Do-it-yourself tire studding. DIY studded bicycle tires

Winter came and I had to do something with the bike so as not to fall on the ice. I could buy ready-made studded bicycle tires - it would cost me 4-5 thousand rubles. Not only because of the thirst to save money, but also from the eternal desire to do something with my own hands, I decided to make winter bicycle tires myself.

Purchased: 2 budget tires for 250 rubles each. each; 400 pcs. 13 mm. self-tapping screws (about 100 rubles).

Tires were chosen with large “teeth” so that self-tapping screws could fit comfortably into them. The tire had a total of 80+140+80 teeth. I didn’t want to screw in 300 self-tapping screws, so I inserted one screw into the side rows. As a result, about 190-200 screws were inserted into each tire. This made the tires about 200 grams heavier.

So, the tires have been purchased, and the screws too. We need to get to work. First you need to make guide holes in the tires. Without them, the screws will often go crooked and come out in the wrong place. It is very important that the screws “peek out” from the center of the “tooth” - this will extend the life of the tire. To do this, I took a drill and started drilling holes. It was, to put it mildly, difficult, so I came up with new way: I clamped the nail with pliers, heated it over the fire and used it to make holes in the tires. It was no longer difficult, but it still took a lot of time. And then a brilliant idea came to my mind - making holes with an awl! I didn’t have an awl at home, so I had to buy it. Making holes with an awl is the best option.

The holes are ready, it's time to screw in the screws. I bought 13 mm self-tapping screws with a press washer. It is very important to buy with a press washer, because... only they have a fairly wide “hat”. I screwed the screws into the tire with a regular screwdriver. I didn't turn the tire inside out. The main thing is that the screws are screwed in evenly. There is no need to plant them with glue. The self-tapping screw needs to be screwed in so that at the exit it slightly bends the rubber under itself with the thread.

Here's what I got:

On last photo It can be seen that on the side rows the screws are inserted one after another. In the center, too, sometimes there are empty teeth, the order there is: 1-2-1-1-2-1-1-2-1, etc.

The screws are screwed in, let's move on. Now they need to be sharpened. I didn't have a sharpener, so I asked a friend to sharpen the tenons. The self-tapping screws were very strong and the sharpener was more likely to wear off than they were. But, anyway, we managed to sharpen them. One tire had slightly longer studs; I put it on the front wheel, because it carries less load and the quality of handling depends on it. The side row of screws can be ground less (the main thing is that they are not sharp), because they will only work when turning. A tire with machined screws looks like this:

The screws are screwed in and ground, but that's not all. To prevent the screw heads from damaging the camera, you need to make a lining. To do this, I brutally cut two cells - one old and one, dare I say it, new. Now you can assemble the wheel. When placing the camera, be careful not to scratch it on the spikes.

Yesterday I tested my homemade winter bike tires, riding about 25 km on snow and about 35 km on asphalt. When driving on asphalt, a rather loud noise is created, but this cannot be called a big drawback. When driving on snow and ice, the tires showed themselves to be the most the best way- while my friends on regular tires constantly fell on the ice, I drove absolutely without bothering, as if on asphalt. If you compare studded tires with regular tires, albeit with a bad tread, during emergency braking the difference is simply monstrous. Heaven and earth! With studded tires, when braking sharply at high speed on ice, it does not skid at all; the studs leave a deep mark on the ice.

There is only one drawback - it is difficult to maintain high speed ride and a little harder to ride overall. This is felt when driving on asphalt, but driving on ice/snow is a real pleasure.

In this article we will talk about studded tires and self-studding bicycle tires at home. Let's compare the efficiency in different ways studs with factory tires designed for winter driving.

Introduction

With the onset of winter, most cyclists stop riding and the bike can only wait for spring warming. And if the obstacle in the form of cold can be solved with warm cycling or casual clothing, then when snow and ice begins, riding becomes almost impossible. We will discuss this very “almost”.

This is not the first year that I have been haunted by the thought that it would be nice to take a ride on snow-covered paths, admire the winter landscapes and breathe in the clean frosty air. And the problem has always been the fear of a slippery road, which poses considerable danger. I was thinking about winter tires. But their cost always stopped me from investing from 700 to 1000 or more UAH. for several trips is extremely impractical for our modest incomes.

