I took my studded tires off this week. I expected the next morning the entire midwest would be encased with an inch thick sheet of ice because isn't that the way it works?

My bike is so smooth, quiet, and fast.

Ok, it isn't any of those things compared to other bikes, but compared to itself with studded tires it is!

It took me nearly two hours to get them changed. When I got the studded tires in December I intended to pay someone to change them at the end of winter, but the end of winter got here and it wasn't convenient. No bike shop in town and the free lance mechanic who usually helps me out is holding down 1 full time job, 4 part time jobs, and is the primary caretaker for his new baby (his wife is a Dermatology resident). So I did it myself.

I put on work gloves so the studs wouldn't hurt. But the schwalbe marathons (the unstudded) are really freaking tight and I roughed up my hands getting them on. I ripped a hole in the rear tube in the process so I had to take that one off and put it on again with a new tube. Even with the gloves my hands got completely filthy.

I can't wait for the bike shop to open in a couple months! Of course the way businesses go around here it'll be open for less than a year and then fold.