Will never ride without them. I resisted for 2-3 seasons and finally bit the bullet after an unusual freeze thaw season. Honestly, the confidence alone is worth it. Riding without fear of an unexpected washout makes the riding that much better. Obviously, mitigating injury is an added bonus.
We had to run 2.5 psi for a race once. The groomed course was very delicate. 20km on 2.5 psi tires was some kind of resistance to fight. Studs are noticeable, but nothing compared to real resistance.
Some, but remember, come spring when you take them off and or switch to your bike less wide tires, you will have legs strong like bull and you will be able to get extra rad with much less effort.
I currently run Snow Avalanche tires that came with my Bigfoot. They seem decent so no complaints. If I had a choice I would have went with 45NRTH Dillinger 5. I ran those on a previous bike and they are excellent.
I've been trying to decide between the Dilly 4 & 5, I kinda thought thinner might be better with studs to deliver them down to the frozen layer instead of floating on top.
My preference is to stay on top of the snow as much as possible. Widest tire, low pressure. If you’re running 27.5” wheels, I would for sure go with the D5s, which aren’t actually 5”. If running 26” wheels, you’ll probably only be able to run the D4s.
You won’t be disappointed with the D4 or 5, whichever you go with. If fitting on the rear only, just take note of the tread direction. They are directional tires and the indicators are not super obvious.
My buddy gave me 2 sets of fat bike wheels (one is only a rim & hub, no spokes so I'll have to build a wheel) in exchange for a new Jumbo Jim tire, building up his Aspero and 2 MTB wheelsets (one for his son & a carbon set for him).
I'll probably sell 1 wheelset and put studs on the other. It's been so icey here recently and I really want to get back outside riding!
This. Just installed studded tires last week on the Yukon. Never going back to non-studded for winter riding, Was pricey yet worth every penny. Highly recommend getting a set. Fortnine (based out of Montreal I think) is where I got one of 'em and the other from my LBS. 45 Nrth Dillinger 4 and a Wrathchild.
They're a complete game changer. It tells you something that a lot of people riding with studded tires have bumped into a situation where they've happily ridden to a spot, decided to stop, and putting their foot down, realize the sole of their shoe has zero grip on the same icy surface they just rode there on.
They only really fail when there's a surface of smooth ice topped by enough snow that the snow prevents the studs from contacting the ice.
So I groom as well as ride and a major goal for me is getting the trail hard packed so it becomes indestructible to foot traffic and wildlife traffic. That means grooming after a warm up/before freeze so it packs down hard and fast. At least 1/3 of the time studs are necessary more so as we get closer to spring. So I am always studded.
The added drag of studs isn’t much when you are already on fatbike. Plus it opens up so many more days to rip since icy patches are no longer a problem. Also frozen lakes become an awesome spot to race around on.
you are asking for trouble riding in ontario / quebec conditions without studs. Necessity and I never go without. With studs (45nrth xl concave) you can ride on glare ice with tons of traction. The risk at this time of year without is that snow dusted ice looks fine but you are down hard in a nanosecond
Exactly this.
I ride the same trail as you in Montreal (parc du Mont-Royal?) and I use a vee avalanche studded with concave studs (also 45nrth XL)
Concave makes a huge difference.
Never ridden there is it good? Quebec rides have been so far in Parc du Domaine Vert, Le Chantecler, Parc du Mont Loup-Garou, Sentiers, Centre Roger Cabana.
I ride in Ottawa and would definitely recommend studs with the freeze/thaw cycles we tend to get which I would guess are very similar in Montreal. Gives you confidence to ride in way more conditions.
definitely get studs- they make riding on trails that would be almost impossible to walk on without traction aids super fun. do be aware though that the traction has its limits - when just enough snow covers the ice to keep the studs from biting and the snow has not bonded to the ice, the traction can go to almost zero very quickly- i know from painful experience
If you're asking you know the answer. 😉 As others have said, just the peace of mind and confidence they give is worth it. I insisted I didn't need studs for the first winter I had my fattie (in Edmonton). Then I got wise and I have never regretted it for one second.
