Do not consider me boring, but without knowledge of the terms in the modern auto world, there is simply nowhere.

The other day, in a conversation with a friend, I heard the phrase: "yes, he was on slicks" ... And rushed, went. While he was rubbing something intently at me, I already drew a new post in my head, an approximate picture surfaced, etc.

Let's figure it out the same what is slick ...

Slick(English slick) - an absolutely smooth tire that does not have a tread and other elements that reduce the contact patch with the track. The first slicks produced were developed by M&H Tires in the early 1950s as drag racing tires. Due to the absence of tread grooves, the area of ​​contact between the wheel and the road increases, which increases friction with the track, which, as a result, contributes to good grip on the track.

But there is one caveat, this type of tire (slick) provides more grip only on dry roads, but has much poorer grip on wet roads, because. on a wet track, they simply slip, because there is nothing to cling to the asphalt (loss of tire grip on a wet track is called aquaplaning).

Hydroplaning is the occurrence of a hydrodynamic wedge in the tire contact patch - that is, a complete or partial loss of grip caused by the presence of a water layer separating the tires of a moving vehicle from the road surface. Wherein vehicle practically uncontrollable. Occurs when the speed reaches a critical value (on average 70 - 100 km / h, but can reach up to 40 km / h), at which the wheel does not have time to remove water from the contact patch. The larger the water film on the road surface and the smaller residual depth tire tread, the higher the risk of hydroplaning. At high speed on a wet surface, the wheel literally pops up.

According to Wiki

Because of this, slicks are not suitable for use on public roads. Cars designed for everyday use must be ready for all weather conditions. But slicks find their way into motoring competitions, where competitors can choose the type of tires to use according to the weather (as well as change them during the race).

Also, due to the lack of a tread, slicks are less deformed under load. Less deformation allows the use of softer rubber in tires: due to less deformation, it overheats and swells less. soft rubber also increases traction. But wait, those are racing tires! When used in competition, the tire wears out faster and as a result, slicks have to be replaced much more often than regular tires. Approximately a couple of races and the tire is written off. It's a shame, of course, but this is a competition and there is no need to save here.

Also, when using slick racing tires, fuel consumption increases due to the larger contact patch with the track.

Now, virtually all tire manufacturers, introducing new tire models for everyday use, focus on this, the economic component of about 150-200 grams of fuel per 100 km, compared to previous models, as well as environmental: less fuel consumption - less harmful emissions in atmosphere.

You can try the "slick effect" by using winter tires in summer time, because rubber for winter is softer in its properties, the contact patch is larger, etc. As well as wear, consumption and the condition of the chassis ... If the car is not prepared for the competition, then it is better not to experiment. IMHO

As in the post about here, there is a nuance, and, as usual, Russian manufacturers excelled. Taking advantage of the big word on the lips of the tuners, they registered the Slik company and began to stamp alloy wheels.

Yes, it's spelled differently, but pronounced the same.

I can’t say anything bad about the disks, because. never encountered them, but beware of confusion ...

Edited: 04/03/2019

Today we will talk about such an important part of a bicycle as a tire. The right choice of it largely determines how well your bike will ride.

To date, there are hundreds of different options designed to ride on smooth urban asphalt, as well as on mud, mountain trails, ice and snow.

Each type of tire was developed and should be used for its own roads. Therefore, the main choice depends on the type of bike you choose and what kind of roads you are going to ride.

In the figure on the right with a cross section of the wheel, these are the contours: 4 - bead ring (beading cable), 6 - tire and 7 - tread

So, in order.

Let's look at the structure first. cycling tires.

It consists of several main parts:

• road grip;
• tire noise when driving;
• reel;
• wear resistance;
• bike handling.

Tires are usually made from:

• Natural rubber is the most the best way but very expensive.
• Synthetic rubber - much cheaper to manufacture, but has a fairly low wear resistance.
• Compound. It is a mixture of various mono- and polymers. Cheap enough, wear-resistant, surpasses synthetic rubber in many respects, although it is still inferior to natural rubber.

Compounds can have different stiffness and, as a result, grip and wear resistance. You can read more about the stiffness of compounds in a separate article.

How to check the quality of the material from which the tire is made.

There are simple and reliable methods.