There were often links and pictures on the Internet and on the forum for making your own studs, but either you didn’t get around to it, or you didn’t have an extra pair of toothy tires at hand. Finally, the desire to ride on ice and snow exceeded all the “buts” and I decided to take up the issue of studding bicycle tires myself.

While searching for new information on the Internet and analyzing the attempts of my cycling brothers to make studded tires, I gradually formed an image of an ideal studded tire at home.

The most common mistake, in my opinion, is long spikes:

It seemed to me that the tire and tube could easily be damaged by the head of a broken screw. I decided that the thorns needed to be bitten off or ground off. Both of these options seemed extremely labor-intensive to me. Perhaps for this reason the process was constantly postponed.

But on the forum they suggested another option - instead of furniture screws (with a press washer), like these

use “flies” - the smallest self-tapping screws with a drill: 3.5 x 9.5. (bottom ones in the photo) The experience of others has shown that they are in no hurry to tear rubber, and they weigh less.

Choice

The screws were selected and, as a result of a short search, were found at Epicenter at a price of 60 UAH. for 1000 pieces. 500 was enough for me and the purchased screws were divided between two.

Now we choose tires. The main factor in the studding project was the minimum amount of cash investment, so that in case of failure, you would not regret the lost funds.

After asking around among members of the forum for unnecessary tires and places where you can buy inexpensive new ones, I came across a very attractive option: a pair of not too damaged (and the front one is almost new) Tioga Factory DH tires. The owner gladly and in the name of new research parted with them for a symbolic price of 40 UAH/piece. What's great about the tire: 2.3" tread width, large, thick lugs that are ideally placed for studs and are likely to be effective in the snow.

Process

Spike was carried out in the following way:

1. First, use a screwdriver to drill holes in the tenons from the outside inward. The diameter of the drill remained unknown, because... it was bought at the market from my grandfather “by eye” - something about 1 mm.
2. From the inside of the tire you can see the holes through which the drill came out. We tighten the screws inside these holes. As it turned out, they are afraid that they will turn in the tires one more time; it is not worth it.
3. We cut the old camera lengthwise from the inside, cut out the nipple
4. We put the slightly inflated tube into the cut one and put it all into the tire and install it on the rim. Let's pump it up.

At first things went very badly. At first, there was no drill and we had to drill with the self-tapping screw from the outside, which caused our fingers to rub, and the screw constantly fell out of the non-magnetic head of the Phillips bit. The screws often came out off center of the tenon, which is why they had to be twisted. But from the first attempts, two rows were screwed into the rear tire: 104 screws, 52 for each row. It was decided, due to high labor costs, to leave two rows at the back.

The front wheel was studded with a drill and some skills. It took a little for 208 screws (4 rows of 52 pieces each) more than an hour. To celebrate, I decided to add the missing 2 rows to the rear tire. The result met all my expectations and confirmed the correctness of the choice of components - the studs stuck out of the rubber approximately as much as in expensive factory tires.

All photos close-up done after a test drive.

As I already wrote, another old camera was placed inside between the heads of the screws and the camera, cut lengthwise along the inner circumference. This is what the screw heads left on it after the test drive.

There are similar prints on the camera. The chamber is covered with talc, which was full of the cut tire.

If you pump it up, the prints are still visible. And although it’s too early to say that it’s easy to wipe even through the second chamber, I would advise sealing the caps with something denser and non-stretchy. Unfortunately, I have not found such materials and will continue to test the existing ones.

This is what the screw heads look like inside the tire.

Despite the fact that the screws sit tightly in the rubber and the tire does not plan to tear, I carry with me a spare tube and a tire, Kenda Small Black 8, which can roll up into a small ball.

The studs on the rear tire are different from the front ones. In this model, let me remind you: Tioga Factory DH, this was intended by the manufacturer (see photo of the tires above). I received the rear tire a little worn out and the inner row of studs sticks out 1-2 mm more. Not ideal, but I think it's better than without them.

The pressure in the chambers was lower than usual. It was checked only with fingers. It feels like about 1.5 ATM.

Test Drive

Three more people volunteered to check the quality of the work done with me in combat conditions. We gathered in Leporsky Park on Sunday morning to ride along its snowy paths, along the summer eliminator route.

