Review: 45NRTH Kahva 29x2.25” studded tire

As 29er MTB studded tire options are about as limited as the clientele, who actually need them, I had few options when it came time to replace my worn out Suomi Tyres Piikkisika tires. 45NRTH specialize in all kinds of MTB gear meant for actual minus degree, snow, ice and frozen hell type riding and not just UK slop, and they also have a few studded tire options available. I came across the lighter duty Kahva in a recent sale from Bike24 and decided to give them a try.

The "Handle", Kahva is the Finnish word for handle, only comes in a few flavors

• 27,5x2,1" and 29x2,25" sizes
• 33TPI Clincher or 60TPI tubeless casing
• Black or tan sidewalls

Mine are the 29" tubeless versions, and I would imagine that in this day and age they are the most common size and type. 45Nrth describe the tire like this:

From light winter trail riding to commuting, the Kahva allows you to carve your way through winter with concave carbide studs as well as single, double, and triple-siped lugs.
- Siping on center and side lugs lets the Kahva conform to terrain for increased grip in any riding conditions
- Concave carbide studs provide traction in the iciest conditions
- 252 carbide aluminum studs
- Directional lugs provide low rolling resistance while offering excellent braking traction
- We design 45NRTH tires for extreme winter cycling applications. We do not recommend this product be used with power assist bikes as the additional torque and system weight can lead to pre-mature casing wear and stud loss.

One can already see from the number or studs that this is a lighter duty tire when compared to my previously reviewed Suomi Tyres Piikkisika, or the 45NRTH Wrathchild, for example. 252 means that about every other lug is studded. The Kahva is directional, but it's also very evident by the tread.

It's not mentioned where the tires are made, but the quality is very impressive! The lugs and casting in general is perfect, though with quite a lot of molding hairs, and the casing is absolutely straight and true. A trait which can't be said for the Suomi tyres' wobbly offering. They also sealed 100% even without sealant and have not lost ANY air during the time I've had them. I fitted mine on taped Nextie 30mm carbon rims with 80ml of Continental sealant each and they went on without a hick-up with only a floor pump. The width measurement is spot on, if not a tad wider than 2,25" at 58mm.

Riding impressions

Being a lighter duty version, the Kahva is still not very light rolling. They give the term "slug ball" a whole different meaning! Granted, going from XC tires to studded is always an eye-opening experience, but somehow the rolling resistance of the Kahve is just on another level. Think Maxxis 3C MaxxGrip Assegai level of resistance on hardpack. Regardless, on the trails they feel good and the sluggish rolling is less noticeable as the trails get softer.

The significant knobs offer good traction is soft conditions, and the studs work well on ice, but not quite as well as the Piikkisika just due to the lower number of spiky bits. I haven't had any turn-your-pants-brown" moments, but in icy spots you need to tread more carefully as you would with the Piikkisika, which offers summer tire like traction. 

Conclusion

Studded tires are definitely something only us living in the Northern hemisphere will appreciate. When winter riding is not just mud and slop but actual snowy and icy trails, studs definitely serve a purpose.

The Kahvs is sort of the middle ground between the ISP and Pikkisika: It offers a substantial casing and nice tread for added traction in soft and snow, but lacks the number of studs and at the same time, about 200g of the weight of the Piikkisika. Why would anyone choose the Kahva over the Piikkisika? Only 2 things come to mind: Tan sidewalls and quality. If you happen to get a good example of the Piikkisika, it's a vastly superior winter tire to the Kahva, but sadly that IF is a big one.

Performance: 4/5, very good in soft and snow, OK on ice, horrible on hard pack because of the high rolling resistance

Build quality: 5/5, probably one of the best quality tires I have ever had!

Value: 2/5, if you pay MSRP. 150€ / tire is car tire money!

Overall: 3,5/5, very good quality with a few let-downs