Do wet roads make a material difference to the grip of your tyres?

[newbie2012]

Hi guys

here's a question that is pretty relevant with the current weather.

Do modern bike road tyres have materially less grip in the wet than the dry ?

I'm not talking about standing water, or wet roads with water straight after dry spells that turns the oil, rubber, mud, cow muck, diesel etc into that nice slippery soup crap, but after all that stuff has washed off.

My brain tells me that modern road tyres perform pretty well if you ride smoothly and a bit slower, but my mind tells me to back right off. What are your experiences ?

[Berries]

The Metzeler tyres I have on my bike are the best wet weather tyres I have ever used and they give me a lot of confidence. They have nothing like the grip they have in the dry though. A wet road surface reduces the friction available for a tyre to work with so yes, they will always have materially less grip in the wet than dry. Even after all the crap has been washed away, a film of water sits between your tyre and the road surface. At a macro level the hysteresis zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Get some tyres that give you confidence and you'll love riding in the wet. Get something not so special and it could put you off for good.

[Gremlin]

Yes, and it depends on the tyre. Some have substantially less grip, others don't suffer quite the same loss in grip.

A wet road is a colder road, the tyre isn't as warm, and another reason why the grip levels are not the same.

[onearmedbandit]

Riding at pace is still achievable in the wet as long as you are ultra smooth with the inputs, ie steering, throttle and brakes.

[russd7]

biggest problem is the variation of the road surfaces, wet tar allows for pretty much no grip regardless of what tire you have, i have had my rear wheel spin going in a straight line and not from opening throttle. like anything, ride to conditions and skill level

[skinman]

& intersections are often very slippery due to oil etc. of cause there are still the road markings to avoid if possible. The grib is compromised some tires worse than others as already mentioned & and also it pays to watch for surface changes, finding clean lines to ride on etc. the centre of back roads is often slippery so pays to ride the wheel lines if in doubt. Keep in the back of your mind that stopping quickly is difficult in the wet so look well ahead.
as you comment smooth is good, true always but more so when wet.

[Smifffy]

No.

Your tyres have the same grip all the time, for any given wear pattern.

Wet roads affect the road surface, and hence your tyre's interaction with the surface. There is no possible way that it cannot.

So, your tyres behave the same at the same wear and temperature, but on the same surface. Change the surface and the tyre/surface interaction changes.

Slow down in the wet. Because. The roads are wetter. The roads are more slippery and your tyres are the same.

I'm fucked if I know how some people can't work that out.

[macka77]

No.

Your tyres have the same grip all the time, for any given wear pattern.

Wet roads affect the road surface, and hence your tyre's interaction with the surface. There is no possible way that it cannot.

So, your tyres behave the same at the same wear and temperature, but on the same surface. Change the surface and the tyre/surface interaction changes.

Slow down in the wet. Because. The roads are wetter. The roads are more slippery and your tyres are the same.

I'm fucked if I know how some people can't work that out.

what a load of crap your saying !! the water doesn't change the grip level of the rubber, but it only changes the grip level of the road

[Smifffy]

what a load of crap your saying !! the water doesn't change the grip level of the rubber, but it only changes the grip level of the road

The water doesn't change the grip level of anything. Try reading it again. The water lubricates the interface between the two surfaces. Is that any clearer?

[3umph]

Water cools the tyre when wet so yes grip will be less then if the tyre was up to dry conditions temperature so yes you will have less grip as rubber is less pliable. Same imo would be riding in extreme cold where you tyres could not get to operating temperature where grip is optimum

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[Maha]

No issue in the wet with my current tyres at all, it's the unseen that can get ya. My tyres will cope with any condition I choose to ride in, but once again, if it is wet, there are circumstances that could change things in an instant ie: fluid from both other vehicles, and cows.

[Road kill]

I've enjoyed some of my best rides on wet roads because I get into this mind set where on known roads I'll pick a speed an try not to drift off it by more than 5kph while staying as close to ideal lane position as I can.
Keeps me thinking fast and totally concentrated on the ride.

I know my tyres won't have the grip in the wet they have in the dry but it's not a lot different, plus I seldom push hard enough to test them so not a lot of change is needed from dry to wet because their still well within their abilities which is better than mine anyway.

On wet roads just concentrate on "Riding properly" and your tyres should be well up to it as long as you do your part.

[MotoKuzzi]

Patches of slick tar is the real problem - on ordinary seal with metal chip showing you can ride with virtually the same confidence as in the dry.

[awayatc]

I don't trust wet shiny roads....
makes me slow down and be very carefull.....
every time I think I shouldn't be such a blouse and speed things up a bit,
I get a quick and nasty reminder as to why I didn't trust wet and shiny roads.....

very easy to lose it in the wet....
trust your instincts

[gammaguy]

Water cools the tyre when wet so yes grip will be less then if the tyre was up to dry conditions temperature so yes you will have less grip as rubber is less pliable. Same imo would be riding in extreme cold where you tyres could not get to operating temperature where grip is optimum

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Actually its called a hydrodynamic wedge

Based on the principle that water cannot be compressed,it forms a thin but very slippery barrier between tyre and road surface,hence reducing contact patch therefore grip.QED

As you were