Imagine you’re zipping down your favorite winter MTB trail with a hard-packed snow surface. The grip seems good, you’re enjoying your ride, and all of a sudden you lose all control and hit the ground hard. What happened? You hit a patch of ice and lost all traction before even realizing what was going on.
Preventing incidents like these in your winter mountain biking adventures starts and ends with quality studded tires – here’s what you need to know.
What are studded tires?
As the name suggests, studded bike tires are like regular MTB tires, with one clear exception: they have metal studs in them. The studs are designed to give you traction and allow you to maintain grip while riding on ice. The studs act as spikes that dig into the ice and provide you with traction where you would otherwise have none.
If you live in an area with a winter season and the dreaded freeze thaw cycle, you probably have times when the trails are unrideable because of how icy conditions can become. No longer though, if you get yourself a good set of studded tires, you can turn your mountain biking into a year-round sport.
Advantages of studded tires
Traction on ice unmatched by any non-studded tire
The primary advantage of using studded tires on your mountain bike is the amazing traction you’re able to get over icy trails.
We’re all for aggressive tread on mountain bike tires, and a good rubber tread pattern can make a big difference to your level of grip during warmer weather on normal trail conditions, but no tread, no matter how aggressive, is any match or replacement to having studs on your tires when things get icy.
Confidence
When you don’t have good grip, or confidence that your tires will maintain traction with the trail, its really hard to have confidence, commit to your lines and ride your MTB freely. If you’re riding trails that are snow packed but with icy patches, regular mountain bike tires with decent tread will do okay on the hard-packed snow.
But when you do come across those icy sections, regular mountain bike tires go from having okay traction to virtually no traction at all. Unexpectedly hitting a patch of ice will very often lead to riders taking a fall.
Knowing you’re prepared for these icy patches by riding with studs will give you confidence to ride more aggressively knowing you won’t be taking a quick, hard fall when you hit a patch of ice.
Peace of mind
Going hand in hand with the confidence you get when you ride with studs in the winter is the peace of mind it gives you during your ride, allowing you to relax and have fun.
Riding without studs knowing there could be or are icy patches out on the trails will have you feeling tense, nervous and might even make you feel a sense of impending doom. This will seriously impact the amount you’re able to enjoy your ride.
By getting your bike set up with studs, you’ll have the peace of mind to know you’re well prepared for the conditions you are facing.
Disadvantages of studded tires
Extra weight
Tires with studs are heavier as a result of all the extra material in them (metal studs). And while having studs gives you the ability to have traction riding over ice, this extra weight can have some downsides.
You won’t be able to accelerate quite as quickly riding studded tires compared to regular mountain bike tires because the heavier weight will slow your pedaling down a bit.
That extra weight can also make your bike feel sluggish, which can be especially noticeable when climbing up hills.
Break-in period
Something that can come as a surprise to some is that studded tires have a sort of “break-in period” to get the studs properly seated in the tire. Most manufacturers recommend riding them on a hard surface (like asphalt roads) for anywhere from 10 to 25 miles.
If you try to hit the trails with brand new studded tires, you can lose a lot of studs that get pulled right out of the tire if not properly seated.
Are studded tires worth it?
Studded tires are absolutely worth it if you’re going to be riding your mountain bike during conditions where ice patches can be present. Even if you ride mostly snow packed trails, when its below freezing there is a pretty good chance there will be some ice patches somewhere out on the trails.
If you ride in the winter when there is ice present, studded tires will be totally worth it compared to taking a hard fall without them.
Studded mountain bike tires to consider
Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro
45NRTH Kahva
Frequently asked questions
Yes studded tires absolutely work. The whole point of using studs on your mountain bike tires is to give you traction over ice, and good studded tires do that very well. The studs dig into the ice and prevent your tire from sliding out.
Yes, studs can be purchased on their own to add to your own choice of mountain bike tire. Make sure you confirm you have installed the studs into the tires correctly so that they work as intended.
To break in a studded MTB tire you should ride it on a hard surface like a road for 10 miles or more, which will allow the studs to properly seat in the tire.
Conclusion
Studded tires are a must have for anyone wanting to ride their mountain bike during the winter, especially in icy conditions. They will make your ride safer, give you more confidence and allow you to have more fun while you ride.