Can I get through winter on 23c slick tyres?

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  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,659
    I refer you to BJUK's thread.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Fankyouverymuchsir. :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Asprilla wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    On a commuting run last year

    a5bc91519c7c4350899fc6fd141f98c6.jpg

    Are those spikes?

    I'm thinking about investing in a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Winters for the new bike when it arrives but I'm a bit concerned that they start at 35mm and the clearance on the guards is for 35mm tyres. Do the spikes on winter tyres generally stick out very much or am I going to have to try them to see if it works?

    I'd say more studs than spikes but yes they do stick out a bit and make a very cool sound on normal tarmac 8)

    These are the 240 studs they do a 120 version I think
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,659
    itboffin wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    Sheesh! I knew you had a reputation for such things, but that must be £200 worth of tubes. I might give the Hardshells a try as although my Gatorskins are pretty resistant to pointy things, they don't really inspire confidence when cornering in the wet.

    Actually it was 54 not including errors changing tubes and patches that came off, but hey who's counting :roll:

    Hardshells +100

    Do the Hardshells use a different, more grippy compound than the Ultra Gatorskins, then? Maybe I just need to work on my handling skills, or maybe I'm not putting enough weight over the wheels to get decent traction, but I had a few fish-tail moments this morning on the wet roads.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    I'm interested in spikes and using my MTB if the weather is anything like last year, snow and black ice etc.

    Any recommendations, don't want to spend the earth but it saves me £12.30 each day I cycle over the train in the Winter, so can pay for itself quickly.

    What tyres have you got on here?
    itboffin wrote:
    On a commuting run last year

    a5bc91519c7c4350899fc6fd141f98c6.jpg
  • Canny Jock
    Canny Jock Posts: 1,051
    @Kieran - I sold my Tricross to make way for a road bike, and couldn't justify having an expensive bike sitting round doing nothing.

    @ITB - I did have 25c tyres and Cruds on the Ribble, but broke the front guard (toe overlap and lazy riding issue), decided to get full guards, then realised they wouldn't fit over the tyres and bought some 23's.

    Yes, before you all point it put, I'm not very good at planning bike purchases and do it all on impulse which costs more money in the long term, but hey.
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Canny Jock wrote:
    @Kieran - I sold my Tricross to make way for a road bike, and couldn't justify having an expensive bike sitting round doing nothing.

    @ITB - I did have 25c tyres and Cruds on the Ribble, but broke the front guard (toe overlap and lazy riding issue), decided to get full guards, then realised they wouldn't fit over the tyres and bought some 23's.

    Yes, before you all point it put, I'm not very good at planning bike purchases and do it all on impulse which costs more money in the long term, but hey.

    What size guards did you buy? I'd be willing to bet you could fit 25's if they were fitted properly. The guards on my Orbea rubbed on 23's, until I tightened all the bolts again. :oops:
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • Canny Jock
    Canny Jock Posts: 1,051
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    Canny Jock wrote:
    @Kieran - I sold my Tricross to make way for a road bike, and couldn't justify having an expensive bike sitting round doing nothing.

    @ITB - I did have 25c tyres and Cruds on the Ribble, but broke the front guard (toe overlap and lazy riding issue), decided to get full guards, then realised they wouldn't fit over the tyres and bought some 23's.

    Yes, before you all point it put, I'm not very good at planning bike purchases and do it all on impulse which costs more money in the long term, but hey.

    What size guards did you buy? I'd be willing to bet you could fit 25's if they were fitted properly. The guards on my Orbea rubbed on 23's, until I tightened all the bolts again. :oops:

    Oi! What are you saying about my fettling skills :lol:

    They are SKS Chromoplastic 35mm (I think - the narrowest?) I can't see you getting any wider on the Ribble, and there is absolutely no way anything wider than 23c will fit either on the front or the rear. I used to have 25c with Cruds but the SKS have heftier brackets.

    I'm happy on 23's for now, lots os people seem to be fine on them.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    iPete wrote:
    I'm interested in spikes and using my MTB if the weather is anything like last year, snow and black ice etc.

    Any recommendations, don't want to spend the earth but it saves me £12.30 each day I cycle over the train in the Winter, so can pay for itself quickly.

    What tyres have you got on here?
    itboffin wrote:
    On a commuting run last year

    a5bc91519c7c4350899fc6fd141f98c6.jpg

    These http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=30225
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Canny Jock
    Canny Jock Posts: 1,051
    So, to revisit this, I've got 23c tyres and full SKS guards on the Ribble, but I'm really noticing the difference in comfort between the new tyres and the old (Spech Roubaix) 25's. I don't mind it being a little rougher, but I've nearly gone off after hitting a couple of potholes which didn't seem to happen on the wider tyres. I also think the narrower tyres are more prone to getting caught in ridges/grates etc, of which there are plenty on my route. I've started going slower and more carefully since fitting them, maybe not a bad thing though.

    So thinking about going back to 25's (fortunately still in the shed), which means replacing the SKS with Crud 2's. Or the other option is stick with it and MTFU?
  • dav1
    dav1 Posts: 1,298
    managed it fine last year, I have gone to 25s this winter though mostly because I wanted a little more grip from a less grippy tyre to maintain my conering. (gone from pro3 race to Schwalbe durano)
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Think it's just a case of getting used to it. Managed 23s last winter, will do same this winter.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Alphabet
    Alphabet Posts: 436
    23s all the way. spped and reduced effort over @rse comfort
    Benotto SS/Fixie FCN:5
    Kona Kula FCN:9

    Looking for a cycling buddy?
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    cjcp wrote:
    Think it's just a case of getting used to it. Managed 23s last winter, will do same this winter.

    +1
  • Aidy
    Aidy Posts: 2,015
    Got through last winter on 23s. Will be doing so this year too.

    I can't imagine that wider tyres would really make all that difference to grip, without going the route of snow/ice tyres. Disc brakes this year are going to be awesome, though.
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Done 23s since I got the Boardman and that was 3 winters ago
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • Canny Jock
    Canny Jock Posts: 1,051
    Aidy wrote:
    Got through last winter on 23s. Will be doing so this year too.

    I can't imagine that wider tyres would really make all that difference to grip, without going the route of snow/ice tyres. Disc brakes this year are going to be awesome, though.

    Ooooh, disk brakes :)

    Anyone fancy building me a single speed bike with road geometry, takes mudguards and wider tyres, with disk brakes please? Preferably in titanium for under £200 fully built.
  • Alphabet
    Alphabet Posts: 436
    Canny Jock wrote:
    Aidy wrote:
    Got through last winter on 23s. Will be doing so this year too.

    I can't imagine that wider tyres would really make all that difference to grip, without going the route of snow/ice tyres. Disc brakes this year are going to be awesome, though.

    Ooooh, disk brakes :)

    Anyone fancy building me a single speed bike with road geometry, takes mudguards and wider tyres, with disk brakes please? Preferably in titanium for under £200 fully built.

    i can go one better
    227987.jpg
    Benotto SS/Fixie FCN:5
    Kona Kula FCN:9

    Looking for a cycling buddy?

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