Wide Tyres Vs Narrow tyres

[Wester]

In these cold and icy weather conditions that we have at present do wide tyres like mountain bike tyres give you a better grip on the road or is there no difference ?

 

[HovR]

Excluding studded tires, no tire will grip on a sheet of ice. Despite that, I still find wider low pressure tires more stable on the ice, so that's what I use when it's icy about.

If you're really worried about ice, have a long commute, or want to remain out on the bike during cold spells, get a pair of Marathon Winters or similar.

 

[Moodyman]

I use a rigid MTB with 1.75 inch semi slicks in winter. Feels far more sure-footed on greasy damp roads then the slicks on my road bike. But my commute is on main roads which are well gritted. On icy roads need studded tyres as above.

 

[HLaB]

Personally I've found 23mm's more sure footed but I think thats got more to do with my balance on a road bike and the compound if you hit ice unless you ave studded tyres there's no difference.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Is this one of these "Which would win out of a Pitbull and a Shark" questions?

I think if there was a knife fight, with a wide tyre versus a narrow tyre, the wide tyre would win.

If there were no knives or guns, it would be pretty close but the wide tyre would still edge it.

 

[edindave]

Sticking to my 23mm Conti Gatorskins for the commute on single speed. All main roads (bus routes) so gritted when required.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Running 25mm Continental GP4000s at the moment , really good tyres IMHO.
Trying them over 23c at the moment on Zipp 404 firecrests

 

[GrasB]

Best tyres for low temps without spikes I've found are 23-622 Ultremo Aqua.

 

[Lance Jack]

Is this one of these "Which would win out of a Pitbull and a Shark" questions?

I think if there was a knife fight, with a wide tyre versus a narrow tyre, the wide tyre would win.

If there were no knives or guns, it would be pretty close but the wide tyre would still edge it.

The shark in water but the pitbull on land

 

[green1]

On snow and ice you want tyres as thin as possible. This reduces your contact patch and increases the pressure on the contact area which will help create more traction, also a long thin contact area will have more directional stability than a short fat one. Most studded tyres are fatter but that is to allow room for the studs. Don't believe me, compare WRC cars on their normal tyres:

and then them running in the swedish rally, the tyres look comically thin compared to normal.

 

[Boris Bajic]

On snow and ice you want tyres as thin as possible. This reduces your contact patch and increases the pressure on the contact area which will help create more traction, also a long thin contact area will have more directional stability than a short fat one. Most studded tyres are fatter but that is to allow room for the studs. Don't believe me, compare WRC cars on their normal tyres:

and then them running in the swedish rally, the tyres look comically thin compared to normal.

Why do you use photographs of prototype hovercars to demonstrate a point about tyres and contact patches?

One might as well use photographs of Mongolian Throat Singers to demonstrate a point about the Moon.

I despair of Cycle Chat sometimes....

 

[green1]

You try find a picture with them on the ground where you can see the relative width of the tyres. The very fact he's in the air at all while driving in snow and ice tells you a lot about the tyres they use. Tyres work in the same way on 4 wheels or 2 wheels no matter what you say about the relative merits of the propulsion system.

 

[oldroadman]

Don't the rally cars use winter tyres, which are a special compound to retain flexibility below 7c, and as they are being used in competition probably wear very fast? For me, it was always 25's that gave the best ride and decent grip on wet and mucky/muddy roads, hit a sheet of ice and that's not a good combination with two wheels, whichever tyres you use. Trike, anyone?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Its a misconception that skinny is always better for the snow. The question is why do most people think that. Well watch any WRC video from the snow and your going to see some super skinny tires. But look closer at those tires, they are all studded tires. The reason they run skinny studded tires is for this fact. The studs only really work when they reach down into the compacted snow/ice. And the best way to do that is to put more weight over a smaller track, hence the very narrow tires. As such it matters if the Snow is compacted or not and this effects the choice of tyres

 

[Pale Rider]

Winter tyres for road cars grip because of the compound rather than the width.

But then, you can't fall off a car.