Conti 4 Seasons Tires For Winter?

Someone posted about studs, but for me it's overkill. Do you really need studs?

I'm not going to ride until the streets have been cleared somewhat. Looking for suggestions on winter commuting non-studded tires that I can put on my road bike. I think I can fit up to 32c. Can I get away with keeping my Conti 4 Seasons on?

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Permalink Reply by David P. on November 24, 2015 at 5:06am

Studs are the bee's knees on ice. Otherwise, you don't need them.

For the rest of winter, given the way our streets are cleared, whatever you've got is probably fine. I have Hetres on one bike, which are pretty terrible if I am rolling through any snow in anything other than a straight line, but otherwise whatever is on a given bike works fine. I rode through most of last winter on Paselas.  I've been riding on Jack Brown Green Labels this week.

Permalink Reply by mweerd on November 24, 2015 at 6:07am

Graci!

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on November 24, 2015 at 7:08am

If you can wait for the streets to be cleared somewhat, just wait and ride and see how it goes before worrying about modifying your current equipment. I've been riding through the winters in Chicago for decades and I've never modified any of my bikes specifically for winter riding. 

Permalink Reply by ad on November 24, 2015 at 7:16am

When I had a 4 mile commute to the loop that mostly involved Milwaukee, I rode year round and never used studs.  Now that I have a 9 mile commute due west, I use a tire with a low stud count as more of an insurance policy against random black ice that I might hit.  

Even with studs (at least the low count ones like Nokian A10s or 45nrth Xerxes), you're still most likely going to be taking the lane when the bike lanes haven't been plowed.  The car lanes are generally salted enough that I've never had a problem with regular tires.   

Permalink Reply by mweerd on November 24, 2015 at 4:03pm

I'd like to thank the cars on Milwaukee the last couple days - I haven't had one car honk at me for taking the lane when I had to get out of the bike lane. Of course, it's not like there's anywhere for them to go really.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on November 24, 2015 at 7:18am

One place that will often see ice is LFT. I'm not sure there's a really good way for the parks people to solve the problem. There are some places where the ground slopes ever-so-slightly across the trail. During the day, the snow/ice melts and flows across the trail, then refreezes overnight. I encountered just such a patch this morning, way north between Foster and Ardmore.  If you encounter places like this in your commute, I would think studs would be a gotta have.

Permalink Reply by mweerd on November 24, 2015 at 4:00pm

Uhm yeah - rode LFT [morning/night], the 606 [night] and Milwaukee [morning/night] today. LFT was nice - but definitely saw some suspect patches on LFT. GREAT moon out on the LFT tonight BTW, thank you nature.

Chiparks really salt the hell out of LFT. The 606 - forget about it - looks like they went through with a plow one time this morning and left it.

I'm looking at Nokian A10s as we speak. If nothing else, I think investing in some studs may help with the fear factor and allow me to enjoy my commute a little more and the A10s seem like they're situated toward my kind of riding. Plus - I think the highest I can go is 32.

Permalink Reply by David P. on November 25, 2015 at 5:48am

I encountered that same patch(es) yesterday morning - in those conditions, I can often just slow down and ride carefully across it in a straight line. Or else, like I did yesterday, just hop off and walk.

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on November 24, 2015 at 9:19am

I've ridden during winters in Chicago on 28s, with some trepidation.  I think 32s would be better.  Visibility of the road itself is limited sometimes in winter, and I now think slightly wider tires give me and my bike a better chance of staying upright if I hit a hidden hole or debris.  I also think a wider tire (and staying straight) helps on a small ice patch, although nothing but studs is going to help in really extensive ice.  Right now I'm experimenting with a 38 up front and a 32 in back, and that seems pretty comfortable.  Speed means even less to me in the winter than summer.  Safety is everything.  If there's all kinds of ice everywhere, it's the CTA for me.  I don't just worry about whether I have traction, I worry about whether all those motor vehicles have traction.

Permalink Reply by mweerd on November 24, 2015 at 4:04pm

" I don't just worry about whether I have traction, I worry about whether all those motor vehicles have traction."

True this.

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on November 25, 2015 at 4:12am

Studs are like somewhat like ......, you don't need them until you do. I'm afraid to ride in winter without them.

But aside from that, fun to ride where most fear to walk!

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