Reddit reviews SCHWALBE Marathon Winter HS 396 Studded Road Bike Tire (700x35, Allround Wire Beaded, Reflex)

I've got 35c studded tires on this thing, which is what makes it possible. I switched the tires out from my 37c slicks when I saw the forecast.

It's a little sketchy still - worst is getting in a rut left by a car, you kind of get trapped in there since getting out of it can be really tricky. I only rode about 6 miles by my reckoning and I had to go much slower than usual.

Note that this is mostly sleet (ice pellets) rather than typical snow. I can't tell whether this is better or worse, but I'm going to guess "worse." There was basically nobody on the road (that car at the light was the only one that came by for 5 minutes).

I needed winter tires for my rear wheel drive car for the Colorado winters. I couldn’t get out of my subdivision with the previous storm, and it wasn’t that bad. I opted for studded bike tires and finding my ski base layers instead dropping $700. Less miles on the car, and now I get to enjoy snowy mornings. I learned my lesson on trusting Big O Tires on what constitutes an “All Season Tire” when all the google reviews reference them as summer tires that suck in cold weather.


SCHWALBE Marathon Winter HS 396 Studded Road Bike Tire (700x35, Allround Wire Beaded, Reflex) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K72VO0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tDSZDbQPYDK0Y

I'm in the same boat but I've been squirrelling money away on amazon giftcards for a while now. Most of it was earned at http://www.swagbucks.com/ (/r/SwagBucks and /r/beermoney for guides). Just a couple more weeks and I'll have enough for a pair or Marathon Winter tires, sooner if I drop some cash into the account.

I rode on Schwalbe Marathon Winter HS 396 last winter and really liked them. Hit some black ice one time and locked up the rear tire but these kept me up right. If it's not icy you can run them at 60psi and they still roll OK (they're still heavy as hell though), but you can drop the pressure and really stick if you need to.

The previous winter I rode on the non-studded version of those and my rear tire slid out through a turn. It was pretty dry otherwise that season so I couldn't justify buying them.

As PureBeetSugar said there aren't any good budget studded tires out there. I put three or four hundred miles on those and only lost a two or three studs total. Cheaper ones will either have steel studs that will rust out and/or poor methods for securing them to the tire - which means no more studs.

I ride 35-38s now, and 23-25s in the past and have never bought a studded tire. That bike would be perfect in the winter. If you're apprehensive, go to a shop and get some marathon winters; they're like ~$50ea on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Marathon-Winter-Studded-Allround/dp/B001K72VO0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506697732&sr=8-1&keywords=marathon+winter

Your...your situation sounds identical to mine. First winter for me, I commute 6 miles each way, part on a multi-use path, the rest on roads.

I am using the Giant Roam 3 with studded tires and so far am very pleased with it.

O wow thanks so much! What's the difference other than the tires though? Could I just put these tires here

https://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Marathon-Winter-Studded-Allround/dp/B001K72VO0/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1473879065&sr=1-1&keywords=Studded++Bicycle+Tire

On the other bike Speak_The_truf suggested? The Diamondback Bicycles 2016 Century 1 Complete Road Bike with Disc Brakes. Or would you definitely suggest I just get the other bike? I see the other one is about $160 cheaper with the hyprid bars.

You could always head to Dover and get a ferry to Calais; then cycle/train your way to Paris from there. It would save you the horror of the Eurostar and the ferries are much easier with a bike. If sticking with the train, giving them a call soon, or popping into St Pancras when you get to London; would be advisable; they can give you the most up-to-date requirements and get everything booked in one go.

Wild camping is enshrined in law in Scotland, Illegal in France. So if you do it, it's on you and neither Reddit or I take no responsibility for your actions! ;)

France is a pretty big country, so I'd hesitate to give you a forecast; keep your eye on meteo.fr! Where my family lives tends to be quite up and down through autumn, further south and east is likely to be better. Be aware of snow through November. And when I say 'be aware of snow', I mean if you see a white star on a weather map, it wouldn't hurt to have some of these. My parents have gotten stuck plenty of times in the car even on well kept roads, and they always keep snow chains for if the weather looks to turn foul. I keep a worn-in set of winter tyres for my bike so I'm ready to go if necessary.

Finally, while English is well-spoken throughout France, it is not universal; and in many rural areas there is sometimes a culture of deliberately being difficult to anglophones who don't at least make an effort to speak French. A pocket phrasebook would be a very good thing to have in your bar bag, and will not cost you very much at all.

If you do end up going via Calais, Belgium is an interesting country that is not far away. The Eurovelo route obviously skirts the atlantic via the bay of Biscay, since you're not following the route anyway, and you seem to have plenty of time I'd consider heading south-east from Paris, perhaps dip into Switzerland and visit Geneva, Turin in Italy and then follow the Mediterranean towards the Pyrénées and rejoining the route into Spain? The straight line from Italy to Spain through med france is actually mostly national parks, so should be easier riding than a lot of other places!

Since it's the kind of scenery I love, I'd happily lead you from mountain range to mountain range (in Spain there's the Picos de Europa, one of my favorite places. Totally not really on your route though). I don't really know what you're looking for from what you've said here, so giving better advice than that is pretty tough. Also bear in mind that most of these places in the south are places I've been to only on motorized transport, so while I've seen bikes on the route; I've not done it myself! The parts of France I know well, are all north-west of anywhere you're considering going, so I really can't assist you much on specific routes!

these?

Would u consider these one day:

http://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Marathon-Winter-Studded-Allround/dp/B001K72VO0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415846439&sr=8-1&keywords=schwalbe+winter+tires