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Reviews 1 - 9 (9 Reviews Total)
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Submitted by
Sewered Rider
a Racer
from Seward, AKDate Reviewed: February 13, 2011
Strengths: With 8 months of solid winter, I get my money's worth with these amazing tires. I commute daily and ride for fun on my day off.
They're not "cheap" in quality.Weaknesses: I had a friend who rode these aggressively off road with no break in period and complained of losing studs. BUT: I've lost a total of 5 in 2 years (thats less than 1%) of riding almost daily.
They're not "cheap" in price.Bottom Line: I'm a real cheapskate, and tried to make to use the innova's at first. They "work" but after a season of riding, the wear was obvious and wouldn't have made it through another. After 2 years of pavement, ice, snow, gravel i can't even see signs of damage to the studs. Still sharp still grippin. See my video of what we use them for. Innova's cannot do this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjGMgoftPU4
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At: jensons usa
Similar Products Used: Innova 26" and 700x45
Bike Setup: XXIX SS 29"
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew Scheid
a Weekend Warrior
from Boise, ID, U.S.A.Date Reviewed: November 28, 2010
Strengths: Durable, the studs are still sharp to the touch after 4 winter seasons of riding on mixed roads and none of the studs have fallen out. Performance, these tires turn ice into asphalt.Weaknesses: Expensive but worth it.Bottom Line: Put one of these on your front and a big fat non-studded tire on your back and next time your cornering on packed snow or ice let your tail drift as your steering is 100% locked in.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Similar Products Used: While living in Montana, I tried store bought chains on my front and back tires but the front still had lateral slip between chain links. In addition they were a bit rough on dry sections of the road. Best bet: studs on front and a chains on back for really harsh riding conditions.
Bike Setup: I bough just one for my front tire then put it on its own rim so switching out is supper easy.
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Submitted by
(Tom)
a Cross Country Rider
from Right coastDate Reviewed: February 15, 2010
Strengths: As of today no other option for a off road 29er studded tire.Weaknesses: Not enough studs, widely spaced knobs lead to stud loss.Bottom Line: The review applies to the Nokian extreme 294 studded tire in the 29" size:
These tires don't work nearly as well as the 26" versions. Actually, I would describe the performance on iced over single track as just barley adequate. The problem is that there are not enough studs per inch of tire so they have a tendency to brake free and slip on climbs and corners. In addition, even after breaking them in with ~100 miles commuting on pavement I have lost more of the studs on these tires than my two sets of 26" nokian studded tires combined. I suspect that the widely spaced knobs have a greater tendency to flex which allows the studs to easily tear out. If you still have a bike with 26" wheels save your money and use the 26" nokians, they work much better. And if someone decides to manufacture a real 29er mountain bike tire made for riding iced over trails I'll be the first in line to buy them.
Favorite Trail: anything with rocks
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At: bikeman
Similar Products Used: 26" version of extreme 294/296
Bike Setup: 29er
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
KrateKraig
a Cross Country Rider
from Roscoe, IL, USADate Reviewed: December 21, 2009
Strengths: Grip like you're riding on dirt. Amazing traction on all types of ice and hard packed snow.
Replacement studs and Tool to install them, also available from Nokian (Ben's Cycle)
They may last longer than you will.
Studded side knobs really help, if you get into an ice rut.
Easy to mount.
High quality.Weaknesses: Expensive. But worth every penny.
(So, I guess that's not a weakness eh?)
Bottom Line: Wow! These tires grip ice like Spiderman crawling up a skyscraper.
294 carbide tipped steel studs = TRACTION on ice. Every knob has a stud.
Remember, the more studs you have, the more traction you'll have on ice.
You'll need to do something stupid on ice, to end up on the ground with these tires.
You're more likely to fall getting off your bike on ice, unless you also have studded shoes.
You Deserve Them.
Favorite Trail: Long Prairie/Stone Bridge Trail
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At: Ben's Cycle
Similar Products Used: IRC Blizzard. (With only 56 studs, they do not compare.)
