Originally Posted by
urbanknight
Actually, since bike tires don't hydroplane, slick tires have more wet traction than tires with a tread (given the same contact patch). What you learned is that road bikes have very small contact patches and it only takes a little less friction (wet surface) to find the limits of adhesion.
I've heard this many times, but just can't wrap my head around how it is possible. Two scenarios: Tire A = slick, black chili grippy tire. Tire B = tire with grippy compound, but tread cut into surface. We'll go with your idea that both tires have a small contact patch. We add some water to find the limits of adhesion. What happens?
In A, the tire continues to slide over the "top" of the surface (asphalt/concrete for example) until forward motion is somehow slowed enough that the coefficient of friction "grabs" and the tire is in full functioning contact with the surface.
In B, a similar thing should occur, but with the uneven surface (the asphalt is not 100% 'smooth'), one has to believe that an edge of a rock is going to meet up with an edge of that tread cut into that tire. Over repeated hits of 'edge-of-rock' to 'edge-of-tread', this has to result in an increase in tire-to-surface contact and more control.
You're still going down, but maybe slower with the tread...maybe.