Chipseal vs Hotmix

[slofox]

Whilst I may not have the correct technical terms for these two types of road surface, I am sure you all know what I mean by each.
Usually we ride around on chipseal - that very abrasive, noisy stuff with lots of little stones sticking up out of it that is cheap(er) to put down and leaves lots of loose stones after application for bikers to arse off on...(like SH bloody 22 last Sunday)..... On occasion, we are treated to short lengths of hotmix - no stones, nice and smooth and a lot quieter but dear(er) to put down.
What I am interested in is the relative grip that each provides in wet conditions, all other things being equal (to stop all you bloody hair splitters....) Anyone know?

Just as a sideline I also wonder why (like on the Waikato Expressway) you will get about 1km of hotmix in the middle of a 17km run of chipseal? Who the hell decides that? And why? "Ahhhh I'm sick of this bloody chipseal - let's chuck in a km of hotmix, just to wake the drivers up ....."??? Bizarre......

[Okey Dokey]

My personal experience overseas was that hotmix provided considerably less traction in the rain than the rough chip & tar used in NZ.

[sunhuntin]

not knowing anything at all about the two different types aside from difference in looks and noise, id say the chip seal would be better for wet weather braking, provided its been swept of loose stones. the hotmix [smooth stuff?] just seems like its got no grip to it. its due to this assumption that i am always careful going into otaki in the wet, as the road in from the north is lovely and smooth. having the stones sticking up on the chipseal just seems like itd be grippier. [like sand paper compared to normal paper]

in saying that, i love the hot mix by otaki. perfect road right there.

[Big Dave]

Hot mix is laid own as ready mixed asphalt and compressed as such.

Chip seal has bed of tar laid down and then loose stones adhered to and squashed on top of it.

The main reason Australian bikers wear less protective gear is because the roads are made from hotmix and are far less likely to 'betray' them.
Chip seal would just melt over there too.

Hotmix is SIGNIFICANTLY safer for motorcyclists. Provides better wet weather adhesion - because of the uniform surface and greater contact area - and has no likelihood of its surface wearing off and exposing slippery black death.

I was told It is more expensive to lay and more importantly - maintain - in NZ conditions.

$58 million on flow control for the onramps ya know.

[nodrog:Me]

grip is all about surface contact area, as long as there is no standing water hotmix will provide better traction than chipseal.

[davebullet]

From my limited experience, asphalt (hotmix) feels more grippy than chipseal (metal).

There seems to be two types of "flat" road surface. There is the black asphalt and grey ... ?

[slofox]

grip is all about surface contact area, as long as there is no standing water hotmix will provide better traction than chipseal.

Standing water being different from just 'wet'?

[slofox]

The main reason Australian bikers wear less protective gear is because the roads are made from hotmix and are far less likely to 'betray' them.

OH! I see.....I thought they were just.......errrrr.......never mind.....

[Spyke]

Hotmix is SIGNIFICANTLY safer for motorcyclists. Provides better wet weather adhesion - because of the uniform surface and greater contact area - and has no likelihood of its surface wearing off and exposing slippery black death.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one!

[slimjim]

O crap ...there goes the thread....bloody roo busters...i like hotmix...fuck what it costs...i voted national...they'll sack alot of public service people...so they have heaps of spare dosh to send on sticky shit..

[nodrog:Me]

Standing water being different from just 'wet'?

yes

_________

[Maha]

Chip seal has bed of tar laid down and then loose stones adhered to and squashed on top of it.

Too Technical for me

See I would have thought stone chip would have the better grip?
While hotmix is nicer to ride/drive on, would it not bleed quicker in hoter conditions? and form ice quicker in colder conditions? than stone chip?

Interesting to read others take on the matter.

[MSTRS:Me]

Generally speaking, the hotmix/asphalt type provides more grip than chipseal. Because of its lower noise, it is often used in higher speed zones adjacent to houses. It is almost always used on roundabouts, because it provides that better grip*, and lasts longer than chip seal. It does tend to get 'pushed' outwards into increasingly large humps (always on our line, of course).

* I have been told by roading people that there are different grades, offering a variety of skid resistance. Of course, the more expensive ones are better, so contractors often use the cheaper one/s despite Transit specs (and prolly charge the higher amount).

[MSTRS:Me]

See I would have thought stone chip would have the better grip?
While hotmix is nicer to ride/drive on, would it not bleed quicker in hoter conditions? and form ice quicker in colder conditions? than stone chip?

No. To all of those.
Why are race tracks laid with some sort of hotmix/asphalt/bitumen? Quite simply, it is superior to chipseal.
It doesn't bleed cos it was never liquid. And it is less likely to ice up, because it is smoother and doesn't retain water (unlike chipseal, where water sits in all the hollows between the individual chips)

[Devil]

See I would have thought stone chip would have the better grip?
While hotmix is nicer to ride/drive on, would it not bleed quicker in hoter conditions? .

Hotmix doesn't bleed like chip seal does. It's much more resilient to temperature and lasts long.
As all ready stated it's all about contact patch. Both types need adequate drainage either way.
Gimme hotmix and lots of it.