Submitted by
nihilo666
a Weekend Warrior
from Surgut, Russia Date Reviewed: January 22, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
hibike.de
Strengths:
Lightweight, long lasting wears and it do what you expect - grip on ice. I've got so many falls caused by slip on ice before, how could I live without them?!
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Ice Spiker
Bike Setup:
Jamis XAM 1
Bottom Line:
I use Ice Spikers Pro with Notubes tubeless kit. Side walls seemed to be weak and there were small holes on sides the first time, but now they have disappeared.
My friend has bought not Pro version before me so I was able to compare. Double the difference in price and quality and you get the Pro version.
Ice Spiker Pro haven't bead, so they are foldable. Rubber is felt as rubber even on a frost while on Ice Spiker rubber is felt as plastic even at a room temperature. Also there is a considerable difference in weight but the main distinction is in studs. Cheaper tires has less studs and they are made from steel. More expensive tyres have an advantage in number of studs, and they are made of silicon carbide in an aluminium cover.
I avoided rapid braking as well as my friend first 50 kilometres, but he lost 3 studs already. However I still consider Ice Spiker as a good buy and it is your decision whether to choose Ice Spiker or Ice Spiker Pro.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BrentP
a Racer
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: January 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
Mountain Equipment C
Strengths:
Unbelievable traction and stopping power in all conditions.
Weaknesses:
Heavy and slow, but it's a winter tire not a summer race tire, so no complaints. Pricy, but they'll last for years so the value is actually good relative to a high performance summer tire.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Tricked out Santa Cruz BlurXC. Spinergy Disc wheels.
Bottom Line:
Amazing, Amazing, Amazing.
I wasn’t totally sold on the idea of winter studded tires for my mtb, but a friend convinced me I should give them a try, so I opted for the Ice Spikers (might as well go for high-end, or not go at all). My first impression after mounting them was that they were going to be slow, but that goes without saying since they are about three times heavier than the race tires I had on my XC bike. Not a bad thing, really, because the trade-off is long life.
I was blown away by the performance in all conditions. Climbing steep, boot packed single track was a breeze. In fact, trails where I encountered wheel spin when climbing in the summer, I climbed like I was on a tracked vehicle with the Ice Spikers. Not once did I spin the rear tire while climbing. Stopping power was unbelievable. On icy snowpacked roads where cars were crawling, I could approach an intersection at ‘mach schnell’, hit the brakes, and be at a full stop in about 15 feet. To say these tires inspire confidence would be an understatement.
I’m still trying to figure out their limits, but so far haven’t dumped the bike once. The only time they haven’t worked (but nothing would) is when I strayed off packed single track when in the back country, and broke through surface crust into 12’ of sugary snow while climbing. I stopped dead, but simply put the bike back on the track and took off again without any drama or wheel spin.
I would recommend these tires to anyone who wants to extend their riding throughout the winter, and to whom (like me) the prospect of riding a trainer indoors is akin to Chinese water torture. They’re pricy, but the longevity will ultimately make them less expensive that typical summer tires in the long run.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bikeschenck
a Racer
from Prattsburgh, NY, USA Date Reviewed: December 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
phattire.com
Strengths:
insane grip on ice, wet ice, and snow. Better stud placement than the new Nokian 294's I think.(I previously rode the Nokian 296's which were great).
Weaknesses:
weight, but get over it, they're studs...what do you expect?
Similar Products Used:
Nokian 296's(Extreme)
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel EX 9
Bottom Line:
If you wanna rip winter trails, this is your tire....I'm becoming a big fan of Schwalbe tires in general and this tire is no exception. I lower the pressure to 20-25 PSI and the confidence they give climbing, cornering, and descending is incredible. Get off the trainer, get these and have some fun...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GregBrewer
a Cross Country Rider
from Midland Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: November 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
mountianview midland
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
total sports the bik
Strengths:
no slipping at all, this tire feel like it always has hold of the earth no matter how thick the snow.
