guys actually go out on frozen, icy trails and try 'em out....Not for me, but it seemed they work well.
I couldn't comment on any particular brand.
The make-it-yourself approach involved drilling appropriate-sized holes through the knobs on a standard knobby tire and then taking it to a tire place to have standard auto studs inserted.
Another method was to drive screws through similar holes from the inside of the tire.
Then you could install a home-made strip over the heads and hope for the best.

Here's a nice article that compares a number of brands....

http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/tires.htm
 
mwerner said:
Another method was to drive screws through similar holes from the inside of the tire.
Then you could install a home-made strip over the heads and hope for the best.

Here's a nice article that compares a number of brands....

http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/tires.htm
Click to expand...

That's an interesting concept and one I've never heard before. I have heard of using sheet metal screws to make your own but it was done the opposite of that. The method I've always heard of was to use short screws, putting them into the knobs from the outside and letting the heads be the studs. You don't have to worry about a liner that way as nothing pierces the casing of the tire.
 
The DIY type have a place, but that is NOT on a commuter bike (unless you commute offroad). Good link mwerner, thanks! Definately inspires confidence in the more reserved W106. One of the guys at my work ran Kenda Klondike's in 700x35 last year which look just like the Nashbars in the website and he loves them, but they cost almost as much as the W240's so we'll see.
 
We used to stud our dirt bike knobbies with short sheet metal screws into the knobs from the outside. The heads being the studs. Then ride them on frozen lakes and ponds. Ahhhh,teenage ignorance is bliss.---KV
 
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