Bring It On
It's snowing tonight in Des Moines. But I'm ready:
Yup, those are studded tires. In 406mm bead-seat diameter, a.k.a. BMX 20". You think studded bicycle tires are weird/obscure/rare? Try finding a set for your small-wheeled folding bike. But I got 'em.
I will rest easy and ride safe having read this:
Now I don't know the first thing about snow tire design. But I'm guessing that a guy named Jurgen must, right? I mean, the internets tell me he's probably of Scandinavian origin, and who knows more about snow than Scandinavians? (hush up, you Minnesotans, the Scandinavians of North America).
I am less enthused about this model name, though:
Granted, I know about as much about volcanoes as I do about snow tire design or Scandinavians, but as my almost-five-year-old nephew tells me, volcanoes are full of hot lava, and thus (one must assume) wholly incompatible with snow.
Tonight's snow is pretty wussy, nothing that inspires me to wrestle Jurgen's inappropriately named handiwork onto my rims for tomorrow's commute. But by golly, when the big one hits, I'll be ready.
2 comments:
Iceland is home to a number of volcanos. I'm betting they know a thing or two about snow and ice ;)
I'm going with really big 26" wheels and tires this winter. I have a set of studded tires for the SS cross bike if necessary, but I think I'd be tempted to make a set of bike chains for the Mukluk first.
Itty-bitty studded tires? who knew??
It's that time of year where I ponder the usefulness of studs in my commute too. My route is usually cleaned off, but there are some times when it may be partially obscured with drifted snow. Knobby tires might be the right option, since studs are intended to provide traction when on ice (right?).
So are small studded tires cheaper than big ones (due to lower material cost), or are they more expensive due to the low production volumes?
Steve in Peoria
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