while we’re talking tires…good compromise between gravel and slick?

[AFHokie]

The current weather and Thursday morning’s “snow ride” has me thinking I should get a set of studded tires for commuting.

For those that run studded tires, do you swap the tires between rims, or do you keep a second set of wheels purpose built? I’m guessing the latter is the easier and less hassle method, but since I’ve never had a second set of wheels (or ever built a set of wheels) for a bike, is there anything I should keep in mind? Do you also switch out the chain when you swap wheels? Transfer the cassette between wheels? (which sounds like even more work than swapping tires)

A part of me is also thinking I should just get a third, ‘snow bike’ but that could suddenly turn into a fatbike order…as much as I’d like one, I really don’t have space for a third bike.

Lastly, how much am I over thinking this?

[hozn]

+1 for spare wheels. If you have disc brakes you might want to get the same wheelset (or build wheels using same hubs) or be mentally prepared for shimming the rotors to correct for slight spacing differences or adjusting your calipers/pads when you swap wheels. If you don’t have disc brakes then you probably want to focus on ensuring you have the same rims so you don’t have to adjust the canti brakes; that would be more of a PITA than adjusting pad spacing.

I have identical cassettes on both wheelsets. I do not swap my chain. While in theory the cassettes will wear at different rates, in practice this has not been a problem. My cx, now studded-tire, wheelset gets a lot less use so that cassette has only a fraction of the miles, but so far no issues switching back and forth.

Swapping wheelsets only takes a minute and having spare wheels is very nice in general.

[vvill]

I have a set of dedicated 26″ wheels with studded tires for my beater bike. I actually haven’t used this wheelset for anything else since I put the studded tires on it. They’ve justified themselves many times! The front wheel just clears the fork on my CX bike too, which is really nice. For the rear on my CX, I also have a dedicated 700c studded tire/wheel – the rotor size and cassette speeds are different anyway so I wouldn’t be able to easily swap between the two bikes even if the tire cleared the frame.

I swap wheels all the time between bikes (although front wheels more frequently). Obviously for the rear wheel, you need the same cassette compatibility (or whatever’s analogous if it’s SS/fixed gear/belt drive/etc.)

I never managed to get all my wheels’ rotors to line up perfectly – I just adjust the pad dials as necessary on my BB7s when I switch wheelsets (I have MTB BB7s on my 26er and road BB7s on my CX bike.) Eventually I will move to all thru axle, but I have… 5? QR disc wheelsets right now.

If I had all rim brake bikes I would try to ensure all the rim widths are equal. My Neuvation and Mavic Aksium rim brake wheels are close enough that I don’t have to adjust brakes, but I also have a stock set (with Alex Rims) that is narrower (I should probably just get rid of it).

For disc brakes, if you have thru axles it’ll obviously complicate compatibility with QR. I have two bikes with a front thru axle, and I can’t put a QR wheel in them. You can however put a thru axle hub in a QR fork with an adapter (I have one). This lets me use my two 700c thru axle wheels with either QR or thru axle front forks, which is handy.

Sometimes, you may need to deflate a tire slightly to get a wheel off if you are running larger than stock tires. I have this issue occasionally.

[AFHokie]

@hozn 133010 wrote:

+1 for spare wheels. If you have disc brakes you might want to get the same wheelset (or build wheels using same hubs) or be mentally prepared for shimming the rotors to correct for slight spacing differences or adjusting your calipers/pads when you swap wheels. If you don’t have disc brakes then you probably want to focus on ensuring you have the same rims so you don’t have to adjust the canti brakes; that would be more of a PITA than adjusting pad spacing.

I have identical cassettes on both wheelsets. I do not swap my chain. While in theory the cassettes will wear at different rates, in practice this has not been a problem. My cx, now studded-tire, wheelset gets a lot less use so that cassette has only a fraction of the miles, but so far no issues switching back and forth.

Swapping wheelsets only takes a minute and having spare wheels is very nice in general.

I have discs and didn’t even think about spacing issues with the hub & rotor. I have no complaints with the stock hubs, so I’ll look to duplicate on the second set.

[hozn]

Yeah, as vvill noted adjusting mechanical calipers (esp. indexed like bb7) is often very quick (e.g. “out 3 clicks on outboard, in 1 click for inboard”) so it is a consideration but not the end of the world. The rotor shim washers only work for 6-bolt hubs, not sure if there is a shim solution for centerlock.

In general disc makes this easier IMO since you could have flexibility to run wheelsets with different rims if you wanted (without needing adjustments).

[vvill]

Agreed ^

I forgot to mention, on most of my wheelsets I have a cassette as well, and I don’t switch chains. The exception is my 26″ 7-speed cassette, which I do move across, since the beater bike is 35 lbs anyway and I don’t care that much about having heavy studs on. Usually once in early winter to my studded tire wheel (or, today for winter 2015-16), and then once again in March or so. (I do also like that my 7 speed cassette was cheap and also machined almost entirely as one piece, so there’s no freehub body spline damage.)

