As above.

Forget about your tyres, stick them through the sole of your shoes, you won’t be riding it anyway 😉

I have crampons for that.

I used 3x12mm steel screws from B&Q. They’re showing a little wear after 2 weeks of road commuting but still doing the job, quite pleased really.

I used half inch long rivets, slipped a washer on them then cramped them up, used about 60 in my old conti mountain king, am going to try it out this week, the rivets are too long for anything but snow and ice which we have loads of (NJ usa) i am still runniny it tubeless, I smeared bostick over rivets heads inside tyre and then a piece of gaffer tape plus sealant seems to be holding air now

I was going to try some 2mm bolts(pan head) washers and nuts. 😉

…or just buy proper ice tyres and be done with it? I picked up four sets from Escape Route just before Xmas for me and two mates. The difference they make is astounding. I tried Ghetto ice tyres and it was a waste of time – cue pinch flats and torn gloves when trying to fix the puncture in the cold. The little bit of extra cost of dedicated ice tyres is quickly forgotten after your first ride out on wet sheet ice. By far the best bit of kit I have bought in a long time.

Cheers

Sanny

At £55 an end there’s not much chance of me doing that.

.or just buy proper ice tyres and be done with it?

………..and where is the fun in that??????

I used 13mm pan head screws, took the points off with a dremmel.

Sanny – Member

“I tried Ghetto ice tyres and it was a waste of time – cue pinch flats and torn gloves when trying to fix the puncture in the cold.”

See, I just made better ghetto ice tyres, that works better than rubbish ones.

I use these. Work well.

SBZ – If this is for the puffer I’m happy to lend you a Schwalbe Ice Spiker and a Snow Stud. Email in profile.

Bruneep – the fun is spending more time riding and less time fannying about in DIY mode! 😀 Well that and riding something that weighs considerably less than a Heath Robinson style home made effort and doesn’t have the “will the inner tube puncture again?” lottery on a freezing cold night ride? I wonder, do any of the diy enthusiasts on here also hunt for their own food? 😉

Couldashouldawoulda – you are an absolute star. Thanks for that.

I tried Ghetto ice tyres and it was a waste of time – cue pinch flats and torn gloves when trying to fix the puncture in the cold.

Sanny, I think your problem is being poor at DIY. If you’ve got old tyres (and old lightweight slicks to use as liners) why on earth would you spend all that money on tyres? What about the warm glow that making something that works? Over 200km on mine without a problem.

And on pure ice, which I what we’ve got round here at the moment, I reckon my home-mades would outperform your tyres 😀

I spent £130 on 2 Ice Spiker Pro tyres for some snow/ice fun. Turns out my 20 year old Merc with its rear wheel drive and auto box can’t get off the drive in 1/2 inch of snow, never mind get me anywhere near a hill in last month’s weather! 😡

I used these from Screwfix, 6 x 3/4″ on the outer knobbles; no contact on the ground when travelling in a straight line, but I felt them gripping as soon as I turned a little. I drilled pilot holes through the knobbles from the outside: this kept the screws pointing at a consistent angle. Then lined the inside with an old inner tube. Had great traction in the packed snow and ice, whilst my two boys were skidding around me!

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsessionid=BDHUDSKCALUF2CSTHZOSFFA?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=6+x+3%2F4

Sanny – Member
Bruneep – the fun is spending more time riding and less time fannying about in DIY mode! Well that and riding something that weighs considerably less than a Heath Robinson style home made effort and doesn’t have the “will the inner tube puncture again?” lottery on a freezing cold night ride?

Sound views. I was particularly worried about the possible punctures. As I have 3 bikes I can always have one set up for the spikes when winter starts. I was thinking of the ice spiker as it is not supposed to lose its actually spikes. Also It should be ok for snow on the first day after that the roads will be all ice anyway.
Anyone used the ice spiker by schwalbe and proper used not just as one off couple of miles ride. I live 6 miles from a shop and my favorite pub is 11 miles away.

I wonder, do any of the diy enthusiasts on here also hunt for their own food?

Don’t see the relationship maybe you could tell me? I catch rabbits pheasants (dozy buggers go in my rabbit traps). Also collect mushrooms and make cider 34 gallons this year. So I cannot see any relationship between the two???

I have done 4 25ml rides on ice spikers. Tried to stay off tarmac as they work ok on it but are very noisey. Awsome grip on snow/ice/mud.
I have lost 1 tip howvere. Expensive,yes,but hopefully will last a few years

JimSu – Member
I have done 4 25ml rides on ice spikers. Tried to stay off tarmac as they work ok on it but are very noisey. Awsome grip on snow/ice/mud.
I have lost 1 tip howvere. Expensive,yes,but hopefully will last a few years

Thanks just the information I wanted. JB

1/2″ zinc-passivated csk wood screw. No12 size I think.

DSC_0489 by ir_bandito, on Flickr

About 160 per Panaracer Cinder.
Truly awesome grip on sheet ice. Lined with 3 layers of duck-tape, but a i got a couple of screws at slight angles, so the heads managed to poke through. Re-aligned the screws, but all the ice has thawed now. so can’t re-test. Might try lining with some zefal tyre-liner for extra protection next time.

Cost me £4 for the screws and a pair of tyres that didn’t have too much life left in them.

Spikers – they just work. Run them on wet off camber sheet ice and they grip like nobodys business. Just don’t put your foot down when you stop! Oh and the recommended running on the road prior to use seems to help stop spike loss.

I also run Conti Nordics – 120 is a waste of time however the 240 is ace on my cross bike.

They’ve transformed my winter riding.

Waderider aka one hill Hancox 😀

I’ll take your bet but best limit it to one climb given your inability to handle more than a single climb on any ride! Ha! Ha! 😉

You don’t have to spend any money on ice tyres if you make your own but I like having something that works and works well for not a lot more than a good set of normal tyres. If I’m lucky, I’ll get a winter out of a Trailraker at £35 a pop before the sidewall goes. I reckon I’ll be getting several years out the Schwalbes so in terms of value for money, it’s easy for me to justify.

The proper ice spikers work far better than the DIY efforts. I did make up a couple of tyres last winter which worked alright. I used truss headed self tappers (hardened) cut down with an angle grinder to approx 2-3mm of a projection from the tread surface. Drill a pilot hole through the knob from external to internal to ensure correct positioning, this will give the screw extra support and less potential for the head to move and pinch the tube. Line the inside of the tyre with gaffer tape or an old tube glued in place and jobs a good un. Like I say these work well but the ice spikers are far better in my opinion… less weight. 304 tungsten spikes per tyre!

I have a brand new Fire XC pro tyre, screwed and lined out ready to go if anyone wants to throw £15 my way! Gotta recoup the £90 I spent on the ice spikers somehow! email in profile.

Good bike ride last night Sanny, mate Ross turned up with Ice Spikers and they are ‘okay’! Another mate (called Mr Christie) turned up adamant he didn’t need ice tyres, end result bike ride aborted, Mr Christie bruised and battered with the WHOLE arse torn out of his lycra.

Bum cracks ahoy!

I never told you, not on a public forum 😆

The ‘One Hill Hancox’ relates to hill walking (I think!), so I don’t care 😀