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Why are bicycle tires that are made for street riding made with minimal tread? |
I am in the process of evaluating the possible restoration of my old Schwinn Cruiser bicycle. In doing so, I have been exploring the many different styles of bicycle tires on the market. There are only a couple that match the original tread style, but the majority of what I have found available offers tires that have very little tread. Some could be considered virtually bald. What in the world is the purpose of having brand new tires that very little or no tread? It seems this would make the rider slip during corners or on wet pavement. I probably should point out that these styles apply to single-speed recreational bicycles, as well as sports-oriented multiple-speed bicycles. A bicycle tyre usually has a lot more pressure and a lot less contact area. (200lb of bike and rider and 100psi in the tyres give a contact area of 2sqr inches) There is very little need for tread on hard surfaces. Especially asphalt since it is a textured surface anyway. Many manufacturers still put token tread on, only because that it what some people are looking for. The customer is always right. (Even when they are wrong) Tyres with tread have a higher rolling resistance. Slick tyres have a lower rolling resistance. Wider slicks (at the same pressure) generally have a lower rolling resistance. Most won't believe this so I HOPE THEY WILL READ THROUGH THIS LINK before they thumb down or vote against me. http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2005... Tread is helpful off road because it gives floatation and grip. Tread on a car tire helps channel water away, so the tire doesn't hydroplane. On a bicycle, the contact patch is small enough that tread is not needed. It works - I know because I've been riding "slicks" for decades now and ask my riding buddies, I'm the best in my group at taking fast corners, wet or dry. Check out racing motorcycles, same deal. Also racing cars - as long as it's dry, they're bald. The highest traction available is full contact of rubber with concrete. But road debris and wet weather make things slippery, so small grooves allow the tire to squeeze water out from under the tire to maintain traction. Heavy tread on street tires is actually very bad, as there is less surface area contacting the road at any given time. This is why race tires are completely slick. Slicks allow the most of the contact between the tire and the road, allowing them to corner better. Plus slicks offer very low rolling resistence. |
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