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It's protecting the inner-tube from rubbing against the screw heads of my DIY studs. Did the same thing last year and it worked great.
I like another example of duct tape being integral part of biking!
But ls it worth the effort compared to just buying a studded tire?
I mean ok, costs 50€ or so, but will have proper wolfram carbide tipped studs that will probably last 10 times as long while also being a more comfortable ride and less likely to go flat, even with the tape.
I run studded tire on the rear because I got two for free with the bike, but on the front I had to DIY it since they don't make studded tires this wide.
Either way, it's always the sidewall that gives out first. And since a studded tire is almost double the price - yeah, it might save money in the long run depending on how much you value your time. The job's a bit tedious the first time, but the next time you've already got the pre-made holes, so it goes easy.
A studded fatbike tire runs about 170€ and lasts two to three seasons. Screws are 17€ for 1000 pieces. Also, the benefit of doing it yourself is that you can choose the amount of studs and the pattern of them. On the rear tire I tend to put the studs closer to the centre where as on the front I put them more towards the sides.
Ok, then it makes sense!
It's a 26 x 5.05 fat tire.
There's three overlapping rows and 2 layers. New tires need to be washed to get the tape to stick. I have one strip of extremely sticky vapour barrier tape in the middle to help with adhesion.
What about putting in an old tire tube instead of tape? Basically use the old tire tube as a layer? I suppose you'd still have to tape it, but it does provide a thicker layer. Can you also post a pic of your tire with the spikes visible?
Tape is better because it stays in place. I previously had the tape come loose when I tried sticking it inside a dirty/oily tire - it made the tire bulge unevenly, so I had to pull it out and redo the whole thing properly.
An inner tube might be better if you could actually get it to stay put, but tape already lasts the whole season for me, so it seems good enough.
I wonder how tubeless would work instead of tubes? The sealant would nicely seal the screw holes and you wouldn't risk punctures or other annoyances with the screws
It might work for a while but this is a fatbike and I run it with extremely low tire pressure which puts a lot of stress on the tire sidewalls. At some point they start crumbling and splitting open so much that I can stick my finger between the tire and the tube. Sealant won't help with holes that big.
I did run these without the inserts for about 100 kilometers or so and the tubes held up just fine but there was impressions from the screw head already visible on it.
The self-tapping screws have a hardened tip, so probably last a bit longer than standard screws. Good choice.
understood and thanks for the pic!
Another option might be to get one of those plastic anti-puncture tire liners
That's a great solution! I made a studded tire way back, but used some old inner tubes for protection instead.
My only regret was using regular screws, if I do it again I'd use stainless steel ones.
These are self-drilling and tapping ones which have hardened tips. These too wear off faster than they rust.
Edit: upon further research, self-drilling stainless screw might be the best option. They should be even harder than zinc-coated ones. 30 to 38 HRC compared to 35 to 45 HRC
Are studded tires a mountain biking thing? I can't imagine it would help my commute.
They don't really help much with snow.
But they are essential equipment when you live in a region that regularly has iced roads, especially during early morning commute.
Yeah, on compacted snow a knobby fat tire with low pressure has almost the same traction than it does on dirt. I only switch to studs in the early spring when the conditions get icy.
I don't think most mountain bikers ride in the snow - especially not in the conditions I do. I can usually get by with normal tires and low pressure for most of the winter, but come early spring when the snow melts in the sun during the day and then freezes at night, those trails turn treacherous. On smooth, hard ice, studs are the only option. Normal tires have literally zero traction.
That makes sense. We don't get much snow here.