You need to run your finger or fingernail along the bead - if there is a noticeable mark on the tire, then it will wear out quickly when driving on the road.

On the new tires there are always whiskers. If you pull on them, and you will see that they stretched at least 2 times (or even better, if 3-4 times) and only then came off, then this is a good tire.

Well then general concepts about the tire we received. Now let's look at what they are, how to choose the right one and what it affects when traveling.

Tire types

You need to understand one simple truth - each type is designed to ride on the surface intended for it. And they are divided by type of protector.

Slicks

The name comes from the English Slick, which means smooth, slippery. They have no tread pattern at all or it is minimal. Designed for trips on smooth city, highway and well-groomed dry dirt roads. On such roads, there is no fundamental question of grip with the surface - it is always there. But the advantage is that slicks

• Silent;
• Have a good reel;
• There is no vibration while driving.

No spikes slow down the tire when rolling, no additional energy of the cyclist is spent on overcoming the resistance to friction of the spikes on the road surface, as on other types of tires. The pattern on them is designed to drain water. Sometimes manufacturers add dye and get multi-colored products, which gives such bicycles an additional zest.

Please note that slicks will be very difficult to ride on soft ground and mud.

Such tires, for example, are installed on bicycles and.

Semi-slicks

As the name suggests, only half of these tires are slick. They have a low and “smooth” tread, and small spikes on the sides. The tread, protruding evenly over the cord over the entire surface of the tire in contact with the road, provides a good rolling, and the side spikes grip with soft ground and prevent the tire from falling into it. Designed for driving on dry and wet asphalt, highway, rolled primer, and on loose, viscous soil. For most cyclists, semi-slicks are the ideal solution for riding almost anywhere. They have good roll and grip on dry and wet soils and asphalt. This happens due to the fact that water is squeezed out of the contact area into the voids of the tread, which makes the contact area itself drier and more tenacious.

When driving on semi-slicks, it should be taken into account that during sharp turns, the surface area of ​​the wheel in contact with the ground decreases (the wheel, as it were, rises on the side spikes) and grip decreases, increasing the risk of falling. Usually beginner cyclists start to "feel the turn" fairly quickly.

Correct pressure is essential for these tires. At low pressure, all the benefits are lost. A properly inflated semi-slick should roll on a hard surface with a smooth part of the tread, and only on soft ground do the side lugs begin to work. At low pressure, the tire will flatten and cling to a hard surface with side lugs, creating additional resistance and wearing out faster. In general, about what pressure should be in the tires, you can read in.

Mud

High tread tires. This usually combines all tires with a rubber spike height on the tread up to 10 mm. The lugs are firm and tightly spaced. Rolling is poor, especially on asphalt, but grip is much better than on semi-slicks.

Designed for travel to:

• not very big dirt;
• loose soil;
• sand
• not deep snow.

A trip on asphalt on such wheels is possible, but not very convenient. They are noisy, you can’t really develop speed, handling is rather weak.

Winter tires or tires with high mud tread

From can be divided into

1. Tires with high tread teeth but no metal spikes.

These are tires with a spike height of more than 10 mm.

At the same time, the spikes themselves are not located as often as on the previous ones, which does not allow strong dirt and snow to get stuck between the spikes. Ideal for driving in deep mud, deep snow, swamps. On asphalt and ordinary roads - not a trip, but a complete mockery of the body. No rolling, speed and grip. Due to the high spikes, the contact area is sharply reduced, worsening the handling of the bike. By the way, you won’t be able to ride them on ice either, for this you need studded tires. Often just semi-slicks will feel better on the ice, as they have a larger contact surface. In general, these are gourmet tires.

2. Protectors with metal spikes.

Such a protector is the best option for trips on ice, very dense snow crust on roads rolled by cars and with constant temperature fluctuations around zero. Either plus or minus. At this temperature, rain or falling snow constantly thaws and freezes, forming an ice crust on the road. In some regions of our country, this is even a fairly long period during the year.

The spikes themselves are made mainly from pobedit alloys and they are either pointed or blunt. Spikes with a pointed top have good grip on ice, while those with a flat top are good for mud riding.

When driving on asphalt, both flat and pointed spikes eventually become semicircular.

The spikes themselves are placed on rubber in 2, 3 or more rows.

