Cycling in winter requires high professionalism from the cyclist and the ability to quickly navigate changes in the movement of the bike. It may happen that a person travels several kilometers and only once runs into open ice. It is at this moment that he must be ready to react and prevent the fall. It is to exclude such situations in bicycle shops that winter tires for a bicycle are sold.
Winter tires for a bicycle are distinguished not only by the presence of spikes, but also by a certain chemical composition of the rubber itself. It does not tan in the cold and does not crack. From the point of view of its behavior on the road, the winter tire greatly facilitates the movement of the cyclist. She does a great job even with ice riding. Thanks to this, even smooth mirror ice will not slip under the wheels of such a bicycle.
It is fundamentally important to have winter studded tires if you are involved in some kind of sports discipline and use a bicycle as a sports equipment. For example, to participate in winter races in different styles, studded tires are often required even for admission to the competition. This is understandable. High traffic intensity, unexpected hit on very slippery areas and concentration only on moving forward, exclude the possibility of driving carefully and accurately. Of course, in this mode of movement, the studded tire will keep you from falling more than once.
Also, special winter tires will be very useful for a beginner who went out to ride in winter for the first time. He is not yet ready for the unexpected and has not felt all the instability of the bike's behavior. Therefore, it will be very useful to reinforce your skills with such an assistant. This will give you a sense of confidence and will give you the opportunity to drive stably, without being distracted by traffic problems.
For people with extensive riding experience, the situation is not so clear-cut. Winter tires are a nice addition to winter skiing, but if you manage to ride without it and you do not plan to participate in competitions, then you can exclude this waste item from your budget. Passers-by on the streets often wonder if we use winter tires and are surprised when they get the answer that this is the most common rubber. Plain rubber has much more potential than meets the eye. If you have good driving experience and the movement takes place mainly in the city, then you can ride on one rubber all year round and not change your shoes. The main thing is to cultivate the skill of moving on slippery surfaces and to be attentive. The only point that should be taken into account is that rubber deteriorates in severe frosts. But such frosts are quite rare, and riding in such weather is already unpleasant.
The conclusion is obvious - for simple use, the most common rubber will be quite enough. Winter tires are needed for beginners to consolidate their skills in driving on snow, professional athletes for performances, extreme skiing amateurs and experienced cyclists who do not want to think about driving stability again. In addition, you need to know that there is a bicycle rubber that is close in properties to all-season. For example, the legendary Nokian Gazzalodi 2, 6”tires perfectly cope with winter skiing even in the toughest conditions. It can be used both in summer and winter, but it is only geared towards extreme disciplines. Large widths greatly impair the free roll of the bike.
