Studded bicycle tires

Compared to my native climate, this is good biking weather! A little snow never bothered me, but ice has put me on my arse more than once! Has anyone tried the studded tires? Would you care to make a recommendation?

no need, the only time I've ended up on my face because of ice was when I was DRUNK and biking...which you shouldn't do anyways...ahh, the college memories...it seemed to happen a lot, always at busy intersections too...

Do you want them for road use or off road?

Last year I cycled to work the whole of winter, although on a bike trail rather than a road. On a rubbish bike with hybird city tyres (slick in the centre, slight bit of tread growing to nobbly edges) going at a steady pace had no problems with snow or small frozen puddles. The snow gets compacted with the grit and it's fine... although if your route invovled big icepatches I would get of and walk those sections!

The biggest problem I found was when the snow melted in the afternoon and folks cycled through, then refroze overnight and was covered in snow the next morning. Very uneven surface for riding on, and unpredictable, makes things a bit tricky.

I remember reading in an MTB mag ages ago about making your own studded "snow" tyres... take a road bike slick tyre and tube and fit them. Over the top put a MTB nobbly tyre with galvanized roof bolts sticking out. The inner tyre protects the tube, you still get the nobbly grip. Never tried it, or knew anyone else who tried it mind.

I use studded tyres. Actually, you only need one on the front. I was a bit sceptical at first, but its fine. Before I used them, I used to be off 3 or 4 times on the way to work, but with them its no problem at all...

Recommended!

Well worth the money, although it's just a matter of how much slower you have to go. The first few winters I was here I cycled very slowly on normal tyres, then thought sod that and bought the 2 row studded tyres. They're really much better - with them it's possible to go much faster and still stay upright. The 4 row studs are really expensive and as it's only frozen for a few weeks probably not worth it. As benpanter says you've still got to be careful for ruts - can't beat a functioning sense of balance.

I want to use them for my commute to work which is mostly paved bike path with a short jaunt across the English Garden. I mostly have problems on the icy pavement, slowing down is not an option. Hammer down! I can’t do much about my sense of balance, I was born with it! HellesAngel & Satman, where and what did you buy?

My tyres came from Extreme Bike on Paul-Heysestr (near Hauptbahnhof) - they're near Radlbauer where Schwantalerstr crosses PaulHStr. It's a good shop and worth a reccomendation anyway. Not sure if they speak English, but I'd be surprised if they don't. Can't remember the brand but I can post this later.

I picked a 100 ''Spike'' up last night. It was perfect timing seeing how I '’hopped’’ a curb yesterday morning, to avoid the bus while it was stopped at the curb. A few minutes later I am crossing Leopoldstrasse and feel like I am on ice! I look down and the bottom of my tire is flatter than the proverbial potato pancake! So I strapped her to a bike stand near Giselastrasse & headed to work via U.
Now that the spikes are on, I see the weather is going to warm up! If that's all it took IU would have bought the darn thing last sooner! se u in another thread.