For optimal use of all the advantages of studded tires, you need to carefully select the pressure in the wheels.

Tire size and width

As for the size of the tire - then everything is clear. It is taken according to the size of the rim. But let's take a closer look at the width.

Rolling, traction and cornering control depend on it. The wider the width, the better the traction and cornering control, but the worse the rolling. Usually semi-slicks are made with a width of 1.95 inches, and for toothy ones, the width most often starts from 2.1 inches. Manufacturers produce tires different sizes, and you yourself must decide what is more important - rolling or handling.

Note also that the wider the tire, the more stable it is, but also slower.

If you are going to mainly drive about more or less smooth roads it is better to use tires up to 2 inches wide. If you are going to drive off-road, it is better to take wider tires, more than 2 inches wide.

On road models, they put narrow tires: 18-27 mm or 1 inch and narrower.

The tire width is indicated by the manufacturer on the side of the cord, usually in the same place as the diameter. For example: 26”x2.1” is 26 inches in diameter and 2.1 inches wide.

Marking can also be indicated in millimeters. For example: 700x23 - diameter is 700mm and width is 23mm.

For more information about the types of markings, sizes and the interchangeability table for tires of different sizes and manufacturers, see the article "". The principles of selecting the width of rubber depending on the width of the rim are described)

I would like to dwell on a few more points

Is it possible to put different tires on different wheels?

Actually front wheel when driving a bicycle plays a greater role than the rear. If the skidding of the rear wheel can be compensated, at least by a quick support on the leg, then when the front wheel skids, there will definitely be a fall. The front wheel has less grip on the road - there is less pressure on it from the weight of the cyclist.

Based on the foregoing, you can put more toothy tires on the front wheel than on the rear. But this only makes sense when traveling on the ground.

If you have a city bike or your trips are limited only to ordinary roads, then this does not make any sense at all.

This issue is discussed in more detail in a separate article:

Symmetrical and asymmetrical treads.

The tread patterns are most often symmetrical. But sometimes there are also specially designed for a certain direction of movement. In this case, the direction of movement of the wheel will necessarily be indicated on the tire. If such a tire is incorrectly installed, then instead of a rowing effect, a sliding one will turn out.

For example, the photo below shows such a tire with an arrow indicating the direction of rotation of the wheel after installation on a bicycle.

About how the direction of movement of the wheel is indicated on the tire, what else the manufacturer writes on bicycle tires, as well as what other numbers on it indicate on our website.

Tire wear

If the tread pattern is worn up to 60%, then such a tire can be rearranged from the front wheel to the rear. Be aware that this can be done only for asphalt and dirt roads. And if there are 10-20% left, then definitely buy a new one.

For driving in mud and off-road, tires cannot be rearranged. Throw out the worn ones and buy new tires - wake up more whole.

Which camera to choose.

They differ:

• Dimensions;
• nipple type;
• wall thickness;
• the material from which they are made.

The chamber is chosen uniquely for the size of the tire and the diameter of the hole in the rim for the nipple. In more detail, issues related to are covered in a separate article on our website.

Tire pressure.

Very briefly, we can say the following:

When riding a mountain bike in the city and on a rolled primer, this is 3-3.5 atmospheres, while driving on the ground - 2.5-3 atmospheres.

At the same time, if your weight is more than 80-100 kg, feel free to add another 0.5 atmosphere to the wheels, making sure not to go beyond the maximum pressure indicated on the tire.

On a road bike - boldly pump up 3.5-4 atmospheres, again, looking at the limit values.

Remember, you can only find the optimal pressure for yourself by riding a bike for a while. Every cyclist has their own weight and riding style. In this case, the same pressure for one will be optimal, and for someone too low or high.

Conclusion

Based on the above description of the types of tread, it becomes clear that the main type of tires used by most cyclists for riding on urban and dirt roads are semi-slicks and slicks. They are the ones that are on all types of bicycles sold in our

Bicycle tires affect the behavior of a bicycle on the road more than any other part of it. Not only riding comfort, but also the safety of movement, especially on wet roads, depends on the quality of bicycle tires. It is clear that the higher the quality of the rubber, the more expensive the tire is.

When choosing a tire for a bicycle, it is important to consider the following factors:

• season;
• weather;
• road condition (asphalt, soil, gravel, sand, mud, snow and ice).

