Spiked tyres for cycling on ice! First ride on the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus tyres.

Just in time for spring, I got myself some spiked tyres. In this video I let you know how I got on with them, on the tiny patch of ice still available to me!
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[@JD-oe5uc]

I used them for many years for commuting. Well basically I had an extra front wheel with this tyre that I could switch in a minute depending on the weather conditions. Typically in the Netherlands it would be around 0 degrees Celcius, which often meant it could rain and then suddenly freeze during the night, so slippery in the morning. I crashed hard once before using this tyre, but afterwards never crashed again, since my from tyre would slide away in a corner. Back tyre I only used a couple of times during longer periods of snow, when snow became more like ice…

[@KajsaTylen]

Sounds like they do the trick then!

[@stevelampley2591]

Good doggo at the end!

[@Boris_Chang]

I love your sense of humour. Very much like mine.

[@KajsaTylen]

You must be very funny.

[@Boris_Chang]

@@KajsaTylen I’m an old hippie who believes peace and love are what the world needs more of. And a sense of humour is essential too-without it we would be angry or sad most of the time.

[@alainadriaens9662]

I was a bikecommuter for about 25 y, winter and sommer (3x/week, dist 2x44km). After I slipped a few times on icespots (with damage to elbow, hip, schoulder) a friend told me to obtain Schwalbe Winters - 240 studs. A few days later, put them on, pressure 3,5 Atm and off we went over snow and ice. Some slower, off course, but nevertheless an avg of about 15 - 18 km/hr. No stress anymore, hearing the studs "singing", biting in the snow, keeping me upright. Never fell again! But, they are not perfect. You have to be carefull ... on paved (concrete, cobblestones, any hard surface) roads ...here they are ... yes ... slippery. And, when the studs become dull, sets of spare studs with the replacing tool. Thanks Schwalbe!

[@KajsaTylen]

Sounds perfect for you! We've not had any ice since I made that video! 😄

[@alainadriaens9662]

@@KajsaTylen same problem in Belgium. There are no winterconditions anymore. Climatechange, no more "winterfun".

[@KajsaTylen]

@@alainadriaens9662 😔😔😔

[@johnrobertd748]

Bought studded tires in time for spring? Just when you need them the most. Haha. Winter is coming again whether we want it or not

[@MrWildWales]

They look really cool for the ice lets hope we get another freeze so you can use them properly lol. Look ideal for staying upright though

[@KajsaTylen]

Fingers crossed!!

[@zid252]

Thank you...l like your videos and alot off good advice.😁👍

[@ak-em7yr]

Greetings from Iceland, where we use thoses for about 6 months in a year ;-)

[@KajsaTylen]

Definitely worth it in Iceland! Thanks for watching!!

[@ebikescrapper3925]

Use adjustable zip ties to help put them on, put the bit the zip tie feeds through against the wheel rim. Tighten the zip tie and this compresses the tyre against the rim. It makes it easier to put the tyres on.

[@levisharman4055]

If their anything like my old mtb marathon plus, I reckon they'll be great

[@bigbluemeanie]

I got the same tyres, fitted them to my existing wheels on Friday night and then went for a ride on Saturday and again on Sunday. The lanes around here have more ice and on both days I was very satisfied. The tyres were a pain to put on, and I am not looking forward to swapping back again, but I guess I won't have much use for them between now and next winter.

[@KajsaTylen]

Yeah, I think we were a few months too late! 😅 Hope you get a few more days off ice before having to swap them back again!

[@harveyjones5027]

These are great tyres for keeping you riding especially if its commuting or you really want to get out there every day. I haven't used mine this year, its not been that bad a winter and I am not commuting on the bike, plus I upgraded the bike they were on and that bike now has wheels I don't want to ride in winter. Ideally now I would now pick up a cheap second hand road bike with enough clearance for these and that will just be my ice bike. I found these could handle any ice on the road especially the hardest slippiest stuff. They are less good when it begins to melt a bit. Highly recommended for confidence over black ice. Not see one of your videos before, it was fun to watch.

[@KajsaTylen]

Thank you, and thanks for the message! I've not had a chance to use them this year either for various reasons, which is a shame! Bring on the ice! 😄

[@gregkosinski2303]

I don’t know if any bike tire is really going to excel on melty ice. You+your bike don’t have a lot of weight to push through the boundary layer of water/slush. Best bet is probably a studded fat tire, but I feel like a can powerwalk almost as fast as a fat bike

[@Sphagnum10]

I was out with the Ice Spiker Pros (tubeless) on my hardtail mtb yesterday. Minus 6C and very windy, but I had great fun - it felt surreal but amazing to be riding up and down steep sheet ice (with the fear that putting a foot down would reduce stability). Luckily I managed to get out before todays thaw, so the tyres are back in the cupboard now - so I share the blame for the rising temperature too. I definitely agree with the on tarmac it sounds like 'riding over rice krispies' description.

[@KajsaTylen]

That sounds a lot of fun - wish I'd got my act together a couple of weeks sooner!

[@Sphagnum10]

@@KajsaTylen Now that I have them, I can guarantee no sub-zero temperatures for the next ten years :-)

[@KajsaTylen]

@@Sphagnum10 Noooooo! Then we must go north!