Each of us four had studded tires. The following took part in the tests:

Tioga Factory DH with front sights 9.5 x 3.5

Schwalbe Ice Spiker

Innova 2.35 with thick furniture screws with sawed off points and additional “front sights”. He's been riding with studded tires for the 3rd year now. The rear is without spikes.

Kenda Klondike

We waited a little longer for new participants, no one was waiting and the test began!!!

But first, I’ll tell you how I got to the park and the gathering place, located one and a half kilometers from home.

Rolled out the bike landing. It clattered loudly with its iron spikes on the concrete. Carefully, trying not to hit the walls, I lowered the bicycle from the 3rd floor. I immediately noticed that the tires do not rest against the concrete at all, but slide along it. It is difficult to lean the bicycle against the wall - it may fall.

Street. Frost of 10-12 degrees, half-melted recent snow, which has turned into mush in places where people walk and cars drive and is frozen in this state. Small tubercles are cause for serious concern. If it weren't for the spikes, it would be very difficult to drive on them. But let's check the spikes... Lowered the saddle a couple of centimeters and off we went!

The first meters. Scary. I'm trying to check the grip of the tires. They don't seem to slip. Braking - they stop perfectly, they slide a little, but... Like on asphalt crushed by sand. Front braking is excellent! Quite effective, but the likelihood of blocking with subsequent skidding has increased. In general, I gradually went at full speed. Yes, you have to drive on sidewalks. It’s dangerous to get on the road because cars are much more stable than my bike :)

I pass frozen curbs, cross transverse deep snow and ice ruts. Everything is fine. The bike holds the surface as usual. Those. that's quite good. I try to ride while standing and rocking - no problems! I quickly get to the park, where they are already waiting for me.

Go! We rode around the park a lot. Not only does the bike hold steady on descents, but it also climbs hills without the slightest slip on the trampled snow. The kids sledding and not without difficulty climbing the slides along the slippery paths look with surprise as we drive up these slides. And even standing, even while rocking.

The photo shows how Lyokha enters the turn. With a bias, as usual. The studs perfectly allow you to control the bike in such conditions.

After driving around the park, we meet another participant in today’s trip. He does not have studs in his tires and feels much less confident. And only the experience of several trips before helps him not to fall every 10 meters.

We decide to test the braking. We find an area with a flat, smooth ice crust.

It's better to watch the results on video.

What happened: braking with only the rear wheel is ineffective and the braking distance is quite long. Without spikes it is almost impossible to brake (0:45). Braking with both wheels is very effective (0:33), but if you pinch the front, the rear wheel can lock and slip (1:13), which is highly likely to result in a fall.

After the park we went down to the sea. The steep descent along the steps opposite 50 Let Oktyabrya Boulevard provided a good thrill. Loose, melted snow does not hold the tires as securely as ice.

Two more were waiting for us below. Both are thornless. In response to my suggestion that they definitely go to the ice, one of them noticed that he had already checked in 4 times :) That is. fell.

And indeed, the guys did very poorly riding against a strong east wind. They drove slowly, fell, and were blown away by the wind.

The photo shows a stripe from my thorns. Yes, very much smooth ice It was scary to drive, but braking has not gone away, you can still drive while standing.

Typically, standing on this ice and even in the wind is very difficult, but riding a bicycle is incomparably easier. The tires hold ice simply amazing. Yes, I was embarrassed to allow myself to make banked turns and tried to drive as smoothly as possible without sudden movements. Therefore, the limit of tire capabilities with homemade spikes I haven't found it yet.

As a result, the guys without spikes and Lech, whose back was left without spikes, gave up and got out to the shore, and we continued our journey across the ice. Soon we drove down to the Lyapin Hills area, rode along the ravine and returned to the city. Driving on a ravine with poorly compacted snow did not bring much pleasure and took a lot of energy. For some reason my knee hurt. Probably, several circumstances overlapped: increased loads, cold, low landing.

On the city streets, a frozen slurry of ice awaited us, trampled by people and rolled out by car wheels, turning into dangerous lumpy ice with ruts and small holes. Yes, often the wheel would fall off some bump, but it would immediately catch on with its spikes, and over time I got used to not being distracted by such trifles. I stopped noticing even shallow - up to 2 cm - longitudinal ruts from wheels on ice.

