Winter Biking - Do You Need Winter Tires?

[@kayakmb]

Great advice in video. I have been biking in the winter for over 35 years, Quebec City, Ottawa and Winnipeg. Studded tires have saved my butt many a time. I used to fall every winter a few times, now hardly ever. They are a bit expensive, but cheaper than physio, and slow you down, but I won’t bike without them now. Best when you get, melt during day and freezing at night.

[@pottuvoi2]

Studs are definitely easy to recommended as they allow better grip even when it's easy road with some snow. When we have frozen slush/ice and the surface is uneven or icy road is tilted to side studs are pretty much necessary for safe riding. Would also recommend studs for shoes when walking on icy roads. (Add-ons are cheap and decent enough.)

[@simonchetwynd]

In England you only need studded tyres a few days each winter. Two tips. 1. Get an old set of wheels and fit the winter tyres to them, then just swap the wheels over when its icy/snowy. 2. Buy winter tyres in summer, they’re half the price they are in winter.

[@oplkfdhgk]

been winter biking for a long time. studded tires definitely help alot but what helps even more is studded mtb tires. those are so much more comfortable and the grip is just so much better. especially on the fresh snow and when bike path has like frozen slush.

[@Pytte]

In Denmark the bike paths are cleared before the car :P I use regular thin tires all year around..

[@ykb946]

The first video I click on for winter commuting, is the same city I live in!!

[@sandyd9901]

bonus :)

[@the_nondrive_side]

I've got mine for this year. First year going full season with studs and basket pannier

[@danielsoosay1772]

It's possible, but riding slow and being extra careful when turning helps. However it gets slightly tricky on icy pavement.

[@RuNescapeAiderP2PF2P]

Daniel Soosay Studded tires are a life saver in winter.

[@25inspector]

I think if a person commutes daily on a bicycle...in winter an inexpensive fat bike is the way to go. I say inexpensive because winter road salt and grime will literally eat your bike. You're absolutely right about a beater bike. I commuted for 10 years in Calgary, year round. I used a cheap Walmart or Canadian Tire bike in winter because of this. Lowering your PSI to half can help too and don't try to break speed records.

[@deathmachine4524]

i was wondering if i can do 20 km 2 way commute on a vintage venture road bike? it's quite cheap getting it from marketplace for 180

[@gregshuttleworth4465]

The answer for me is YES. I just finished a short ride on ice and packed snow. It is like riding on grass.

[@klardfarkus3891]

You don’t need studded tires but I have found a great difference in ice traction of tires primarily because of the rubber compound and also the treads. Some cheaper and hard rubber tires are just no traction on ice.

[@cameroni7798]

You've got some great bike paths there.

[@sandyd9901]

Indeed, the summer commute is a real treat.

[@wallacepelletier698]

calgary doesn't get much for winter most of there winter's is t-shirt weather.

[@MrRedtaco11]

@@wallacepelletier698 I laugh at that because we have been not above -15C for almost 2 weeks now. Sounds like winter to me. I wouldn't suggest wearing a t-shirt in that.

[@matmay]

You definitely need winter tires. Not studs but studs can be nice on a few days. Would go with winter tires on the read and studded winter tires in the front

[@davypig571]

Thank you. This is a good video that clarified what I need.

[@MrRedtaco11]

I found that in residential areas, as long that the sidewalks have been cleared of snow they wouldn't be bad that. If you're having issues walking maybe it would be a good day not to talk the bike. I want to take my bike so bad but having only regular tires and having it be as cold as it is, I think the risk of me landing on my face would be pretty good. Once a Chinook comes through then everything will be fine. Waiting for that day, that's for sure.

[@Letsgetbusy293]

A nice knobby tire is perfect for the winter I know this because this year 2019 will be my 18th year of riding back and forth to work everyday I've learnt as I went there was no KZbin when I started

[@RuNescapeAiderP2PF2P]

roy hart Knobby tires are great but it depends on what type of surface you are going on. I find studded tires to be the best balance for most winter environments. My only quirk with knobby tires is that if you live somewhere where ice tends to form under snow, it can get challenging. Ive been riding studdeds for a while and find they give me the best overall traction.

[@andrewgibbons5954]

calgary is starting to be more bike friendly now, and its okay i knew where what city your at cause i bike the same pathways in the morning

[@cucuca7281]

U use thin normal tire in front, but half inflated - so it has wider grip on the road. Back tire is wide with normal psi!!!!

