Stud your own bike tires
It's easier than you think
by Byron Kuster 
| 1) Drill holes through each lug
from the outside in. | | 
| 2) View of the screw heads from
the inside of the tire. |
| 
| 3) A self-studded tire with screws through
each lug grips snow and ice. |
|
It can be somewhat frustrating to decide to commute by
bicycle throughout the winter in order to save money on gas only to discover that your first month or two of savings will all be gobbled up by the price of a pair of good studded tires. A good pair meaning a pair with lots of carbide tipped studs is expensive. And it's not like you have a lot of choice on whether or not to use studded tires during winter riding. They are as essential as your helmet. You do, however,
have options on how much dough a pair will set you back. The easiest option is to buy a pair from your favorite bike shop. Ask if they sell the Finnish-made Nokian Extreme or Freddie's Revenz or something comparable. If they don't, most shops should be able to get them within a day or two. Although this is probably the most expensive option, it is the most convenient and makes sense for some people. It is a
good way to support the local shops who support us and our favorite recreational activities. But when money is tight, other options need to be explored. Going online and searching for a vendor selling studded tires probably makes sense for those with fewer dollars in their pockets. Prices can vary a lot between vendors, so it pays to shop around. There is also another option that most people probably
don't consider: studding their own tires. It's neither difficult nor expensive, but it does take a few hours. Studding one's own tires may be the difference between riding in the winter or not. Still others may choose to do this not out of economic necessity but because they take pride in self-sufficiency. Tools and materials needed
Not surprisingly, you'll need a pair of knobby tires that fit
your bike. You will also need a drill, an eighth-inch drill bit or an awl, two extra inner tubes (old, patched and leaky is OK), a pair of scissors, a screwdriver and several hundred hardened screws to act as the studs. Probably the best choice for studs are No. 8, three-eighths-inch, pan-head sheet metal screws the sort used in many commercial buildings. These screws are hardened, readily available and reasonably priced at most good hardware stores. You will need to choose between stainless steel and regular steel. Stainless will last longer but they are somewhat heavier and more expensive. You will also need to decide how many screws to put in each tire. More screws means more traction, but they will be heavier and cost more. Traction trumps weight, within reason. So go with stainless steel and plan on using 200 to 300 screws per tire. A box
of 100 stainless steel, pan-head screws should cost about $6. A box of regular steel screws will run closer to $4. The pointy-tipped ones work better than the self-tapping ones. Ideally, the screw tips should protrude about one-eighth inch out of the lug. If you use screws that are too long, they will have a tendency to fold over when riding on them which greatly reduces riding efficiency and does not contribute to any additional traction. Getting it done
Begin by drilling a small hole through each lug that you intend to stud, being careful not to drill into your fingers (or punch a hole through if using an awl). You need to drill from the outside in to ensure that you hit a lug. This is important because the lug provides structural support for the screw. Once the hole is drilled, locate it on the inside of the tire and press the pointy end of a screw into it and
screw it all the way in until the screw head bottoms out against the inside of the tire. Repeat until all of the screws are in.
Don't try to drill all of the holes at once and then try to find the holes on the inside of the tire. Instead, drill and stud one lug at a time and work your way around the tire. Be careful not to cut yourself on the numerous sharp screw tips poking out from the tire like spines on a cactus. These screws are nondiscriminating as to whom or what they scratch.
If you were to mount your newly studded tire onto a rim and inflate it as is, the screw heads would puncture the inner tube. To avoid this, you must provide a layer of protection between the screw heads and the inner tube.
One option is to take an old inner tube of the same size as what would normally be used on the wheel and cut out the valve with a pair of scissors or a utility knife. Then fillet the tube from the valve stem hole around
and back to the valve stem hole. The cut should be through the portion of the tube that would come in contact with the rim strip.
Now inflate the real inner tube slightly and wrap the filleted inner tube around it. This rubber wrapper is what protects the real inner tube from the screw heads. Place the wrapped inner tube into the tire and mount it on the rim as usual, being careful that the protective wrapper stays in place between the inner tube and the tire.
The other option is to take a used tire and cut it to length so that it fits snugly inside the studded tire. This second option adds extra protection at the expense of added weight, but is good as an alternative if you have trouble with flats when using the first option.
Inflate the tires to normal pressure and mount the wheels on the bicycle. Spin each wheel by hand and make sure that there is no interference with the brakes, frame or fork. Take the bike on a shakedown ride. Turn
hard in both directions, brake hard and keep your fingers crossed.
If the studding was done properly, with a little bit of luck, you will ride all winter with no flats, no serious falls and no accidents. Get a feel for how the newly altered tires handle.
Whether you buy ready-made studded tires or make your own, you don't have much choice but to use studded tires over the winter. At least there are options as to how much those tires will set you back to keep you safe.
Byron Kuster has commuted to work at a Minnesota correctional facility year-round for the past four years. He also collects vintage balloon tire bikes as a hobby. | 
