Tire Tread Types
Tread patterns on bicycle tires are often misrepresented by tire manufacturers and misunderstood by riders. On a road bike, tread pattern has no effect on the tire's ability to grip the road. Traction is effected by how supple the tire is (both casing and rubber compound), tire pressure (lower pressure provides more traction) and width (wider tires get better traction). Tire tread DOES effect traction in instances where the riding surface is softer than the tire, which is very common in MTB and cyclocross.
Bicycle tires are not susceptible to hydroplaning (at realistic speeds) because of their crowned profile and narrow width. For road tires, a grooved tread will move some of the water to the sides and thus reduce the amount of water that is sprayed up behind the wheel.
For dry weather road riding, tread pattern is not an issue. Most of the high performance road tires have smooth or close to smooth treads. For wet weather road riding, we recommend a slightly wider tire with some grooving in the tread. The Continental Grand Prix 4-Season with Vectran is a good example. For racing in the wet, the tread pattern is not as important as the rubber compound (for grip) and light weight (for performance), and something like the Michelin Pro3 Race Tire or the Vittoria Open Pave Evo CG (320 TPI) are both tried and true race tires that will perform in any conditions.
For touring, wider tires will provide a more comfortable ride and accommodate heavy loads. Most touring tires have tread that will help maintain stability on uneven surfaces or gravel roads. The Continental Top Contact is a perennial favorite of serious touring riders, as is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700c.
While most mountain bikes are equipped with knobby tires, many riders convert these to road use with slick MTB tires. These tires have low profile tread patterns and are reasonably light weight. Semi-slick tires are slick down the middle with nobs on the sides, such as the Kenda Kross Plus 26x1.95" Tire. They are popular with riders who just can't decide whether to ride on road or trail.
For off-road mountain biking, the tread pattern is more important and will depend on the type of riding you're doing. For all-around trail riding, you'll want to have larger knobs to bite into looser surfaces. Look for a tire that has shorter knobs in the center and deeper ones toward the edge, such as the WTB Nano Raptor Race 26x2.1 or the Michelin XC All Terrain Tire. For trail riding in wet conditions, you'll want a tire with large knobs for traction on slippery rocks, and a looser tread pattern so that mud will not get stuck in the grooves. The Panaracer Rampage is a good example. For downhill riding/racing, the most important thing is air volume to absorb the hard impacts. Tread pattern is generally fairly aggressive to provide good bite while cornering.
More questions regarding tire selection? Contact us at (800)479-9350 or sales@bicycletires.com.