[@sandyd9901]

I've definitely heard of folks doing this - convenient and easy to DIY as well

[@johnrobertd748]

YES!!

[@Simcore999]

I think I m going to get a fat bike with summer replacement tires

[@marksevigny]

I use mortorcycle chain lube last s long time even all the salt works wonders I just have regular mountain bike tires I have used nobby tires and works beautiful exspeically stopping

[@CandidZulu]

I mix chain saw lube mixed with mineral oil, its very effective and cheap!

[@k3ntry335]

the scenery in 2:27 is gorgeous

[@sandyd9901]

Thanks Kentry - I've since moved to a different part of the city, but still take detours down by the river on nice days :)

[@BrunoSalcedo]

Maybe you won't need the studs, but in my experience, commuting during winter with 23mm road tires is not fun.

[@sandyd9901]

True! I started with 23mm tires - it works but it's not pretty.

[@I.S_Lombrana]

Are there any snow/winter tires for 700x28 tires?

[@sandyd9901]

Good question - MEC in Canada has these: www.mec.ca/en/product/5064-666/Winter-K-Guard-HS-396-700c-Wire-Tire, looks like they go down to 30mm, would those fit your frame? Could not easily find any 28mm.

[@r.c.r.rproductions8462]

I’ve been riding on old, standard,”dirt” tires and they’ve been dry rotted for two years no problems

[@aestheticcruise8807]

You dont need a fat tire bike. Just need good winter tires. Deep tread and softer rubber

[@rodsofgod6863]

You can still incorporate the c train in your commute while riding your bike!!

[@jimj2683]

Two wheels demands studs. Four wheels can survive with stud-less winter tires.

[@jeffmcilroy7081]

Invest in a fat bike.. it's unbelievable how well they work in snow

[@E.V.999]

You live in Calgary Alberta cuz I swear that I recognize the bridge and the roads

[@sandyd9901]

You got it!

[@junkmale123]

You ever been to Sundre?

[@johngorman7729]

Hello YYC

[@f00dl3]

Just remember studs do not prevent all falls - and they do not help any on slushy snow. I had a set of 45N Gravdal tires for 3 winters and they were excellent, but they did start wearing down a bit after about 1600 miles. I bought a pair of Marathon Winter studded tires this past Spring, and while they are still decent studded tires they are not quite the quality the 45N ones were. In the lower mid west US where average winter snows are 19" for one season, I feel that it's easiest to just slap the studded tires on at the onset of the first freezing event, and leave them on all winter. Carbide studs will easily last 3 years depending on the miles you put on in the 3 month - 4 month winter period.

[@sandyd9901]

Thanks for the tips f00dl3. Agree, the studs are not a guarantee of no falls, but they can certainly help. I'm drooling over a fat bike now, there seem to be more and more of them on the roads.

[@Mr76K1976]

I live in chicagoland been bike commuting here 5 winters and they are brutal cold and snow.. Schwalbe marathon plus originals have never let me down (riding carefully) and they arent considered a winter tire..

[@davidlawand2805]

how do you deal with chain and gear rust? i go to school on my bike on snow in Laval, QC, CA and my bike suffer from chain and gear rust help?

[@sandyd9901]

Hi David - yeah that will be a challenge, particularly in central provinces where they use more salt (from Ontario). Couple options, none of them perfect: a very disciplined friend of mine used to keep an old cleaning spray bottle filled with water by his back door where he brought his bike in. He'd spray the chain and components with water to wash the salt off daily. That is likely the cheapest but most laborious option. I use a MEC commuter bike which has an internal hub. It has been impressively reliable, the internal hub and fenders keep most of slush off the bike. The chain is still exposed - for that you can use heavier duty grease. A friend of mine uses a belt drive bike with an internal hub - so that pretty much solves it - but the belt drive is not preferable for the majority of riding conditions.

[@davidlawand2805]

@@sandyd9901 is there a way i can make a plastic cover for both chain and gears? thanks for the help by the way

[@sandyd9901]

@@davidlawand2805 I imagine it's possible, haven't seen anyone do it off hand specifically for winter. There are plastic covers that are mostly for protecting your pants from the gear teeth - they aren't designed to keep slush off the chain though.

[@davidlawand2805]

S D I do remember a long time ago I had a BMX bike for Christmas I was like 6 years old We weren't in Canada yet but instead we were in Saudi Arabia (DESERT) I remember the bike having some weird black plastic around the full chain's length Soooooooooooo. Is the rust because of the salt? And not water or snow?

