Got a box from UPS last night containing a set of SKS Chromoplast P45 fenders and Nokian HAKKAPELIITTA W106 700x35 tires. Just in time for the first snow of the year here in Madison WI. Everything mounted up on my Surly Cross Check with room to spare. The commute to work at 5AM today was awesome. Made first tracks most of the way. The tires worked great. Not a hint of slippage. The snow wasn't deep, just a couple inches, but I did see a SUV fishtail.

Got my stuff from Larry at Mountain High Cyclery. Great prices and service.
http://www.mtnhighcyclery.com/

Wow! 5am commute in the snow. Sounds like an adventure. I don't think a wimpy Californian like me could handle such a commute. Tracks in the snow would make lovely pictures to post, no?
Take care,
TY

Supposed to get snow here in n.central Oregon next week. Will try my regular mtb tires first, maybe let some air out...

Lived in Madison for 17 years before moving here. Great, great place. Used to ride to New Glarus , take a swim in the public pool, ride back.

Got a box from UPS last night containing a set of SKS Chromoplast P45 fenders and Nokian HAKKAPELIITTA W106 700x35 tires. Just in time for the first snow of the year here in Madison WI. Everything mounted up on my Surly Cross Check with room to spare. The commute to work at 5AM today was awesome. Made first tracks most of the way. The tires worked great. Not a hint of slippage. The snow wasn't deep, just a couple inches, but I did see a SUV fishtail.

Got my stuff from Larry at Mountain High Cyclery. Great prices and service.
http://www.mtnhighcyclery.com/

Hi Dyg2001,
I've been riding on your tyres for the last six years; just wait until the spring thawing starts and you ride them on slightly icy conditions. They are just the best winter studded tyres I've ever had. Good luck with them and enjoy.
Cheers, Wayne

hrv, do you live in bend? We swhould hook up and go riding sometime.

Hi Dyg2001,
I've been riding on your tyres for the last six years; just wait until the spring thawing starts and you ride them on slightly icy conditions. They are just the best winter studded tyres I've ever had. Good luck with them and enjoy.
Cheers, Wayne

Well after the first good snow of the year this morning in Chicago, I was thinking of picking these up for my cross/commuting bike. As of right now, I've been riding on my Michellin Mud Cross tires. Can you use these studded tires when there isn't much/no snow during the winter? Are these snowbound only? Or should I mount these on a different wheelset and swap wheels before going out depending on conditions?

I agree, these really shine on the ice.

You can ride them on dry roads but the rolling resistance is quite high, like riding an MTB with knobby tires on the road. Riding up the hill to get to my house with these on my 42x16 singlespeed requires quite a bit of effort. Larry Mettler is building me two wheelsets for my Surly, both with fixed/free rear hubs. One of these wheelsets will be my dedicated Nokian winter wheels, the other for fair weather riding.

I agree, these really shine on the ice.

You can ride them on dry roads but the rolling resistance is quite high, like riding an MTB with knobby tires on the road. Riding up the hill to get to my house with these on my 42x16 singlespeed requires quite a bit of effort. Larry Mettler is building me two wheelsets for my Surly, both with fixed/free rear hubs. One of these wheelsets will be my dedicated Nokian winter wheels, the other for fair weather riding.

Rolling resistance I don't mind. I guess I'd be more concerned about buying a set of tires like this and ruining them cause I was a bonehead and used them on dry roads too.

Well after the first good snow of the year this morning in Chicago, I was thinking of picking these up for my cross/commuting bike. As of right now, I've been riding on my Michellin Mud Cross tires. Can you use these studded tires when there isn't much/no snow during the winter? Are these snowbound only? Or should I mount these on a different wheelset and swap wheels before going out depending on conditions?

The tread on these tyres make them ideal with snow, the studs on ice. Sand and small stones are used on the bicycle paths here to help out with slippery, icy conditions. The problem when the ice melts in the spring and you start riding on bare pavements with the sand and small stones, you may lose studs. I have only lost a few studs so far after six years, which really is nothing to complain about. Where I live, there is clear time of the year when winter changes to spring. We don't have conditions where one day it may be snowing and -10C, and sunny and +5C the next (what I grew up with in Montreal). The temps and winter weather are pretty stable in northern Sweden. I'm not sure what I would do if the weather was typical Montreal weather... but two sets of cheapy wheels for winter riding would be my guess.
Cheers, Wayne

My Nokians arrived today (Mount and Ground 160s, 26x1.90 for my MTB commuter). I'll put them on for the ride home.

Only point of reference will be my homemade studded tires (made from a set of Specialized Team Controls w/ 3/8" sheetmetal screws.). SO we'll see how the Nokians stack up against my basement-beasts.

I'm excited to get out there, just wish we had some more consistent snow!

Ryan