Winter tyres - should I wear them in before wet ride?

Turnbull2000
Turnbull2000 Posts: 189
edited October 2009 in Road beginners
I've bought some Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tyres to improve my grip on the wet winter roads. Would it be best to get a few dry miles on these tyres before going out in the rain?

I'm torn on whether to keep my used Race X Lites on for what is likely to be a wet ride tomorrow or put these new ones on.

Comments

  • northstar
    northstar Posts: 407
    As long as you are confident of riding in the wet I don't see a problem.
    Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.
  • Turnbull2000
    Turnbull2000 Posts: 189
    northstar wrote:
    As long as you are confident of riding in the wet I don't see a problem.

    Te be honest, I'm not all that confident in the wet at the moment!
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    It is better to scuff them in a bit before riding in the wet if only to remove any release agent still on the tyre. A good wipe with white vinegar will have the same affect.
    My Fleet.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    John.T wrote:
    It is better to scuff them in a bit before riding in the wet if only to remove any release agent still on the tyre. A good wipe with white vinegar will have the same affect.

    agreed!

    If you are not that confident in the wet then the inevitable slide while the release agent is still on the tyre will not do your confidence any good at all.

    a rub with white vinegar or a rub with a fine grade emery paper will get it off just nice - make the tyres look matt - not that shiny greasy look - and then they will be fine.
  • idreamoftailwinds
    idreamoftailwinds Posts: 134
    now this is good to know, thanks :D
  • pianoman
    pianoman Posts: 706
    I've come perilously close to sliding Ultremos on dry roads when they were brand new (of course my Chinook is a bit "front heavy" and isn't exactly set-up weight-wise for stability) so yes I would definitely find a dry day to rub the tyres in.

    Or, just crawl around the first few corners :P
  • DomPro
    DomPro Posts: 321
    Definitely wear them in a bit if you can. I've slipped over on new tyres and come close more than once in the wet. (Vredestein Fortezza)
    Shazam !!
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    Takes yards rather than miles to scrub in a pair of bike tyres, all you are doing is breaking up the hard surface layer it gets in the mould.

    I think the release agent stuff is a bit of a myth. Bridgestone do not use a release agent on their motorcycle tyres, so it is debatable whether cycle tyre manufacturers need to bother either.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    Smokin Joe wrote:
    Takes yards rather than miles to scrub in a pair of bike tyres, all you are doing is breaking up the hard surface layer it gets in the mould.

    I think the release agent stuff is a bit of a myth. Bridgestone do not use a release agent on their motorcycle tyres, so it is debatable whether cycle tyre manufacturers need to bother either.

    Are you sure about bridgestone? - they have that same waxy feel as any other - I'm a michelin person myself but it does play on my mind when I get a new set of tyres
  • White Line
    White Line Posts: 887
    Yes. I remember when I first took my new set of Vittoria Open Pavé tyres out in the dry to scrub them in a bit. They were squealing and squeaking around every corner. :shock: Was pretty scary. Although, now that they're worn in, I feel more confident on them in the wet than I do with the Bontrager Race X Lite tyres.
    Emiliana the CAAD9

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