Submitted by
mountainT
a Cross Country Rider
from Oak Forest, IL
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2008
Strengths: Very Very good traction. They work on Ice and powder with Ice below
Weaknesses: The are very heavy.
Bottom Line:
Wow these tires are really something. The have huge nobs on them with a stud on each nob. They will let you ride in conditions that you never would have thought possible. At first I was really having trouble with the extra effort in the saddle with these tires. I reversed the back tire so they are set up from dryer conditions and it helped a lot.
Similar Products Used: only studded pair I have tried
Bike Setup: 2008 Specialized Epic Pro
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2007
Strengths: Tremendous grip on ice and hard snow. Works well either with tube or with Stan's sealant. Little wear showing after about 25 to 35 hours of use; should last for years (winters only, remember). No punctures and no damage observed.
Weaknesses: One of the pair wobbles; it was molded a bit crooked.
Bottom Line:
These tires are fantastic on ice. Period. Buy them if you want to ride frozen single track. You will be able to nose wheelie on all the hip-breaking ice-glazed side hills out there. You will be able to ride fast with confidence. UP, DOWN, and all ROUND cranking turns, the tires grip ice in a stunning, staggering, jaw-dropping manner. Don't mess around with half way solutions, because one trip to the emergency room costs more that a pair of Nokians. While some other extra-wide tires (like the 2.5 inch Weirwolf) will work better in soft snow, you can't do better for the frozen hard stuff. The Nokians might occasionally sink, wash, and dump you in soft snow, but that's okay because soft conditions don't shatter limbs. In hard conditions, you will be secure. Pony up and pay for the best performance and safety because it is in hard conditions that you can ride fast, and in hard conditions a fall can mean disaster too. When you buy, also get a full face bike helmet, the best way to keep your head & face warm, because riding the Nokians is really fun and you'll want to do it a lot.
Submitted by
Al Tinti
a Cross Country Rider
from Glastonbury, CT USA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2007
Strengths: After 3 rides, I understand now why Nokians are the gold standard for studded tires. On hardpack snow or ice, they simply grip like nothing else. There is no other piece of equipment that can expand your riding horizons like these. Frozen stream crossings and icy sidehills that used to inspire panic are now a piece of cake. As average volume 2.1s, they are a sensible size that shouldn't cause clearance problems with most bikes (you wouln't want these rubbing on your chainstays). I ignored the 20 mile road break-in period, and haven't had any problems with stud loss, although that may have something to do with the fact that there is no open ground right now, so we're not dealing with rocks. In my previous experience with a pair of Panaracer Spike studs, the rear tire lost a third of its studs in 2 rides.
Weaknesses: Heavy, expensive, and you'll get chilly waiting at corners for your buddies on non-studded tires.
Bottom Line:
Pricey but worth the money for anybody who rides year-round in a harsh climate.
Bike Setup: Fisher Sugar 1 with Skareb Platinum and discs
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Deluxe
a Cross Country Rider
from Gibsonia, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2007
Strengths: They do what they say they will do
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Unglaublich as the Germans say (although I note these are actually Finnish tires). I thought I had been duped after I bought them since global warming had pretty much kicked in, but then it froze and I ventured out for a night ride into heavy snow, high winds bringing the wind chill into the double digit negatve temps, and a nice smattering of ice - as much as one could replicate Finnish conditions. These tires did not falter once. They never slid out from underneath in the corners and on a steep road climb, I easily passed a truck spinning its wheels. These tires gripped and held and did not spin once. Of course, you have to use them in terrible weather to truly enjoy them, so you have to be some sort of dark, sick, masochistic, pervert to "deserve them" as the logo states. I was crying and smiling...all at one time.
Submitted by
Tequila Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2006
Strengths: Great grip on ice. At slow speeds, it is almost like riding on dry pavevment
Weaknesses: The first off road/ice ride on these tire I lost 14 studs off of the back tire. The second ride, I lost 9 from the front and another 4 off the back. These tires were "broken in" on dry pavement as instructed in fact, I rode them a bit more than recommended just to be sure. (120 km) My Extreme 294 are now Extreme 267 & decending every ride. At this rate, I won't have any studs in another 20 rides.
These tires are heavy and have a lot of rolling resistance. They feel very slugish compared to any of the normal mtb tires I've tried.
These tires do not handle very well at all. The side lugs tend to squirm in heavy cornering.
Bottom Line:
I emailed Nokian and they are sending me replacement studs and a tool to mount them.
These tires have awsome grip on ice but after loosing 27 studs in 2 off road / ice rides, I can't give them a great rating.
I'm wondering how many more studs I will loose in the next few rides.
Strengths: *Amazing (!!!!) grip on ice *You can ride where you WOULD NOT dare to walk *Have only lost one stud *Not as heavy as expected *Gives perdicitability (no sudden slid outs) *Major increase in safety *Studs very durable and hard surfaces (pavement) have no effect on proformence
Weaknesses: *Does add some weight *Cost
Bottom Line:
At first the inital cost seams high but is well worth it in the end. Ice, nomatter how glare does not stand a chance with these. Now they are not perfect and will slide if pushed but proformed far beyond my expectations and made icy single track a blast to ride. They will have you seeking ice insted of snow/dirt/etc to ride on, just stay away from scuffing them on rocks and follow the break in of riding on the road. It is defiently worth the money!!
