Highs and Lows of Marathon Winters

meanredspider

Wow - what a morning!

Arrived at large area of lumps of ice/refrozen snow at about 25mph this morning - my life flashed before my eyes as I bounced across it, desperately trying to keep a straight line. Can't believe I didn't crash - killing muyself laughing afterwards with the sheer adrenaline rush.

Then, in town, on the shared path - sweeping downhill bend, bike just went from under me. I slide about 10 feet on the sheet ice - bike ended up in the road. No one from any of the queueing cars asked if I was OK. Broke the rear mech on my bike and a bit of damage to my belt bag - tights and jacket fine though (that's how icy it was).

Possibly have too much pressure in them (max 6 bar). Take care though!

cougie

Nasty ! Are you ordering spiked tyres today then ?

rolf_f

meanredspider wrote:

Possibly have too much pressure in them (max 6 bar). Take care though!

Can you do some more testing to destruction for the rest of us tentative Marathon WInter users since you are now a bit destroyed anyway

Commiserations...

neiltb

enjoyed the cycle here this morning, uncommonly warm atm. +5 today and up to +10 Wednesday. really clear too, no ice cos we got no puddles.

meanredspider

cougie wrote:

Nasty ! Are you ordering spiked tyres today then ?

Marathon Winters are spiked/studded tyres. I don't think they are as good as Schwalbe's own Ice Spikers though which is what I've used the last couple of years on my MTB. They won't fit on the CX bike though.

Rolf F wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Possibly have too much pressure in them (max 6 bar). Take care though!

Can you do some more testing to destruction for the rest of us tentative Marathon WInter users since you are now a bit destroyed anyway

Commiserations...

I will - once I've fixed the bike. Halfords say it could be 14 days before I get the hanger for the CX - they only get one delivery a week! Crap service - especially as I have no alternative.

daviesee

14 days?

Surely the case has just been made for on-line shopping?

Next day delivery. Although up there is considered to be as good as overseas by some couriers :evil:

fnegroni

6 bar is definitely too high pressure for ice.

I keep my 20inch Marathon Winter at 70 psi but only because there is no ice. Small tyres require a few psi more than regular 26/28/29 inch tyres.

The Ice Spiker also felt slippery at anything above 45 psi (26x2.1).

bails87

MRS: If it's any help, my Boardman MTB hanger was number 25 or 52 off BETD.

meanredspider

daviesee wrote:

14 days?

Surely the case has just been made for on-line shopping?

Next day delivery. Although up there is considered to be as good as overseas by some couriers :evil:

Absolutely - if only I knew what the bloody hanger was! I tried Wiggle but they don't stock the hanger (despite stocking the bikes - bit disappointing).

fnegroni wrote:

6 bar is definitely too high pressure for ice.

I keep my 20inch Marathon Winter at 70 psi but only because there is no ice. Small tyres require a few psi more than regular 26/28/29 inch tyres.

The Ice Spiker also felt slippery at anything above 45 psi (26x2.1).

Possibly. It's a 700c 35mm tyre with a 95kg rider (plus a heavy-ish bike, and all the winter gear plus what I'm carrying).

I think I ran my Spikers at around 50-55 the last couple of years and they never once slipped.

Anyhow, I'll experiment and report what I find.

meanredspider

bails87 wrote:

MRS: If it's any help, my Boardman MTB hanger was number 25 or 52 off BETD.

Thanks - though I heard them say in Halfords yesterday that it's not the same as the MTB hanger.

I can ride my MTB on the Ice Spiker Pros until it turns up. I'm only going to be able to do two more days max. this week in any case due to other commitments