Studs for snow/ice tires

[MattR]

I came across a cool product for studding your tires. These were shown in the new Trail Rider magazine and being sold by WER Products. I'm not sure on the cost of these, but thought I would pass the info along.

These are screw-in studs that look like the carbide tip rivets on Trelleborgs. There are some good photos on this site of tire setups. The 1700 style is recommended for front tires and 1800 style is recommended for rear tires. They recommend between 250-350 studs per tire.

Here is the website.
http://www.best-grip.com/eng/

Here is the 1700 style stud:

Here is an example after installation:

 

[Boomhauer]

I came across a cool product for studding your tires. These were shown in the new Trail Rider magazine and being sold by WER Products. I'm not sure on the cost of these, but thought I would pass the info along.

These are screw-in studs that look like the carbide tip rivets on Trelleborgs. There are some good photos on this site of tire setups. The 1700 style is recommended for front tires and 1800 style is recommended for rear tires. They recommend between 250-350 studs per tire.

Here is the website.
http://www.best-grip.com/eng/

Here is the 1700 style stud:

Here is an example after installation:

Traitor! I would not buy anything you say is good now!

 

[MattR]

Traitor! I would not buy anything you say is good now!

I did not say these were KTM studs.

FYI to the other folks here... Robby caught lurking over on KTMTalk.

 

[Boomhauer]

To bad we don't get ice here in Houston. I would hate to get run over by somebody that has those on their tires.

 

[bobr]

WOW! nice find! we researched installing studs. it is a difficult process at best. these look like they screw right in. we could certainly use them up here. thanks.

 

[Adrian]

I called w.e.r.bout these. Drew said that the only ones he is going to carry protrude 6 to 7 mm out of the tire. I would rather have the ones that protrude around 3mm. it just seems to me that the further they stick out the more easily they would get ripped out in the conditions that I ride. He also said the price is $119 for 100 of them. If it takes 500 of them to do 2 tires that is a lot of money. If they had the ones that I wanted I would have probably bought a coulpe packs. I'm tired of frozen ground keeping me from riding. I hate winter!!!

 

[MattR]

...He also said the price is $119 for 100 of them. If it takes 500 of them to do 2 tires that is a lot of money.

Thanks for the info. At $1+ per stud... that is just too much money. To do them right, you might as well buy trelleborg tires at $500-$600 per set.

 

[Brian VT]

Thanks for the info. At $1+ per stud... that is just too much money. To do them right, you might as well buy trelleborg tires at $500-$600 per set.

I bought the Michelins and they were well under $500. Not sure how much of a deal I got, but the tires have been great. I chose the medium length spikes in the back, long in the front.

 

[Berkyboy]

I talked to Drew and we discussed using around 175 on the front and 225 on the rear.

Don't forget that you can maintain (replace or reuse) these studs as you need to. Doing this with Trelleborgs isn't an option.

In my opinion Trelleborgs are the best winter studded tire period. They are expensive but nothing compares to them.

We are in the process of putting together a set of "Best Grip" studded tires to compare to Trelleborg I'll let you know how they compare.

 

[MattR]

Steve,

Even with the quantities you mentioned (175 & 225), the costs are still too high in my opinion to justify the purchase. In my opinion, the cost of Best Grips should not be higher than $0.50 each. Here is a comparison with a new set of tires mounted with Kold Kutters and Best Grips. To be fair, I even "doubled" the Kold Kutter studs like I would mount them.

With Kold Kutter Studs (using twice the studs):
Front = 350*$0.12 ea = $42
Rear = 450*$0.12 ea = $54
Total = $96 (studs only)
Add new tires = $120 (assume $60 ea)
Grand Total = $216 + labor to install.

With Best Grip Studs (Current Price):
Front = 175*$1.19 ea = $208.25
Rear = 225*$1.19 ea = $267.75
Total = $476 (studs only)
Add new tires = $120 (assume $60 ea)
Grand Total = $596 + labor to install.

With Best Grip Studs (My Recommended Price):
Front = 175*$0.50 ea = $87.50
Rear = 225*$0.50 ea = $112.50
Total = $200 (studs only)
Add new tires = $120 (assume $60 ea)
Grand Total = $320 + labor to install.

 

[JTT]

Don't forget that you can maintain (replace or reuse) these studs as you need to.

That's if they stay in. I can see tearing them out of the tire being a possible problem...no reusing if they're scattered over the trail.

I use 1.5" screws in my ice tires, only on clean ice (no trails, or even pushing the bike across grass) and still loose studs pretty regular. They tear our or just break off after a while. I just can't imagine these ones staying put for long.

 

[Berkyboy]

Another thing to consider is the Best Grips studs give the user some flexability. A lot of winter riders like to use their own "patterns" and the screw type studs give them that option.

Like I said in my opinion the Trelleborg's are the best period.

We're still going to put together a set and see how they work.

My gut feeling is that they'll work fine for the guy on a budget. For me I'd spend the extra hundred bucks or so and go with the Trelles'.

 

[MattR]

My gut feeling is that they'll work fine for the guy on a budget. For me I'd spend the extra hundred bucks or so and go with the Trelles'.

That's the point of my previous post. At $1.19 per stud, there is no cost reduction for the "budget buyer" (me). If the cost was somewhere around $0.50 per stud, it would put investment between the Kold Kutters and Trelleborgs. Right now, they would be the same price as Trelleborgs/Michelins.

Plus, I sure there will be a few lost studs like JTT mentioned. I don't feel like throwing a bunch of dollar bills off my back tire as I ride down the trail.

Sorry for the rant... I was interested to try these out. But for the budget buyer like me, Kold Kutters will be my only option now.

 

[jeffd]

There seems to be a discrepency about how many "studs" are needed per tire. I found one reference on the website showing you needed 80 minimum for winter and 25 worked well in summer time - for slick hills, etc.

He should sell in boxes of 250 and bring the price down a tad.

jeff

 

[Adrian]

I still think the ones W.E.R. are selling protrude too far. I want something with studs more like a studded snow tire. What are the Trelleborg's like in the area of stud length?

 

[cladoo]

I can't remember where I've seen them but Michelin makes some studded tires also and the price is near the same as Trelleborg. The guys here that use them say they are better the the Trellies. I agree that the Best Grip studs are way too pricey.

 

[tm_enduro]

Michelin does make a studded tire, but for what it's worth, Michelin sponsored Anders Eriksson uses the screw in type shown in the photos above.

What compound of tires are best to put studs into? I find that the normally squirmy S-12 (still my favorite all around tire), is an incredible snow / ice tire as the rubber only gets slightly firmer when frozen, but I fear that screws would pull out leaving a shreaded tire. How about the enduro comp 4, big spaces with firm base compound and not so much height (tall knobs or carcas) that the knobs will become flexible or that the studs will hit the fenders when bottoming the suspension?