Weaknesses:
they seem to be a bit heavy, but you can not expect to have all thous spilks with out some weight.
Bottom Line:
this tire makes ice feel like a hard packed trail. winter riding is a blast with this tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
davy kyndt
a Downhiller
from ostend, belgium Date Reviewed: May 3, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
local store 50$ each
Strengths:
super grip at all terrain, even in muddy, sand, ice, hardpack, grind the noise they make, just like a tank. cornering, braking. wears very little on asphalt
Weaknesses:
grip at asphalt (braking, cornering), fresh snow,
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
hardtail frame, hfx9, marzocchi junior T.
Bottom Line:
all year tire. i use my ice spikes for the whole downhill season, the grip you get from the spikes is awesome. not only the fact that there are spikes on it, but the tire pattern is also very nice for cornering.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
harri manni
a Weekend Warrior
from Ludvika Date Reviewed: January 24, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Local & porky!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
http://www.bike-discount.de
Strengths:
Loads of grip on ice, low rollig resistance. Price!
Weaknesses:
A bit too narrow for snow. Noisy?
Similar Products Used:
Nokia HAKKAPELITTA W106, Nokian Extreme W296.
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign 06'
Bottom Line:
Excellent for winter commuting due to (relativly) low rolling resistance, fantastic grip on ice packet snow, less good in loose snow, thet requires low pressure.
No problem with quality, no lost spikes and I have used them on harsh stony trails.
Very good value for money, atlest in europe. :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rock Magnet
a
from East Hartford, CT Date Reviewed: February 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Strengths:
Aggressive tread with spikes that seem to stay put. Sounds like a Sherman tank when riding on pavement
Weaknesses:
Blown bead after very short period of riding
Bike Setup:
'05 Stumpjumper Expert
Bottom Line:
The tire I received was faulty. After <30 miles the bead blew on the rear and would never seat properly again. It now adorns the basement wall even though winter isn't over. I believe the tire was slightly too large diameter from the start as it was easy to put on without tire irons and I had difficulty getting it to seat properly. I wonder if others have had this trouble (?)
The only benefit I ever got from this tire was the ability to keep control when hitting frozen spots (puddles) in the trail. Other than that, I'd rather be riding a fresh set of velociraptors to plow through any snow. Why lug the extra weight and expense on the trails?
I don't recommend this product or studded tires in general unless ice abounds on your winter trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oscar
a
from Anchorage, AK Date Reviewed: March 11, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
The bike Shop
Strengths:
Great grip on ice. Long lasting carbide tips.
Weaknesses:
Heavy, costly and they require a 25 mile break in period. But those are things that apply to any studded tires.
Similar Products Used:
First time using studded tires.
Bike Setup:
Aluminum HT with 3" fork and V's
Bottom Line:
They work great on ice. You can ride over frozen puddles, chunks of ice on the road, and ice covered trails/roads and it's like going over asphalt. Great cornering, braking and overall grip because they have spikes all around, not only on the sides.
The carbide tips mean that they'll last for a while. You can get cheaper tires but they come with less studs (not as good grip) and/or the studs are steel. Steel studs will rust and wear faster (however, you have the Innova's with replaceable studs) They do weigh a ton, and you have to ride them on smooth asphalt for 25 miles to set in the spikes, but that is going to happen with any studded tire you use. The people complaining about the snow performance, well, this are 2.1 tires, if you want to ride in thick, soft snow, I'll suggest you go with something wider. On frozen, packed snow they have worked great for me, however.If you ride in snow trails, you'll be better off buying wide Snowcat rims and wide 3" tires. I agree they don't have the most amazing performance on soft snow, but they are not snow tires (too thin at only 2.1") So, IMHO, if you ride in an area with ice on the trails/roads, and you want to be able to keep riding in the winter, go get'em tiger. They are expensive, but they'll last for a while and keep you in one piece.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Superbman
a Cross Country Rider
from Deerfield Date Reviewed: February 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
$55.00 (each)
Strengths:
Roll surprisingly well for a heavy, long-lugged, studded tire. Wo
Weaknesses:
Beware of soft snow (but see below)
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
two wheels, pedals, cranks and stuff to steer and balance it with.
