To Pic or not to Pic: Pros and Cons?

[vecRStor]

I was wondering what the pulse is on committing to picking your track.

Pros and Cons?

 

[skyboz]

I was wondering what the pulse is on committing to picking your track.

Pros and Cons?

Safety! They assist some when your braking for those icy turns!! They help a little on hard pack and ice when your accelerating as well!

 

[RX1-er-2005]

If your not a ice or lake racer and want some extra traction for trail riding go with the new ICE RIPPER, safer on rads and everything else...

 

[1CrazySledder]

here we go..lol

-1CS

 

[Black 1000]

I agree here we go

 

[QCRider]

He didn't ask what to use. He asked for pros and cons. I do use them, but I also know the negatives.

Positives

Absolute control of your sled in all conditions
Better stopping power on icy surfaces
Better acceleration on icy surfaces

Negatives
Tough on tracks (I have had this happen)
Can cause damage to heat exchangers (this has not yet happened to me)
Tough on floors and trailers
If you like to slide the rear end of your sled around in corners (and blow all the snow off the trail) you won't be able to do it with studs

 

[08NitroRTX]

I feel it's all about what type of conditions you ride in and your riding ability.

I Have seen inexperienced riders wreck because of icy conditions where IF they had had some studs (picks) they would have been ok! It wasn't that they were going real fast is was just glare ice and while traveling the sled slowy truned sideways and caught an edge of the track.... Studs have their place! I have made it almost to the top of some icy hills, only to come down backwards because of loss of traction just before the top!! Not a fun ride!!

I guess what I am saying is let your riding conditions, style, and experience decide IF you need studs. I ride both with and without! But usually stud up my childrens sleds just because around here you never know when you will come to an icy hill (either up or down!!)

 

[kinger]

I love the handling and control of studs, everything else I hate but they more then make up for it, especially on icy turns and hills.

Do the double backers and it almost eliminates the chances of a stud ripping out and getting your heat exchanger.

I will never ride without them again.

 

[marq]

A third option would be to check out the Camoplast ICE Tech series. It has studs built into the track. Might be the best of both worlds. I know my uncle likes his, and he's been studded up until last year.

 

[Superman]

Absolute control of your sled in all conditions

Sorry to nit pick but that's most conditions not all conditions. I've piled up a couple of sleds with studs in winters past learning this one the hard way. My Indian name back then was flying sapling.LOL. Looking back it's funny how things happen in slow motion. Because in My mind I was saying "I bet the reason We're not stopping is because of all this loose snow between the trail and the track."

 

[onlyblue]

I am a ICE RIPPER rider, have one on wifes vector and my attak, i would not run a sled without one..... it has the safety bonuses of traditional studs, but lacks many of the negatives. It is NOT however as good under accelleration as traditional studs, and you can still slide the rear of the sled around if you want......

 

[Superman]

I am a ICE RIPPER rider, have one on wifes vector and my attak, i would not run a sled without one..... it has the safety bonuses of traditional studs, but lacks many of the negatives. It is NOT however as good under accelleration as traditional studs, and you can still slide the rear of the sled around if you want......

If I did anything I think I would do the ICE RIPPER also.

 

[Budweiser]

I would go with the Ice Ripper. I wish Yamaha's were offered with a choice of tracks.

I have a SXR that was not studded and I've actually slid down a narrow trail with a dropoff on one side. Not fun. Actually terrifying! I was going to stud it but decided to get the Ice Claw due to throwing a stud threw the cooler of my previous sled. I don't ride the SXR now but my brother does and he has not had any issues getting up the same hill.

My Vector is not studded and I have not had any problems with hills or ice. Rip Saw track is pretty good. Like I said, I would get the Ice Ripper but can't justify the cost when there is nothing wrong with my track.

 

[SlowPoke]

I had a ICE CLAW and it was JUNK, The track I had prior was a Polaris 1 1/2" paddle track made by Camoplast that was unstuded and hooked up in all canditions better then the ice claw.
I studded my new sled as last year the one ride I took it on there were some icy hills that I could not get up. Safty is the main concern for studding your track for a trail rider. Guy who race or ride the lakes have a whole nother set of reasons.

 

[marq]

Duheme,

I know virtually nothing about these tracks, but am interested in them. What was it about the Ice Claw that made it junk in your opinion? Lack of hookup? Longer stop distances, etc?

I had a ICE CLAW and it was JUNK, The track I had prior was a Polaris 1 1/2" paddle track made by Camoplast that was unstuded and hooked up in all canditions better then the ice claw.
I studded my new sled as last year the one ride I took it on there were some icy hills that I could not get up. Safty is the main concern for studding your track for a trail rider. Guy who race or ride the lakes have a whole nother set of reasons.