While the guys were going to the store, Denis called me and reminded me that we planned to take a photo of “his charm,” which became an intrigue for the whole week :) I returned back to Vostochny. A few dozen photos and home.

Winter riding

A few notes and observations on winter driving.

The temperature in the morning was 12 degrees and may have risen somewhat during the trip. I dressed noticeably warmer than 0 degrees, namely:

• two insulated cycling pants
• 3 pairs of socks, one of which is insulated, shoe covers, summer cycling shoes with contacts
• two pairs of gloves, one - cycling, the second - knitted
• "anti-aircraft gun", T-shirt with fleece sleeves, Nalini thermal jacket, bright windbreaker.
• on the head there are two ordinary Buffs, one of which is not original. Helmet. Glasses.

I felt very comfortable in all of this. Didn't freeze even in the wind. Except that at sea, the little fingers on the hands could freeze, and on long stops, the toes. What is characteristic is that I did not sweat from overheating, although even in the park with many climbs I deliberately tried not to overheat. I wasn’t the only one who didn’t have a face mask, but sometimes, when riding against the wind, I wanted to put one on. I think that up to 10 degrees below zero it is not particularly needed and driving without it is a habit. On the other hand, while actively driving in the park on hills, I inhaled cold air several times, but there were no consequences.

Conclusion

It was a great ride. Traveled a total of 26.5 km. And guys under 50, because... We were coming from the center.

The tires turned out to be very good. The final budget was 110 UAH. (80 UAH tires, 30 UAH screws). All the efforts expended were not in vain and, moreover, exceeded all expectations. Together we decided that my tires are better than others on ice. A little behind was the Schwalbe Ice Spiker, whose spikes were smaller and not pointed, but with sharp edges on cylindrical protrusions. Artem with the Kenda Klondike did not have enough central studs, and Lekha should have studded the rear tire as well, so as not to have to walk up the climbs. It is very dangerous to ride without spikes, and especially for the first time.

We will try to repeat the trip next weekend. But this time we will have to deal more with the snow, of which there was quite a lot.

When winter came and it became impossible to drive on summer tires, I was faced with a problem - I needed studded tires. Having considered the options for factory tires from Nokian and their prices, I firmly decided to stud the tires myself. Having scoured the Internet, I came across one detailed description of wheel studding, but that option did not inspire me at all, since the labor intensity did not quite correspond to the result obtained. Later I read on some forum a mention of the possibility of studding using self-tapping screws. Having decided to work on this idea, I rushed to the shops. So, in the end we purchased:

• 2 KENDA KINETICS tires - 460 rubles pcs;
• 3 tubes of rubber glue - 30 rubles per piece;
• 220 screws - ~50rub;

To install the screws, I chose rows of treads running on the sides of the central part of the tire. To begin with, I had to drill holes in the appropriate places with a drill with a diameter of 2 mm. (I want to warn you, no need to drill large holes!) In total, there were more than 108 holes in the tire. Next, you need to degrease the inside of the tire; for this I used smelly acetone. (Remember, all work with such nasty stuff as acetone must be done in a ventilated area and preferably with gloves and goggles. Those who are most concerned about their health can wear a rubber apron). Now we take glue and coat the screws in it, screw them in inside tires. Believe me, it is not difficult, the self-tapping screws, lubricated with glue, are easily screwed into the intended holes. After all the self-tapping screws are screwed in, you need to wait time for the glue to “set.” At this time, we take the camera and cut strips 5 centimeters wide from it. We wash them of talc, dry them and degrease them. By this time, the glue on the screws should already have dried (30 minutes is enough) and we will begin the second part of making winter tires. We coat the inside of the tire and the cut strip from the unnecessary tube with glue. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and glue the rubber strip inside the tire, right on top of the screw heads. I advise you to glue in small areas 10-20 cm each, this makes it easier to deal with quick-drying glue. It is necessary to ensure that the rubber strip fits tightly to the tire in all places. After this, you can leave the tire to dry for 20 hours.

The mighty heads of the self-tapping screws appear under the rubber strip.