Bottom Line:
These are a great alternative to th more expensive nokians. They give unflappable grip on all manner of ice and hard snow. However in soft, deep snow, you MUST run your pressures down to 15-20 psi or you'll just dig trenches and get nowhere! I just learned of this ill (and it's low psi cure) last night on a snow ride. Once I got my pressures down, I was floating like a butterfly! Don't worry about pinch flats in the snow either because 1. Snow takes out the sharp edges on a trail, and 2. these tires have unusually strong side walls.
Have fun
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michal
a Weekend Warrior
from Prague, Czech Republic Date Reviewed: January 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Strengths:
grip on ice
Weaknesses:
grip and stability on snow
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Spike
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro S-Works 2003
Bottom Line:
As I like to ride in a snow, guys in my favorite bikeshop persuaded me that I definitely need these tires.. They said they would be at least the same on snow as the Panaracer Spikes are. They are not. Even on frozen snow the Panaracer is much better. I admit that on ice these tires have at least some grip but in most cases you will have to cope with snow.. You can see that the thread is much lower than that on Spikes and you will recognize it very soon! I rode a downhill on frozen and hard-packed snow. Firstly I had the Schwalbe on. I nearly lost control at speed around 45 km/h (handlebar began to vibrate as the front tire began loosing grip on the snow) and the braking was very poor as well. Then I changed to Spikes. It was totally different! Without problem I got over 50 km/h with much confidence. And the breaking? Never felt anything like this. I did not even manage to block the front wheel.. I must have stopped on max. 15 meters from a speed of 50. So.. If you want to have a control over your bike even on snow, buy some tires that are good in mud. If you want to be secure on ice, buy the Schwalbes. It's a pity they did not make the studs higher...
3,5 stars for the ice, 2,5 stars for the snow..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Caledon Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Caledon, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: December 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Left Left, A-Frame Tech, Jack O'Neils
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
MEC
Strengths:
Awesome control in ice and hard packed snow. The only thing that makes you remember that you are riding in the winter is the fact that you are wearing 5 layers of clothing. The tires give you tons of confidence
Weaknesses:
50 Kilometer break-in period on hard surfaces prior to rapid starts and stops, otherwise the studs could come out. Like all tires they do not perform well in the deeper snow on trails (>10" depth).
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer XC Fire Pro
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Sugar 4+, Avid Mechanical Disks
Bottom Line:
As a 40 something Clydesdale I can appreciate the tires because they give me extra confidence to ride all year round. The tires last well when ridden in the snow and ice so the little rubber knobbies do not wear away.
The only thing I had difficulty with was the face they had to be broken in for a 50 km period on asphalt or concrete to prevent the studs from being ripped out. I am sure a lot of other riders would chance it but I don't think it is worth it.
I have ridden for 2 previous winters prior to the Schwalbe Ice Spikers with the Panaracer XC Fire Pro. The Panaracers are a good tire for the money but they do slip (as do all non-studded tires) on the ice.
I only lost 3 studs last year and they were easily replaced by the studs which Schwalbe so generously provided to me (send them an e-mail and ask them to air-mail you some replacements). The ($98.00 Canadian) price seems high but when you see these things you will realize that they are worth it.
I have ridden out during a couple of ice storms when there was a few inches of ice on the roads and trails. I felt like I was driving a tracked ATV. To test the tires I put on full body armour and ventured out. My first test was to slam on the brakes and lock them up. Screeech... When I stopped (upright) I looked back and saw the scratches which these tires put in the ice.
Bottom Line.....Buy'em....you can't put a price on happiness or your safety. The stores sell out of these early in the season so get 'em now.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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