We installed studded ice tires on our fatbikes a couple months ago, and with a few hundred miles on them I thought it would be worth giving a review.
Bottom line is that they work, with a few fairly large “but’s”…and I’m not talking about the ones on the bike seat. There are so many variables in the world of snow and ice…so many different conditions and combinations of conditions, that it’s just impossible to give a quantifiable measure of how much more traction you’ll get with studs. Some conditions are almost impossible to ride, while in other conditions it’s much easier to ride than to hike, or even stand. When I refer to “ice”, I’m talking about the super-slippery ice that you can barely stand on, not the rough, rubbery ice you get at sub-zero temperatures. You can ride ice with studs, and you simply cannot without them. Also bear in mind I’m talking about studs on FAT BIKES. They make studded tires for mountain bikes, and even some cross bikes, but I’ve not used them.
I chose the most economical studded tires I could find (Vee Snowshoe XL)…less than half the price of the other common studded tire (Dillinger 45th North). I don’t know how one compares to the other or why there’s such a large price difference, as the tires look almost identical. I just know that even with the Vee’s, putting studded tires on two fat bikes was as expensive as putting tires on a car. From what I’ve read, the best traction comes from buying stud-ready tires from either manufacturer, and then installing aftermarket studs. But at $1 per stud, this is the most expensive option of all, and quite time consuming as well.
The studs do make a difference; sometimes a fantastic difference. They make it possible to ride on what would otherwise be a frictionless surface, such as ice with water on it. They are a great insurance policy in the winter, and I’d go so far as to say they’re mandatory for anyone who rides snow and ice and has the bone density of a 40+ year-old. They allow a rider to go from relatively good traction (snow floor) to zero traction (wet ice) without the guarantee of going down.
With studs you can stay upright on the ice, but you have to do your part, too. They provide traction, but nothing like the traction that tires provide on a normal surface, or even the traction tires provide on packed snow floor. Whether or not you stay upright is very dependent on how well you’re balanced when you hit the ice, and how careful you are to stay balanced until the traction improves. They’ll definitely save you from a lot of spills, but riding snow and hitting ice with studs is NOT like riding dirt and then hitting snow…it’s a whole new level. Without studs you’re on the ground, and with studs you have a very good chance of staying on the bike.
So studded tires are very good insurance for a cautious rider who rides snow and is going to hit ice here and there during their ride. You can also use studded tires to ride mile after mile of pure ice that a non-studded tire could never ride on. But again, the amount of traction you’re going to have is vastly lower than normal biking, and it takes a high level of balance and control to ride in these conditions. It’s challenging, and it can be freakishly fun, but it’s not carefree or easy. Don’t forget that eventually you have to put your foot down, and having something more than just rubber on the sole of your boots is a good idea…
There are also times when the studs do no good at all. If there is a couple inches of snow on top of ice, you’re pretty screwed. The studs never get down to the ice where they can do some good. Anything off camber is also a definite no-no…the studs simply do not provide enough traction to let a tire climb the side of an icy rut or keep you balanced on a sloping ice field. They work great on flat ice, and pretty good going directly up or directly down ice, but you cannot sidehill on ice.
The studs are also useless in getting any extra traction in snow, like when you have to cross a compacted snow ridge created by tire tracks. Near as I can tell the studs do nothing in snow…nothing at all. All my spills this season have been due to snow, not ice…which I guess is a pretty good indicator of how well the studs work on ice.
If you put studded tires on your bike and then ONLY ride ice and snow floor, the tires will essentially last forever. The biggest destroyer of tires is heat, especially the heat created from skidding on an abrasive surface, and there’s precious little of that when you’re snow biking. Studded tires will NOT last if you ride them on dirt and rocks…the studs will get pried out as you ride and leave gashes in the tire tread as it happens. How much pavement/dirt/rock riding you can get away with without damage depends a lot on how you ride, the tire pressure, rider weight, etc., but if you want your studded tires to last, relegate them to snow and ice…if you cross a bit of dirt or pavement that’s fine, but keep it to a minimum.
I thought I could find studded tires at huge discounts in August, but I never did. I could have saved a few dollars per set buying earlier than I did, but it wasn’t a massive difference. Ebay is probably the best place to look, especially in the off season.
A couple thoughts on winter riding: It's harder. On average I cover half the distance over ice and snow that I cover riding dirt for the same hours in the saddle. It can be brilliant, or it can be a hateful hike-a-bikefest, or a combination of the two. I've learned to
always keep a light on my bike, as even going out in the morning doesn't guarantee getting back before dark.
Pogies (fabric covers that go over the handlebars to insulate your hands) are a MUST, as are chemical hand and foot warmers if it's cold enough. One great advantage of winter riding is that it's clean...something dirt riding often isn't.
One of the other great advantages is just getting out in the winter...not while sitting on top of a motor or at a ski hill, but in the quiet. It's amazing what you see when you look around a bit.
