MTB Tires for the snow

parko202 · 01-12-2010 4:47pm #1

For all those who dabble in a bit of mountain biking, I am using my bike to get into college at the moment but am finding even with the pressure low that the tyres are sliding all over the shop.

I have a nobby nic on the front and a racing ralph on the back, would I notice a big difference if I went for say Kenda Nevegals? or some other more aggressive tyre? Also for general winter mountain biking, should I be looking at different tyres for the mud?

Cheers

Gavin · 01-12-2010 5:07pm

Any normal tyre will slide on ice. Only alternative is ice tyres as detailed in the Snow FAQ sticky. Otherwise, for general winter, muddy use, the nobby nics seem to get good reviews.

parko202 · 01-12-2010 5:15pm

thanks, yeah I expected them to slip a bit but not be as bad as I have found. Have tried getting studded tires but no one seems to have them in stock incl. crc and wiggle. Will consider bike 24 if I can't find any solution.

Did you try the cable tie trick? any success?

Gavin · 01-12-2010 5:21pm

Tried it last year and I think it was ok, I didn't fall anyway. Kintaro Hattpants is trying it and seems to reckon it works well. No harm in giving it a go.

parko202 · 01-12-2010 5:24pm

will do, I'll report back at some point when I get the chance. Thanks!

zil · 01-12-2010 5:39pm

The current flavour of the month for winter mtb tyres are the conti rubber queen's. They've been getting quite a few good reviews from mags an real people alike.

Be warned though if your planning to get a pair that you need to get the ones with the black chilli compound, some of the less common sizes come with the standard less sticky compound so watch out.

empirix · 01-12-2010 8:59pm

i use tubless knobby nics, great tyre! on another note be careful out there man, be extra extra vigilant, you come off your bike on a main road and fall the wrong way, you could get clipped by a car, god forbid its your head. Walk if it aint too far yeah!

FISMA · 01-12-2010 11:10pm

We used to do a lot of mountain biking abroad in areas with a lot of ice and sneachta. So much so, it was feasible to get snow tires, however, not many companies made such a thing back then.

I had plenty of clearance at the top of my fork, so I went to the hardware store and bought some self tapping bolts. I turned the tire inside out, put the bolts through the knobbies and allowed them to protrude a bit. It is a bit of trial and error to get the correct amount of protrusion. However, in the end, it was worth it.

I covered the area in an old tube, as if you were using wide rim tape. If you don't rough up the heads much, you may not even need the tube/tape.

The final result was unbelievable. I rode over frozen lakes and ponds and turned nicely. Was a lot of fun, until I broke through the pond.

Only three foot deep, close to the shore, and we fully expected it to happen. That expression "hearing the ice cracking beneath your feet" was definitely true.

If you are snowed in, give it a shot. I didn't have to take it on a road. Just single and double tracks.

MTB Tires for the snow

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