Staying upright in winter can
be a significant challenge. Even if the snowman hasn’t brought the white stuff,
black and sheet ice can provide the wrong sort of excitement. I even witnessed
a horse losing traction along the backroads this week.
Yes, the past ten days or so
have been perfect excuses for hibernating, or whirring away hamster fashion on
the indoor trainer. However, they’ve
also presented an ideal opportunity to whip on spiked tyres and explore.
In this instance, I’ve been
using Continental’s long running Nordic spike 120. 120 denotes the number of
tungsten carbide spikes.
These are the 42mm (1.6 inch)
700c versions, which shouldn’t present much difficulty clearance-wise, with the
latest generation of disc braked adventure touring Lorries, or gravel builds.
Pure breed crossers will
definitely call for the measuring tape and a pause for thought-especially at
the rear triangle. My beloved fixed gear winter/trainer’s rear triangle
prohibits this and the 35mm Schwalbe Marathon Winter. Although a pairing is
preferable, running a spiked tyre up front certainly makes a big difference to
grip.
Just like any other tyre,
spiked/studded versions come in different guises, depending on price and
intended use.
While both the Schwalbe and
Continental use sturdy wire bead casings that will slip aboard deep section
rims pretty effortlessly, their tread and design and purposes are actually very
different. Yes, both tread patterns scoop away the snow, the spikes then biting
into the ice beneath, providing the traction.
However, while I’ve been able
to go pretty much anywhere and at a decent pace with the Schwalbe, the 120 stud
versions of Continental’s Nordic Spike are positioned along the shoulders.
This
makes for swifter progress but favours less extreme, tarmac biased riding.
Think slippery suburbs, rather than heavily carpeted lanes, backroads and
forest trails. I’d be interested to see how their 240 spiked siblings compare
against Schwalbe Marathon Winter.
Whatever model you’re plumping
for, it’s worth remembering that while all will deliver reasonable performance
on clear asphalt.t roads, bereft of snow and ice, the tread pattern and spikes
will result in a degree of resistance.
Not to mention road noise.
Both can be annoying but something I’m happy to live with during dicey
times-infinitely preferable to coming off and potentially damaging expensive
components, or breaking bones.
It’s also worth remembering
that some countries recognise e-bikes as powered vehicles. Studded tyres are
prohibited on some public roads on the grounds they damage road surfaces.
For
this reason, though a faff, it’s worth double checking the law in your
country/state before shelling out. New
to riding in and through winter? Have a look at our overviews https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/winter-wonderland-one
Speaking of grip, we’ve
reached our conclusion regarding BBB’s flexribbon bar tape and I’ve been
pleasantly surprised when everything (although particularly the asking price)
is taken into account https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/bbb-bht-14-flexribbon-gel-bar-tape
Lubricants also need to strike
a between staying prowess and cleanliness. Wiping down the side-plates weekly
to remove ingrained, drivetrain consuming contaminant, is pretty mandatory for
traditional wet formulas. Some riders, usually those who consider price to be
the determining factor, regarding anything other than 10w/40 motor oil as
“snake oil”.
On the plus side it’s cheap,
plentiful and works well enough. However, I’ve tested a fair few bike specific
wet lubes over the years and found several at different price points that run
cleaner and last a fair bit longer too.
It’s too early to say whether
the Nasty lube that arrived a couple of entries back will rival Weldtite Tf2
extreme wet https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-extreme-wet-chain-lubr .
Mind you, a little seems to be going a very long way and I’ve been traversing
some very wet roads these past three hundred miles.
Right, well, after a filthy
week’s testing, time I treated my beloved workhorse to a cold water rinse and
sudsy bucket wash. Will treat it to this Soma Fabrication Shikoro armoured
speed tyre up front and A Soma fabrications Supple Vitesse (700x33c) at the
rear. www.somafab.com
Happy Christmas!