[@queertales]

I have internal 7 gear Shimano hub on my winter bike, and it will lock in one gear once it gets below -4C or so. So it basically becomes a single speed. Yesterday, the front dynamo hub locked the front tire, and I think I broke it by forcing it to turn. :( Winter is not kind to bicycles.

[@johndoes2434]

Yeah I noticed when I was looking up studded snow tires that all of the studded snow tires on Amazon jumped from like $20 $30 and then out to a hundred and something dollars it's insane and what it's doing either somebody playing with the numbers to live in Italy or they're gouging the prices because I found a bicycle rack for weeks I've been looking for a bicycle rack for my bike down one for $15 with a bunch of tools and everything really great deal everything else the price jump from 3270 I watch one go from 3270 and then back up to 65 he jumped all over the place Amazon is not very reliable anymore it's a shame do they succumb to this bull crap I used to be a real good side about 10 years ago to find anything you wanted for bikes a reasonable price between you know $10 in 2015 which one to spend but now it's just become a crap place where they play with the figures and mess with the dang products

[@alexandrenassif4277]

Is that the C train? :) I live in Edmonton and always had a beater MTB for winter. This year I got high end studded tires for my road bike and retired my MTB. In Edmonton black ice often stays for weeks on the path... the risk is that I may be feeling overconfident and riding too fast with these fancy tires, and hope I won’t fall.

[@mototalk_barry8571]

Alexandre Nassif I live in Edmonton as well. Did you find the studded tires worth it?

[@foxtrot2320]

what about a mountain bike on snow?

[@sandyd9901]

Works great - see lots of folks doing it. Downside is you'll put a lot of wear and possibly rust on your components, so it may not make sense for the sake of saving your nice bike.

[@vincewhite5087]

I live in Calgary too & starting to bike. Do you think studs would be worth it or fat tire?

[@sandyd9901]

If going direct to fat bike is an option for you - that looks like a lot of fun, and bonus stability in varying snow conditions. If you've never winter biked before, I'd advise giving it a few tries with what ever you currently have - you'll have a much better appreciation for the advice and recommendations you read online and how they relate to the conditions you experience.

[@eduardocortes-dv4lo]

What about ici path? i (live in norway). It is better to use norma winterl shoes or click cycling shoes? Fatbike for snow days?

[@sandyd9901]

I use gortex light hiking shoes from Solomon with quick draw 'laces' or wires. The wires don't absorb much water so I found the shoes and more importantly my socks/feet stayed dry. For winter I prefer regular shoes, but if you're comfortable with clips I see lots of people doing that also

[@Badhacktime]

Idk if you can afford them but maxxis high roller are kinda good for snow

[@sandyd9901]

Thanks for the recommendation, they get great reviews. Added a link in the description.

[@Badhacktime]

S D thx dude you’re awesome

[@vincewhite5087]

Looks like Calgary?

[@nerdingdirty5243]

Yes - SW bow river pathway system

[@johnprice5457]

where are you biking in this vid?

[@sandyd9901]

Calgary, Alberta, Canada - downtown along the river pathway

[@russlemieux3711]

2 chains and 2 cassettes oh and I'm trying out clip ons in. Blizzard

[@babbar123]

Calgary?

[@sandyd9901]

Indeed, downtown by 10th street and then SW along the Bow River pathway

[@babbar123]

S D kudos for braving such harsh sidewalks.

[@antred11]

Fat bikes just look so damned cool.

[@lincolnkarim1]

This is studded tires in Central Park snow: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4ebo2x9qNV2sJY

[@vincewhite5087]

Some people say fat bikes, some say POS mountain bike & either nobbies or studs.

[@Eyeluvlola]

@

[@wallacepelletier698]

so you live in calgary no wonder why you don't really need studded or winter tires people from calgary don't know what winter is or what cold weather is i'm from saskatchewan and we get real winter as soon as calgary get's snow it melt's right away.people from calgary talking about winter is like being told about winter by someone that lives in hawaii people from calgary no nothing about winter or cold weather.if you want to know about cold and snow ask someone from sask.or manitoba,or even edmonton but calgary????? hahahahahahahha..lmdao that is just way too funny what a joke.bet that snow you had there was gone by next day.

[@Mar2bv]

What is a real winter? I'm from Syracuse NY. Tell me about this real winter and snow.