I have a pair of Nokian Extremes, and I can't really recommend them for commuting on mostly streets and paths that are mostly plowed. They have too many studs too far out from the centerline (contact patch) of the tire, so leaning the bike over even a bit on pavement that is dry (or even dusted with a bit of snow) actually gives you considerably LESS traction, since even carbide studs don't bite into concrete or asphalt much. Trust me on this. I ruined the sleeve/shoulder of a Carhart jacket testing this, and I was lucky that's all I ruined.
They're really designed for racing on ice and/or packed snow. This is not to say that I don't recommend studded tires for winter commuting; I do. I just don't think this particular model is will suited for commuting. The Nokian brand studded tires do last a very long time, even when ridden six months of the year, and are generally far superior to the other brands, which often use studs that are not carbide, and wear down much faster. For commuting, the models you want are the Mount and Ground (160 stud) for bikes that fit 26x1.75" tires and bigger, and the Hakkapelliitta (106 stud) tires for bikes that fit 700x38 (they're marked 700x35, but they're actually bigger). Nokian's website also lists a Hakkapelita that fits 26" wheels, and Hakka and other models with more studs, or similar studs , but in practice I've never seen it available in the states. http://www.suomityres.com/winter.html Beware of the IRC and Nashbar brands. Nokian's are actually cheaper in the long run since you can use them so much longer. I acquired a pair of Hakkapelita's USED, and still rode them for more than a decade's worth of winters, and in the end I quit using them not because I wore the studs down, but installing and removing them so many times eventually wore through the rubber securing the steel bead to the tire, and I had problems with the exposed steel bead abrading the tube inside. -----Original Message----- FYI: An online seller, Tree Fort Bikes, has a good deal on Nokian Extreme studded tires 294 26 x 2.1 (66 apiece, free shipping); however, they are back-ordered until Oct 15. I've ordered a pair, in anticipation of winter. -- Harry Read _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
