I ran into this news group while roaming around looking for waterproof
shoe options. There were some postings about studded tires, so I thought
I'd put in a personal experience.
During the winters of 83'and '84 I was a student at the University of
Montana, in Missoula, MT. I owned a stumpjumper sport and a Blue Sky
cycle trailer, that was my only form of transportation. I studded my own
tires at the time, so for those of you who would like to know how,
here's what I did:
What you'll need:
3/8 inch, #10, pan-head sheet metal screws. (buy them by the box as it will be cheaper.
A Can Barge Cement (available at hardware stores)
A pair of discarded tubular sew-ups, with sewing and tubes removed.
An old pair of 26' knobby tires you are willing to sacrifice; maybe an extra in case you make a
mistake and have to start over.
An electric drill with a set of bits
The knob pattern on my tires had a knob at the center of the tire, alternating with a pair of knobs
on either side of the center line.
Using a drill bit smaller than the size of the screws, drill holes in the pairs of knobs on either
side of the center line going around the full circumference of the tire. Don't use the single knobs
at the center line of the tire.
Once the tires are drilled, screw the sheet metal screws in from the inside.
To protect your inner tubes use the disassembled sew-ups. Trim the tubular tire so that it fits
around the inside circumference of the studded tire. Using the Barge Cement brush the cement
liberally over the inside of the tires, over the heads of the screws. Do not put any Barge Cement on
the sew-up casings. You want the cement to hold the liner in place, but you also want to be able to
remove it later to replace studs. Place the liner inside the tire so that the tread of the sew-up is
adhered to the screw-heads. You may want to inflate an old tube inside so that it holds everything
together as the cement dries. I recall letting them sit for a couple of hours before mounting them.
When mounted, do not inflate to the recommended pressure. You want them under inflated.
My experience using these tires for two winters was quite good. As residential streets became icy, I
was able to ride in ice ruts with remarkably good control; although, at quite a reduced speed.
Here's a disclaimer, you ain't gonna go fast with these and you don't want to. They weigh a ton, and
icy conditions make fast riding stupid. Go slow, allow plenty of room for braking, and be extra
cautious. I enjoyed riding when it was cold and clear. I did find, however, that if there was a
fresh layer of snow that prevented the studs from reaching the ice beneith, I didn't have much
control. So they work best on packed surfaces or icy surfaces.
Also, it was a time intensive process to make them. I recall spending most of an afternoon making
the tires. The next year it didn't take so long to just replace the studs. But drilling and such was
quite time consuming.
Have fun Royce Christensen