Rubber quality

Bicycle tires can be made from rubber or a composite material called a compound. Rubber has better traction, but wears out faster. The constituent substance of the compound is often silicon. For the same price, a compound tire will have better durability than a rubber tire. You can distinguish a new rubber product from a composite by touch by rubbing a dry finger with force over the surface ─ clean rubber will rub and creak.

Rubber as a material is obtained by adding a filler to rubber and then strengthening this compound with sulfur contained in soot by vulcanization. The worst quality rubber has the most filler.

Bicycle tires can be natural or synthetic.

• Synthetic rubber is cheaper than natural rubber, but it can be used to make oil-resistant rubber.
• Natural rubber is obtained by coagulation from the sap of rubber trees, which is very laborious. Rubber made from natural material will last longer as it is more wear resistant.

When buying a tire, you can quickly check it.

1. By running your finger over the surface with strong pressure, if you get your hands dirty, then this tire is of poor quality.
2. Having tried to tear off a few antennae left after the tire was cast. If they come off easily without even stretching, then this is a bad bike tire.
3. Having visually determined the quality of manufacture of a bicycle tire, so that the walls are without folds, and its bead cord is even and not bent.

tire anatomy

To clearly understand what the numbers marked on the rubber mean, you need to understand the internal structure of a bicycle tire.

1. Tread - part of the outer shell of the tire. It is divided into a treadmill in the middle and side lugs. It is the pattern and depth of the tread that determines the place of operation of the bicycle.

• A positive tread pattern, when the total area of ​​the lugs is equal to or greater than the area of ​​the grooves, is designed for movement on a hard road surface.
• Negative tread, which has high lugs and a smaller overall area compared to the groove area, is needed for good traction when driving on soft soil, sand, mud, snow and ice.

2. Cord - a frame that gives shape to a bicycle tire. It is woven from nylon or other synthetic threads. The higher the weave density of the tire, the harder it is. In other words: the higher the TPI (EPI) value ─ the number of stitches per inch of length, the more efficient tire resists punctures. The density of weaving in most budget tires is in the range from 24 to 67 TPI. For road tires, this figure is 60-130 TPI. In racing monotubes, this value reaches up to 320 TPI.

Cheap bicycle tires have a low weave density, and often the lack of strength of the tire is compensated by the increase in the thickness of the rubber on the tread and beads, which naturally adds weight.

3. Beading cable- a clamp holding the tire on the rim. It is twisted from steel wire or Kevlar threads. The most common bike tires with a steel bead cable, which are called clinchers.
Tires with Kevlar threads can be compactly folded like an accordion, which is why they are called folding (folding). They weigh about 100 grams less, but also cost more.

Folding bike tire for BMX bikes Tire PP Ft 20x2.25

4. Tire beads ─ a layer with increased wear resistance. Depending on the cost and purpose of the board, there are two types:

• Gumwall is a low density cord and a thick rubber layer. On budget tires installed on most types of bicycles;
• Skinwall is a high-density cord and has a thick layer of rubber only at the point of contact with the rim, and the rest of the bead is covered with a paper-thin rubber film. Expensive tires for sports bikes.

The main types of bicycles

The pattern and height of the tread determines what type of tire the bike is. The deeper the tread, the more grip on any road surface. Tires with deep negative tread experience high rolling resistance.

1. Slick - tires without a tread. They can only have shallow drainage grooves. When riding slicks, you need to be careful when braking on muddy or wet roads.

Slicks are ideal for driving on asphalt, racing tracks. Their main advantage is the absence of vibration when the wheel is rolling, and, as a result, on a bicycle with such tires, you can develop more high speed.

Road slick Schwalbe Speed ​​Cruiser HS 321 28x1.20 (700x30C 30-622) on the right and more embossed Schwalbe Big Apple 24x2.0 (50x507) for city trips on the left

With Schwalbe Speed ​​Cruiser tires on, you can even lean the bike into corners by wet pavement because it is very soft. But the tire quickly wears out ─ if you slow down sharply, you can tear it to the cord over the summer.

The versatile Schwalbe Big Apple bike shoe has a puncture-resistant Kevlar layer. Embossed, but shallow tread allows this tire to be used on both the front and rear wheels.

