DIY Ice Tires: design advice please.

thebouldwhacker

I pulled out a pair of spare mtb tires this evening and will attempt to stud them tomorrow. I know a few here have done similar so am wondering if you can post up a few tips to save me killing myself in the 'trial & error' phase of this project.

I was thinking of using screw bolts but then figured that they could easily work their way inside the tyre causing 'failure' so now I'm thinking of using small nuts and bolts instead. Bolt them on and trim the bolt back. On the inside of the tyre I'm going to apply electrical tape to separate the bolt heads from the tube. I have no idea how many are necessary but I'm looking at one per inch at either side off centre. Also what length to leave the stud above the tyre grip is best?

What is best, putting the stud through a grip nobble or having them protrude between and above the grips?

I have looked on various sites but tbh the home made ones come in various designs so I'm hoping someone here can give me practical advice that will save me from punctures, falls and wasting two tires.....

I don't imagine I'll be putting up much mileage on them, perhaps 30/40km per week of ice so not sure how relevant wear concerns are.

Cheers....

This might help: http://www.instructables.com/id/Ice-tyres-for-a-mountain-bike/

Or this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pop-Rivet-Ice-Tires-for-Your-Road-Bike/

tommysparks

give this a shot

http://www.dutchbikeco.com/_blog/Dutch_Bike_Co_Weblog/post/Seattle_Snowpocalypse/

Piercemeear

tommysparks wrote: »

give this a shot

http://www.dutchbikeco.com/_blog/Dutch_Bike_Co_Weblog/post/Seattle_Snowpocalypse/

Has anyone tried this? How would it work with braking? The bike in the example has disc brakes, I imagine calipers might have issues.

If this snow's going to last another week I'd almost consider it.

columbus_66

I think the trouble with DIY ice tyres is puncturing if you use an inner tube. Who wants to be changing a tube at the side of the road in this weather? I rode into work all week on a mtb with standard knobbles and pressure of 1.5-2 bar, about 25-30psi and it was fine. But I was riding along the canal and footpaths, too many cars sliding around to ride on the road. And it's too slippy there. On the footpath it's slower but there's more grip.

silvo

Here is another idea: http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2007/02/13/diy-tire-chains/


Would be a pain to change a flat though.

doozerie

The version of DIY studded tyres that I heard of years ago was to put nails/screws through a knobbly tyre and to fit that to the wheel over a narrower slick, the idea being that the slick will protect the tube from being punctured. I've never tried it, and I'd imagine it would be difficult to fit the outer tyre but from what I've heard, albeit second- or third- hand, it can work.

Taking one step back though, there is no way that I would actually ride a bike with protruding nails/screws. If you come off the bike they are likely to shred you, plus they are also unlikely to handle patches of bare tarmac very well - with studded tyres the studs are (usually) short and will sink into the tyres on tarmac so that you are contacting the road with rubber mainly, but with DIY tyres that'll be very difficult to get right (though rivets might get closest) so you might find that tarmac proves to be the greatest danger to you.

And as for the zip-tie option, yes that is for bikes with disc brakes only. If you use those with rim brakes you simply can't use your brakes at all as you'll instantly lock the wheel and possibly tear your brake blocks apart.

nak

My husband has been riding his cargo bike all week with DIY winter tyres; he put small screws into knobly tyres and they've been great unless the road is covered in thick slush. He did it out of necessity as he has to keep working.

Have studded tyres on order for my track bike, as wouldn't be able to use that method on my wheels.

niceonetom

nak wrote: »

My husband has been riding his cargo bike all week with DIY winter tyres; he put small screws into knobly tyres and they've been great unless the road is covered in thick slush. He did it out of necessity as he has to keep working.

Have studded tyres on order for my track bike, as wouldn't be able to use that method on my wheels.

Is that a three-wheeler or one of those with the little wheel way out in front?

daragh_

tommysparks wrote: »

give this a shot

http://www.dutchbikeco.com/_blog/Dutch_Bike_Co_Weblog/post/Seattle_Snowpocalypse/

Deadly. I've just remembered my wife's bike has disc brakes. Going to try this out.

If I keep getting the bus to work I'm going to go postal. :eek:

nak

niceonetom wrote: »

Is that a three-wheeler or one of those with the little wheel way out in front?

It's a 2 wheeler Bullitt:

CramCycle

Piercemeear wrote: »

Has anyone tried this? How would it work with braking? The bike in the example has disc brakes, I imagine calipers might have issues.

Works very well. If you have a fixed it's perfect, if you have freewheel and caliper brakes, you will lose the cables off the wheel if you have to slam on. I know I lost a few of them out of necessity. Disc brakes should be fine.

doozerie wrote: »

And as for the zip-tie option, yes that is for bikes with disc brakes only. If you use those with rim brakes you simply can't use your brakes at all as you'll instantly lock the wheel and possibly tear your brake blocks apart.

The Cable ties just snap off if you do brake and you get an irritating noise but it didn't damage my brakes, one bit of warning is that you have to loosen your brakes to fit it on alot of road bikes, so make sure you can still make contact.

Single Malt

You could screw screws through the knobs, and then vulcanise an old tube or two to the inside of the tyre to protect the innertube from screwheads.

BryanL

I know there's cut backs but........


http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/c1-1212-spikes.html