Slick v siped tyres

averagelyfasttom

Does anyone use 'treaded' tyres in winter?

I've ridden mountain bikes for years, but road bikes for only a 12 months or so and I'm finding totally slick tyres a little 'interesting' in the damp as, unlike a knobbly mtb tyre, I can't really feel what they're doing.

This isn't a technique thing - my cornering's fine - I just need to replace a tyre and am curious to know whether tyres with small sipes in them help in any way (especially under braking in traffic) or if they're basically pointless and I just need to deal with the lack of grip.

Thanks!

t4tomo

I think the treads on road tyres have only psycological benefit. a 23/5mm road tyres doesn't aquaplane so no need for tread to shed water and they aren't there for griping in mud.

Road bikes are always "interesting" in the damp. avoid road metal and white lines like the plague when its wet.

averagelyfasttom

Cheers, it's grip in corners and when braking I'm wondering about - I've had the rear tyre start to come round sideways when I've had to brake heavily (at low speed, luckily!) in traffic a couple of times. Is that just something I need to get used to?

jds_1981

Rear wheel becoming loose just means that because of your braking it is becoming unweighted. Try to brake when going in a straight line. Means that if you brake hard enough it'll just lift a bit. Try not to do this

I think in general knobbles or whatever reduce grip as reduces the amount of contact.
I kind of understand what you mean about grip though - riding my cyclocross bike I've felt my front wheel start to lose grip on a tight corner. I think this is caused by the knobbles though, without them I wouldn't have had the issue (until later when it would have just lost grip all together )

roger_merriman

The important phase is " all things equal " so it's true that a slick compared to treaded will grip better on road, but things aren't equal a MTB even a skinny is much bigger and at lower pressures.

Even with grippy race tyres, road tyres are narrow blades and you can run only get so much.

The other issue is on the road pushing the limit of tyres will not end well, where as on a MTB it's a hoot and very recoverable.

tincaman

averagelyfasttom wrote:

Does anyone use 'treaded' tyres in winter?

I've ridden mountain bikes for years, but road bikes for only a 12 months or so and I'm finding totally slick tyres a little 'interesting' in the damp as, unlike a knobbly mtb tyre, I can't really feel what they're doing.

This isn't a technique thing - my cornering's fine - I just need to replace a tyre and am curious to know whether tyres with small sipes in them help in any way (especially under braking in traffic) or if they're basically pointless and I just need to deal with the lack of grip.

Thanks!

Stick with slicks but pay more attention to the tyre compound, for better grip

ForumNewbie

Continental Gatorskins road tyres have some tread and I have had no problems with them in the wet. They are also good for puncture protection.

Mikey23

Gatorskins are brill but looking at mine, the tread pattern isn't on the bit that has contact with the road
I think the guy in my LBS told me that tread isn't needed but manufactures put some on because the punters require it and if they didn't, they wouldn't sell the tyres...

kajjal

roger merriman wrote:

The important phase is " all things equal " so it's true that a slick compared to treaded will grip better on road, but things aren't equal a MTB even a skinny is much bigger and at lower pressures.

Even with grippy race tyres, road tyres are narrow blades and you can run only get so much.

The other issue is on the road pushing the limit of tyres will not end well, where as on a MTB it's a hoot and very recoverable.

This is good advice and exactly what I found coming from MTB to Road biking.