Here you are holding your first homemade tire in your hands, but something clearly confuses you... Oh, yes! The sharp screws sticking out a centimeter remind you of wheels from racing motorcycles for ice tracks! This can be fixed. Find the most powerful nippers and bite off the excess. You need to bite off so that about 3-5 mm remains on the outside. It won’t work out exactly anyway, you don’t have to try. To be honest, the most painful procedure in the manufacture of these tires is precisely the shortening of the protruding screws. Moreover, this is proportional to the hardness of the metal of the screws. The total time to make one tire is approximately 8 hours, but it is worth it, so be patient and strong.

Some tips for using these tires.

• 1. Always inflate the tubes in such tires to the maximum, otherwise, when hitting a hard object, the tire will “pierce” the screw head to the rim, and this will result in two holes in the tube at once. So far I have been experimenting with pressure, punching the chamber three times, and each punch produces two holes.
• 2. Remember - the tires you made are not complete analogue WXC 300:), so don't forget and drive carefully.
• 3. Do not leave the tires wet for a long time, the screws will begin to rust.
• 4. In any case, show off your custom tires to people you know and not so well.

Now my observations and feelings:

You can find many people who like to not only eat ice cream in winter, but also ride a bike, regardless of weather conditions. And some people try to reduce travel time in this way - after all, it’s easier to quickly get there on your two-wheeled vehicle than to splash around in the slush for a long time, getting your feet wet. If you are a fan of autumn and winter, then you have probably wondered how to make studded tires for a bicycle with your own hands. It's no secret that factory studded tires cost incredible amounts of money, and this even applies to tires made in China. What can we say about branded models?

On the roads there are holes, ledges, and stones, which are much more difficult to notice in puddles and slush, under ice and snow. This means that in the autumn-winter period it is much easier to damage the tire. And if it is an expensive one that will have to be replaced again, the burden on your budget may become excessive. There is a way out - make bicycle spikes with your own hands. It's much easier than it sounds and is unlikely to take more than a couple of hours. At the same time, the cost of the necessary parts is minimal. So, let's stud your bike.

Items you will need

• Bicycle tire.

The tire itself, which we will stud. You can buy an inexpensive one, or you can take even a worn one that you were planning to throw away. It is quite suitable for practicing and understanding how to make cleats for a bicycle, and it is likely that it will last a long time, and if necessary, you can easily make another one. But if you are choosing a new tire, it is better to give preference to the one with a deeper tread. It is advisable that in those places where you will add spikes there is a thicker layer of rubber.

• Self-tapping screws with a wide head.

Self-tapping screws 4.2×13 mm are best suited. The fact is that part of the screw will go into the rubber, and another part will be erased while driving. Therefore, shorter screws may not last long, but if there is no other option, then you can take shorter ones. A wide head is needed for good fixation of the screw on the inside of the tire. In terms of quantity, you need as many screws as the number of studs you want to add to your bike.

• Super glue.

Any one you have on hand will do. Universal superglue will be sufficient. But if you choose glue specifically to make a studded tire for a bicycle, then you can use superglue for rubber.

• An awl or drill with a thin drill bit.

Of course, it will be much easier for you with a drill, but if you don’t have a drill, an ordinary awl will do.

• Phillips screwdriver suitable for self-tapping screws.
• Old bicycle tube.

Place all the items next to you, make sure there is good lighting, since you will have to find small holes in the tire, and get to work!

Instructions for creating studded tires

Next, we present detailed instructions how to make a studded one. Of course, first of all, the tire must be disassembled. After that, examine it and select the places where the spikes will be located. As mentioned above, it is better to choose places where the rubber is thicker, because the screws will hold it more firmly and there will be no tears. You can also make spikes on the side of the tire so that they point toward the ground at an angle. With them it will be more convenient for you to ride your bike, since the side studs will make it easier to take turns on icy roads.

It is best to make four rows of studs: two rows at the bottom of the tire and two rows on the sides.

Now let's get down to the process. Take a drill or awl and do through hole in the tread where the first spike will be located. There is a little trick here that will greatly simplify the work.

Important! Pierce from the outside, not the inside. This way you will see exactly where the spike will come out and will not hit a thin section of rubber.

Then squeeze a drop of superglue onto the hole from the inside of the tire. Take a self-tapping screw and use a screwdriver to screw it into the hole until it stops. There is no need to overtighten so as not to create additional stress on the rubber. At the same time, the head of the screw must fit tightly enough to the tire for the superglue to fix it in place.

