Technical > Wheels, Tyres and Brakes

700C winter tyres??

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tynevalleycommuter:
Anybody have any good recommendations for 700C tyres for winter commuting?

I have a very short steep hill on a double bend that is always wet (run-off from fields)and find it almost impossible to avoid rear wheel spin. A touch of frost makes it even more exciting. Midwinter it can be like a glacier.

I'm using 23mm gatorskins at the moment, and these have been the best I have tried so far.

I don't expect to find anything that will tackle the ice (MTB with studded tyres?), but any ideas on super-grippy tyres for wet roads? I don't really want to go to a much bigger section/deep tread if I can avoid it as I might not be able to get them under the 'guards.

Oh, yes and good puncture resistance is a must!!

Before you suggest it, there is no simple way of detouring around this section without adding quite a few miles!

barriecartledge:
The perfect Winter tyre does not exist, I live in the Yorkshire Dales, lots of rain crud and ice and I ride all winter.

I find that slick tyres are just as good as anything else on slippy roads, tyres with treads are okay for deep mud and off road riding but are no better than slicks on plippy roads and also they have a much poorer rolling resistance.

Go for Hutchinsons Kevlar they are cheap and last ages, I use them all winter and buy them from Ribble Cycles, they are the cheapest that I have found and you get free innertubes.

Barrie Cartledge

tynevalleycommuter:
Thanks, Barrie, I think we have reached the same conclusion here. I've had a few 'near-spills' in the winter but never actually come off, just trying to see if there is anything out there that might reduce the excitement level a little!

I do usually buy my tyres from Ribbles as the prices are good even without the free tubes, I occasionally pass thru Preston so usually pick up a pair of tyres of some kind or other on the way. I'll give the Hutchinson's a try sometime.

David Bingham

Istanbul_Tea:
Would these help or be too much?

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

PeLu:
My experience is that for winter riding narrow tyres (almost slicks) are the best. Only a few days a year the snow on the roads is so high that a wide tyre is of any use.
But for ice at higher temperatures, studded tyres are perfect (I was told).
If you need studded tyres in unusual sizes, you could have them made in Germany for a realtively low price. If anybody is interested, I'll look for the address.
I've also heard that the relatively new Schwalbe studded tyre is performing well. You can 'switch' the studs somewhat on and off with the pressure.
As I have to use 20" I cannot try them.....

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