|
Bicycle tires are not susceptible to hydroplaning (at
realistic speeds) because of their crowned profile and narrow
width. The main purpose of tread patterns on bicycle tires is
to provide better bite on loose surfaces such as dirt, sand and
gravel. 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 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 Pro Grip Tire or the Tufo Giro Twix Special Tubular Tire are better choices.
For touring, a wider tire with at least a moderate amount of
tread grooving is recommended. The Continental GP 4-Season in a
28mm size is, again, a good example, as is the
Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700c.
If you're looking for a tire for your mountain bike to ride
on the road, look for a slick tire in the 1.3" to 1.5" range. These tires have
relatively little tread pattern and are reasonably light weight.
For off-road mountain biking, the tread pattern is more
important and will depend on the type of riding you're doing. If
you're riding a mix of roads and hard-pack trails, look for a
tread pattern like the Kenda Kross Plus 26x1.95" Tire. These have relatively smooth tread on the
bottom of the tire, with additional knobs on the sides to bite
into looser terrain while cornering. 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
Intense Cross-Country CC2.25 or the WTB Weirwolf Race Kevlar. 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 Kenda Kinetics 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.
| 