A few years ago, it was a warm winter so the trails would go through a thaw/freeze cycle. I switched my tires to unstudded for the summer and didn’t bother switching it back. Ended up crashing so many times I went back to studded tires and haven’t looked back.
I love my studded tires even if it is just for a small ice patch every once in a while.
I don’t notice a big difference in resistance, and my only real complaint is that they pick up leaves, especially in the fall
22 years ago I thought if I was careful I wouldn't need them. Finally made that ride where the ice was not visible. When you go down with both tires slipping it is nearly instantaneous. You will wack your head on frozen ground and even with a helmet you still have a head ache. Didn't learn and continued on about 2 miles and again...wack. Laying on my back looking at the sky. Walked 4 miles back to treated roads. Next day had LBS order studded tires. Have not ridden on days when ice is even remotely possible since then.
I live in NE Wisconsin. Studs all winter. Perfect for sketchy conditions, that spot of ice you didn’t expect to be there. Refrozen trails. I don’t even consider swapping to non studded when the snow is perfect. Am I being held back by them? I don’t know, but I do know the confidence that they give and the increased safety is worth every gram.
I run studs for winter, the studded Dillinger 5 are pretty good tire, a good traction to weight . If you want something more aggressive, try the studded Johnny 5, but they are considerably heavier. I’m also taking a liking to the Johnny five un-studded for mud season.
For the freeze/thaw part of the season they are great. I bruised my ribs pretty good my first season and have ran studded Dillinger 5s for the past 10+ years. Spendy, but they've really lasted for me and better than injuries. Falling on ice from a bike is a whole new experience, I've wrecked enduro racing, jumping, etc, but ice is something "special." Like getting hit by a wall.
My only complaint really is that studs are loud on hard surfaces (pavement, rocks), but worth it for the expanded riding conditions they allow.
East coast US here, studs are mandatory for most of my winter riding. Even after a fresh drop there is often ice under you can’t see that will put you on the ground fast. Plus a bunch of the good snowmobile trails include ponds and lakes. No real extra resistance I can detect, but it makes riding when there isn’t snow suck. They are loud on asphalt, even louder on bare ice, and rip out easily when there is too much traction on dry trail, roots, etc. Also chew the hell out of my tray rack, but it’s worth it.
After a nasty fall riding my second winter the purchase of a second set of tires was a no brainier. Now I swap summer non studded tires for winter studded tires each season. Way more confidence and performance.
I’m in Calgary and we get a lot of thaw / freeze with the chinooks. Studs are a game changer. I was lucky my tires were studdable so I did them myself. I have a new respect for the bike mechanics that install studs.
Studs are great for packed snow and ice, but a more aggressive tread pattern works well (ice aside) as well. Your current tread is a bit tame for winter conditions but for ice, there is no beating studs.
Will never ride without them. I resisted for 2-3 seasons and finally bit the bullet after an unusual freeze thaw season. Honestly, the confidence alone is worth it. Riding without fear of an unexpected washout makes the riding that much better. Obviously, mitigating injury is an added bonus.
Do they add much resistance?
Not noticeable IMO except for on asphalt. That said, If you’re riding a fatbike, the least of your concerns should be resistance.
We had to run 2.5 psi for a race once. The groomed course was very delicate. 20km on 2.5 psi tires was some kind of resistance to fight. Studs are noticeable, but nothing compared to real resistance.
Yeah, but it’s hard to ride when your leg or arm are in a cast. If I had conditions like that I would have studded tires too.
Some, but remember, come spring when you take them off and or switch to your bike less wide tires, you will have legs strong like bull and you will be able to get extra rad with much less effort.
They add some resistance and buzzing when on pavement. I would not ride in northern climates without them though.
Not really, just noise.
Which tires do you like?
I just got a 2nd wheelset, so now I'm going to have to buy myself a set of studded tires...
