I searched around lbs for studded tires and found what I was looking for not too far from home. I've already installed them and did a 40k ride this afternoon to bed in the studs (more on the ride below). I did lose 4 studs, but there were lots of pot holes, broken pavement, and a few curbs to hop up!
Regarding fat bikes and where I live/ride: I've had on-and-off thoughts about buying a fat bike. I've fat biked 4x ever (rented). First time was like a dream, I was ready to buy one. Next week I had invited my friend and told him best thing ever. Little did I know about different snow conditions and how it impacts riding on snow. We each had to put a foot down 100x in 2 hours, it was awful, he's never been since! I've had one other okay day, and another bad day. I don't like the wide pedal spacing and I do not like flat bars, and the thoughts of another bike to maintain. All of this led me to deciding to get the studded tires, this morning (price was right).
First ride with studded tires (Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro - 29x2.25)
- Rolling away from my house I thought, this is nuts, how am I going to ride 40k on paved roads with this noise and the rolling resistance lol
- After 5k on paved, wet roads, I turned left on a gravel path that I usually ride when it's not snow covered, but I figured lets try it out. Snow was packed down, thin, and the bike floated through there like it does mid summer
- Shortly after I rode a paved path for a little bit, a stretch was not clear and there was loose snow (couple inches high), slush because it was mild today, big foot prints, rear tire squirmed and I put a foot down...hmm
- Next 10+km were on paved roads that had stretches of packed down snow, soft ice, etc., bike floated through this and every time those tires touched anything other than pavement, they quieted down and seemed to speed up. That was a good sign
- After 18k I reached the end of paved roads. The road continues (as does several other ones running parallel to this one) as a gravel road. I don't ride it often, as it's just not the direction I head when riding from home. As I paused to consider whether I should turn and get a couple extra km on paved roads, I decided I would ride 2km out on the gravel road, and then back. The gravel road was snow covered, but looked compacted down. It was AMAZING. The tires shined on this stretch. I was cutting side to side to test out the grip, it was perfect. And there almost no no cars on these gravel roads (and the Varia tells me when there are). When I turned around (shortly after photo's below) it was downhill and I let it fly, zero slippage and tons of fun.
- After riding the same route home I decided to hit my local trails (that I ride 3 seasons, and walk all the time). It was now much colder, and the snow at started to freeze to give that classic freeze/thaw condition (plus tons of foot prints). The tires were fine on the sharp turns and hills, but it was not comfortable at all. First thing in the morning would have been great, as was last couple of days, but this wasn't. If I had the choice between those trails and those snow-covered gravel roads, I would drive the 15km to a parking lot 1km away from the first gravel road, and just ride the network of roads north. However, if the trails are good, as they have been until now, I would hit the trails; but good to know those gravel roads are an option!
On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 4:43:05 PM UTC-5 wboe...@gmail.com wrote:
Also to consider: does the snow/ice stick around? I would consider this winter atypical where I am: polar vortex is weird and snow goes away. But the n+1 solution (fat bike) might be the easiest way around this. I see no need for studs on my fat tires.
Will near Boston
On Friday, January 17, 2025 at 12:35:16 PM UTC-5 Michael Morrissey wrote:
I think you'd really like some studded snow tires. I've had the Nokian Hakkapalitas and Schwalbe Winter Marathons and both were great. Do you think you could ride where you want to go on the Fargo with studded snow tires?
Otherwise, have you considered a beater bike? I rode my beater 26" vintage mountain bike in the winter with studded Nokian tires and it was like an insurance policy that guaranteed I would be able to go everywhere I wanted to go.
On Friday, January 17, 2025 at 7:42:12 AM UTC-5 Richard Rose wrote:
Honestly & from my own experience, find a used fatbike. I no longer have one for the reason you site - 15 rides. But, it’s still the best answer. In those conditions the fatbike is so much fun & does no damage to the trail. Just a thought.
Sent from my iPhone
I'm looking for ideas to expand and optimize my riding with one of my two bikes.
This isn't for my Roadini - I have that equation solved. I have two wheelsets, one with 43 GKSS for all-road rides, including accessing the two rail trails a little further out of town, and some gravel cuts/trails to avoid busier roads, while adding the joy that comes from riding these cuts. And one with 30mm tires on Dura-Ace rims for fast (as I can go) road rides with a friend.
My other bike is a Salsa Fargo. Going into my third year with it, and it has been great for my local, non-technical trails. I ride that around 2x a week on these trails, where I'm 80% unpaved and 20% paved (paths, sidewalks, roads). I have the stock wheels and tires (2.2" Terevail Sparwoods, and a wheelset I had build but a local wheel guy, running Hope hubs, Stans Arch rims, tubeless with Sim Works Super Yummy 2.2" tires. That wheelset was on the bike exclusively, up until winter started here outside Toronto, and it was awesome for three seasons.
Looking for ideas on: up until we had snow that stuck (last three weeks), I didn't have a problem with my setup. I took the good wheels off the Fargo, and put on the stock ones with faster-rolling Sparwoods and used it on the often-wet winter roads, where there may be a little bit of snow/slush (no ice). With fenders, this has made for a good winter bike, when the roads are relatively clear of snow/ice. What I'm missing though is perhaps a studded trail tire so I can ride those same local trails I do in the summer, in the winter. I don't want to ride exclusively on snowy/slushy roads, just on the trails that are .5km away. I can add a dedicated wheel with something like Schwalbe Ice Spikers, but that's expensive, for maybe 10-15 rides where I can't ride on the roads. For now I'm on the trainer on those days.
Welcome your ideas! Thanks
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