Mountain Biking - Traction

Now to all physicians of mountain biking.

Lately I've been riding a lot with slicks, b/c it's much more faster on paved surface. Although I do go on gravel pavement, but I can't go fast because I'm aware of losing traction on curves. Especially at the front. So I was thinking to install Kenda Karma DTC (xc), only at the front and leave slick on the back wheel.

Now here's what I would like to know. How will that affect the speed and the traction? I'm sure that will enhance the traction, but will it decrease the speed? Me, in the city, losing 3-5km/h because of the tire change is a torture

Or how about trying cyclocross tires?

I have Karma DTC's. I don't think you will like them if you ride on pavement a lot. The pavement wears them soft rubber out pretty fast. It could get pretty expensive.

Yeah, these are expensive. On their website they suggest 45$ and that's not even a pair. Are they slow on pavement? What about traction?

They aren't too slow on pavement but I doubt they keep their initial traction for more than 100 miles or so of pavement riding. Traction is great on hardpack, roots and some rocks. I don't care much for them in mud though.

I do a rather muddy race each spring on front and rear 1.5 slicks in an effort to improve my speed on the paved sections (less than a third of the total distance). I slide around a lot but it (more or less) works.

I have also done the same race on semi-slicks (old Ritchey speedmax, 1.9, I think) and had a slightly slower time, with a lot less near-crashes.

A semi-slick on the front and a slick on the back is a decent compromise. I tried this mixed set-up one year and had about the same time as with both slicks. Looks odd, but it's not a bad idea.

Now to all physicians of mountain biking.




What do doctors have to do with traction???

What do doctors have to do with traction???

Pardonnes moi, physicist ;)

Knobby tires will have less contact patch on pavement, thus making them more unstable. See Sheldon Brown's website under "Tread for On-Road Use:" http://sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#tread

What do doctors have to do with traction???


It's who you have to see after you wipe out, silly! :rolleyes:

I saw lots of physicians when I was in traction.

I saw lots of physicians when I was in traction.

Oh man your killing me,thats sooooooooo funny..........where's that feather?

Knobby tires will have less contact patch on pavement, thus making them more unstable. See Sheldon Brown's website under "Tread for On-Road Use:" http://sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#tread

This blurb was kind of all theory becasuse it assumes clean dry pavement... conditions that rarely exist. I ride slicks much of the year, and they break loose way more easily than lightly lugged tires on pavement, because there is almost always some amount of grime, gravel, and sand overlying it.

at the end of the story. I've bought an all-condition XC tire and placed it on the front wheel. I didn't go riding on my trail yet but I did tested it off road. I guess it will take some time to get used to new setup and to find out its limitations. So far, good traction off road and it sort of worsened on pavement.