I currently run Snow Avalanche tires that came with my Bigfoot. They seem decent so no complaints. If I had a choice I would have went with 45NRTH Dillinger 5. I ran those on a previous bike and they are excellent.
I've been trying to decide between the Dilly 4 & 5, I kinda thought thinner might be better with studs to deliver them down to the frozen layer instead of floating on top.
My preference is to stay on top of the snow as much as possible. Widest tire, low pressure. If you’re running 27.5” wheels, I would for sure go with the D5s, which aren’t actually 5”. If running 26” wheels, you’ll probably only be able to run the D4s.
I'm 26 but I think I can clear a D5. My buddy has the same fat bike I do and I just put Jonny5s on his, I've got Gnarwal 4.7" now.
But you make a good point, I'll buy 1 D5 and test the rear, because I know it'll fit up front.
Maybe I'll be a D4 rear D5 front!
You won’t be disappointed with the D4 or 5, whichever you go with. If fitting on the rear only, just take note of the tread direction. They are directional tires and the indicators are not super obvious.
https://preview.redd.it/a8wsqy2q469g1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a5341bc43a25b65aaff62093a0603f13f570e68b
Good to know!
I just found a D5 for under $100 & bought one.
My buddy gave me 2 sets of fat bike wheels (one is only a rim & hub, no spokes so I'll have to build a wheel) in exchange for a new Jumbo Jim tire, building up his Aspero and 2 MTB wheelsets (one for his son & a carbon set for him).
I'll probably sell 1 wheelset and put studs on the other. It's been so icey here recently and I really want to get back outside riding!
This. Just installed studded tires last week on the Yukon. Never going back to non-studded for winter riding, Was pricey yet worth every penny. Highly recommend getting a set. Fortnine (based out of Montreal I think) is where I got one of 'em and the other from my LBS. 45 Nrth Dillinger 4 and a Wrathchild.
I live in Minnesota - very similar conditions. I will never take the studs off the fatty. Get some - you will not regret it.
They're a complete game changer. It tells you something that a lot of people riding with studded tires have bumped into a situation where they've happily ridden to a spot, decided to stop, and putting their foot down, realize the sole of their shoe has zero grip on the same icy surface they just rode there on.
They only really fail when there's a surface of smooth ice topped by enough snow that the snow prevents the studs from contacting the ice.
So I groom as well as ride and a major goal for me is getting the trail hard packed so it becomes indestructible to foot traffic and wildlife traffic. That means grooming after a warm up/before freeze so it packs down hard and fast. At least 1/3 of the time studs are necessary more so as we get closer to spring. So I am always studded.
The added drag of studs isn’t much when you are already on fatbike. Plus it opens up so many more days to rip since icy patches are no longer a problem. Also frozen lakes become an awesome spot to race around on.
you are asking for trouble riding in ontario / quebec conditions without studs. Necessity and I never go without. With studs (45nrth xl concave) you can ride on glare ice with tons of traction. The risk at this time of year without is that snow dusted ice looks fine but you are down hard in a nanosecond
Exactly this. I ride the same trail as you in Montreal (parc du Mont-Royal?) and I use a vee avalanche studded with concave studs (also 45nrth XL) Concave makes a huge difference.
Never ridden there is it good? Quebec rides have been so far in Parc du Domaine Vert, Le Chantecler, Parc du Mont Loup-Garou, Sentiers, Centre Roger Cabana.
Studded tires cost less than a trip to the emergency room. At least in the United States they are, not sure about Canada. Either way they help a lot.
I ride in Ottawa and would definitely recommend studs with the freeze/thaw cycles we tend to get which I would guess are very similar in Montreal. Gives you confidence to ride in way more conditions.
Ottawa here as well. Agree with everything you said, So much more confidence it really is a gamechanger.
Studs always in winter. I wouldn’t ride without them
Studs are a must IMO. There is no downside.
definitely get studs- they make riding on trails that would be almost impossible to walk on without traction aids super fun. do be aware though that the traction has its limits - when just enough snow covers the ice to keep the studs from biting and the snow has not bonded to the ice, the traction can go to almost zero very quickly- i know from painful experience
Studded tires are expensive and worth every penny. Do it!!!