A universal slick for road and city conditions is the CST City Classic Slik rubber. Bicycle tires with the CST marking are of excellent quality, they are produced by the reputable Chinese company Cheng Shin Rubber. These tires will last at least three seasons without visible signs of wear.

Universal tire without tread CST 26×1.90 Slik

2. The semi-slick has a full tread along the edges, and drainage grooves or small hooks are located in the center. These tires are suitable for driving on dirt roads in the style of cross-country and off-road in dry weather. In general, semi-slicks can be chosen for cycling.

The Schwalbe Sammy Slick Folding tire is suitable for city and park riding on a mountain bike. According to the structure of the tread, it belongs to the semi-slick.

Schwalbe Sammy Slick Folding 26"x2.1" semi-slick tire

The Schwalbe Hurricane mountain bike tire is an exemplary semi-slick. It has a quiet, and most importantly, fast running on asphalt and provides reliable grip when leaving on the sand.

Schwalbe Hurricane tire in 26x2.00

3. Tires for mountain bikes - the so-called mud or gravel tires have a negative tread for the best grip on soft ground, gravel, sand or snow. Please note that these tires are not designed for long journeys on paved roads. In addition to the fact that they will wear out quickly, their high lugs will also make it difficult to move.

Tubeless, folding Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires are mud tires. It has a good combination of rowing lugs on the sides and a rolling track in the middle. This bicycle tire is universal both for the forest and for the city.
There is a more expensive modification of it with the Evolution index, which is 100 grams lighter, and it is positioned as a racing tire.

Schwalbe Racing Ralph tire. Available in sizes: 26x2.10, 26x2.25, 27.5x2.10, 27.5x2.25, 29x2.10 and 29x2.25

mud tire Continental Race King - Race Sport is a direct competitor to the previous model. It can also be folded like an accordion thanks to the soft safety cable. It rolls just as well on pavement and doesn't lose grip in sand and mud.

Bicycle tire Continental Race King – Race Sport. Issued in four sizes: 26x2.0, 26x2.2, 29x2.0, 27.5x2.2

4. Rubber for a crossover or urban bike has a treadmill formed from sufficiently high lugs in the middle. Such tires are universal for trips on smooth asphalt and for movement on dry dirt roads.

The so-called Continental Grand Prix 4 Season training rubber has high durability thanks to reinforced carbon fiber beads. As the name suggests, it can be used all-season as it is made from a hard-wearing yet soft compound. This tire can be recommended to road riders who often drive on broken paved roads, because it can withstand simply enormous loads.

All-season road tire Continental Grand Prix 4 Season. Issued in following sizes: 700x23, 700x25, 700x28

Colored tires always look great on road bikes. Although now tires in bright colors are also installed on mountain bikes in order to diversify them appearance.

The bright color of the tire is by no means an indicator of its quality. Familiar to many cyclists, the manufacturer Kenda from Taiwan uses a high-quality wear-resistant compound with the SBC marking for the manufacture of colored tires.

5. Winter bike tires are made of a soft compound, and some models are also equipped with studs. Studded tires are only needed for driving on icy roads to brake and turn on ice.

Winter tires, studded in four and two rows

6. Tubeless tires have a bead cable woven from Kevlar threads, that is, they are folding. They are mounted on special rims with high sides. With the help of anaerobic adhesive ─ sealant, additional sealing is performed.
Usage tubeless tires allows you to slightly reduce the weight of the bike, as you can tilt the camera. And their main advantage is that a punctured tubeless tire can be repaired without removing it from the wheel.

7. The cycle tube looks like a tube, but still it is a tire, as it has a cord. On such a tube is fixed with glue. Modern cycle tubes are practically impenetrable, since they have an increased density of weaving cord threads ─ up to 320 TPI.
They are often used on sports bikes due to being the lightest of all tires.

Bicycle tube of the Italian manufacturer Gommitalia Champion, size 700x23

8. Of course, there are no absolutely non-piercing wheels, but you can reduce the likelihood of a tube puncture by installing tires with an anti-puncture layer. Such a layer can form both dense rubber and Kevlar threads.
The additional material placed between the cord and tread adds an average of 170 grams to the weight of the bike.

