is there such a thing as a non slip tyre

[runner]

I have conti gatorskin 25c on my road bike and in this weather no matter how careful I am there is always the possibility of slipping....I try to be so careful of leaves, drains, mancovers etc but tonight yet again i felt some slippage on my back tyre when riding slowly over a drainage cover..and not the smooth type...the question is if i buy marathon + tyres will it stop me slipping and give me a bit more confidence?

 

[fossyant]

Don't ride over drainage covers. Gators are supposed to be a bit slippy. 4Seasons are a better alternative.

 

[gaz]

some tires will be more prone to slipping, usually due to a harder rubber compound.
But any tire can slip if you put them in the position to slip. Take it easy at this time of year, avoid manhole covers where possible (if not, just go over them but do so in a straight line, do not adjust your position, steer or brake whilst on the man hole cover.
Take it a bit easier in the corners as well.

 

[derrick]

It's something you have to get used to.

 

[the_mikey]

I use continental Grand Prix 700x24's and they seem to stick to the road quite well, gatorskins are a bit more slippery in the wet, especially on drain covers.

 

[runner]

I had Grand Prix 4seasons before but changed to gatorskins as I was constantly getting punctures....the gatorskins have been good puncture wise but as i am learning you need to be that little bit more careful with them in slippery conditions ....I presume the marathon + is not a good idea then...

 

[Jdratcliffe]

some tires will be more prone to slipping, usually due to a harder rubber compound.
But any tire can slip if you put them in the position to slip. Take it easy at this time of year, avoid manhole covers where possible (if not, just go over them but do so in a straight line, do not adjust your position, steer or brake whilst on the man hole cover.
Take it a bit easier in the corners as well.

+ good advice my commutes always have an extra 5/10mins on them this time of year due to the whether

 

[Teuchter]

I try to be so careful of leaves, drains, mancovers etc but tonight yet again i felt some slippage on my back tyre when riding slowly over a drainage cover..and not the smooth type

Wet metal is going to be slippery, no matter what pattern is cast into its surface. For your tyres to grip on it, they'd need to be of such a soft compound that they'd puncture every 5 miles and wear out within a week.

As others have said, you should avoid riding over manhole covers if you can and avoid braking, turning or getting the power down while going over them if you can't. This also applies to painted lines on the road and overbanding (shiny tar strips that seal the edge of road repairs) - all of which can be slippery in the wet.

Developing the habit of avoiding these is a core riding skill. Quick shoulder check then move to avoid them.

 

[Stonepark]

I don't use them myself but read elsewhere Duranos were pretty grippy and may be a compromise between the gatorskins and the marathons.

Anyone used both ?

 

[jonny jeez]

. Gators are supposed to be a bit slippy..

They're designed that way?

 

[doug]

They're designed that way?

I doubt they deliberately designed the tyre to be slippy
However, to make a moderately priced, robust, puncture resistant tyre, they will have had to compromise on the other features, such as grip and rolling resistance.

 

[fossyant]

Gators are just a bit crap on wet weather grip. Something I won't compromise on as it rains a lot in Manchester.

 

[cloggsy]

I don't use them myself but read elsewhere Duranos were pretty grippy

I've got 700x25 Durano Plus' fitted to my winter bike & so far, so good I have to say. I haven't experienced and slippage or skittish behaviour from them...