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Slick tires in damp conditions?
- Thread starter Corsara
- Start date
I understand. Well, I do have a spare rear rim, on which I can put last year's Dunlop Q2, but don't have a front wheel, so the only option would be to take the tire spoons with me to the track....hmm, I should've bought a front when I had the chance in the winter, now I can't find anyone selling just the front, lol
Ask yourself seriously if you'll ever ride in the rain. I mean, when it's bucketing it down. When you can't see properly beacsue of rain on your visor. Are you really gonna swap your rims and go out in that? Go out and get your leathers soaked, your boots and gloves wet and your helmet messed up? You're gonna ride the rest of the day with wet gear or get ****** off and stop riding. Then you go home with wet gear and have all the hassles with that to deal with. I've had my fill of getting soaked to the skin. No more for me.
I've ridden slicks on a damp Calabogie with no issue. Just be sensible. But it wasn't raining. It was simply a damp track with standing water on and off line. And the pay off was being out there as the track dried and a line became dry enough to get on the gas.
I stopped debating getting spare rims for rain tires a long time ago. I'm too lazy, too mard and too old for that. I'd rather huddle under my canopy and stay dry.
I've ridden slicks on a damp Calabogie with no issue. Just be sensible. But it wasn't raining. It was simply a damp track with standing water on and off line. And the pay off was being out there as the track dried and a line became dry enough to get on the gas.
I stopped debating getting spare rims for rain tires a long time ago. I'm too lazy, too mard and too old for that. I'd rather huddle under my canopy and stay dry.
Well yeah, I wouldn't ride if there is any rain at all, I feel the same way as you. But if it's just the track being wet and puddles here and there, don't know---I'd feel unfortunate (unless I go out on the slicks)...hmm
It depends on the track.
Very grippy rough surface texture lets the water sink down between the projecting rocks and your tire grips to all of the projections sticking up, and doesn't "see" the water. Pavement that has been beaten smooth for years ... not so much.
Very high speed conditions will be more prone to hydroplaning than slow corners. Banking or cambering lets water drain off rather than pool on the surface.
There are some tracks that are notoriously treacherous in the wet ... MidOhio being one of them.
I have decided for this year that I am too olde to bother with riding in the wet any more. I've never been much of a fan of doing that anyway.
Very grippy rough surface texture lets the water sink down between the projecting rocks and your tire grips to all of the projections sticking up, and doesn't "see" the water. Pavement that has been beaten smooth for years ... not so much.
Very high speed conditions will be more prone to hydroplaning than slow corners. Banking or cambering lets water drain off rather than pool on the surface.
There are some tracks that are notoriously treacherous in the wet ... MidOhio being one of them.
I have decided for this year that I am too olde to bother with riding in the wet any more. I've never been much of a fan of doing that anyway.
I've only been a few times to TMP for now, so I wouldn't know. Do you know by any chance in which group it falls (bad for rain, ok for rain, good for rain)? Only fast(er) corners are 1, and maybe the double apex at the end.
I was going to add "it depends on the track" as well but a cold beer was waiting. And Mid Ohio is so bad for rain they will call a session when it starts raining. They mention this at riders meeting so everyone is clear what a cluster**** that track can become once the rain comes.
I've never ridden TMP on a wet track or Shanny. Wouldn't fancy a damp Mosport. Just ridden at Calabogie, Mid Ohio and Jennings in the damp. Mid O may as well have been sheet ice. The others were fine.
I found Mosport very slippy when it was wet. Been there a couple times when rain has passed through and either got caught out in it or did a sighting lap to check conditions. In either case I was back to the pits in a hurry. lol.
For OP. I have been on slicks when it has been damp/wet and I just took it really easy and smooth and was fine. Also been out on full rain tires in the rain. While it is fun, like others I have pretty much decided I am not running in the rain any more, not worth crashing over versus missing a few sessions or a full day if really unlucky. I now use my spare wheels just to have an extra set of slicks ready to go at a moment's notice. That way I don't need to scramble trying to get tires mounted.
The problem is if you are racing, then you kind of have to go out there even if raining. I would never go out in the rain for just a track day. No point on burning money on tires and potentially a slip and fall
Of course. I was referring to track days, which I think was what the OP was referring to as well. If not, disregard me.
Yes, I was referring to track days. But dilemma is a killer---it will rain on Thursday, that's for sure. It's not clear how much. I have the option to mount a set of street Q2 tires if I was sure it won't get dry enough for slicks. At the same time, the Q2's I have are last year's, stayed in the cold garage all winter, and it would suck to get there and see a completely good and dry track. Ughhh
Of course. I was referring to track days, which I think was what the OP was referring to as well. If not, disregard me.
This is a shot at myself
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