Tyre choice for uncertain conditions

**Toast** · 29th March 2007, 15:51

Looking to race at PMCC this weekend. The forecast for Sunday, according to METVUW, has been changing a bit over the past couple of days, from light showers off and on to persistant rain.

My bike has currently got Michelin Power Race medium compounds on there, which are fairly worn (A Metz Racetec/Pirelli Supercorsa class of tyre, and the hardest one in its family). I haven't got a spare set of rims to stick wets on yet.

As far as tyre choice, I see the following options:

-Stick with the Power Race med's and hope that it doesn't rain. They're ok for a short while in the rain, but the compound is fairly hard, and in a wet session at a trackday, it was a bit tricky to keep heat in them.

-Stick one of the sets of Bridgestone BT002 Type 4's (Super soft) sitting at Cycletreads on, which should have a little more movement of the surface rubber and be able to hold the heat ok, and will be killer if it's dry. I've used the hard compound versions of these in the dry and loved 'em.

-Buy some Pilot Power 2CT's or Metz M3's or something similar. Not quite as much fun and forgiving if it is dry, but should be decent in the wet, and something like the 2CT's can't be too bad in the dry if my experiences on standard Powers are anything to go by.

-Change to Wets and pray it rains.

What would you do, given the uncertain forecast?

**JayRacer37** · 29th March 2007, 15:55

Originally Posted by Toast

Looking to race at PMCC this weekend. The forecast for Sunday, according to METVUW, has been changing a bit over the past couple of days, from light showers off and on to persistant rain.

My bike has currently got Michelin Power Race medium compounds on there, which are fairly worn (A Metz Racetec/Pirelli Supercorsa class of tyre, and the hardest one in its family). I haven't got a spare set of rims to stick wets on yet.

As far as tyre choice, I see the following options:

-Stick with the Power Race med's and hope that it doesn't rain. They're ok for a short while in the rain, but the compound is fairly hard, and in a wet session at a trackday, it was a bit tricky to keep heat in them.

-Stick one of the sets of Bridgestone BT002 Type 4's (Super soft) sitting at Cycletreads on, which should have a little more movement of the surface rubber and be able to hold the heat ok, and will be killer if it's dry. I've used the hard compound versions of these in the dry and loved 'em.

-Buy some Pilot Power 2CT's or Metz M3's or something similar. Not quite as much fun and forgiving if it is dry, but should be decent in the wet, and something like the 2CT's can't be too bad in the dry if my experiences on standard Powers are anything to go by.

-Change to Wets and pray it rains.

What would you do, given the uncertain forecast?

Get a set of the Bridgies, if you liked the harder ones, you'll like softer, its all about feel. get your wets. Have a best guess as to what weather will do on friday. Take all the tyres and some tyre levers, if there is standing water on the track sunday and its not going to clear, change em at the track in the morning.

**HDTboy** · 29th March 2007, 15:58

I had a BT002 on the front of my 400 and rode for miles on the road, raced in marginal conditions on it after that and it still felt good

**kiwifruit** · 29th March 2007, 15:59

m 3

**JayRacer37** · 29th March 2007, 16:02

Originally Posted by kiwifruit

m 3

Metzler M3 is a road tyre buddy.....Like me suggesting SportAttack over RaceAttack.

**kiwifruit** · 29th March 2007, 16:03

Originally Posted by JayRacer37

Metzler M3 is a road tyre buddy.....Like me suggesting SportAttack over RaceAttack.

yer, be good if it stays like this tho... wet and cold

**JayRacer37** · 29th March 2007, 16:07

Originally Posted by kiwifruit

yer, be good if it stays like this tho... wet and cold

Well....it might lower tempratures to drop it into the temp range for the M3, but even then, probably not significantly enough to drop it out of the range that would suit a Racetec. If there is standing water, neither the M3 or Racetec or similar is going to cut it whilst racing. It is essientially still a dry pattern and will struggle to shift the water required.

**HDTboy** · 29th March 2007, 16:11

Originally Posted by JayRacer37

Well....it might lower tempratures to drop it into the temp range for the M3, but even then, probably not significantly enough to drop it out of the range that would suit a Racetec. If there is standing water, neither the M3 or Racetec or similar is going to cut it whilst racing. It is essientially still a dry pattern and will struggle to shift the water required.

What would you know about tyres?

**White trash** · 29th March 2007, 16:11

Take your spare tyres and change them by hand if the weathers crap ya poof.

Same as me.

**bugjuice** · 29th March 2007, 16:15

yup.. fit an intermediate tyre and have the wets on standby, which you'd need if there's standing water

**JayRacer37** · 29th March 2007, 16:16

Originally Posted by HDTboy

What would you know about tyres?

Sweet FA eh Gav???

**kiwifruit** · 29th March 2007, 16:16

Originally Posted by JayRacer37

Well....it might lower tempratures to drop it into the temp range for the M3, but even then, probably not significantly enough to drop it out of the range that would suit a Racetec. If there is standing water, neither the M3 or Racetec or similar is going to cut it whilst racing. It is essientially still a dry pattern and will struggle to shift the water required.

ok, i fold

**Toast** · 29th March 2007, 16:24

Originally Posted by White trash

Take your spare tyres and change them by hand if the weathers crap ya poof.

Same as me.

I've got some wets in the van, but I don't know if I could get the whole job done in time. Only changed a front with no machine to help, once, and have forgotten how to do that now, anyway. I'm an accountant, my poor flimsy wrists aren't up to that.