Monday Evening -- While poking around in the garage, I ran across a partial box of 29
Grip Studs #1200. I counted the center lugs in the Heidenau tires and if I just put one in every other center lug, I needed 27 studs. Normally, I would use double this number in the pusher by putting in one on the outer blocks between the center studded lugs alternating side to side. I'm thinking of picking up a box of the smaller Grip Studs carried by Goldstream Sports for use on fat tire bikes. I would use these on the front tire to help with braking. On an icy day like today, better braking traction would've been nice to have. A side note, I wore the heated gear but forgot to plug it in and I was just fine even though the amount of actual insulation is close to none in the Gerbing liner.
Tuesday afternoon - I went to ACRC this morning for coffee then attended a staff meeting at the university. It was another balmy, overcast day so I didn't bother with the heated gear. Maybe if I don't use it, it'll last longer. Around noon, I headed out on Sheep Creek Road towards Goldstream Sports for the fat tire Grip Studs that they carried in stock. They carried packages of 100 and 150 of the #1000 Grip Studs. They are smaller in diameter and only go 6.5mm into the tire. They may pull out on the pusher under the hard acceleration (I don't think so on the Ural) but I was planning on using them on the front tire. Here is the pattern I used on the front tire and used 54 studs. The #1000 Grip Studs is probably a better choice given how worn down the front tire is. I must admit that these are much easier to install than the larger #1200 due to their smaller diameter.
Since I still had quite a few left in the box so I added another row to the rear tire. Now both front and rear have 54 studs. If you look closely, you can see the size difference between the #1200 in the center and the #1000 to the left. This still left 19 in the box. I these in a random, pattern on the sidecar wheel as there weren't enough to do an actual pattern. The extra studs on the pusher are to help with right turns and the ones in the sidecar help on left turns. While riding today, I could easily tell that the studs in the pusher mattered less on left turns than right turns.
Glad we don't get the icy conditions here that you get there.....I bought chains at the beginning and have never had to use them. Hmmm, now wondering if studs are even allowed on the roads here.
ReplyDeleteColorado is one of the states that allow studded tires without restriction. Alaska has date restrictions.
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