Most fatbike tires are studdable. Couple packs of studs, a stud tool, an hour of your time and you’re good to go.
If you're asking you know the answer. 😉 As others have said, just the peace of mind and confidence they give is worth it. I insisted I didn't need studs for the first winter I had my fattie (in Edmonton). Then I got wise and I have never regretted it for one second.
A few years ago, it was a warm winter so the trails would go through a thaw/freeze cycle. I switched my tires to unstudded for the summer and didn’t bother switching it back. Ended up crashing so many times I went back to studded tires and haven’t looked back.
I love my studded tires even if it is just for a small ice patch every once in a while. I don’t notice a big difference in resistance, and my only real complaint is that they pick up leaves, especially in the fall
22 years ago I thought if I was careful I wouldn't need them. Finally made that ride where the ice was not visible. When you go down with both tires slipping it is nearly instantaneous. You will wack your head on frozen ground and even with a helmet you still have a head ache. Didn't learn and continued on about 2 miles and again...wack. Laying on my back looking at the sky. Walked 4 miles back to treated roads. Next day had LBS order studded tires. Have not ridden on days when ice is even remotely possible since then.
Always use them in winter. Sometimes overkill but I’d rather have them than wish I did afterwards.
Have to have them. You'll feel much better.
Think of studs as health insurance.
I feel unstoppable with studded 4.8”ers. The only thing holding me back is my own power output.
YES!!!
I live in NE Wisconsin. Studs all winter. Perfect for sketchy conditions, that spot of ice you didn’t expect to be there. Refrozen trails. I don’t even consider swapping to non studded when the snow is perfect. Am I being held back by them? I don’t know, but I do know the confidence that they give and the increased safety is worth every gram.
Tumbling is the best part of fat biking!
In Montreal, always use studs.
I run studs for winter, the studded Dillinger 5 are pretty good tire, a good traction to weight . If you want something more aggressive, try the studded Johnny 5, but they are considerably heavier. I’m also taking a liking to the Johnny five un-studded for mud season.
After bruising a rib without studded tires last fall, studs are a must I'd say.
For the freeze/thaw part of the season they are great. I bruised my ribs pretty good my first season and have ran studded Dillinger 5s for the past 10+ years. Spendy, but they've really lasted for me and better than injuries. Falling on ice from a bike is a whole new experience, I've wrecked enduro racing, jumping, etc, but ice is something "special." Like getting hit by a wall.
My only complaint really is that studs are loud on hard surfaces (pavement, rocks), but worth it for the expanded riding conditions they allow.
I think: studs are mandatory for winter riding in North West Canada.
I have studs on fat bike. They grip very well on ice and frozen snow
Studs is a must in winter!
East coast US here, studs are mandatory for most of my winter riding. Even after a fresh drop there is often ice under you can’t see that will put you on the ground fast. Plus a bunch of the good snowmobile trails include ponds and lakes. No real extra resistance I can detect, but it makes riding when there isn’t snow suck. They are loud on asphalt, even louder on bare ice, and rip out easily when there is too much traction on dry trail, roots, etc. Also chew the hell out of my tray rack, but it’s worth it.
After a nasty fall riding my second winter the purchase of a second set of tires was a no brainier. Now I swap summer non studded tires for winter studded tires each season. Way more confidence and performance.
I’m in Calgary and we get a lot of thaw / freeze with the chinooks. Studs are a game changer. I was lucky my tires were studdable so I did them myself. I have a new respect for the bike mechanics that install studs.
I should also mention I picked up a cheap set of non studded tires for spring / summer.
Generally horny, over masculine types
If conditions are ever good enough that I don’t want them or am annoyed by having studs I should be riding a different bike
Studs are great for packed snow and ice, but a more aggressive tread pattern works well (ice aside) as well. Your current tread is a bit tame for winter conditions but for ice, there is no beating studs.