[Tania]

I am forced to resume my search. I went with Clement USH 35’s as my go-to commuter tire and I LOVE it…except my fancy new wheels have 25mm/28mm rims (ailerons) and they make the tires too tall to fit with my front fender. The same exact tires fit with the stock rims. 😡

Blargh. So looking for more file tread type tire recommendations. I’d love it if the Clement LAS type tires would fit, but they’re 33 so maybe a 28 Strada LGG – they’re not file tread but they’re supposed to be good in wet conditions. I don’t seem to be affected by rolling resistance: I pr’ed my time up a hill while riding low pressure Xerxes studs the other day.

[bluerider]

@Tania 134233 wrote:

I am forced to resume my search. I went with Clement USH 35’s as my go-to commuter tire and I LOVE it…except my fancy new wheels have 25mm/28mm rims (ailerons) and they make the tires too tall to fit with my front fender. The same exact tires fit with the stock rims. 😡

Blargh. So looking for more file tread type tire recommendations. I’d love it if the Clement LAS type tires would fit, but they’re 33 so maybe a 28 Strada LGG – they’re not file tread but they’re supposed to be good in wet conditions. I don’t seem to be affected by rolling resistance: I pr’ed my time up a hill while riding low pressure Xerxes studs the other day.

I just mounted by some 700 X 33 Soma Supple Vitesse SL’s on my cross bike. Also running Jack Brown Blue Label on my Salsa Vaya. Both are file tread. Haven’t ridden the Soma’s yet but the Jack Browns are nice. I have also had good luck with Challenge Strada Bianca’s. Tough to mount the first time but fast and supple. Check those 3 tires out.

[Tania]

I need to borrow someone’s 33mm tires to see if they’ll work. There’s ZERO clearance with 35’s at the top – the tire is rubbing the fender and pretty much won’t even spin (the problem is overall height not width).

The Jack Brown Blues (and the lighter Greens – 295g vs 435g) were on my initial list for sure. Also maybe a Panaracer 32 Gravel King (but again, 32 might not fit).

Serious sad face.

[bluerider]

The Challenge Strada Bianca’s are 700 X 30. I have a used black set and a new in box gumwall set I might be willing to sell if interested.

[americancyclo]

@Tania 134233 wrote:

I am forced to resume my search. maybe a 28 Strada LGG – they’re not file tread but they’re supposed to be good in wet conditions.

I’ve been happy with the Clement Strada LGG on my crabon roading bike up to a point. I prefer the Continental GP4000S but if I can get the Clements at around 50% of the contis, I go with the Clements.

[notlost]

@hozn 133022 wrote:

Yeah, as vvill noted adjusting mechanical calipers (esp. indexed like bb7) is often very quick (e.g. “out 3 clicks on outboard, in 1 click for inboard”) so it is a consideration but not the end of the world. The rotor shim washers only work for 6-bolt hubs, not sure if there is a shim solution for centerlock.

In general disc makes this easier IMO since you could have flexibility to run wheelsets with different rims if you wanted (without needing adjustments).

I’ve heard of people using 1mm cassette shims behind the rotor to push it out.

[83b]

@Tania 134237 wrote:

I need to borrow someone’s 33mm tires to see if they’ll work.

I’ve got a set of Compass Stampede Passes and a single Challenge Strada Bianca (which measures out closer to 33mm) that you’re welcome to borrow and try out.

[vvill]

@notlost 134254 wrote:

I’ve heard of people using 1mm cassette shims behind the rotor to push it out.

Hmm, not sure I would want something that far off the shape of the 6 bolts behind the rotor. 1mm increments are going to be too much in some cases, too.

These are what I have, although I still don’t have perfect fit. I could perhaps tune them more, but without thru axle I think it’s a little pointless since it’s more difficult to get the same QR axle tightness. (Also, I use cheap rotors on some of my wheels.)
$1.99 stainless steel 0.2mm increments
http://thebikelane.com/product/syntace-disc-brake-rotor-shims-243006-1.htm

[notlost]

@vvill 134271 wrote:

Hmm, not sure I would want something that far off the shape of the 6 bolts behind the rotor. 1mm increments are going to be too much in some cases, too.

These are what I have, although I still don’t have perfect fit. I could perhaps tune them more, but without thru axle I think it’s a little pointless since it’s more difficult to get the same QR axle tightness. (Also, I use cheap rotors on some of my wheels.)
$1.99 stainless steel 0.2mm increments
http://thebikelane.com/product/syntace-disc-brake-rotor-shims-243006-1.htm

Apologies, I should have been clear that I was referring to the centerlock systems for the 1mm cassette spacer. I have 5 of the syntace (which comes to 1mm) on my ISO 6 bolt front rotor, which work much better than the several layers of beer cans that were previously accomplishing the same task.

[Author]

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