Do road tyres heat up as quick as slicks?

[moT]

I have heard things like slicks take longer to heat up than high preformance road tyres is this true? aint perelli super corsas just slicks with groves in them?

[boomer]

shove both in an oven and find out.

[moT]

what a great idea!!!

[sugilite:Me]

The difference is pretty much the grooves themselves, it gives the road surface edges to tear at causing friction, thus heat. For that combo you mentioned anyways. No point comparing a chin shing with a slick.

[moT]

is there a conciderable difference?

[sugilite:Me]

I hand groove my old race slicks and use them on the road, and yes they do heat up a bit faster once grooved. However, I still take my time when warming up any tyres as I had two nasty cold tyre prangs in my early racing years, pre tyre warmer...both over 180 kph.

[moT]

yeah i dont have any tyre warmers yet

[sugilite:Me]

OK, now I understand why you are asking. The slicks might take 15 to 20% more time to heat up at most. They will however, last up to twice as long, as tyres with grooves wear out so much faster for the reason mentioned in my 1st post.

[moT]

OK, now I understand why you are asking. The slicks might take 15 to 20% more time to heat up at most. They will however, last up to twice as long, as tyres with grooves wear out so much faster for the reason mentioned in my 1st post.

15% 20% of what time? 1 lap 2 laps of taupo? if not running tyre warmers for 6 lap race do you think its better to run lower pressures so they heat up faster? eg 26psi

[sugilite:Me]

It takes 1 warm up lap and at least 2.5 to 3 laps into the race before they are up to operating temp. So if grooved tyres take 2.5 race laps, slicks would take about 3. IMHO, it's best to buy slicks, and just accept the limitations of not having tyre warmers, then when your slicks are worn out, get another pair and a set of tyre warmers from the savings of not going through two sets of grooved tyres, to your one pair of slicks you did run in the 1st place. (if that makes sense)

[Squiggles]

warmers are cheaper than the constant need to replace tires and risk it on them cold

[FROSTY:Me]

I wanna throw out a concept at you lot.
For the winter series you are wasting your time using the same tyres as you would for the nationals.
What I think we need is a tyre with MORE and wider grooves. My reasoning is that you need a tyre that is able to MAINTAIN temperature in the mid winter cold.
That coupled to TOTALLY different suspension settings.

[sugilite:Me]

Well, under the heading of beggars cannot be choosers, I bought all my tyres second hand and they were from a guy that came top three in the nationals. I never once had a problem keeping the heat in the tyres during sub 10 degrees winter racing, either on the superbike (3rd overall 06) or my post classic zxr (1st over all 06) Had I put grooves in, I would of ended up using twice as many tyres. The only point of wider grooves that I can see is to channel more water. Less rubber in contact with track = less grip as well. If one is really having problems getting heat in, get a box cutter knife and simply put in lines of cuts, the rubber either side of the cut will rub together causing friction which = heat, and will not give the large edges for the track to tear at as having wider grooves would do.... and again, more rubber is on the track. IMHO and experience.

[FROSTY:Me]

Well, under the heading of beggars cannot be choosers, I bought all my tyres second hand and they were from a guy that came top three in the nationals. I never once had a problem keeping the heat in the tyres during sub 10 degrees winter racing, either on the superbike (3rd overall 06) or my post classic zxr (1st over all 06) Had I put grooves in, I would of ended up using twice as many tyres. The only point of wider grooves that I can see is to channel more water. Less rubber in contact with track = less grip as well. If one is really having problems getting heat in, get a box cutter knife and simply put in lines of cuts, the rubber either side of the cut will rub together causing friction which = heat, and will not give the large edges for the track to tear at as having wider grooves would do.... and again, more rubber is on the track. IMHO and experience.

Sorry dude i'll qualify that--With a lighter/slower bike such as a 400 f3 bike or a clubmans bike. Tyres seem to cool from what I've seen
Im pretty sure thats why the F2 guys tried running front wets at Taupo in the dry

[Shaun]

warmers are cheaper than the constant need to replace tires and risk it on them cold

Well said mate. Race preperation is 95% of the true battle