Schwalbe Pneu Souple Clouté Ice Spiker Pro Performance RaceGuard DD 29"

Great winter tyre, but the price is too high for our region

I’ve used Schwalbe Ice Spiker tyres before — I had the 26” version a few winters ago — and now I’m running this 29” model. The difference is noticeable in a good way. The grip is absolutely amazing on ice and packed snow. You can ride with confidence even when the roads are completely frozen. The studs really bite, and the tyre just feels solid and reliable.

Build quality is top-notch too. The RaceGuard DD protection works great, and the tyre feels tough enough to handle anything. It’s a bit noisy and heavy on clean asphalt, but that’s normal for studded tyres. Once you’re on ice or snow, you instantly understand why these are so popular.

The only real downside is the price. It’s quite expensive, especially for riders in Eastern Europe, where bike parts are already marked up compared to average incomes. What also bothers me a bit is that the wired versions and even the DD Guard models never seem to get discounted, even though they’re still pretty pricey. It would be nice to see Schwalbe make these a bit more accessible for everyday riders, not just those willing to spend top euro.

All in all, though, this tyre is fantastic if you want maximum grip and peace of mind in winter. If you can afford it, you’ll be very happy with the performance.

I'll give it an overall 9/10

Ich hatte den Vorgänger auch schon 10 Jahre im Winter am Rad; im Frühjahr runter genommen, mit Ballistol dünn abgerieben, trocken und dunkel gelagert, das macht der Reifen lange mit. Wichtig: Bei minimalem Luftdruck und trockenem Asphalt einfahren, damit sich die Spikes setzen.
Wenn kein Schnee/Eis liegt: Moderat anfahren und bremsen.
Wenn Eis/Schnee liegt: viel Spaß :-D
Ab 5 km/h brauchst Du keine Klingel mehr, ab 25 km/h Mickey-Mäuse.
Vorsicht vor Stahlplatten in Baustellen; hier verhalten sich die Spikes wie normale Reifen auf Glatteis.
Die Carbid-/Alu-Spikes sind extrem langlebig und überleben den Reifen.