Anyone run studs in the winter and stay in the saddle?

[tannerc]

Im looking at studding a previously perfect (before 8284)  HD Scorpion MH tire for the winter. I was planning on using screws. Kold Kutter screws.
Has anyone used these? is it comparable or worth it? like before and after a 2wd s10 without and with tire chains?

[greatbuffalo]

I personally don't have experience with studs but know a guy in Maine that rides year round and swears by studs. He's also an ice racer and has tried many devices and methods. He says screws do not hold up. He uses the ones from Aerostich and puts them on TKC80's.

FWIT. Second hand info but if you read the reviews most folks love em.

[loingrader]

make sure that you leave plenty of clear rubber in the center because screws on pavement feel like riding on marbles. 

unless you are just ice racing or doing something that will never be on pavement.

personally, i'd try the screws if they are cheaper than the stich ones. 

but the stich ones do work very well (they say).

paul mondor used the stich ones on a cross canada trip in winter.  there's a write up on advrider.  he loved them.

[Jud]

I have run all winter in Minnesota using Gold Screws (supposedly a half-step down in quality from Kold Kutters, but very popular for winter ATV use) in the knobs of my end-of-season K270s. For street use, I use about 100 screws per tire (compared with maybe 1100 per tire for ice racing) in the next-to-outermost row of knobs. These knobs will take 3/4" or 5/8" screws even if the center tread of the tire is nearly bald. Anything shorter will spit out quickly, but these stay in pretty well, if you can restrain the throttle hand a bit.

By keeping the center tread free of screws you get rubber down on the pavement when the bike is close to vertical, which is most of the time. After all, most winters, city streets are largely clear of snow and ice for a lot of the time. You have the knobs at the edges for a bit of grip in snow if the bike is off vertical, and the ice screws serve to break the glaze on icy streets.

It is not a setup for all conditions, but I have managed to ride recreationally during every month of the year. The heads of the screws were worn half off by May, but still working.

This technique is okay for the occasional recreational ride, but probably would not serve for daily winter commuting. Bear in mind that ice screws are not meant to ever see pavement. Ice racers take great pains to ensure that an ice tire  never turns on a paved surface.

For regular street use, a studded tire is more appropriate. You can stud them up yourself with a studding tool from Aerostich (no doubt available cheaper elsewhere) or you can buy studded tires for your off-road bike for about $400 per wheel. I have often thought about trying this, but inevitably my better judgment prevails and I limit my winter riding to the occasional Elephant Ride or fun ride in the country.

[agspecialties]

We run gold pro studs. Ride all year long.