Tread Patterns
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. On road tires, a grooved tread will push some of the water on the road to the sides of the tires 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 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 Grip Tire or the Vittoria Open Pave Evo CG (290 TPI) 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 with a width in the 1.3" to 1.75" 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 Continental Traffic Tire or 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 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 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 types or tread patterns? Contact us at (800)682-0570 or sales@biketiresdirect.com.