Important! Insert each screw immediately after the puncture. If you do all the punctures first and then start inserting screws, you will have a very difficult time finding the holes, especially if your tire is black on the inside.

Now you have a rather monotonous job of adding all the spikes. But it won't take too long. And when your tire turns out to be studded around the entire circumference, acquiring a rather futuristic look, you can rejoice at the results of your work: your own studded tires for a bicycle are ready!

There is only one final, but important detail left: you need to make a gasket so that the heads of the screws do not rub the inner tube of your bicycle. The easiest way to make such a gasket is from an old camera. But you can get creative and use scraps of leather or other material. If you don't have anything like this on hand, just cut the old inner tube lengthwise and wrap it around your bike's inner tube. You can lubricate it from the inside with superglue for better fixation. Put your new studded tires on top and go ahead and try them out!

Be prepared for the fact that at first a variety of debris, dry leaves and other objects that have fallen under will cling to the spikes. But over time, the screws will become a little dull and this problem will disappear. Good luck on the roads!

The top of the tenon is a carbide tip fused into the steel body of the tenon. It is impossible to dull such studs, and if you follow a few simple rules, branded tires can be used for several winters in a row. A bicycle wearing such “shoes” walks confidently on smooth ice, stands well on frozen and moderately snow-covered roads, and is perfectly controlled by the cyclist. At the same time, for beginners, driving on an icy track can be very difficult.useful. All the bike’s reactions become smooth and seem to slow down, so it’s very easy to master the skill of a controlled skid, learn to control slipping, and correctly dose the braking forces. Of course, this cannot be done without falls, but a bicycle on ice even falls smoothly, so this does not lead to serious injuries.

But there are also limitations, and significant ones. First of all, these tires are suitable for driving on snow, compacted snow and ice. When driving on frozen ground and, especially, on asphalt, you must be careful and avoid slipping. Otherwise, the spikes will quickly fly out, and the remaining ones will “lie” along the tread and suddenly stop holding. Deep snow is a difficult surface for a bicycle. Driving on it requires the same skills as on sand, with the same
The only difference is that it is almost impossible to accelerate through loose snow to the speed of “getting on the glider” (the density is not the same), which is why it takes a lot of effort to overcome the snowy areas.

The widest possible tires will help here much more than the athletic prowess of another cyclocross athlete.

Branded bicycle spikes also have one more significant disadvantage - the price. Naturally, not everyone is ready to part with such a sum for the sake of a few tricks on the ice of a frozen pond in the country. Therefore, many people stud their bicycle wheels themselves. Some people, without further ado, screw ordinary self-tapping screws into the tire. However, they last a maximum of a couple of hours, and it takes a whole day to make such a “spike” without a screwdriver. But the method of studding with construction dowels has still not lost its relevance. True, it will take angelic patience to implement it. Both described methods are suitable mainly for ice tracks. For riding on more varied rough terrain with trips to asphalt, you can use automotive technology.

There are at least two more ways. The first is installing car studs on bicycle wheels using glue. This procedure can be done at a specialized tire shop, or you can do it yourself. It is important to choose the right tires - with a hard, wide and high enough block. For the front wheel of a bicycle, shorter spikes are chosen, longer ones for the back. In the tire blocks, holes are drilled (not through!) and spikes coated with glue are inserted into them. The second option is to purchase special branded spikes with special screwdriver. In this case, there is no need to drill the wheel and coat the studs with glue. Just screw the spike like a self-tapping screw into the checker!.

But still, what to do with regular street driving? Why can't you just stud the tires with regular car studs, you ask? This technology is known in most tire companies. Good car studs are also not a problem. But everything turns out to be not so simple.

Firstly, even studded bicycle wheels cannot guarantee reliable grip on icy asphalt. If the ice is thin, the spike will cut right through it and rest against hard surface, which he cannot cling to. Secondly, in order for the spike to sit well in the wheel,the rubber must be very hard, and in order for the tire to handle cold and slippery roads well, it must be very soft.

For car tires, produced in millions of copies, there are technologies for our market that combine these two qualities. In addition, the area and shape of the contact patch of a car or motorcycle tire, in contrast to a bicycle tire, especially when inclined, differ, to put it mildly. Even if everyone were cyclists