[@platypushatstand]

I once heard a YTer say “if you’re subscribed and you want to unsubscribe, just double-click the subscribe button” 😂😂

[@KajsaTylen]

Very good, might use that! 😀

[@alexgray8091]

45NRTH also makes studded tires. They’re a bit pricey, but they have studs near the sides of the tires with none in the middle for lower rolling resistance. I have one 45NRTH and one schwalbe for this winter. My choice of tire was essentially just between these two because I needed 700x30c to fit my frame. Wish me luck!

[@KajsaTylen]

I could not find any of those in the UK, from memory. Good luck!!!

[@rara-xq5nn]

U are funny..i liked

[@Chicago_Bikepacker]

45Nrth… A++

[@btmcgraw]

Check out 45nrth. I got a set of the 700c x 38 Gravdals they are phenomenal on glare ice, hard pack snow and still fast on tarmac. Biked across frozen Minnesota lakes....

[@KajsaTylen]

They look amazing! Not available in the UK from what I can see though, so would have to get creative! I've put them on my list to replace these when they eventually wear out

[@bikepackingadventure7913]

Ice tyres have enabled me to carry on commuting, good tyres. If you want tubeless, the only ones I’ve found are from 45nrth, but not cheap though. A good investment for many winters to come though.

[@KajsaTylen]

The 45nrth look amazing! One day... 💰💰💰

[@exsandgrounder]

Nokian make studded bike tyres too although I've only really come across Schwalbe in the UK. I'm sure your tyres will last until next winter too...

[@KajsaTylen]

I'm pretty sure they will, seeing as winter is now over I suspect!

[@chrisgreen8916]

Good to see Puck back but then he disapeared, where he did go? Back to the canal to see his freinds?

[@KajsaTylen]

Your guess is as good as mine! I don't get involved in his private life...

[@markboden7208]

😄 love your sense of humour

[@dominicwright771]

I'd like to know exactly what conditions these are for. I've found that cycling in fresh heavy snow with a 32mm tyre on a 700c wheel is really challenging. I suspect the spikes wouldn't name much difference because the wheel would still sink. Mountain bikes are much more fun in fresh deep snow. I imagine the spikes would be best for a cold snap when the snow has compacted or melted and then refrozen (like the surface you tested here). Am I right?

[@KajsaTylen]

I believe so, yes. There's an off road version called the Ice Spiker Pro which I think it for snow and ice whereas I reckon this tyre is for road ice - frost and black ice. I rode in snow which gravel tyres (WTB Nano) and they did the job really well.

[@harveyjones5027]

ideal for black ice on the road, would not expect them to help in snow.

[@billhulley]

I found some comment in a random forum from someone claiming they'd got these tyres seated tubeless and they held air just fine, but as with any ghetto tubeless setup it's a bit hit or miss if your tyres and rims happen to match up. I've had some successes and abject failures in the past.

[@KajsaTylen]

I read that too but also read ones that had tried and failed. I wouldn't trust my skills to get it done!

[@matthewbailey7421]

Was this one of those 'I've got a good idea' moments? That. Never. Turn. Out. So. Great. Are you getting like me, where you have brilliantly, bad ideas? I want to go out biking more this year Kajsa, hopefully, eventually, get a better bike than I have, then maybe even knock that duathlon off my bucket list. If that comes to pass, would you mind if I got in touch with you for some advice please? Both in the bike and the training. Hopefully this comment will stay up 1st time or will it be 3rd time lucky again, who knows.

[@KajsaTylen]

It stayed! Woohoo! Of course, get in touch - that's what friends are for!

[@zid252]

What about continental!

[@solitaryrefinement6787]

01:15 My special "power" is to make the cashier in front of me all of a sudden have some issue. Either it's her turn to take a break or the customer in front of me doesn't have a credit card that works and tries to find alternative ways to pay or the register fails or something. So if you see me on line at a store and you want to get out of the store quickly because you have better things to do than to stand in line for an hour or so, DON'T stand behind me because as sure as water's wet, something will go terribly wrong when it's my turn to pay for my stuff. 😭

[@Trevor.Adams640]

29” is the same size as 700c. My MTB is a 29er and currently has my 700x 37 Vitoria Randonneurs on it. Episode 2 of Kajsa’s guide to bike mechanics - use a screwdriver to fit your tyres!

[@KajsaTylen]

Haha yeah, the levers were in danger of snapping!

[@alainadriaens9662]

Sorry Trevor but 700c is 28'. No offence but, a few years ago I traveled through GB (Kent, Sussex, Surrey - beautiful, the garden of England) and I broke a wheel and that was were I found out.

[@Trevor.Adams640]

I stand by my comment. My 700c tyres fit on my 29er wheel MTB.

[@jesmondo5785]

@@alainadriaens9662 700c and 29er are the same diameter. I know this to be 100% true as I buy 29ers for my 700c wheels....

[@archivist17]

There's probably more ice in your freezer!

[@KajsaTylen]

Very true.

[@davecarter1047]

Kajsa=climate change😁

[@KajsaTylen]

Next week I'm swapping to slicks. Watch out.