Hard packed snow - tyres?

larkim

Rode Llandegla red yesterday with son. Patted myself soundly on the back for putting the snowchains into the car, which meant getting up the icy road to the car park was no trouble (unlike for most others it seemed, certainly at around 10am yesterday).

Anyway, its still covered in snow up there, and with overnight sub zeros some patches were distinctly difficult (particulalry for a cautious novice like me). A couple of more or less stationary SPD-related falls and some slow downhills and I got to the bottom largely unharmed.

But I would like more confidence or grip from the tyres, and as I've signed up for the Fearless MTB duathlon there later in Feb I was wondering whether there was a better (but cheap!) tyre option I could use which might make 'degla a little more straightforward in snowy conditions. Or indeed in any conditions.

I've currently got Hutchinon Python's on the Decathlon 29er that I ride. Even just borrowing a pair of 29er tyres for the weekend would be an improvement!!

Any thoughts or recommendations?

The Rookie

For hard packed snow or ice you need studs, nothing else really works much better than anything else!

Otherwise I'm not very good on llandgela so you need someone who knows the place!

larkim

I suspect in all honesty that tyres won't be the answer. But would like an excuse to fit some less "middle of the road compromise" tyres to the bike in the vain hope that I'll feel more confident and carry a bit more speed.

Certainly in the parts which had frozen overnight, I can't imagine anything other than studs would give any grip at all on the icy ruts which took the front wheel one way and the rear another!

I'm just praying that it all defrosts before 22nd Feb!

rockmonkeysc

spd's aren't good in snow, they clog up and freeze. I like riding in snow on normal tyres. It's not worth getting spikes for a few rides a year.

nicklouse

Tyres with a good open tread is good.

Hard pack snow does not need metal spikes. Ice yes but not hard pack snow. But the weight of tyres like the ice spiker would be a real drag with all that weight.

Just an aggressive tread will help but learn to roll.

SPDs can be a pain in the snow but nothing too bad.

robertpb

The best tyre I found was a Trailraker for snow, but keep pressures low.

But any tyre with tall knobs and well spaced as Nicklouse says.

larkim

On the SPDs front, I was quite glad I used them on Sunday as this was my first proper off-road outing in them, having got used to them on the road bike in the summer. I reckon that if I come to no harm with them in those conditions I should have few problems when the weather is more "normal". On the sections where I was able to get a little more speed up, I definitely enjoyed being more in contact with the bike rather than being bounced off the pedals which is my usual experience up there.

cooldad

Bounced off the pedals is techique though. If it's happening you need to work on that.

lostboysaint

robertpb wrote:

The best tyre I found was a Trailraker for snow, but keep pressures low.

But any tyre with tall knobs and well spaced as Nicklouse says.

Any of the mud tyres are excellent in the snow. So Trailraker, Mud XR Team, Storm Control etc.

The Rookie

nicklouse wrote:

Hard pack snow does not need metal spikes.

I guess that depends on your definition of hard packed, Cannock on the 27th December up by M-drive the snow packed hard enough that a tyre left no visible marks when rolling over it, it was still white like snow, only spikes would have helped on that.

larkim

cooldad wrote:

Bounced off the pedals is techique though. If it's happening you need to work on that.

Undoubtedly! It's just that the opportunities to practice don't come around often enough!

robertpb

lostboysaint wrote:

robertpb wrote:

The best tyre I found was a Trailraker for snow, but keep pressures low.

But any tyre with tall knobs and well spaced as Nicklouse says.

Any of the mud tyres are excellent in the snow. So Trailraker, Mud XR Team, Storm Control etc.

About six years ago I tried out the difference between Trailrackers and Mud X in the snow. One day I went out with a Trailracker on the front and a Mud X on the back, the next day I swapped them round, that's why I prefer the Trailracker.

robertpb

Back in the mid 80's I used to ride with some friends that had 650B Nokia Hakkpeliitta tyres these are a mud tyre come ice tyre, studs could be inserted into them for those ice rides.

My bike had Specialized Ground control tyres but I can never remember ever being left behind with wheels spinning in the snow.

paul.skibum

Riding in snow today, my WTB Vengence was great up front but my HR2 was c0ck all use out back.

stubs

Let some air out. Its what I did a few weeks back on packed but not icy snow and seemed to work. As everything was smoothed over I went quite low as I wasnt worried about smacking the rim on rocks and ruts. I run tubeless so not sure if it would have gone as well with tubes. Draggy on the climbs though but it got me warmed up.