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    Reminder: studded tires are not omnipotent. Take the bus on super icy days!

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    27 Comments

    8. flippant_burgers on

      Why does your front wheel lock up? I’ve ridden on glare ice that was impossible to walk on. Cornering, braking, hills, everything.

    9. QuestionDue7822 on

      The studs are only worthwhile on actual black ice or frozen side path, as you found its perilous on hard surface and especially smooth asphalt.

      You might be using the heaviest studs on that tire, they make lighter studded tire more suitable for asphalt and icy conditions with shallower studs that let the tire rubber grip the road surface better.

      TBH so long as your route does not have black ice and you stick to the asphalt regular tires are just fine. In snowy and icy conditions lower the tire pressure to the lower psi stated on the tire wall, this increases the contact patch causing better grip but it slows you down a bit. Ensure you pump them back up when the weather is 2c+.

    10. BavardR on

      I love that your reaction to falling is to get up and go run and slide on the ice. Looks like you were doing fine until you locked up your wheels though

    11. Significant_Sea3176 on

      I have noticed anecdotally that lower pressure and studs on black ice are not a great combo. I think perhaps the studs aren’t biting well because the lower pressure means they are “pushed up” and it’s mostly tire contacting the ice which can’t grip when it’s so slippery. If I pump up my tires I find they bite better. Note that I haven’t tested this properly, I have just noted that it I am too lazy to top up my tires on these kinds of days it’s more slippery

    12. Crankset on

      Ya that video is a skill issue (locking up your front wheel on a flat straight bike lane), not a conditions issue

      Get studded tires. Ride as much of the winter as you feel comfortable and safe doing. Have lots of fun.

      Sincerely,
      a canadian

    13. Diligent_State387 on

      Those are the days you wish you could drive a tricycle without facing the embarrassment

    14. pavementpaver on

      Got a concussion recently on ice. A friend just broke her kneecap. Be careful. Ice can fuck you up fast.

    16. xylopagus on

      I severely injured my shoulder (possibly broken shoulder socket. Imaging is next week) by crashing while trying to make it through some thick, greasy mud after a couple rains. I should have walked or turned around..

      Stay safe out there, friends.

    17. Excellent-Goal4763 on

      When I first put studded tires a winter beater, the person at the LBS said they “won’t make you a cat on carpet.”

      True.

    19. Double-decker_trams on

      Weird. I’ve ridden without studs after feezing rain and didn’t fall once (very low tire pressure, very gradual acceleration, very slow and “upright” through corners).

    20. DavidJKay on

      electric assist bike, go slower over slippery, legs when needed down near or even barely sliding on ground… nearly any terrain is possible with practice even without studs… worst case you dismount and walk up icy hill. (if not enough traction to go up), then treat going down like skiing

      the electric assist helps that you can go forward with legs down as help keeping you upright when needed rather than have to peddle.

      it’s a matter of practice that automatically feet leave peddles and slide on ground to keep you upright when tires start sliding…

      the obvious downside is trips much longer than summer. a plus is depending on terrain it can feel a bit like ski vacation…

    22. nafraid on

      Is there a name for the riding position where you coast with one foot on the pedal in the lower position and the other foot off the pedal, just dangling in the lower position, and your butt is off of the seat creating a center of gravity where it is impossible for your bike to fall over no matter what tires or how much ice?

    23. Yiplzuse on

      When I was a kid we used to ride our bikes up a lake to play pool at a store on the other end. About a three mile ride. Coast to slow down and pedal evenly on the downstroke with both feet. I commute on icy roads and bike paths all the time. I did have trouble on my mountain bike, the wide tires and wide handlebars are not good on ice.

    24. slaughtamonsta on

      I cycle faster on icy days because if I fall I can slide all the way to my destination. 🫡

    26. un_internaute on

      Yeah, after I feel like this with studs on my mountain bike I switched to a fat bike*without* studs and haven’t fallen since.

    27. BWWFC on

      i see… but what if pairing the studded tires w/3000w hub motor and bypassed speed sensor? that’d work no?

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