[Le Acemen]

I commute 20 miles each way on a Genesis Equilibrium Disc from 2014. Its 99% country roads, 1% cycle path. If I see 5 cars, it’s a busy morning. As anyone whose ridden here (south-west UK) will know if it’s not up, its down round here. I gain/lose near 2000ft each way. I’ve done it in wind, rain and sun, but not really cold yet. There is little time to react on a downhill and I’m a bit concerned about coming off on my morning commute, 6.50am, dark, 2 degs or less.

As its starting to get icy in the mornings I am considering changing out my tyres from Conti GP5000, to something a little better if these here roads are troublesome. Struggling to know what is right though – I really want something stable and that I can be confident in almost regardless of the starting temperature.

So far considered Schwalbe Marathon Plus and Ritchey Alpine JB WCS.

Does anyone have a view on something that is super helpful in the morning, but given the distance, not a total drag on the evening commute, should that be a bit drier? Ta muchly.

Topic

[BIGWATTS]

Quick vote for the Conti GP 4
Quick vote for the Conti GP 4 Season – no ice spikes but the rubber compound is better for cold and wet conditions. Fairly tough, not a marathon, but rolls quick almost like a race tyre.

Good luck, I feel your pain and the anxiety of risking pain! I have a similar rural road commute on muddy lanes and leafy bike paths in the SW, close to road.cc HQ, and tyre choice is often on my mind as I lean into a turn with a Range Rover tailgating me… ?

[Crazyhorse]

Schwalbe Winter 30mm spiked

Schwalbe Winter 30mm spiked for me. They’re rock solid on ice (even with fewer spikes). Several times I’ve been sceptical about them and dismounted only to end up on my arse – should have trusted the spikes! But they are still pretty heavy, noisy and not much fun to ride.

Also, if it’s really icy on the lanes I may be able to stop safely but I cannot guarateee the bozos in their cars will be able to avoid sliding into me. So, if it’s really icy I mostly use the A-roads on my usual winter tyres (you can’t go wrong with 28mm Conti GP 4 season tyes for general winter use). Admittedly that brings other risks…

[froze]

Maybe you should consider the

Maybe you should consider the Nokian A10, not sure if they come in your size you’ll have to check, they are carbide studded which lasts longer.  This tire does not have deep lugs for deep snow, but you didn’t mention snow so the A10 has a tread profile similar to a gravel tire.  Another decent tire is the Kenda Klondike series which also has carbide-tipped studs.  These carbide studs will out last the tire.

Keep in mind that when riding in cold weather and ice conditions you should lower your psi by 10 psi.

The problem with studs on a bicycle is the amount of weight being exerted upon the tire, vs a heavy car with 4 studded tires, on a car you can feel the studs gripping the ice extremely well, but on a bike not so much, it feels more like your on ice-covered lightly with sand, this means you still have to be very careful riding on ice.  And studs won’t do a thing on deep snow but that doesn’t seem to be a worry where you live.

[Shades]

quiff wrote:

I have very positive experiences with Schwalbe Marathon Plus, but not in your circumstances. I’ve used them in all weathers except actual snow, but for a shorter, flatter commute, and in London, where roads are busier and temperatures higher, so ice is less often an issue, and isolation even less so. In my experience (in a 35c size) they have been absolutely bombproof. I got over 5 years (commuting c.50km/week) out of my first set, and only one puncture in that time (and that was a nail which went in one side of the tyre and out the other!) I never had a problem with grip, but they are heavy and no doubt very ‘dead’ feeling – didn’t bother me as I’ve never known anything different on that bike (a steel Genesis Day One). I think they also come in a studded version.   

Was a fan of these for many years but found them a bit skittish in the wet, especially if it was cold, and had 2 nasty commuting wipe-outs (pretty banged up in both cases).  Rubber compound is hard (would be, given the puncture resistance); I just felt they lacked grip in the wet/cold.  They also weigh a ton.  Shifted to Marathon Supremes which are folding, much lighter and (supposed) good puncture protection; expensive though.  Bit early to report on grip/puncture protection but the bike does feel livelier.  I’ve still got the M Plus tyres and would shift back to them if I was touring, less fixated with speed/grip and wanted excellent puncture protection.  The M Supremes could well make them redundant though.

[Drinfinity]

Ice spikes in the morning,

Ice spikes in the morning, slicks in the evening you say? If only there was something you could zip off when you got to work? Look no further than the retyre! 

https://www.retyre.co/products/winter-traveler/

More seriously- I used Schwalbe ice spikers on my mountain bike in the winter. I kept them on an old set of wheels. The best surface was packed freeze/thaw snow, and they would take on verglassed rock just fine. They did wear down after a few seasons of mountain biking, which is a lot less miles than a commute. 

[FlyingPenguin]

You don’t say what tyre size
You don’t say what tyre size you can squeeze in, but if you can get Marathon Winters, or any other studded tyre, in there I’d do it. If your budget stretches to a spare cheap wheel set that you can leave them fitted to and just swap in when the temperature is low single digits then all the better.

Pre Covid I was commuting on a Brompton with the baby Marathon Winters on it, leaving home in the dark and often negative temperatures, yes I sounded like a bowl of rice krispies but I had absolute confidence in their ability to keep me upright (and I was still able to keep a good pace up when the opportunity arose).

[Reinach]

Panaracer rock n road 43mm
Panaracer rock n road 43mm 700c at pressure, p Bar where p={1.5-2} works well for majority UK conditions (I go through a set every year on my daily commute bicycle) and
Kenda Karvs 28mm 700C p{2.5-3.5} for road/race bicycle.
For ref. I weigh 80kg in full winter cycling gear (full-face helmet etc.) and both tyres are foldable and require inner tubes.

