With 361 spikes it bites firmly into icy roads. The tungsten carbide core of each spike is clad in weight-saving aluminium. The scales stop at 695g, yet the tyre remains agile and sporty. Questions and Answers: 1. Can it also be ridden on a normal road? Without any problem, but if the road is only rarely covered with snow the resulting tyre noise may prove annoying. 2. And it won’t slide out in cornering? No. The spikes ‘claw’ really well into normal asphalt roads and even fast cornering is not a problem. Only on very smooth surfaces, like cobbles, is there minimal grip. 3. Aren’t spikes illegal? In some countries spiked car tyres are illegal, because they damage the road surface. Bicycle tyre spikes are not a problem. The spikes work best on ice when running at minimum pressure, whilst at maximum pressure the tyres can be ridden on ice-free roads with minimal road noise. In order to ensure that spikes are permanently fixed, tyres should be run in for about 40km on asphalt, while avoiding any fast acceleration or heavy braking. 4. Do the tyres have to be run in? In order to ensure that spikes are permanently fixed, tyres should be run in for about 40km on asphalt, while avoiding any fast acceleration or heavy braking. 5. What is the lifespan of the spikes? All Schwalbe spikes have a core made of extremely hard wearing tungsten carbide, so they can cover a few thousand kilometres. It is normal for the spike edges to round off and for them to become more deeply embedded. 6. Some spikes came out. Can they be replaced? Yes, new spikes can be reinserted using pliers. 7. What are the tyres’ limitations? In deep snow even spike tyres won’t help. In certain areas snow rarely stays around long. 8. Are spike tyres still an option? The Snow Stud runs quite pleasantly on snow-free roads, so grip on ice is somewhat limited. But if two bikes are available, Marathon Winter is the better choice. Depending upon the morning weather, use the most suitable bike. On icy roads, when even cars are having problems, it is a great feeling to be in full control on spike tyres. Directions for replacing studs- When the tyre is mounted: Use Long Nose Pliers, Angle base of stud over hole, and push and twist….
– Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Performance Folding MTB Tyre MTB Off-Road Tyres – £46.91 (RRP – £)
