Tricks of the Trade: Make your own studded ice tires

Okay. I did it. Just because. I found a great deal on some Kenda tires that I couldn't pass up, so I decided to butcher my old knobbies to see what exactly it's like riding on studded tires. This is highly unofficial and there's freezing rain outside as I type this. They'll get their maiden shakedown run in the next 12 hours.

Doing it is easy, but time consuming. I spent about an hour per wheel.

Before you get started, you'll need a pair of Mr. Tuffy (or equivalent) tire liners. I went with one size up from what's recommended because I wanted to make sure the liner would cover the screw heads.

Before you go gallivanting off to the hardware store, you need to to figure out where you're going to put the studs, and how many you'll need. I opted for opposing blocks on the tire shoulder in a zig-zag pattern. I then counted the blocks I intended to stud. In my case, I needed 68 studs per tire. This is a fairly tame stud pattern, which will place 4-5 studs into the ice at a time if I run the tires at 30 PSI or so. At 65 PSI, the studs won't even touch the pavement unless I'm turning. If I want some in the center block, it will require 102 total per tire, but I chose not to go that far just yet. This will vary depending on the tread of your tire and how aggressively you wish to stud it.

When you're buying screws, look for screws no longer than half an inch long (a little less might be preferable depending on your tires), and look for philips-head machine screws that have a flat face but a pointy tip.

You'll also need drill with a very small (less than 1/8") drill bit, and a screwdriver bit for your drill wouldn't hurt anything at all. This works best with a variable speed drill.

Finally, I recommend using some good leather gloves while doing the screw insertion and drilling. Be safe!

Now we can get started!

First, remove and clean your wheels and tires. Cleaning isn't really required, but all of my rolling stock was disgusting.

Then, deflate the tire:


Next, remove the tire from the rim. I really like the Pedro's levers. Note the tasty road grime and soap suds in the bath tub. I'm going to need to clean that up before my wife sees it!


Carefully and meticulously drill small holes in the tire where you plan on placing each stud. Consistency in placement and spacing is key.


Start threading each screw by hand. You should be able to see the little holes left on the inside of the tire from the drill bit.


Once you've started all the screws by hand, use a screwdriver or your drill to drive them in. Do not strip the tire rubber by over-inserting them, but don't leave the head standing out too far from the tire, either.

It should start looking like this


Once all the screws are driven into the tire, install the tire liner. This keeps the screw heads from abrasively wearing into your inner tube. It also holds the studs in place if they start getting loose.


Carefully install the inner tube and studded, lined tire back onto the wheel. Don't grab the studs! It'll hurt! Air them up and test them for leaks. If all's well, throw them on the bike and enjoy!



As with any modification like this, your bike will ride differently, so be sure to take it easy out there. Studs aren't meant for aggressive or high-speed riding. They're meant to keep you shiny side up. Riding with studs on hard, dry surfaces like pavement will decrease the life of the studs. It may also increase your potential to get a flat tire if the screw head eventually wears through the liner.


Update:
I put about 3/4 mile on them just now, and they work very well. They're not as noisy as I thought they'd be, and they're not totally slip-proof, but they're very, very confidence-inspiring, especially on level pavement with sweeping curves such as found on the apartment's communal ice rink jogging trail. Even 5% grade climbs and descents, while dicey, are do-able. Full report in the morning.