[Le Acemen]

Just so you know Mike – your

Just so you know Mike – your local knowledge was helpful. Ended up with a set of the Pirelli’s – good call, thanks. 28mm was as big as I could manage on my frame with mudguards, so that’s what I got. Current tyres at 28mm so no different.

Won’t arrive until the weekend, but it just looks like solid rain for the rest of this week. Which is standard and the GP5000’s are fine with.

[joncomelately]

Yep, I would agree. I’m in
Yep, I would agree. I’m in the East Midlands so ice is only a concern a few days a year, but after some hairy moments I opted for the Schwalbe Winter active (30mm) on a spare wheelset for days when there is sheet ice (predictably fewer after I bought them) – I just swap them in the morning of/night before if there’s warning or it looks like a run of freezing. It only takes a few minutes. They are a drag, but the reduced speed is not an issue because it’s usually icy! Not sure I’d want to do 20 miles on them regularly mind, but I am a weakling and it’s probably good for you or somesuch (and you do get used to them quite quickly).
Not used them in snow but they perform well on other wet and slippy stuff like leaves so would be happy to try them.
For all other days, including frost, I stick to my GP4000s. And go slower; I have approximately 10ft of ascent on my most common commute so I realise that may not be an option downhill!
Fitting them did involve swearing. And blood.

I also noted, during my research, that many people complained about the studs coming off. I have to say, this has not been an issue for me – perhaps relevant is my inherent desire to follow instructions (so I bedded them in as recommended, which involved about 40miles of riding them during summer!) and my general poor bike handling so I tend not to make sharp turns or sudden stops, but I don’t know.

[ktache]

I had the first itteration of

I had the first itteration of these on my Getting to Work Bike, 26 inch mind, they gave you much more confidence when the sparkly frost was present.

Trecherous on the leaf stuff and in any mud though.

[Le Acemen]

Thanks Mike.

Thanks Mike.

Yes, its wetter than it is icy most of the time. Like you, working from home right now, but looking out the window this morning I realised I’ll be facing this later in the week. It was icy out there this morning – 2 degrees when I would be leaving.

I live way down at the bottom of a valley, something of a cold air pocket. I have to climb out and then commute inland from the coast and generally lose a good few degrees on the way. The point there being, just because it is / isn’t icy at home, that won’t translate to the same when I get to the other end…

[Le Acemen]

Thats appreciated, thanks.

Thats appreciated, thanks. This bike is by no means a posh bike – done many miles and is obviously steel. That said, I’d rather not smash it up…

[mike the bike]

Like you sir, I live in the

Like you sir, I live in the SW and for years I commuted daily in all weathers.  We are actually blessed with relatively mild winters down here, certainly much less severe than when I lived in Yorkshire.  I can usually count on the fingers of one hand the mornings when snow or ice are a real cause for concern but yes, I did have a fall or two and it’s not nice.  Even bearing in mind that unpleasantness I never considered buying studded tyres; they cost the earth, wear outrageously fast and, as you pointed out, were not needed for the teatime run.

My best advice is firstly, avoid cheap tyres.  They are cheap for a reason and lack the modern, sophisticated technology that’s available for the right price.  If you pay less than £35 a tyre you are, but not literally, on thin ice. 

Forget mountain bike rubber, the benefits are largely illusory.  Tread, no matter how deep, will not save you on ice.

Look at bicyclerollingresistance.com for the most puncture resistant, long lasting tyres.  Pirelli’s Cinturato in 28mm is a decent starting point, it’s not too expensive and not too wooden.

Take care

[pockstone]

West Yorkshire, so not arctic

West Yorkshire, so not arctic permafrost by any means. I commuted on them throughout the ‘beast from the east’, which was icy temperatures for at least a solid week, and lots of other icy mornings, snowy evenings  and very cold weekend rides. The kind where you’re swopping between sunny dry road and shaded icy/ frosty surfaces every few yards, even a few off road rides in fresh snow.

I understand your hesitancy, having them on all winter seems a bit drastic for UK conditions, probably more so in the wetter and warmer SW than here.

I’m not a weight weenie by any stretch, and despite the disadvantages I listed I was happy to keep them on from  late November to early March. The security when it got cold and icy was worth the drawbacks. Also, when you get your summer tyres back on you feel like you’re flying!

I did have them on my second best wheels, so had the option to swop them for  conventional tyres but never or rarely bothered. 

I’m working from home at the moment so the commute is not an issue. I can pick and choose when I ride, but it’s nice not to have to forgo a sunny/cold winter ride for fear of falling off.

[HoarseMann]

+1 for studded tyres.

+1 for studded tyres.

I commuted on Schwalbe Winters for 4 years. I put them on first frost and they stayed on until the spring. I think if you are commuting, you don’t want to bother with the faff of switching wheelsets. Plus, if you’re at work and unexpected bad weather rolls in, it’s no good having the studded tyres back home.

They are obviously slower and heavier than summer tyres, but for me it was well worth the 2 mph-ish drop in average speed for the confidence they give you – especially when riding in the dark. I’m based near Milton Keynes and similarly used country roads and a cycle path, but with some quite busy sections.

They also work well when there’s no ice, as the deep tread cuts right through mud and leaf mulch. You get used to the sound they make in the dry – a bit like riding on rice crispies. They go quiet when you roll onto a patch of ice.

I used the ‘winters’ rather than the ‘marathon winter’ as it’s available in a 30mm which meant I could still get mudguards on, plus has half the number of studs, so a bit lighter and rolls better in the dry. Just make sure to use gloves when fitting so you don’t rip your hands to shreds!

[Author]

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