Apologies if the snow tyre discussion has already been done today 🙂

I’d heard Innerleithen was under a fair bit of snow which had iced over this morning so chucked on the Schwalbe Snow Studs, these ones:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24564

Turned up at Glentress, no snow at all, ice looked ok so went to Inners.

Absolutely hated the tyres. Don’t get me wrong, show them a fully snowy or icy part of the trail and they were amazing but the marginal parts where there were rocks sticking out the metal studs were sliding off the rock. After it happened the first few times I just couldn’t get any confidence when they were going to cut through to the rock and slide. Not even a gentle slide, felt like a normal tyre when it hits ice.

Will definitely try them again but only if the conditions have gone to full on hard packed ice, it was pretty astonishing how much grip they had on the few bits like that I found. Also need to play about with the pressure a bit I think…

Yes I was out on these Snow Stud tyres as well yesterday – in the Peak District, and it was mostly solid snow, so decent conditions for them.

I thought they were OK and yes tyre pressures were crucial, especially putting them higher for road sections to get the studs more off the road. I also felt a bit of care was needed with grip on road.

I was surprised how narrow they are. Does anyone have experience of other snow tyres and normal tyres which work well in snow?

Will we get much chance to try them again!? Hope so.

I’m tempted to try my studded tyres at the local skating rink….come on snow!

I saw someone had used cable ties strapped around the wheel/tyre anyone know if this works?

I went to great trouble and expense to sort winter tyres for the car. However, Saturday morning, the handbrake cable froze. I took Otto my usual chap to do today. It snowed Saturday evening and has now, as I get my car back, pretty much cleared. How robbed do I feel?!

Cable ties ok for traction but not lateral grip.

Don’t get a puncture.