Another winter commute fender/tire question

Okay, so I've resolved my aversion to fenders and am now embracing the concept as I now imagine it will make my bike look like some kind of utilitarian commuter badassmobile, or at least that's what I'm telling myself. That or I'm beginning to embrace my inner Fred. Anyway, a co-worker who is a diehard year round commuter also utilizes the LFP pretty heavily and he often switches his tires out to studded ones when the weather finally gets cold enough for ice to be a daily problem. He however has a hybrid bike and my bike is a road/commuter/touring bike, meaning I have pretty good clearance for tires but I think the safest I can go is about 700 x 32 in the studded tires. I've got a query out to a seller of winter cycling tires to see if he can tell me if Nokian A10 tires in 700 x 32 will closely match the 700 x 32 Vittoria Randonneur Cross tires I'm currently running. Also of issue is whether the tires will fit under the fenders. I'll obviously need to get fenders wide enough to accommodate both sets of tires or *gulp* get two sets of fenders and have to change them out each year when the conditions warrant changing to the studded tires. So, diehard winter commuters - do you make do without studded tires, are they really even that necessary? My co-worker says they've saved his bacon on more than one occasion when there have been icy bits on the path, especially when they get a light dusting of snow and you can't see them. Thoughts, suggestions?

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Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on September 9, 2011 at 11:44am

I ride year round. My experience has been that studded tires are largely unnecessary for me. There are usually only a couple of rides wher eice is an issue. Of course I ride the roads. I rarely ride the LFP. If your ride is largely along the LFP the answer might be quite different as I understand that ice along the path is quite common.

As for the *gulp* fender issue...you could get the Planet Bike SpeedEZ fenders. They attach to your stays and do not need to fit under your brakes. They are easy to take on and off.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on September 9, 2011 at 1:08pm

When I initially saw this post, I thought you were just trying to make trouble with, what for many, is a contentious, divisive issue. It all comes down to personal preference and your own experience. My city bike/year round commuter is a three speed hybrid with a basket on the back. I ride 32mm Vittoria Randonneurs year round, because it's a wide, low pressure tire that tracks over everything and keeps squirreliness to a minimum, even on open grate bridges. I always carry a spare tube and a pump, but haven't had a flat in over two years. I have Planet Bike Cascadia 700c fenders 45mm wide. They're easy to install, offer better coverage than almost any fender out there, and they're quiet. I believe properly fit, full fenders are a necessity for year round riders. The front fender keeps your feet dry and the rear fender performs the dual function of keeping the skunk stripe off your back and/or ass, and keeps your road grime off any rider who has the fortune/misfortune to be riding behind you. The various clip-on, beaver tail arrangements that I see many cyclist "rock" do not adequately protect them, or more importantly, their fellow cyclists from street filth.  

 

I know people who swear by studded tires, but like Liz, I think their utility is limited to a handful of days per winter. On the vast majority of winter days, I ride on dry pavement. My understanding is that studded tires suck on dry pavement. On the rare day when I could have/might have benefitted from sporting studded tires, I revel in the sideways-ness of my ride.

 

I commuted to work by bike a little over 240 days last year, and I'm a little ahead of that pace this year. Individual results may vary.

Permalink Reply by Len Krietz on September 9, 2011 at 1:38pm
I have the "luxury" (old Trek 820) of a snow & ice bike which I ride when there's snow, ice or slush on the roads/paths.  It has fenders and Nokian studded tires.  They work well on ice especially thin black ice  (in the early morning pre sun hrs). Don't know if the studs are absolutly necessary for street commuting but it is a spare, speciallized bike. When the roads are dry, I just ride my regular commuting bike.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 10, 2011 at 2:35am
Not into studded tires but I do not ride the LFP so ice is not often enough a problem for me.
Permalink Reply by DanGer 8.2mi on September 10, 2011 at 2:39am
i ride all winter and use 38cm minimal tread tires. a more aggressive tread just picks up more snow and turns the tire into a slick snowy mess. on wet days i just wear ski or rain pants. when it gets cold enough it is easier to stay dry.  cold feet are the biggest cold weather problem. i also bought an extra large helmet so i can wear a bigger hat to stay even warmer. just ride!
Permalink Reply by Gin on September 12, 2011 at 5:33am
Would be great to see you all at next week's Bike Winter Kick Off/Sticker Release Event: http://www.thechainlink.org/events/bike-winter-kick-off-workshop-an...

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