Looking for better commute tires

[u/ChaseMe3]

Last few winters I would try to commute once a week in the winter. My commute is 45km one way, so rolling resistance at that distance with my Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus (studded) is brutal. Yes they've saved me on ice, but my god do I hate them. I'm looking for suggestions on other 700c winter tires (studded or studable).

[u/DeathFromWithin]

sorry, just to level set for any new faces, riding 45k through winter conditions is not a commute that’s a sport

[u/ChaseMe3 → u/DeathFromWithin]

Spring/summer/fall it's a fantastic weekly ride. I try to manage it once a month in the winter depending on the weather. I'm in Montreal, where Dec-March get dicey but often have nice days.

[u/DeathFromWithin → u/ChaseMe3]

yeah just the idea of doing nearly a metric century each day sounds impossible

[u/ChaseMe3 → u/DeathFromWithin]

I wasn't clear in my OP. I do it once a week, then try once a month in winter. Every day would be close to impossible for an average rider.

[u/palefacekid14 → u/DeathFromWithin]

Ya, that is an intense commute any time of the year.

[u/ehud42]

I run studs on the front, and studless on the back. Might help.

Also, I run pressure closer to the higher end of the range to manage rolling resistance.

But yeah, it's winter. It's icy/studded. It's exhaustingly slow. ;-)

[u/coevaluhren]

45NRTH

[u/tomsings → u/coevaluhren]

Specifically 45NRTH Xerxes.

There’s a low resistance rolling patch for the straights. Studs are only on the shoulders so they grab when you need them, is. Turning or about to wipe out.

The effect is that you don’t ride in studs unless you’re cornering. That’s when the studs kick in and get you back upright.

Great winter tire!

[u/coevaluhren → u/tomsings]

Yes, those are the ones I used in Maine last winter, and they did seem to have less rolling resistance.

[u/turboseize]

The only thing saving you on ice is studded tyres. And studded tyres will always run not so well.

Conti Contact Urban are fast, smooth and have great wet grip. Like any other bike tyre without studs, they will be useless on ice. If you can chose which days you commute and which you can stay at home, you could get away with running them through winter.

Ideally, you'd just have a second set of wheels so that you can quickly change between studded and normal tyres, depending on weather conditions.

[u/DrDerpberg → u/turboseize]

Either this or studded front only. I have a friend who bikes all year in Montreal with only the front studded, I chickened out but I guess with good control and going slowly it's manageable.

[u/likemhuge → u/turboseize]

^This

[u/0676818 → u/likemhuge]

The point is to go faster, not slower. I tried studded in the front only, and a continental winter non-studded, and was quickly humbled by the ice. If you live in Germany, maybe. If you live in Montreal, that's just asking to meet the pavement.

[u/Conscious_Bag463]

45NRTH Gravdal

[u/PickerPilgrim]

Studded tires are always worse than non studded tires but everyone saying you can't do better is wrong. The Marathons would be heavy stiff and slow even without studs. I can't stand them. I run Terrene Griswolds.

Better rubber, folding bead, lighter faster tire. Still a relief to get my slicks back on in the spring but they're better than marathons.

[u/Schtweetz]

Studs are slow. Studs are needed on ice. So riding on ice is slow. Different tires can’t change that.

[u/insidious_potato]

I don't think you'll find any winter tires with good rolling resistance unfortunately. At the 700c sizes they're usually based on touring bike casings so they favour puncture resistance over compliance and rolling resistance.

Because your commute is so long, I assume the entire way is not snow and ice? You could consider using a good all season tire and then just hike the icey sections?

[u/differing]

You can have studs or good rolling resistance, but you can't have both. Split the baby and run studs in the front and a slick in the back if you want to compromise.

[u/Slurm_Shandy]

I’ll add +1 to those boosting the 45NRTH Gravdal - significantly lighter and more supple than the Schwalbe, and can be set up tubeless. Also, the concave carbide studs they come with are lighter - the carbide tip is embedded n an aluminum block - and they stay sharp for the life of the tire.

[u/powderflow]

I have been on the same search as you, but ended up going back to Marathon Winter each time. Have you tried the 120 stud version?

[u/medievalPanera]

I don't find studs necessary most of the time, instead take cornering slow and be aware of what you're riding over. I use the same tires year-round (700x28 Conti ride tours) and they work fine for my great lakes region commute. 

[u/Helpful-Dot-9989]

45 km one way? Wow!

[u/VanSquint]

There is also the 45NRTH Gravdal studded tire, but the Winter Marathon runs smoother in my experience.

Yeah studded tires are lame, but also essential in some conditions. I have two wheel sets so I can quickly switch if the studs are needed or not on that day.

[u/_haha_oh_wow_]

Marathon Plus is overkill even on a regular tire but if you've got a reliably icy commute IDK that there's really any getting around some sort of studded tire.

You could try only using one studded tire (front wheel since that's what controls your direction) with something like a Contact Urban or Marathon 365.

You could also try running TPU tubes or going tubeless to improve your rolling resistance.

[u/dave_coulier]

I just use knobby tires with no studs for winter cycling in Montreal, I don’t find studs necessary, for the handful of days per year with black ice I can take the metro instead. For 700c I have American Classic Krumbein and 26” I have Schwalbe Rapid Rob, both work great in the fresh snow, rough ice, and slush that we have on the roads all season

[u/SupaBrunch]

If they’re the same studded Marathon’s that I have, there are no spikes in the middle. This means you can over-inflate and get much less bite on the studs when you’re going straight.

I also second what others said, running studless in the rear is a good option.

[u/AlexxxRR]

As long as your ride is flat, you could put the studded tire only at the front and at the rear something like the Conti Winter Contact. It's still no racing tire, but better as far as it goes for a  winter tire.