Bike Setup: 1995 Cannondale Super V converted to a singlespeed.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Hdunlap
a Cross Country Rider
from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USADate Reviewed: March 17, 2009
Strengths: They just won't slip on bare ice.Weaknesses: You can't stay in a good rut. They will ride right up the side and hop out.Bottom Line: Switching to these tires kind of reminds me of switching from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive. They grab bare ice like you are on pavement. You can get the front tire off the ground (if so inclined) with no problem and lock up the brakes (front and rear) and grind them to a very fast stop. I had no problem with fast turns; maybe being 215# pushes the studs in further? Once you move from bare ice to snow the situation changes if the studs aren't reaching the ice or pavement. They do pull through the snow really well and feel like you are on sand in quick turns, washing out but not wiping out. I was really surprised by how well they rolled on dry pavement. I thought the rolling resistance would have been much higher given the knob spacing. They are very noisy on pavement; you won't be sneaking up behind anyone. If you like to (or have to) ride in winter weather these tires are worth every cent. I had alot of fun this winter and only ended up on my head once. I blame the tires because they made me feel confident enough to do something REALLY stupid.
Favorite Trail: Illinois Prairie Path
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$171.00
Purchased At: The Bike Shop - Glen
Similar Products Used: Nothing
Bike Setup: Trek 820
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
chris91
a Weekend Warrior
from Wareham, MA, USADate Reviewed: February 22, 2009
Strengths: Awesome tires! I am really happy with them. Major improvement when riding on ice and hard packed snow.Weaknesses: Broke them in for 15 miles on the road (directions called for 30) lost one stud so far and can't order more online. also $140 is a lot to spend on tires you use a few times a year.Bottom Line: If you ride on ice at all buy these. confidence through the roof
Favorite Trail: Otis
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At: Bikeman
Bike Setup: 07 Stumpy FSR
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
RobertCShay
a Cross Country Rider
from Stamford, CTDate Reviewed: February 18, 2009
Strengths: See belowWeaknesses: See belowBottom Line: This is a long term use update.
I ride these tires from November through Mid-March on a combination of icy roads and trails as well as clear roads. The mix is about 50 percent ice and 50 percent non-ice.
The rear tire begins to wear out first at approximately 1,800 miles. The sign of wear is that the carbide stud wears down and no longer sticks out of the aluminum base on several studs. I'm still using the rear tire on glare ice and it works great. I'll probably run it to about 2,500 miles before I replace it by switching the front tire to the back and putting a new tire on the front. The rotated front tire looks like it will last an additional 1,000 miles on the rear before needing replacement.
To summarize, for me the back tire will last about 2,500 miles and the front tire, when rotated to the rear at 2,500 miles, should last a total of 3,500 miles. This is with a mix of 50 percent riding on ice and 50 percent riding on concrete.
I swear by these tires and ride all winter in all conditions 3x/week with no fear of falling on ice!
Favorite Trail: Anything with ice
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$69.00
Purchased At: Benscycle.net
Similar Products Used: Nokian Extreme 296
Bike Setup: 2008 Stumpjumper HT
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Stamford, CT USADate Reviewed: January 8, 2008
Strengths: Sticks to ice - you don't slip
Carbide studs - hold up well on concrete too
Studs securely fastened - I rode aggressively on rocks and roots with no loss of studs.
Weaknesses: Cost
Traction not good on big, wet bouldersBottom Line: These tires are awesome! The Nokian 294 studded tires provided great traction riding uphill on sheets of footprint and tire track grooved solid ice. In fact, we passed a group of 15 cub scouts on a hike. They were slipping, sliding, and falling on the ice (no one got hurt) while we just motored by. While these tires are confidence inspiring on straights, I wouldn't rail any turns with them on glare ice - although I may be tempted to try. (The 294 tire is the updated version of the 296 tire).
Favorite Trail: TBD
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$86.00
Purchased At: PeterWhiteCycles.com
Similar Products Used: None
Bike Setup: Specialized Stumpjumper
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Curt
a Cross Country Rider
from Dayton Ohio USADate Reviewed: February 3, 2007
Strengths: The knobs and all the studsWeaknesses: Cant lean to much in the turns on iceBottom Line: These babys will grip on anything as long as you're going in a straight line, don't lean to much with em in the turns, the front tire will brake lose, but the rear tire almost always saves your but from going down. These tires are great confidence builder on rutted ground frozen with ice and snow, and the knobs keep themselves clean in wet and dry snow. If you want a great ice and snow tire, get yourself a set of these, they are worth every cent of 70 bills each. I'm just giving the overall rating 4 turds cause they don't hold that good in the tight turns with ice.
Favorite Trail: John Bryan
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At: http://www.bikeman.com/
Similar Products Used: My first studded tire, no comment here
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher Marlin (stock)
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Reviews 1 - 9 (9 Reviews Total)
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