Carbide tipped studs, like those found in Nokian and Schwable tires
are the most durable. They will last indefinitely no matter what
surface you ride on, as long as the rest of the tire anyway, through
10 winters or more.
Standard steel studs offered in every other brand of studded bicycle
tire wear out much more quickly. Many people report them being worn
down after a single winter, a few who use them sparingly, or mostly on
snow and ice (very little pavement contact) get them through 2-3
winters.
Home made studs (sheet metal screws, etc), have the shortest lifespan
of all. They are not recommended for use on pavement at all since
they wear down very quickly. Coupled with the many hours of labor
involved in making them, they aren't quite as good of a deal as you
might think. That said, they are supposed to offer incredible
traction on ice, so something to consider if you plan short-cut your
commute across one of the lakes this winter.
In short, if it doesn't say "carbide" its not worth it.
Frank Hassler
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
RIDE A BIKE!: "If by tomorrow, every gas guzzler on the road were
replaced by Priuses, we would still have the same gridlock,
accidents, deaths, injuries and the same pressures to put more
asphalt, strip malls and subdivisions." --Thomas Smart, (www.planetbike.com/supercommuter/)
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