Similar Products Used: Cheep generic brand studded tire (only 1/100 the proformence of the Nokian's)
Bike Setup: Giant XTC 1
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Ben
a Racer
from Peterborough, ON, CAN
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2005
Strengths: Unreal traction on ice, in conditions regular tires simply have zero grip you can do donuts. Very good in snow too.
Weaknesses: Weight, really a non issue for winter riding and unavoidable
Bottom Line:
As a wise man once said.......Git 'r' Done, and with these tires you will. Fear no ice! The grip that I had read about here was hard to believe, very hard......even when I was riding them I was cautious. Then I did the pond test......if you underestimate the grip of these tires find a smooth frozen pond and ride, you will instantly be a believer. Dont lock them up though, they will lose some of there grip then (but are still insanely grippy). Just roll through the ice, carve, and enjoy!
Submitted by
Gregg Soster
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbus, OH USA
Date Reviewed: December 8, 2005
Strengths: Easy to mount up, studs cover the wheel, wide profile
Weaknesses: other than price, $70 a piece, a bit heavy but what I would expect for this type of product
Bottom Line:
Just received the Nokian Extreme 294s and mounted them up, did about 10 miles of asphalt then rode a bit of local trail that was slippery with ice and icy roots. WOW, amazing traction. The studs barely stick out above the knobs, I guess I was expecting long spikes. There is no mistaking the grip they have on ice, truly amazing. Even the road ride break in was not as unpleasant as I expected or as loud as many have stated here. I had high hopes for this product based on the other reviews I read, glad to say I am not disappointed.
Strengths: Allows me to ride in the winter through snow and ice.
Get's the job done.
Minimal signs of wear after 3 years of use.
Weaknesses: None. If they keep me riding through the 4 months of winter they are more than worth the price.
Bottom Line:
I'd recommend them to anyone who has the need to ride through the ice and snow in the winter. I can't take the boredom of sitting on a trainer for more than 20 min, so these allow me to keep my bike legs through the winter.
Submitted by
Rick Moore
a Cross Country Rider
from Iron Mountain, MI USA
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2005
Strengths: Sticks Like Velcro to ice. Carbide studs are awesome!
Weaknesses: Heavy, not good in deep snow, noisy on pavement. Lots of rolling resistance.
Bottom Line:
If you ride on hard packed snow or ice, these babies can't be beat! You can literally ride over any kind of ice without worry of losing control. They are heavy, but hey, if you can get out and ride your bike when it's -10F below zero, who's worried about a little extra weight. I took the bike out today on some snowmobile trails, but the tires cut into the snow rather than riding on top which made things rather dicey and slow moving. I also rode across a local lake that had been plowed and the bike never slipped an inch. If you have winter in your area, and you were afraid to ride outside because of the snow and ice, be afraid no more!
Similar Products Used: Homemade studded tires, great idea, but make sure you use a tire liner if you make them yourself.
Bike Setup: Winter Beater-1995 Schwinn HardTail
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Blaze
a Weekend Warrior
from Lexington, Massachusetts, USA
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2004
Strengths: Best traction of any tire in ice. Also great for muddy and slippery conditions. Makes biking a year-round activity in colder climates. Predictable behavior, making icy conditions safe.
Weaknesses: Heavy, noisy on pavement. Damages tree roots in warmer weather. Must use them on both wheels, or you'll hurt yourself.
Bottom Line:
When the trails get icy, these tires are the only way to go. They open up a whole new world when it's really cold and the ponds and rivers freeze over, or the snow gets packed down and turned to ice. I checked out all the marshes, beaver ponds, and after a couple of weeks of intense cold, even the rivers. Man, there's nothing like flying along miles of a frozen river bed, seeing the normal canoists viewpoint go whizzing by. On glare ice, they have no trouble. You can certainly break them lose with sharp turns, but use some sense and enjoy! It was cool riding by walkers who were nervously slipping along frozen trails, or riding around the ice fishermen, skaters, and snowmobilers on the ponds and rivers. The only time I had trouble was with a couple of inches of powder snow on top of ice, which was really slick, with the snow slding over the ice. In snow, these tires are equaled by others with good tread, but with ice, they are the only way to go. Last winter was icy, not so much snow here, so they were a real delight.
If it weren't for worries about damage to the tree roots, these would be nice for year-round riding over slippery roots, but I only use them in the winter.
Since these tires extend the riding season in a cold climate, they pay back every penny of their cost in pure delight. They are so strong, I'm expecting many winters of use from them.
Look, if your want to find somthing to ride with on ice, stop looking around. These are just about the best damn things your going to come across for winter riding. The high price made me shop around a bit, but don't waste your time, JUST BUY THEM! They ARE what your looking for. I used them 5 days a week, 7 miles a day, on some seriously steep hills, and for ya'll who don't know Vermont, it's freakin' cold up here. It can get as low as 20 below zero w/out the wind chill. Eveything turns to ice, and stays that way for a long time. These tires never (ever) let me down. It's hard to trust them at first, because you just don't expect a bike tire to be able to do what they do......BUT THEY DO.....LIKE VELCRO! oh yeah...BUY THEM....(dress warm)
