Originally Posted by pierce

tread is *completely* cosmetic on pavement, in fact, too much 'tread' reduces your traction. the ideal road tire is a smooth slick. a bicycle tire will never hydroplane, so any nonsense about rain grooves is just BS.

slicks work nicely on dry hard pack dirt surfaces and gravel too. for mud, sand, steep loose slopes, sure, full out knobbies are required.