Tire sizes

Picking up new bike tires is easy if you look at what the old ones were like. The dimensions of bicycle tires, like any other tires, are indicated on the side. An extruded gauge always has a diameter and a width and can be specified in inches or millimeters.

Tires for the niner are marked with the number 29, although in reality they have a diameter of 622 mm ─ the same as that of the cross ─ the so-called. You need to know that a Niner has wider wheels than a hybrid, so tires with the number 29 cannot be put on the narrow rims of a motocross bike.

Most road bike tires are 700mm or 28 inches in diameter. As an exception, sometimes there is a size of 650 mm for the front wheels of a teenage road bike. Many cyclists ride the narrowest tires, 18-23mm wide. For long-distance travel, it is better to put tires with a width of 25-28 mm, they are easier to drive on a dirt or wet road.

Most mountain bikes come with 26" wheels. The tire width of a cross-country bike is 1.8–2.4 inches. A freeride or downhill bike is equipped with 2.5-3.0 inch wide rubber to provide reliable grip on rocks.

Width can be specified both as a decimal fraction ─ 26×2.1, and as an ordinary fraction ─ 27×1 1/4. At the same time, tires with the same markings are absolutely identical.

BMX bikes are trial bikes with 20-inch tires. BMX tires have the same width dimensions as mountain bike tires.

If you are still poorly versed in the types of tires, then it is best to buy a new tire for the bike is the same one that was supplied at the factory when it was assembled. This does not mean the same brand, but with a similar tread pattern and the same diameter. But if you really want to pick best option for your riding style - be prepared to experiment.

You can buy them.

Well, I thought carefully and decided to answer, because in this case the "old-school drivers" don't cut anything, and why should they cut in this chip, because many of them Nissan-sunnies never saw where they know how and on what to anneal on real sports cars. And all the "drivers of the new school" assure that sports car - sports tires. Well, I'll post my point of view here. newest school"Of course, take a slick and don't be afraid of anything, and in order not to be afraid, I will reveal to you the little secrets of the "newest school". So that the slick is not afraid of either "light ice" or pack ice, you need special spiked slicks, and because this sports tires, then the spikes should be sporty, that is, 5-7 mm high.The whole chip is in the density of the studding, it should be at least one spike per square cm of tire area, and preferably two or three spikes per square. see At the same time, we immediately win on wear resistance, such tires will wear out much more slowly than usual.Yes, and on the pavement, the behavior will improve, sports spikes will bite into the asphalt no worse than into ice, and no slipping at the start will be terrible, because you can easily dig a thin layer of asphalt and get to solid ground.True, on wet asphalt it will be difficult to break into hydroplaning on such tires, and this is bad, because then the car would simply fly over the film of water without touching the asphalt, and you can develop a higher speed, while uh conserve gasoline. So look for the right slicks, and don't go on the road without them.
Well, about the A539 slicks you chose, even if they are properly studded, they will not be aggressive enough, take a closer look at the Boggers from Interco, or the Simex Extreme Trekker, after proper studding, these are one of the best slicks for drag and circuit racing. There will be questions - ask, the instructors of the "newest school" will always give "good" advice.

It would have been better if you didn't reply :)

Maybe offtopic but still
Here seems to be their test: (there are 3 parts. The Japanese went on the track. One of them is Tsuchiya :))
(I'm not sure what exactly this model is, but the tread pattern is very similar)

I'll take a look today. Are the conclusions in Japanese? =:)

Slicks have higher wear resistance ... Well, well ...
Slicks or pseudoslicks are special tires and are not suitable for domestic use. This is an option for racing. In addition, the cost is much higher than conventional tires.
I didn’t quite understand about how it’s possible on N. Sunny (if the conversation is about a car in the signature) for a season to stagger a set of summer tires ...
The 539 you have chosen is not a slick.

They have the appropriate production technology. Here, for example, the A359 wears out quickly, and you need to take some kind of dinolop dz1 to shake it for tysh 50. In addition, a larger contact patch does not allow the wheel to go into axle box or skid once again, and therefore it is less erased. Well, the production technologies there, I must say, also differ from the technology for manufacturing civilian tires.
About worn out tires ... yes, on a sleigh. I think that the softness of the rubber affected. At the end of summer, the groove in the center had a height of about a millimeter. Rubber breeches, I don't remember the model.