Winter is a great time to get out and enjoy the fresh air. Biking is one of the best ways to do this. However, if you don’t have the right tyres for winter, this can be more dangerous than enjoyable.
The Top 5 Reasons Why Winter Bike Tyres Are Important
- Winter bike tyres are specially designed for the cold and snowy conditions of winter. They can offer better grip and better handling in these conditions.
- Winter bike tyres are generally more puncture resistant than their summer counterparts, which is especially important if you’re riding on ice or snow-covered roads.
- Winter bike tyres are often more durable than summer tyres, meaning that they last longer and need to be replaced less often – saving you money in the long run!
- Many winter bike tyres have a reflective strip on them which makes them easier to see at night, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught out by a car when it’s dark outside!
- A lot of winter bike tyre manufacturers offer a variety of tread patterns, including studded rubber for extra grip in icy conditions – perfect for those who live in colder climates.
How to Choose the Best Winter Tyre for Your Bicycle
Choosing the best winter tyres for your bicycle can be an overwhelming task. There are so many factors to consider. What is the weather like? What’s the terrain? What are you going to be using your bike for? Here are some tips to help:
- Choose a tyre with an appropriate tread pattern – The tread pattern on your tyres needs to be designed for winter conditions. A good option would be one of these patterns: studded, semi-slick or mudguard tyre treads.
- Make sure that your tyres are inflated properly – Inflating your tyres correctly will help them grip surfaces better in wet conditions while also preventing punctures from debris like metal screws or nails on the road.
- Ensure that you have enough air pressure in your tyres – When it’s cold outside, there’s less air pressure in the atmosphere and so it’s important that you inflate your bike tyres to accommodate this.
- Know your bike type – Know what kind of bike you have and what the best tyre type would be for it. For example, a mountain bike usually has wider tyres than a road bike, which means that you should use a wider winter tyre if you want to be able to tackle rougher terrain this winter. If you have a gravel bike, then you will need an even wider tyre as these bikes are used on more uneven surfaces and in tougher conditions.
- Know what you want to do this winter – This one is self-explanatory, if you want to go mountain biking in snowy conditions, then don’t buy tyres that are only suitable for road cycling or gravel cycling! If you just want your usual road cycling fix but with some added grip in slippery conditions, then there are winter tyres available for that.
How to maintain your winter bike tyres
To sustain your winter bike tyres, you should:
- Check the pressure regularly.
- Keep your tyres inflated to the appropriate level.
- Check your tyre treads for any cracks or cuts.
- Keep your bike clean and dry after use – prolonged exposure to water and dirt can cause your tyres to wear out more quickly.
- Use a bicycle tube patch kit to fix punctures in your tyre, rather than using a new tube each time.
- Store your bike in a safe place where it won’t be damaged, and keep it away from extreme temperatures, which can cause cracking of the rubber or lead to other problems with the tyre valves and tubes.
Specialized bike tyres for winter
Specialized offers a range of bike tyres suitable for the colder temperature for all disciplines of bike. The best Specialized winter bike tyres are the Specialized Hillbilly, Specialized Rhombus, and the Specialized Armadillo. The Hillbilly is a mountain bike tyre that is designed for traction on steep, loose terrain. It provides excellent grip on rocky surfaces and it’s great for riding off-road trails. The Rhombus is a hybrid tyre that can be used both on-road and off-road with good performance in all conditions. It features a tread pattern that offers good grip in wet or dry conditions while still being durable enough to withstand tough terrain when needed. Finally, the Armadillo is designed specifically for snow biking with its wide knobs providing excellent traction on snow or ice while also being light enough to ride uphill easily.
